zeb

Try www.artisananglais.com or www.findatradeinfrance.com  

We all coucou our female friends here...verbally and in emails....seems normal to me.

We came here for it...and we've got it...yippee!

I think many folks just live the same way that they've always lived and think nothing of it, and they are very very careful with their money. We have some elderly farming neighbours who dress and live in a similar manner to Dave's neighbours, and work on their smallholding/take hay along the road to their two cows daily. They really appear very very poor, and, when we started using the washing machine that I'd brought here with us, I offered them the fairly new machine that had come with the house. They very politely declined it saying that their daughter took their washing, and suggested that I offer it to the locataires round the corner (which I did). However, then I heard that when they retired from farming a couple of years back they had sold the tumbledown farm and land along the road for 300K and also sold their farm land to other local farmers and various plots around the village for the newbuilds. They've bought a house in Toulouse for one daughter and another house in Dax for another (they've also bought the daughters a car each over the past couple of years). ...but they still look very poor, thin and chilly, so I sometimes take cake or home-made soup over to them...and they bring me pumpkins and eggs! Also, when we were house hunting for a little cheap ruin many years ago, several of the old houses the agent showed us that had absolutely no mod cons, were still inhabited. We felt very rich in comparison with our 30K to play with...and quite humble.

No snow here, but I can see it on the mountains! Sunny forecast and a barmy 4 degrees for this afternoon.

Wow - have the bankers already got their bonuses?

You could check whether your commune or a neighbouring commune is holding a repas. The local St Sylvestre do is usually good fun, so that's what were doing this year. It's great...dancing between each course.....waiting for your dessert at 1am....walking home singing with the neighbours!!

I can't see that there would be an insurance problem by fitting a British chimney top, but you may like to follow local traditional chapeaux and enquire at a builders' merchants rather than brico sheds. Try Point P, Reseau Pro etc.

Hi, if you are the Confolens side of Bellac try Tim at www.charentetree.com If not, have a look in the classifieds section of www.angloinfo.com (Limousin) Nice one, Richard!

Well, it looks like I'm joining your club. Just come back from a short trip to the UK. How come I sleep like a log for 8 or 9 hours there, but can't do the same in my lovely cosy bed here? .....and my lurch objects to me being up, so I have to fumble about making tea by the cooker hood light and trying not to make a noise!   Edit: CF clock is wrong  

There are many horrific accidents every year Edward, and anyone who doesn't wear protective clothing is just plain daft in my book. There's all sorts of gear available in France from outlets such as Gamm Vert, but I have no idea re price comparisons - sorry.

Sorry, can't help with Luchon, but you could try this one at Salechan http://www.chambresdhotes.org/Detailed/9728.html  

[quote user="Quillan"]But its always commonly referred to as Chambres D’Hôtes, anyway what is it that you want to know you still didn't say?[/quote] Maybe you should study your signature line, Quillan

Yep, develop a strong stomach and a liking for eau de vie!

The weekly fruit/veg/cheese/meat market is on Saturday mornings, but it's held in the market place in Confolens rather than in the streets. If you mean "vide greniers" which are held in village/town streets (the French equivalent of UK boot fairs), it's nearing the end of the season, but yes, go to Tourist Information and ask there. Also ask about local monthly markets - most towns and villages have them, and they usually have more varied stalls than the weekly market.