Backleee

Having spent too many hours in their shops - their slow and basic website matches the "in-store experience" perfectly! (in my opinion)

Just a quicky to say BricoDepôt's new website has gone live at www.bricodepot.com - basic but it has all the store addresses, tel numbers and opening hours - in French, English & Spanish. Seems very slow, but it's a start.... Chris    

Yeah, we find gelatine in the aisle with cake decorations, food colouring, birthday candles - that sort of thing.

Hi - just a quick reply.  My wife's made loads of cheesecakes here with cream cheese from Lidl - so it's cheap - under a Euro per 200g pot - called "Creme Goldessa - Pur" or Nature.  In a blue and white tub, it's a mixture of cream, cheese and yoghurt very similar to the own-brand Phildelphias from the UK. She also adds  *powdered or leaf gelatine - both easily available in the Hypers or supermarkets (brand "Vahiné" - powdered). Cheers,   Chris    

Thanks very much to you all for the prompt replies - I was hoping that was going to be the consensus & fingers crossed I can source some UK heaters & get them brought over to me later in the year.   Thanks again.

Hi - I'm hoping someone can answer this storage heater query, I thought it's worth a try... I've got Heures Creuses (0130-0730 & 1430-1630) & want to make the most of the tarif. I've rewired most of the house and the chauff eau works well and is quite economic off the contacteur jour/nuit.  I was given a fairly new (but very very heavy!!) Noirot storage heater which I've connected to my heating circuit and branched from the EDF pilot wire to turn it on/off for the heures creuse.  Again this works well and isn't too expensive to run. My query is, storage heaters are far more expensive in France and you can buy simple Dimplex style ones in the UK new or 2nd hand much cheaper - thus if I connect them to my heating circuits - all OK, but how can I get them to turn on & off automatically as they don't have the electronic circuits built-in to "read" the EDF pilot wire.  The EDF man who changed our meter said I could use the pilot wires to automate heure creuse circuits - eg for the w/machine, but I chickened out and use a plug-in timer! So is there any way I can either branch off the contacteur jour/nuit used for chauff eau, or can I install another one and if so how would I connect it to turn off/on the heating circuit?  I was thinking perhaps I could do an exact copy of the chauff eau connection on the tableau except this will be for heating (which appropriate disjoncteur ratings etc). Any thoughts or help would be gratefully received. Cheers, Chris

 Hi,just to say that le facteur delivered a copy of the Edition 2005 BricoDépôt catalogue today! This is quite bizarre as I've been asking at the 2 nearest (50km) BricoDépôts to me for over a month now. So perhaps it's bulk delivered like a lot of pub - I didn't realise I could just have sat at home and waited for it! It's good (for me at least), to have up to date prices, stock and see what new/different products they have. Cheers,   Chris

Hi Dun,   sorry to be cheeky - but I'm thinking about wood burners - and am more concerned about effectiveness than looks.  Could you email/message me a picture so I can have a look in the local Mr Bricolages?  Many thanks. Chris, Allier (03)  

Hi,   I asked a couple of weeks ago in Montluçon (03) - they said February.  That said I'm not counting my breath as the staff aren't generally very helpful. Chris  

Hi,   don't know if this is too late but I've found www.leroymerlin.fr very useful.  Look under conseils, there's loads of very good pdf leaflets as available in the shops. Covers electricity circuits, very good, and plumbing.  Like the wickes/B&Q leaflets in UK. Also try other French DIY stores ie. www.castorama.fr http://www.mr-bricolage.fr etc etc. Having bought some good books, often the pictures & diagrams are identical in the leaflets. Hope this helps!   Chris

France to Uk for 1 cent per minute!Hi, just to add for several months now we've used Telesoldes http://www.telesoldes.com/index2.php which is only 1cent per minute in France and to the UK!  I'd used their sister Uk company for several years in the UK prior to moving to France.    Basically you dial 1690 before the full telephone call, a recorded message will confirm the cost ie. "1 centime par minute" You register your credit/debit card/Carte Bleu and they debit the amount used each month AFTER sending you a comprehensive e-Bill.   Hope this is of some help!   Chris

