Mops

Good to hear that it's difficult getting trades people in Britain too.  Someone posted regarding the cost of a double axle trailor with four wheels, they are around €1000 plus you may have to add on the cost of a spare wheel, ladder rack if required etc. depending on where you buy it from.  We chose an Iveo and it  has been worth its weight in gold (or sand, gravel and so on).  We originally bought it to carry the largest of the non agricultural type John Deere tractors when we moved house four years ago, and it has been well used since and has made several trips back to England (stocks of Cadbury's chocolate!).  To pick up on another thread someone asked the cost of trailors on the ferry and P&O are offering good deals on trailors at the moment (€35 return) on all crossings, that's starting from France but I believe the same deal is on the other way round.   Mops

Definitely a trailor (double axle and four wheels if you can).  Plenty of patience but the guts to stand up to the fonctionnaires when YOU KNOW they are wrong! Air conditioning in the car and in the bedroom (dept 24).  A good stock of Cadbury's chocolate when things haven't gone your way.  A supply of candles for the inevitable power cuts and finally a few stocks of fizz if the chocolate doesn't work.  Oh yes, I forgot to mention the most important: a husband/partner who is brilliant at DIY for the 99% of the time that you can't even get a devis from the local artisans let alone have the work done.   Mops

Coco, Southampton is brilliant for shopping.  Not only have you the out of town mega stores (M&S) at Hedge End between S'hampton and Portsmouth but there is also the new West Quay Centre in Southampton (John Lewis and all the major high street stores plus many speciality shops).  Prices are lower than in France for most non food items comparing quality with cost but apart from prices it's the choices available.  I visit Bordeaux fairly regularly where there is a good choice compared with more rural areas but I am always amazed at the lack of choice available whether it's for clothing, soft furnishings, furniture etc.  If you think your parents are crazy you will probably think it rather bizarre then that I am flying to Birmingham (another brilliant shopping area) from Bergerac for a five day shop till you drop all for the price of £80 inclusive thanks to Flybe!  The one thing my French friends and family miss about Britain is the shopping so we can't all be wrong...

It's working the other way round as well.  I have just been quoted 98 euros for a car plus driver for a three day return starting from Le Havre - long may it last!

Two of my children were Christened in Paris and some of my grandchildren have been Christened here too.  The baptism service is exactly the same as an 'Anglican' service (literally word for word).  The ceremony is perhaps a little less formal than some 'English' churches but usually white/cream robes/outfits are worn.  As someone else has posted it is a grear honour to be asked to be godmother or godfather and the French take it very seriously and 'marraine or parain' would always be invited to important birthdays, confirmation, wedding etc.  There is always a good meal following the Christening ceremony (a bit like a family wedding) with good wine, champagne etc and of course the 'dragées' (sugared almonds).  In all it's very much a fun occasion and traditional gifts are similar to the UK - serviette rings, bibles, spoon sets, gold medallions (more for Catholic services) silver name bracelets etc.  Much nicer than civil naming ceremonies which always seem a bit like an excuse to receive gifts, but I'm biased as I actually believe in the Christening bit!

Leclerc in Bergerac normally stock them in the foreign food section but I'm afraid I don't know how much they cost.  My only other suggestion is that you ask someone back in the uk to send you some , or perhaps someone reading your post will offer to bring some over for you.  I would be happy to but I'm not going until April.

You can nearly always buy parsnips in season at the market in Dol de Bretagne (Brittany) stall near the covered market and in the Dordogne in Ste Foy la Grande market (the bio stall).  According to the EDF website there is still one more red day under the Tempo tarif - sorry to disillusion you. Try par boiling the quatered parsnips for about 3 minutes then whilst still steaming coat in a pre mixed layer of equal quantities of flour and parmesan with salt and ground pepper to taste.  Heat oil in roasting tin add parsnips and roast in the normal way - yummy. Mops

Thanks JP and Miki for your replys.  I have passed the information on to my son and daughter-in-law.   Angela

Can anyone recommend either B&B or small friendly hotel in the Pyrenees with good access to ski slopes for period between 13-20th March or 20- 27th March?  Preferably in Western Pyrenees as travel will be from western Dordogne.   Angela

Try contacting france-property-services.com in Bellac, they are brilliant and will know about all the local events.

