SC

If you are correct in your judgement that the ladder was not fit for purpose due to its construction, you are unlikely to be the only customers who have had this issue. I've never had any problems returning goods to DIY shops in France and Leroy Merlin seem to me to be the most customer orientated of all of them. If you don't have the receipt but paid by card, the accueil may be able to print a copy of the receipt using the card details, I know from experience that Castorama can do this (from the card receipt in my case) for a nearly two year old purchase. Good luck, Steve

Worth noting here that if he was a student aged under 26 on 1/1/2012 there's no need to declare up to 4236 euros of his earnings: http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/F1228.xhtml "Étudiant de moins de 26 ans au 1er janvier 2012 Deux options sont possibles : soit déclaration de la fraction des salaires qui dépasse 3 fois le montant mensuel du SMIC, soit 4 236 € en 2012 soit déclaration de l'intégralité des salaires perçus afin de préserver les éventuels droits à la prime pour l'emploi ." Steve                                                                    

I am sorry that you lost your son Nellie.  I can understant that you want to know all the facts. This has nothing to do with the differences between the French and UK systems, or in fact, about mental illness. It is about the denial of relevant information, it's existence being established by it's denial, regarding the death of someone on the basis of embarassment likely to be caused to Franco-Brittanique relations by releasing it. I have yet to see an embarassed French person. I shall certainly sign your petition. Steve

The problem with using quotes found on the internet is that you're never sure if they're genuine or not - Benjamin Franklin  

Isn't it about remembering when a Mars was sixpence and being shocked when you go to buy one for the first time in forty years and find its over a pound? But conveniently forgetting that the current UK minimum hourly wage is twice my first week's wages as an apprentice. But lets put something straight: Taking a euro as 86p and buying in a supermarket, in our area diesel costs 1.36€ = £1.16. In the UK its £1.40. Sans plomb 95 is 1.59€ = £1.35. In the UK its £1.40. Whilst I wouldn't argue that prices of many things in France have risen somewhat over the past few years I'm often shocked by prices in the UK too and buy less and less on each visit. For me it is only the oddments (like the shoelaces mentioned in an old thread) and specifically Brit things that I come back with, and internet purchases that benefit from no or low postage there. I often say to our British visitors (nicely of course) when they complain that France is expensive now, that the French didn't get a pay cut when the pound fell from the 65c mark, only those relying on British income (like us). If you're here all the time and able to take advantage of the special offers, I think its still the cheaper place to live. Steve

Like Anton, we alerted our agent about our requirements in advance, when we e-mailed him the details of the car we'd bought he faxed a copy of the insurance certificate and vignette to the UK garage. However this might not be so straight forward if you are not already a client. If that's the case perhaps you could pay an agency something on account before leaving? In the UK there are specialist short term car insurance contracts available, some offering one day cover that's sometimes insisted on by private sellers before allowing buyers to road test fast cars, however you will likely need a UK address for these. Steve

Called off - Brittany Ferries tweeted yesterday. Steve

Thanks again. As we were in Vannes today we looked in Eurodif and behold, they had what we had been looking for - the pattern was Breton dancers, and the colours mainly blue and yellow, which matches the kitchen. They had a large roll so we're going to have a look around Quimper area soon for other patterns that we prefer, and if we can't find one we'll fall back on the one we saw today. It's for one of our gites, which we like to decorate so that our guests feel that they are in an environment totally different to their home, so we always try to use Breton and French patterns. Steve

That's very kind, thank you. Steve

Thanks, we've tried all the likely sources in our area (Vannes) over several years without success. Looked at 115 patterns online yesterday, several Provencal patterns but no Breton. We've looked at a faience de Quimper online shop that has ordinary tablecloths with typical Breton patterns, but they're not practical and wondered if anyone in Finistere where the Breton culture seems more popular  had noticed anything when out and about. Perhaps we'll have a day out in that area one day and have a scout round, but we'll try the shops that you suggest first. Steve

We're looking to buy without success a Breton patterned toile ciré tablecloth length - the shiny  type sold on the roll. We bought one years ago with a Quimper pottery design on it and we're looking to replace it. There's a good choice of Breton designs in ordinary fabrics, but nothing in this type of "cloth".   Has anyone seen such a thing, hope someone can help! Steve

Clarke Kent wrote:    "Are you advocating the continued punishment of these companies for wrongs done two generations ago?" I was advocating what I wrote: remember. I would add, know and acknowledge. How people use that knowledge is up to them. To some (judging by her comment) such as Sweet17 the link with the gruesome past may be unbearable, Quillan, dismissing these company's wartime products as "whatever", doesn't appear to feel the same way. Its each to their own. Me? I'm embarrassed by my lack of principals generally. Clarke Kent wrote:   "I'm sure, SC, that I may be misjudging your motive in posting the above. If so, I apologise." I'd be interested in knowing what you thought my motives may have been, you may be endowing me with more depth than I possess. Steve

