SC
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Posts posted by SC
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When bad weather closes in the Italian or Swiss customs officers ask to see your chains before they let you continue (or did when we lived there). In April you won't need chains on the roads you intend to travel on. I'll be there in early March and I'm not buying any.The approaches to the St Bernard tunnel are clear throughout the year. I would prefer to go over the pass. Smaller passes are closed throughout the winter, some not open until June. see: www.alpineroads.com/passes.phpYou'll need to buy a vignette at the border at 30€ I think, to use the autoroutes, but the alternative roads are OK.Steve
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We changed to a flat screen TV in July when analogue was switched off here and hope that the following may be of use to you SD. We bought a 32" LED backlit Samsung with 100HZ refresh rate and took it home wondering if it would look massive in our smallish lounge. We were surprised that it didn't and we could have got away with having a larger set. The most noticable change for us was the amount of detail in the picture that simply wasn't visible on our old 20" CRT screen (yes hairs on the tennis ball at Wimbledon(!), but also just stuff in the background of news shots etc). So, size IS important.Comparing TVs in the shop is difficult as Crossie said although we first noticed the superior picture of LED backlit TVs vs fluorescent in a supermarket. The TVs are on a "shop" or vivid setting and over contrasted and over sharpened. Regarding LCD TVs however you should be able to see that on LED backlit screens the blacks are darker - because the LEDs behind the dark portions of the screen switch off, unlike the older technology fluorescent lit screens where the light stays on and and leaks through the dark pixels.HD reception, from aerial, disc or satellite IS visible on a 32" set from the optimum viewing distance whatever people say. In French HD Grand Prix coverage you can see the spectators in the stand - flip to BBC non-HD and the spectators appear like those rendered in a ten year old GP computer game. I don't know anything about plasma sets except that they consume more electricity and Argos charge twice as much for a three year guarantee extension on a Plasma as they do on a LCD. DO look at www.avforums.com and take their advice, in particular when you get your new TV home, to change the picture settings to their recommended settings for that model - as a starting point. The theory is that if you leave everything (probably set as "vivid") and watch it for a few hours then that becomes your norm.It's useful for the TV to have the ability to play a movie directly from a flash drive or ordinary (not a dedicated media player) external hard drive.>The TV will have a build in TNT decoder so will this allow me to watch French TV through our roof aerial? I think we're just outside the HD footprint, but that's not really critical.< Yes, TV HD receiver and reception permitting. HD will be automatic.>Will my current digital Sat decoder allow me to watch high definition UK channels via the dish or will I need to upgrade the decoder to an HD model?< You'll need an HD Sat receiver (/recorder if you need) to receive HD - other advantages are program guide, teletext etc. Check out Freesat HD receivers/recorders at Humax UK, look at "manager's specials".Best of luck, choose, buy, set up, sit back and enjoy!Steve
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woolybanana said "Latest Skodas seem good, too. Any feedback?"Excellent customer satisfaction with the brand in the UK too. There's quite a few new Skoda taxis around here, so there's confidence in them, or more likely special deals to popularise the marque in France (I'm a born cynic). I've read that they're over-priced, but I haven't made comparisons.Personally, sucker that I am, I couldn't bring myself to shrug off the baggage and buy one. Steve
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Gyro said"Thanks for the advice guys from the moment I first sat in a golf TDI I was hooked it felt like it was on rails. "The latest model? The previous ones were generally considered well behind the competition in the handling stakes. Focus and Megane are/were considered way best in the class.I've been loaned various Golfs on the many occasions that my car was being 'repaired' and they did nothing for me. They actually reminded me of much older cars. New Polo was good though, and diesel Yaris.Steve
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Louise and Gary- I'm not sure that VW dealers are the best people to ask about issues with the cars they sell. The service, valet, updating, new tyres etc should be the norm for a recent car from a reputable French dealer VW or otherwise. The handbrake switch change is a panacea, the cause of the fault if or when it occurs is likely to be electronic because the computer takes into account the seat sensor, seat belt sensor, door closed switch, footbrake sensor, clutch sensor, and accelerator sensor, and in some cases (ooh goodie another variable!), their order. Just think about being at the traffic lights, on a ferry or in the centre of London, with all four wheels locked up solid and the car immovable, and ask yourself if you will have confidence in the car afterwards. (Carry a spanner to disconnect the battery briefly; people stare and taxi drivers swear at you and you feel that you're driving a banger, but it worked for me!). I won't harp on about other common issues, but our car, clearly among many similar models, is working its way through them all, probably the second most common being rear tyre wear regardless of expensive realignment and replacement of rubber bushes, a serious problem as the outside can look like new while in one documented case the wire was sticking through on the inside. I was thinking of this yesterday in the fast lane of the M4 in abominable traffic with five plus dog and luggage. To add insult to injury the SW tyre size is never on special offer here (my budget €600 every 20K KM ie 12 months). When I bought my Passat, these were already well documented issues, and I have no excuse for making assumptions and not checking beforehand.Price wise, don't forget the model has just changed, prices will tumble, and dealers should be very keen to sell old models. If you do decide on a VW, they offered me a five year guarantee with five year finance. I didn't take it, but it would have paid off in the less than two years that our car has been outside guarantee. Incidentally a guarantee on a 2007 car will be an insurance guarantee that probably doesn't mention VW and you should read it carefully. All VWs that had their last scheduled service at a VW centre are covered by a breakdown guarantee.You guys decide, believe what the VW dealers tell you, but don't come crying to me....................;) I've come to the conclusion that whatever a marque's advertising theme is, the oposite is likely to be true.Steve
