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If you are planning to drive in bad weather click on the map on this website and it will show the road conditions. http://www.bison-fute.equipement.gouv.fr/

OMG - I gave up giving up years ago! Alcazar, I salute you, but I bet you've given up your NYR before long when you have the choice of water, endless cups of tea or gaseous gut strippers.

Hi - we live in North Charente but like to do an annual house-sit in other regions of France - just for a week or two. If you want your animals looked after in the comfort of their own home, plants watered and grass cut in either April or June next year contact us. As part of our micro entreprise we are registered for this kind of work but look on it as a holiday/favour (ie no charge at all) and we are used to looking after cows, horses, dogs, cats and hens. We'd prefer to be within an hour of the coast - any coast, but preferably South or South West!! pm me iif you are interested, or we could even sort out an exchange. References can be provided. Hope this doesn't get pulled - it's asking a favour/offering help NOT looking for paid employment (have got enough of that!!).

I'm not sure about good places in Angouleme but New Year's Eve should be really busy in any town. The restaurants will book up really quickly as they all put on special meals and dancing for St Sylvestre (usually starts around 9pm and finishes at 3am). We went to the Marmite in Mansle a couple of years back and it was great - it's the only time in my life that my dessert was served at 1am! If you are there now, wander around and choose a place you fancy for the night and make a reservation NOW. Our little village do is all booked up.

They'll probably come back. The postie always calls when there is no cash in the house and last year we got the pompiers (in full uniform with fire engine) and a little kid, on his own, from the football club. We leave the bin men a couple of bottles on top of the bin bag (and the recyclable men) - LOL - they've never mistaken them for rubbish yet!!

You might find it easier to catch the train from Poitiers to Waterloo as Ryanair have a nasty habit of altering flight times. At the moment they fly out early evening but last year they were mid afternoon. A guy I work for commutes every other week to London and manages to do quite a bit of work on the train. OK so it takes a few hours but what with the hassle at Stanstead waiting for luggage and then getting to London, he says it's better for him and more reliable. No idea of costs though, sorry.

I'm intrigued! This is to be exclusively for Brits and is not for holidaymakers??!! So you're going to make your money really from sale of tartied up second hand static caravans (or maybe park homes?) and ground rents. Not many facilities, just a pool. Gosh this sounds like Mum in laws place in Hove. No children or pets there and exhorbitant ground rents which rise annually.The owner even sited more of these on the communal carpark so the owners are now discouraged from having visitors as they only have one parking space by their "bungalow". Sounds wonderful doesn't it? Please tell me I'm wrong!

Just thought I'd warn those living in Brittany, North West Normandy (Cherborg Peninsula), Loire Atlantique, Vendee and Charente to battern down the hatches tonight as severe winds are forecast. Take care all.

Just thought I'd warn you all in Charente, Vendee, Loire Atlantiques, Brittany and North Western France to battern down the hatches tonight. Very strong winds are forecast. Take care everyone.

I caught a snippet of French news earlier suggesting that Villepan is clamping down on immigration. Now I suspect that all of us living in France from the EU are OK but did anyone else hear it and what form of clampdown is he planning?

If there is a supply to the house which has recently been occupied, could you not ask your agent to get the utilities connected (their fees are so high after all...)? Otherwise if it's a renovation project with no supply to the house you'll have to contact the companies and get prices. The electric company (EDF) may want to check any new wiring out before switching on.

:ast year we found that they all seemed to get sold on the second Sunday of December here in 16 and after that there were only very tatty trees to be found. I scoured the countrysideside and managed to find a small but decent one at an agri-coop. If you're not coming over until 23rd I should bring your own or ask someone in France to buy you one. Good luck!

What channel was this on - we have French TV?

John - I can't believe that all you are interested in is Now! From Di's postings, it's pretty clear that she cares about the environment. My children, their children and their generation have a right to enjoy and live in a peaceful and sustainable planet, as we do and I'll do my best in my only small way that they can.

Sorry TU but there are tax credits available to all French residents, whether paupers or millionaires, for energy effiencent heating (even woodburners), insulation, windows etc. A bit like in the UK!!

The first time our neighbours came to eat I cooked traditional English roast beef etc and apple pie (but with cream rather than custard). Also did a lighter starter and had the cheese course French style between the roast and the apple pie. They loved it as they thought we couldn't cook at all, being English. Yes offer them aperitif - our neighbours like whiskey, kir or ricard with ice plus nibbles but be prepared for this last a good half hour. Offer nice wine with the meal and a little cognac or old armagnac after. Good luck - our neighbours are fantastic and they have eaten here so often now that we all have a great evening and it's not too formal but she always wears lippy!!

Well. we've had a really hard frost overnight in North Charente. Hopefully your area is warmer! Check the meteo on www.meteofrance.com.

Same here in North Charente, Lori. Looked out of the window and thought it had snowed as everything including roof tops were (and still are) white!! No pipes frozen up yet (we had a few last year) so maybe our extra insulation is working. Lovely and warm indorrs as woodburner stays in all night - we just leave the doors open and the warmth comes upstairs until heating switches on at 7am. Take care on the roads folks. No gritting/salting in rural France and our commune has only just put the warning signs up.

We are thinking about next year's holiday already, and would like to go to the States - anywhere apart from the middle of a city. Major problem is that we are quite poor so a house exchange appeals - you look after our hens, we look after yours type of thing - just for a couple of weeks. Are there any websites offering this sort of thing?

Maybe they aren't registered so don't have a huge cotisation bill, or maybe they're newly registered and haven't a clue how much they are going to pay out when the bills start rolling in, or, maybe they are quite happy to live on 4 euros an hour!

You all seemed to have forgotten that all French villages have there own form of social control (and grassing up), from the factrice and the mobile boulangerie to the Maire. Nothing escapes them around here!!

I just wanted to warn Lou's husband that the piles of cut wood laying around the countryside are not unowned/unclaimed. They are seasoning ready to be sold/used in future years. A pile went missing near here a couple of years ago and the old guy who had cleared, cut and stacked it was furious and blamed les anglais! He said that no French person would take it. Regarding the modern equivalent of the old pariffin heaters which are available in bricos, they are excellent especially if you buy a more expensive all singing/dancing model. Very efficient. Friends have converted their huge grenier space into an open plan sitting room/music room (with a double glazed glass wall overlooking a stunning view). At present it's heated soley by one of these little oil heaters (until the chimney for the woodburner is finished), we've been there recently on a very cold evening and the whole area (must be at least 80sq metres) was very warm. We had oil central heating installed three years ago and should have had some sort of solar alternative installed at the same time as the prices have risen so much. Have heardly had it on yet this year though as we have a very efficient woodburner!

Sorry, can't help but should Liverpool be warned about you and your large suitcase?

Thanks for that Tillergirl. Had already found the website while I was waiting for the people living in France who had signed up for the course to respond!!! (Sorry - can't do winks or smilies as I have an iMac!)

You could try these people, Paul. They were offering sites for touring caravans recently on the AngloInfo forum. * Travel & Tourism -» Holiday Accommodation -» Camping & Caravans -» Twinlakes ¶ Campsite for Tourers and Campers with 8 Mobile Homes for hire, (17) Soumeras, Charente Maritime. France. Contact: Sandra. » Web Site · » new window ¶ Print this entry » e-Mail Tel: 05 46 49 77 12 Fax: 05 46 49 77 12