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Thank you to Fitter's Mate for that info. The lady at CPAM today responded to my prepared French phraseology and my scary post Christmas bulk. Aided by being particularly nice to the college stagiaire who was shadowing her I achieved something similar, stamped and signed. Hopefully that will be enough. I must also say a very big thank you to Parsnips. Steve

Thank you for that, hopefully we'll find a co-operative operative! Steve

Just a quick one folks to see if anyone knows of a quicker method than queuing at CPAM and asking them to write a letter of conformation. Re reclaim of CSG, I've been asked for an attestation for 2014 (I supplied a current attestation in 2016). As I've dutifully destroyed most of my previous attestations as instructed, does anyone know if there is an official name for what I need or an easy way to get a copy of an old attestation? Thanks in advance, Steve

Thanks for that. Turns out my son has already booked a room 14 KM from the venue. It's a sign of getting old - I used to be in charge of that sort of thing......... Steve

I'm going to a concert at the Chateau de Chantilly in July and wondered if anyone has any experience of large events there and can offer me some advice on travel, parking, final part of the route (from Brittany) and so on. It's my intention to reserve a cheap hotel south of Paris and book in on the way up so that we have somewhere to kip for a few hours on the way home. At the last concert I went to at Magny Cours, it took 2.5 hours to get out of the car park..... TIA Steve

We've had no problem buying them or opening savings accounts at NS&I with a French address, since our granny bond fiasco. I did read somewhere though, probably on here, that any winnings are considered to be interest payments by France. Steve

Todays Lidl promos include a ladder at 50 euros. Damn and blast - it looks just like the one I bought a couple of weeks ago on a Bricomarche promo for 60 euros (normally 65). Oh, hang on, wait a minute.....the Lidl ladder is a metre shorter than the Bricomarché one. The three items on the Lidl promo front page today: 4.5 kg Basmati at 1.22/ kg, normal price 1.34........Super U normal price 1kg packs cheapest 1.29, one I buy 1.36 Pack of 30 battonnets de poisson panés 3.10 /KG, normally 3.89...... Super U normal price from 3.52kg. 1.5L "jus d'orange" 55 cents a litre, normal price 73 cents......Super U normal price from 66 cents. I've never understood why people who shop at Lidl feel the need to justify so strongly why they do so. I also don't know who votes them the best supermarket chain, they must have an awful lot of invisible customers judging from our local stores. Our Super U has parking for around 600 cars (and being enlarged to keep up with demand) and Lidl has spaces for 50. Steve

We get flyers from all our local supermarkets and with very few exceptions Lidl are more expensive on the headline items particularly meats, but they hide it by having unusual pack sizes and showing the per kg price in small print. Steve

Just in case anyone needs this info in the future...........you can pay with your card at the barrier.

Thanks, it does now I've looked at it more carefully.....lost ticket 100 euros. Not pay and display, can likely pay by card in the terminal before departure then.

Hi does anyone know how the car park payment works at Caen/Ouistreham terminal please? Pay and display or pay by card prior to exit? Thanks Steve

Chancer said:I think meublée is a 50% abattement or 71% if meublée de tourisme and classified by an organisation. I've posted this link before and no-one commented - it's not official but worth a read, and I've reverted to 50% abatement on the strength of it: http://www.toutsurlesimpots.com/location-meublee-pas-de-classement-requis-pour-le-regime-fiscal-des-gites-ruraux.html Steve

My doctor told me that she would have to have separate contracts with more than a thousand mutuals in order to go cash/card - free. I'm not sure haw many there are, it was certainly more than a thousand a few years ago. I guess pharmacies have some collective agreement while generalists are more independant. Steve

[quote user="nomoss"]It doesn't seem to be on the list, but today I saw a car with a completely unsecured mattress on the roof. The driver and front passenger were both holding it in place with an arm out of the window.. [/quote] I'm going to transport a mattress, how wide was it? did it stay on the car? how fast was the car going? Thanks, Steve

Today I bought a brand new radiator for a 15 year old Fiat Punto on UK flea-bay for £27 including 2-day delivery to UK address. I think that lots of aftermarket car stuff is being made in India now and keen UK guys with Indian roots (judging by the seller's name) are importing the stuff. Probably over 100 euros in a French scrap yard.... Steve