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http://www.autoscout24.fr/http://www.automarche.fr/www.leboncoin.fr for local, generally older vehicles.You may find the difference between 2008 and new is not as great as you expect, taking into account sales promotions that should improve as the new car market in France is shrinking again. Certainly not as big a difference as in the UK.Google "VW Golf problems" before you finally decide and try to spot recurring themes.I wish I had; I bought a nearly new Passat in 2007 and literally from the time it arrived home I've been working through the not inconsiderable number of well documented and expensive B6 Passat issues. Its not a marque I would recommend, and speaking as an engineer, I have no particular respect for current German product design in general.Bizarrly our dog's car is a 10 year old Punto that is very cleverly designed and issue free, despite the marque's reputation. Steve
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Here's a pretty good summary of the Breton climate in map form: http://www.bretagne-environnement.org/Media/Atlas/Cartes/Les-zones-climatiques-de-BretagneSteve
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Looks like I was going over old ground - sorry. I'm happy to have changed my licence though, it's a useful identity document.Steve
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I'm not contradicting what you say Pickles, but we spent an evening with two British friends last weekend and they told me that they had received and paid promptly, three speeding fines dating back four years and although the Avis de Contravention showed retrait des points they have never heard from the service responsible, the FNPC, and never been told to change their licence for a French one. Its possible that everything isn't joined up - do you know anyone who has been told to change their licence?Steve
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"However, perhaps you could elaborate a bit further about your comment of the outcome of buying a business in La Gacilly - is it that awful? "The way I put it was very unfair to la Gacilly and possibly the business you are considering, but I wanted to be brief. La Gacilly is a pretty little town that owes its success in attracting tourists to the various Yves Rocher enterprises there as I'm sure you know. The street photographic display and the African figures there this summer are wonderful. Of course, certain restaurants, bakers, artisans in the town do well, but I have lived about 30 minutes from La Gacilly for the past 11 years and its been very noticeable when I visit that most businesses change hands quite quickly. Of course this applies to most tourist towns and is not specific to La Gacilly, and of course the situation is similar in the UK - where I had a tourist associated business for 25 years. The point that I should have made more clearly is that I believe that the chances are, after a period of adjustment, your young children would not have a problem with school in France (from our and other's experience), but that the effect of an unhappy business experience and possible return to the UK would be more devastating and it is this aspect that you should pay most attention to.Of course I don't know that this latter would be the outcome and I know nothing of the business, your business experience or your resources so I may be out of order with such generalised advice.Steve
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If you're going to have a website, choose a domain name that includes your principle search terms. Search Google for "gite in brittany" and you'll see what I mean. Steve
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"on a French licence" or against a French licence number/name/address? Do they mark the points on the licence as in the UK?This could be a bit like "previous convictions" and influence a wavering gendarme.....Steve
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Hi,this is off post, but isn't a flippant comment and I hope that you won't take it as such - I would be much more concerned about the outcome of buying a business in La Gacilly than I would about the local schools for a 9 and 7 year old.Steve
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Araucaria said "And if one day I get points on my licence - and of course I don't ever mean to break the law - I'll have to get a French one then."I have often read this on forums and having recently fallen foul of a camera, paid the fine and exchanged my UK licence (in Morbihan, at the Prefecture, free, easily) for a French one.However in a discussion with a Parisien friend who is close to having his licence lifted, he said that I didn't need to have done so, because the points are not recorded on one's licence, just centrally, and when you exceed the maximum they contact you to hand your licence in.Is this what happens? any experiences?Steve
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As a follow up to this affair, our gendarme 'holiday' neighbour has been at his holiday home today cutting the grass so I showed him the constat and asked him what he thought. He was clear that it was the fault of the postman due to his inattention. We've advised our guest of this and sent him a link to this thread with advice to read your comments thouroughly. Thanks!Steve
