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Quillan - get a life. Why are you trying to make these guys look dodgy? First, anyone who registers with the Chambre de Metiers knows that you can register for a whole string of trades, but only one (the top one on your list) finds it's way onto the SIRET checking website. So these guys are probably registered to do a whole shaft of different trades between them. Secondly, many folks register as a Micro Entreprise first to "test the water". Once plenty of work comes in, it's easy to go up a step fiscally. Not so easy to come down though. When we have loads of work, we work with another guy who also has his own Micro Entreprise. Easier to do this than take on someone (with all the charges) then lay him off a few months later when the work has dried up a bit and it's all legit. And as for tax avoidance..........! I s'pose you mean TVA avoidance? The TVA is paid in full when the goods are bought. Maybe the customer loses out a little by not being able to claim his TVA back if he's purchased the materials (the difference between 5,5 and 19.6%), but this is often well outweighed by no TVA on labour charges. No, the person who is generally losing out is the builder who can't go up to next tax regime because he doesn't earn enough/hasn't enough work etc as he probably also can't afford an accountant either to work out all the tax offsets for him. Good luck to these two - at least they are getting work in and offering legit employment to someone.

I think Cat was being ironic.

Yep, we have two large glass fronted woodburners (use the oil c/h for an hour or so morning and evening). I have no probs with wood - we buy a load ready cut in August, it's stacked in the barn and one of us fills the log baskets every morning which takes ten mins. I love them, the warmth, the focal point and the smell! We've probably got it down to a fine art now as I've had woodburners for donkeys years. But........I wish one of them ran the central heating!

Get one that's at least 11.5hp with a mulcher. Don't bother with a grass box as by the end of the summer you will have a mountain of grass cuttings (unless you compost it all). Get one with a Briggs and Stratton engine (or Honda) - I bought cheap Bricomarche Best Green which is about 5 years old, have it serviced and sharpened once or twice a year and use it on gardens up to 3000sq mtrs several times a week during the season (I do garden maintenance). It's excellent, much faster and a better cut than the small Honda ride on. Buy new if poss - it will have a guarantee.

After having oil fired central heating installed four years ago and the price of oil now is nearly double what I paid then, I'd say go for neither! (Tanked gas is much more expensive than oil and electric heating is out of the question!) If we move we plan to have woodfired central heating (50% tax credit on energy efficient burner) and a combination of solar/electric water heating (again 50% tax credit on the solar panels). May buy one of those super paraffin heaters for emergences though!

Just screwed ours on at home! Have been stopped and the gendarmes complained that there was no triangle on the light board (bought from Halfords) but didn't say anything about the numberplate fitting. (.....and at the time I think they were really going out of their way to find something wrong with me (they'd gone through my work docs, driving docs, driving license and number of marriages!!), the car or the trailer so were being picky!).

LOL - you're living in France and celebrating Guy Fawkes night????

Hi, if anyone knows this village, which is near Salies de B in 64 can you get in touch please by pm? Thanks.

Here in Charente the vide greniers are all but over (they are a spring/summer event in most communes) and the lotto season has started. Then it's Tea Dances, hunt suppers, and then...........joy, spring has arrived and it's vide greniers again!

LOL - when M. le Plombier did our plumbing and central heating he refused to fit anything from the brico sheds in the downstairs bathroom. We had to meet him at the plumbers merchants in Angouleme and they had a choice of.........wait for it..........two styles of basin and..........one loo to choose from. Easy choice! Anyway, when we fitted out the shower room upstairs ourselves (M. le Plombier had installed all the pipework and wastes) we bought from Bricomarche and haven't had any problems with the expensive stuff or the cheapos. I'll never bother with a bidet again though (insisted upon my M. le P.) - complete waste of space, and the hydrojet shower pings my bits (!) so that's another thing that I wouldn't waste my time with. Sorry, this isn't really much help, but yes, we did have to buy the taps seperately (with M. le P. hovering over us).

We've recently rented a large 3 epie gite in the Pyrenees through gites-de -france. The contract, which we signed and returned with our deposit, stated that electricity and gas meter readings would be taken on arrival. A certain amount would be allowed in the rental and over and above that used would be charged at cost (a chart of charges were in the gite). A weeks supply of logs was included in the rental (there was a very large pile in the garage, with kindling) and more could be requested if necessary and again, charged at cost. As it turned out, the meter readings were generous, as was the pile of logs. We didn't have anything extra to pay for our usage, but it did make us all careful. Maybe this is the way to go?

Just had a look at my last two (2004 and 2005) and they were both due by 15th November. Don't forget that you can pay them on-line and I think you get an extra 5 days (check your bill). Also, if you want to pay tax d'hab and/or tax foncieres monthly in advance (!) of next years bill you have to apply during December.