Pension de chat - is what you need for cattery. Try Google.fr for 'pension de chat' in Manche. Angela

Angela Having had similar experiences on numerous occasions in the past I am pretty certain that it is a stone marten (believe they are now extinct in most part of Britain other than some parts of Scotland). They are about the size of a large cat but can be quite heavy footed. They steal eggs (do you live next door to a farm with chickens?). They are quite difficult to get rid of and they give off the most disgusting smell similar to a ferret. The locals usually feed them poisened eggs and then once rid of the animal block up any entrance to the roof from the outside. Hope this is of help.

zero cinq ou zero six comme tu veux!

ditto: Myriam at BMI agency in Bellac is brilliant according to friends of ours and goes that extra length to help people and her English is really fluent.

They are sometimes called 'enfilades'. In particular if they are long and low and have a series of doors. Angela

Needless to say that they don't like being reminded of the thousands of French people crossing the channel looking for work which is available with less social charges etc etc and maybe just a tad less red tape! We won't mention the weather, the busy roads, cost of wine and fuel though... Angela

As there have been a few postings recently with reference to 'British foods' etc available in various parts of France, I thought it worth mentioning that the new Super U supermarket which opened last month in Mussidan has a very good range of British goods: Horlicks, Bisto granules, Cadbury's chocolate, Rowntrees Jelly (quelle horreur!) Carr's water biscuits, Hob nobs, gingernuts, PG tips, custard powder, ginger marmelade (and other varieties) Ribena, Branston pickle and Piccalily plus many more. Although the prices are obviously more expensive than UK prices, they weren't unreasonable and if you don't go back to Britain very often it's useful to know that some of the all time favourites are readily available. Angela

If you want to hang on to your personalised number plate, assuming that you will eventually, register your car over here, you can do so by contacting the DVLA and paying a retention fee - this involves a one off fee of about 75 (it may have gone up) and an annual fee of 25 per year for as long as you like. We have done this for several years until recently when my husband decided to buy an MG in Britain and has since had the plates put on it. Just in case any of those 'do gooders' out there start to jump on my case - we do have a home in Britain, our UK plated car is fully insured with a 12 month green card through SAGA insurance for use over here as long as we like and a fully paid up Road Fund Tax in the UK. It is perfectly legal to keep a UK registered car here provided that a) you pay the UK road tax and b) you manage to get cover in France (there are a few companies registered with Lloyds who will do this) or as we have 12 month green card from a British based insurer. Angela

Does anyone know if there are any good ferry deals at the moment for early July between Western ports and Portsmouth/Poole? Tried the old web site for the P&O BTA offer but it's all been changed. Was there a special phone number for that scheme or has it been scrapped completely? There seem to be many good deals starting from England but not from France. Angela

Have just done a five day return on this from France to England. The food was disgusting and VERY expensive. The seats are mediocre (marginally better than the Cherbourg Express). It may be a new craft to P&O but it's definitely not new! The only plus point is that Caen is a much nicer port to use. It takes 3.5 hours which is longer than the Cherbourg Express. Angela

You seem to have thought of most things - our cat approves and wants to know when he can try one of the suites. Where are you thinking of setting up? There are a couple of catteries already established in the northern Dordogne area, one close to Riberac and the other near La Roche Chalais. Please let me know more. Angela

Surely you will find the Morbihan (56) much more expensive than the Limousin. I have just moved from Brittany back down to the Dordogne and I can assure you that anywhere near the coast in Brittany in a move in condition will be more expensive than anywhere in the Limousin. What makes you think that rural parts of Brittany can offer more than elsewhere? Places like Tinit sur Mer or the Lorient area are very fashionable for Parisiens and you'll find it difficult to find something reasonable for under 400,000. Angela

We have used the transport and removal company twice now and they are brilliant. Totally trustworthy, very pleasant to deal with and go that extra length to help make sure you get what you want. I definitely recommend them. Angela

Hi, We have recently moved back to the Dordogne (had a house four miles from Ste Foy for 11 years) and have now moved to the Montpon area but still visit Ste Foy. I am 54 and husband 62 (last week). Have spent the past 2.5 years in Brittany but missed friends and the area down here. It's a great area to be in and lots going on. E-mail me if you need to know anything. Angela

I can't offer any help as I am not in your area (currently in Brittany but moving down to the Dordogne in 4 weeks) but I do have a brother with Downs who is now 43. Andr was brought up in France (like myself) and consequently speaks French/English fluently. It always amazed us how he could switch from one language to the other as soon as he heard the other language being spoken. If you ever want any moral support in any way please feel free to get in touch. Andr has brought the family much joy (and much laughter) over the years and I think the great thing was my parents treating him exactly the same as the rest of the family. Angela