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Thanks again. It does seem that our guest is being treated as Mrs R was, but I was under the impression that the signed constat could't be changed.We have received an e-mail from LaPoste today confirming their decision, and it leaves me to believe that we (on our guest's behalf) have been passed to LaPoste rather than the insurer, although we phoned the insurer in the first instance.Steve
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Thanks for all your comments, there's some food for thought and I'll point our guest in this thread's direction when he returns to his home.I wasn't involved until the evening after the accident so photos, and witness statements (with the exception of other passengers) weren't taken at the time . In our guest's defence the postman and his boss acted in a way that appeared he/they accepted responsibility (see OP). The postman crossed only box 8 on the constat - "heurtait à l'arriére en roulant dans le même sense et sur une même file ". I believe he should have also crossed "roulait dans le même sense et sur une file différante"- but he didn't. When someone ticked this box having driven into the back of our car a few years ago (both french insurers) there was no argument from his insurer that it was their drivers fault.Nomoss, Will, in our guest's case, no green card meant no comprehensive insurance in France. his company is Churchill (underwritten by AXA), Laposte's insurer is AXA.........Pickles, I'll make sure that our guest takes on board what you say.Steve
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Thank you for your suggestion. A couple of years ago that would have been possible, but now we are with an insurer that doesn't have a local office. The guest's leaving tomorrow and we feel a bit sorry for him in his predicament. He'll be £1000 or so out of pocket.Steve
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One of our guests was loading his car through the offside rear door whilst it was in a marked parking bay parallel with and next to the roadway.A postman driving on the road hit and badly damaged the door; fortunately missing our guest who was between the door and his car.The postman was very apologetic as was his boss who arrived at the scene and took our guest to a garage and paid for a temporary repair so that the door could be made to close.The postman's only comment on the constat was "I did not see the door was open".Now we thought that this would be an open and shut case - if you'll excuse the pun, and the post's insurers would pay up. But having contacted them today and faxed them the constat and covering letter they say that -au contraire - they are going to claim from our guest's insurers. Now our guest didn't have a green card, and his insurance company (before they knew that a claim would be made against them) refused point blank to help him with a claim against the other party. Any helpful comments would be appreciated.Steve
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Calm little resort with nice beach and 'lagoon', popular with French families and south Bretons. Google it on google.fr and you'll get 600k responses and some nice pics. In french though.Steve
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I was at St Malo this morning (Monday) and the terminal was completely full with foot passengers, some looking as though they'd been there overnight. With only one ferry leaving it wasn't chaotic, but there was a long queue to check in and then for passport control. Car oparks at the terminal were full with cars parked in the entry and exit roads. There were cars from Spain dropping off passengers and a coach from Germany. I suspect the Bretagne had a full passenger list for the first time (3000ish?)Cars and trucks seemed to be being processed as usual.I think the situation was similar at Roscoff as two passengers we booked on yesterday (after umpteen tries as the website was inundated and lines busy) upgraded to a cabin on arrival at Roscoff - presumably after seeing the number of foot passengers.I would think that Dieppe will be considerably busier than either of these ports so I should arrive earlier than you normally would.Steve
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We've had couples that may have been gay men or women stay in our gites on several occasions and they've all been great people. On one occasion when two elderly Yorkshiremen were here, it was like having two Wainwrights staying - wonderful week!However I repeat "may have been" because they were all same sex bookings and we have no idea as to their sexual orientation.I believe that many heterosexuals who really do enjoy a genuine loving and sexually active relationship, can understand and accept the fact of homosexual love.Should one have the right to refuse? Yes, on the basis that if you do the applicants know where they stand right away and can seek a more hospitable environment.Steve
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This may be of interest:Asda PAYG roaming charges :Cost p/min for calling the UK and the country you're in: 35p Cost p/min for receiving a call: 15p Cost p/min for calling another country: 140p SMS p/message: 11p MINimum CHarge 30SEC•Receiving an SMS in UK or overseas is free of charge•Sending a text to a non UK number may be more expensive than the standard chargeUsed in UK: voice is 8p/min/any network/landlines, texts 4p anytime.Asda sim pack costs 50p.No monthly charge, no loss of credit.Downside is no online recharge.I've had three French phones, contract and PAYG and none have been locked. If your friend puts someone else's sim card in their phone and it works, it'll work with an asda sim; I'd put the asda sim in a phone while in the UK first though.Steve
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Slightly off topic, I'm not sure if anyone has come across this but E121 (and other?) holders covered under the French system by reciprocal arrangements now apply to the UK for their EHIC cards. OH was sent an application form recently even though she has a current french-issued card.Steve
Something to get your teeth into, if you have any.
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