Find your house first! Then ask locals to recommend good artisans in your area.

Strange request - thouands of notaires all over France, many good, some bad perhaps. Isn't is normal to use : a) the notaire that the agent recommends b) which is usually the same notaire as the vendor c) a local notaire to the property. If you are still unsure and are buying privately, find your property, then enquire about notaires in the area, especially if you need an English speaking one. We used our local notaire (as did the vendor). He was great as a little problem cropped up with the attached barn which didn't belong to us. He drove round and spoke to the owner, our elderly neighbour whom he knew, and sorted it out immediately.

Have a look on www.artisananglais.com to see if there's someone in your area. Some of ours was skimmed but the rest we rough plastered with Lutece 2000L - was easy and looks great in our old cottage!

Hi - this has been mentioned recently and friends (French) are interested in renovating a property to rent out long term - they have heard that grants are available in some departments. Has anyone been down this route and received a grant? If so, who do you apply to?

Have you tried ebay? http://search.ebay.fr/vasque_W0QQcatrefZC6QQcoactionZcompareQQcoentrypageZsearchQQcopagenumZ1QQfromZR10QQfrtsZ0QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ1QQga10244Z10425QQsacatZQ2d1QQsasltZ2

Chris - I've been away en vacance in the moutains for a week and now that I'm back I'm working slowly through all the posts I've missed. Do I detect that somethings amiss in your life? It seems that you are on a bit of a downer at the mo from your recent postings, I may be completely wrong (as usual) but that's the impression I get. I hope it's not tax bill and cotisation time for you as well. Anyway, be assured that those who want proper wood will seek it out. Having said that, I love Ikea!!!

Well, we've done the Ossau valley and all had a great time (see earlier post), but now need a hotel in Cauterets for a few days after Christmas - son in law wants to participate in apres ski in town in the evenings. I've have a look on the website but there doesn't seem much, so can anyone recommend a reasonable one please?

Thanks everyone - we had a fantastic time and managed to fit in many of the trips you recommended. The gite (3 epi GdF in Asson) was lovely - the furniture must have been worth a fortune and we were very careful with it! Now to start house hunting!!

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OMG - we were probably considered mad, but we did it! Bought a holiday house, and after first holiday decided to sell up and move over. We had enough for the renovations and to last us a couple of years, which only actually lasted 18 months! We knew we had to find work eventually, but knew that as we were flexible and adaptable and had various skills, we would either sink or swim, and over 4 years later, we are still here, still really enjoying living and working in France, and not planning on going back. But, it has been tough at times, and the very long wet winter of 2005/2006 wrecked my chances of earning any money (apart from a stint of vine pruning) so paying the enormous cotisations (NI equivalent for self employed) was a real bummer. Luckily MOH works hard but then again it's sometimes unpredicable. Saying that though, we have managed to live OK and pay the bills, we've had holidays in UK and France, we fill the freezer up when we have money and eat from it when we haven't any. We have been surprised how prices have risen over the last few years, some things are cheap, but most things are not. So, what I'm trying to say is, is think hard, do your research don't move out without at least 40K to tide you over for two years whilst you learn the craic and find work. The kids will love it, and be fluent in no time. If it doesn't work out, you'll have all gained something from the experience and no doubt will be able to get back into a similar job in the UK, but you may find it difficult buying there after a few years in France. We just wish that we had made the move years ago. Whatever you decide, good luck.

Yes, from what I've heard they are pretty strict in Charente. Anyway, as an aside, you certainly need a shower (the solar ones are excellent) - just think of all those guests jumping in covered in sun tan oil!!

The boards are free from most builders' merchants. Just complete it with your planning permis number, your name and the size of the abri and plonk it outside your house. Gives neighbours a chance to see what's going on (i.e. complain if they don't like it!!) and also is a legal requirement.

MOH did the stage course in Angouleme earlier this year - he actually did his in French as his French isn't too bad. The English courses are held less frequently, so he would've had to wait but the guy we spoke to at the Chambre de Metiers said that due to the long wait, it's possible for Brits to register and get their SIRET No before doing the course (this isn't available to folks doing the French course). (Make sure you have plenty of work lined up though as you have to start paying the cotisations from the date you register). The English course costs more as an interpretor is involved. I've heard (on here perhaps?) that the courses cost less in Limoges. It's a good idea to visit the Chambre de Metiers though as you have to book. They also visit local towns - Roumaziers, Confolens and perhaps Ruffec - ask at the Mairie. Accountants: An accountant in Civray speaks English - G2A If you are setting up as a micro-entreprise, you don't need an accountant. The paperwork is simple and you get help in writing factures/devis on the course.