Hi, just to clarify Kingfisher (the Uk plc who own B&Q) have 3 French businesses, my thoughts having used each are: Castorama (store & internet based) - similar to B&Q in pricing and stock,  BricoDepot (only store based) - at least one in every French region, very cheap - have a very useful massive catalogue so you can decide what you want before visiting ... and about 6 times a year have a mini catalogue of special deliveries "arrivages" at normally excellent prices.  BTW their radiator prices are very good.  Dynastock who have been set up to be the French version of Screwfix.  I've ordered off them twice, only phone, post or fax though.  Their phone number for a catalogue (maybe 1/3 Screwfix size, but they are only starting) is from France 0825 351 361.  Be aware they get very busy so you may have to try a few times.  Their prices are good, delivery is free over 149Eu then 6,95Eu or 9,95Eu depending on order size.  Also note that to order by post or fax you have to calculate the TVA etc.  Speaking to the operator, whilst placing an order - he knew of Screwfix Uk, which they are modelled on and also unfortunately said they had no-plans for internet trading at present.Hope that helps with your query, I'm also not saying I'm 100% correct - these are my findings & experiences! Cheers,   Chris    

Hi, just to say that I've sent you a PM about a Satellite installer based in Vichy, Allier that may be of use.  Don't know if I'd fall foul of whatever anti-advertising rules there are if I answered here! Cheers, Chris

Hi, my wife & I have just moved into our house in the Allier - roughly 1/2 way between Moulins & Vichy.  I think historically this isn't a big tourist area for the British (though that could be changing), but over the summer there are lots of Dutch, German and French tourists. The Allier as part of the Auvergne is one of the poorest areas of France, which is reflected in property prices - that said over the last few years, like the poorer areas of the UK, it has been successful in attracting investment which is noticeable in improved services, railways, roads and other facilities. Best of luck. Chris

Hi, me & my wife are currently buying a house in the Allier, due to complete in 3 weeks or so - as you may well know, it's a lovely area so the best of luck to you. We've spent weeks looking for our house and to be honest the vast majority of Agence Immobiliers don't speak English, and also aren't anywhere near as professional as what you might expect from the UK. That said don't be put off, as there's loads of properties around AND the Auvergne is one of France's cheapest areas. Plus 99% of the agents are friendly and welcoming. I'd also recommend checking out Notaires in the area as they have a good selection and due to their selling fees being lower, the houses are about 5% cheaper. Some hard-earned tips from us in the Allier ;) 1. As in the UK state a lower budget than you've actually got to spend! 2. Try to be as precise as possible with area (Agents are very very parochial - we took a large scale map), size of house, land, outbuildings, town, village or countryside etc etc. In your own time make a note of these few points in french beforehand. 3. Take pen and paper, as it's very unusual to get any written details, also if you have one a digital camera is invaluable. 4. A torch! - strange, but many of the older houses have the electricity turned off/or none! - and the Agents cigarette lighters aren't good enough! 5. Where as in the Uk, I've been able to sift houses before viewing them, here I've had to view every one before I can discover it's next to a dual carriageway etc etc. So, it's a long process as you generally have to view each property. 6. Make clear if you have your finance etc already sorted as this may speed things up Lastly some websites for you - I've tried to put the most useful near the top: http://www.acheterunemaison.com/index_e.html http://www.bourbon-immobilier.com/ (friends have used these) http://www.orpi.fr (we used these) http://www.frenchcountryhomes.com http://confianceimm.fnaim.fr (v. professional) http://www.onlinefrenchproperty.com/ http://www.logic-immo.com http://www.immonot.com/ http://www.immobilier.notaires.fr/ (both these sites are for Notaires, also they have listings of the offices to visit) The best of luck, and sorry for the very long posting but it's quite a lot of info! Chris