First-hand glimpses of life in German occupied countries and Germany itself are rare now. In the early days of the occupation of Brittany, my friend Eugène (91) was knocked off his bike into the ditch by a German troop truck and sustained a compound fracture. Later in the occupation an adjunct at our mairie provided the Germans with a list of the addresses of all the young men in the commune, and they were rounded up and sent to Germany as slave labour. The adjunct, who had probably been threatened by the Germans, was killed for his collaboration by a shot through the head by the resistance, on the steps of the mairie. Eugène, who had been the head of the household following the death of his father at a young age from damage caused to his lungs by mustard gas in the first world war, was shipped off to Germany, and with the others from the commune lived and worked in terrible conditions, only alieviated by a boss who had a kind heart, and a local baker who, taking pity on them and at risk to himself, gave them extra bread. Oh yes, and the fact that bitte meant please! Eugene wasn't placed with a famous German company but there were many who were   http://www.theawfultruth.com/salbmw/ So when you spray your greenfly, remember that Bayer made the gas for the gas chambers. And when you turn on your gas hob remember that Siemens designed the ovens. Eugene is the last living survivor of the group of slave workers from this commune. Steve

[quote user="Val_2"]That is correct but it is 20 WORKING days from date of reminder or frank mark on the envelope,whichever is the latest.[/quote] Can you tell me where I can find this please Val? Everything that I have read, including the text of the law, simply says "20 days". There's a useful little pictogramme for different scenarios at http://www.assurland.com/resiliation-de-contrat-assurance/resiliez-plus-facilement-votre-contrat-avec-la-loi-chatel.html Steve

[quote user="Pierre ZFP"]I just had a letter today from my insurers saying the insurance is due on 1st March..................I what to get other quotes but I seem to remember something about giving 3 months notice that I want to cancel the current policy.  Can this be right? [/quote] The loi Chatel deals with renewal notices sent by insurance companies too late for the recipient to cancel under the standard terms. Basically you have 20 days after the renewal notice was sent to you in which to cancel the contract. As already stated your new insurance company will usually handle this for you. If you wish to deal with it yourself, here is a lettre de resiliation that you can fill in and send off: http://www.loichatel.com/resiliation-loi-chatel.php Steve

Powerdesal wrote: "I am presently searching for a mutuelle and tried the site you quote Steve, just a minor (?) point of confusion - 'your regime' box, what the dickens do I highlight in that ????????? " If you are with the CPAM I'm fairly sure it'll be the Sécurité Sociale régime, but I've not come across anything other than Régime General and Alsace-Moselle before..... Steve

Here you are: http://www.castorama.fr/store/Mono-VMC--80-PRDm555448.html#tab_technicTab http://www.castorama.fr/store/Mono-VMC--125-HBH-prod5150012.html The smaller one of the two has the running costs I mentioned above. They extract to a tube through the wall or into a flexible metal tube like any other extractor fan, and like conventional VMC units, are usually wired to run continuously although you can put a switch in the circuit if you wish. You might find a better choice in store. They're not cheap, but nor are quiet extractors in the UK that are intended for continuous running; aim for 28db or less unless you need to mask "bathroom noises"! Steve

Rather than conventional extractor fans consider fitting those sold as "mono VMC" units. They are low wattage, costing 6-7 euros pa for 24 hour operation, and extremely quiet. For shower/bath rooms those with an inbuilt humidistat will be most effective. In a windowless shower room, consider an air inlet as well. We have three mono VMCs that perform extremely well in toilets and shower rooms, and we have only had to replace one in more than twelve years of constant operation. My understanding is that provision of ventilation to give good air quality is obligatory, but VMC per se is not. In the kitchen I would re-site the hob if necessary to enable fitting an extractor hood. Steve

[quote user="Rabbie"]UK passport photos do not need to be countersigned if it is clear that it is the same person.[/quote] New requirements for photos mean that is more likely to be the case this time - no specs for example, and the wrinkles are clearer than before! Steve

[quote user="LesWeb"]We do, however, know a number of people who may be willing to sign, but are retired. Does anybody know if their signature would be acceptable? [/quote] We had a retired bobby (resident in France) sign for us the first time and a retired British teacher last time and didn't encounter problems. We also sign passport applications occasionally although we are retired (a bit incestuous really as we signed their applications....) and have never heard of a problem. IF the FCO checks anything, that may be why one sends the applicaion to the local embassy where someone can verify the existence of applicant and sponsor before forwarding it to Britain. Steve  

I have just tried for an online quote for an 82 year old from our mutuelle and it responded with a message about being between 16 and 70. However this website came up with quite a few quotes www.assuralys.fr/EspaceInformations/Mutuelle-Senior.php  at various charges. Steve edit:why has my text become green??

[quote user="sweet 17"] There are many companies out there that wouldn't accept my OH as he is in his eighty-second year [/quote] I was under the impression that they have to accept everyone (at the same rates?), regardess of health or age, with 6 months advance payments being demanded for over 75s with no recent history of adhesion? Steve

Entrenapeurs sleep on the job. Steve

The carte grise should also have a note of when the next CT is due. Steve

[quote user="Val_2"] don't do it via your card and the printed out form to send off, not security conscious in my opinion.[/quote] I thought that too but went ahead anyway. Its the only time I've had to write my credit card details plus the security code on paper. Shortly afterwards the card company picked up a fraudulent "test" payment charged to my card, followed by a £400+ payment to Manchester Council.   My card is only used for Pay-Pal, Amazon, and to pay large bona fide busineses (M&S, Tesco...) online so the details aren't all over the place. Coincidence or what? Steve