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The holdup is the extension of the runway at a cost of 1.5million euros. Don't think O'Leary will pay. Val - I thought it was being named Angouleme/Cognac. I see Limoges has become Limoges International!

We do speedferries - it's 80 quid cheaper!

powerdesal - it's sooo normal to have your bottled gas in the kitchen if you live in rural France without town gas. Because of the high price and idiosyncracies of the electric installations/system in France a large proportion of the population buy gas cookers/or gas hob/electric oven cookers. It's difficult to find all electric cookers and many folks haven't got a handy barn attached, so we all put our gas bottle in the cupboard/kitchen unit next to the oven or, indeed, inside the handy compartment next to the oven if you have that type of cooker. We change ours every month and the pipe/valve gets checked every time. I'm sure most folks do this.

Try to buy a similar model In France as you may have a problem with the guarantee or repairs if you bring one from the UK. Yes, if they say delivery to France Metropolitan, that's all over France. It means that they don't deliver to the Dom-Toms (French colonies). There is a very good French website for ordering/buying electrical stuff on line if you know the model that you want, with very competitive prices and delivery. Unfortunately, I just can't think of its name but hopefully someone else will know. You could do a Voila.fr or Google.fr search.

2 days for prioritaire - that's a joke! Everything I send (parcels all shapes and sizes up to three kilos) goes prioritaire and usually takes a week to 10 days. Letters are usually delivered in 2 - 3 working days. La Poste shot themselves in the foot on 1st March by raising the tariffs, cutting out domestic economie parcel post, and generally trying to make a killing on the back on French ebay (IMO), which, in the past year has really taken off. Anyway, they quickly had to reduce International Colissimo - parcel post - charges as for a short while it cost 15 euros for any parcels up to a kilo to the UK and there was an outcry. Imagine dealing in CDs! Anyway, it left the small post offices in total confusion, no-one knew what to charge or what forms were needed, and I don't think the dust has really settled yet. Anyway, Beryl, it all gets delivered (well, all mine have) but judging by some photos (and returned goods) I've been sent, many parcels do get used as footballs. Pack them very well and offer customers (?) insurance.

I'm surprised! Since we've been in France (4 years), we've never had a credit card, and have hired cars on several occasions (usually Hertz or Eurocar). We have a La Poste account - very basic - and use the carte blue. Perhaps there are different rules for French cards/hire cars? Is it possible to claim this loss from your household insurance policy?

Why negotiate a discount Anton? Isn't the 50% tax credit enough? BOGOF!! LOL

I love the countryside here; the verges, hedgerows and setaside fields at the moment are carpeted with cowslips, lung wort, blue bells, and lots of low growing white flowering plants and then in May, the poppies, wild orchids and margeritas etc take over if the eleage or hay makers don't cut them all down. Still haven't tired of it after 4 years and much prettier than Barnet!

Try looking in www.pagesjaunes.fr for your nearest Traiteur. Or you could invite the local chasse and ask them to barbecue a sanglier.

You could also try the www.AngloInfo.com/riviera site.

Yes, and if you have set your heart on running it as a business, make sure you have the necessary permissions before signing for the property. Pop in and talk to your Maire. He/she may well be very keen for the extra tourist trade, and will give you details of obtaining the necessary licences (drinks/food), and any start up grants/aid for new businesses available in your area. It's always best to have the Mairie on side, as, if you fall foul of him at the beginning, things could be difficult ever after. Good luck.

Hi Pamela - I think your area is much more expensive than where I live (rural Charente) therefore it might be a good idea to try posting the same question on the www.angloinfo.com riviera website. Good luck.

I for one enjoyed the old days before the advent of mods. Anyway, on Friday nights all the adverts appeared and on Monday mornings Eleanor removed them all! This went on for years and certainly didn't cause me any grief. What does though is this incessent whinging, bickering, backstabbing, reporting (or not) and banning etc. Oh, and sometimes, sheer endless provocation until the poster responds nastily and so gets banned! It was never like this before. The forum was informative, interesting, sometimes argumentative but always addictive. Just think for a few minutes about all the old regulars who never post here now, they can't all have gone back to the UK. I bet many of them are just bored to the back teeth with LF, or been hounded off, and have moved on to other fora. Lol - they are probably all running regional sites for Frenchentree.com!

Well, I let my four go back to their run about 2 weeks ago. One died (perhaps of shock) the same day but the others are happier than they've been for weeks, and laying! Our neighbours, who never shut theirs up, said, one gets fined, we all get fined. Suits me.

I agree TU. I was finding the advise really useful for getting a 0% mortgage or a grant to do up my gite and claiming RMI while I'm waiting for the paying guests to arrive. It was all getting really interesting, then a mod came along and locked it. Why? I thought the forum was for asking questions, but obviously the poster asked one too many! I really don't give a d**m whether the guy's writing a book or is just plain curious, some of the posts led to good advice until Quillan's Big Brother tactic (led on by M** no doubt)! Sorry, I have an iMac, so can't do smileys!

The day I most enjoy in Paris, is People's Sunday. The first Sunday of every month when entrance to the Louvre and many other museums and galleries are free. OK, so there are queues but they move really quickly as there is no-one taking money and you can visit where you want in the morning, take lunch and then revisit your favourites in the afternoon, all for free! All of Paris seems to be out and about and it's great! Forget Bank Holidays though. Many places are closed because everyone has left the city for the long weekend.

Hi does anyone need a house/pet/horse sitter for a week in either late June or any time from the beginning of September? We are France based but would like to visit Gers/Aude/Aveyron or in fact anywhere southwest. Could also do a house exchange if you would like to visit another area (16) and need a break. We have references and also a happy, house trained, friendly dog!

Further to posting one for sale on ebay and actually studying it. It seems to me that as an alternative to a proper stand, you could buy one or two of those folding green tubular canvas camping stools and offer one to guests as a suitcase stand on arrival. All the stands I have seen on ebay are for sale in the US (some may come up on the co.uk site and even on the ebay.fr site (if you are prepared to trawl through the valises). However, it is possible to buy items from the States and have them posted to France. (insert smiley!!) Another alternative is to find a handy person and ask them to make one (they look simple enough), then cover it with whatever material you wish. If you don't want such a nasty wee thing in your bedroom, just let your guests do as we do - chuck suitcase/travel bag on the floor, unpack what you need and kick it under the bed! Sorry am getting carried away now....probably by men in white coats......

.....and it really isn't compatable with my pretty little iMac!

This looks pretty! http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-Folding-Suitcase-Stand-Wood-Luggage-Rack-Table_W0QQitemZ4452960384QQcategoryZ3195QQssPageNameZWD2VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Judging by the travel section at Stansted, many have succeeded, but, I suspect, many have failed! You could try Susie Kelly's website. She has written a couple of books about her adventures in France, and helps budding writers. www.susiekelly.com Good luck and let us know when it's published.

Ian - You say that you've considered a ride-on but maybe that is the route you really ought to take. I hardly use a push along at all now. It takes such a short time to do a reasonable job, especially in the height of the growing season when the lawns need cutting weekly. The bonus is that partners and guests also enjoy using the ride-on so lawn mowing won't be soley your job. All the edges, around the trees and the river bank can be done quickly with a strimmer. Get one with a mulcher attachment and don't bother with a grass box as you will just end up with a mountain of grass cuttings at the end of the summer to dispose of. Just think how much extra time you will have for relaxing and contemplating weed growth!

Every department is different and even every commune in the department has different regs! Go and ask at your Mairie. Ours was a touring caravan that was parked outside for a couple of years and we just got permission from the Mairie. There might be different regs for a large mobile home!

....and in Angouleme they sat down in front of the TGV. They'll probably do it again on Tuesday! Sorry Dick, that doesn't really help you much does it?

I was going to suggest the weather, but we may as well have been living in Cumbria this year!