Scarymary

Our garden in the Charente is completely walled and our swimming pool is in another walled garden within (hope this makes sense!) We are currently having the rather tumble-down wall surrounding the pool built back up to the regulation 1.2m and properly re-pointed etc etc but I want to put a gate on the entrance to the pool garden and want advice as to what we have to get to be within the law. Ideally, we would like to use an old wrought iron gate that's about 2m high with 'ornamental spikes' on the top (I've found one at a reclaimation yard) which would look fab and be in keeping with the house and I understand that we've got to fit a certain type of lock, no problem. But I have been told (by the local ex-pat mine of info....) that we can't use a gate of this type. Can anyone advise me or tell me exactly where I can check out the rules and regulations for myself? Many thanks.

Yeah, I agree - it depends on exactly what job you are doing, the skills involved and the machinery needed. I charge 15 Euros an hour and work hard for that (I like hard work, it's good for you!)and then if I'm using my rotovator or something similar, I put in for a bit of extra to cover the purchase cost - I figure that if I didn't have such machinery, the job would take forever (cost loads in labour) and would probably kill me in the process. But as someone else mentioned, you wouldn't pay some herbert 50 Euros an hour to cut grass would you? Or would you??? Because if you would, I would love to work for you. I'll even do it naked if you want! I would rather have lots of jobs at a reasonable rate than one job a year at 60 Euros a hour. However, I have heard that Laurence Llewellyn whatshisface and Dermuid Mc'some-one will come and completely ruin your garden for just 5000 Euros an hour....

I want to ask "Furry Knickers"/Ladybird Lover what do you smoke! Your little story about Brenda made me L.O.L. as they say! Cheers.

Thanks for the advice - I'm going to www.societe.com straight after this. I've got to say, I did not intend to start up on-line mud slinging. As my son would say "just chill you guys"! No wonder men get problems with high blood pressure!

I have just returned from the Chamber of Commerce and have started the ball rolling to obtain a SIRET to work as a gardener/caretaker - just as a 'Reel Simplifie' - small affair type thing. I was aksed if I wanted to give myself a 'company name' and (probably stupidly) replied that I did. I have now got to check-out whether or not there is anybody else registered with the same name (simple enough in Blighty, just contact Companies House and do a search....) but what do I have to do here. Any advice would be appreciated.

We inherited a marvellous compost heap when we bought our home in the Charente two years ago. Last November we started to move the heap to a more practical position. As I started to dig into the soil, I kept coming across these fat, white grubs with a black/brown splodge at one end, which I thought were possibly stag-beetles or hawk moths larvae. So, I carefully put them to one side and when we'd shifted the heap, I put them back into the soil, made them comfortable and covered them back over again. A few weeks ago a friend (a very knowledgable gardener) was looking over our garden and spotted one of the grubs in the soil. She reeled backwards and told me stories about the beasts that filled me with fear and terror. They were not the little sweeties that I'd hoped they were but were infact Cockchafers (the larvae of May Bugs) that live in the soil for up to five years and cause massive destruction to roots, bulbs, corms, grass infact anything and everything! A short while after that, I read about them in a Mr Bricolage gardening magazine and they said that you must do your duty to yourself, your neighbours and France and kill them. You can buy some nasty stuff to do the job but we just put them in a bag and chuck them on the fire. Don't squash them 'cos they pop and it's disgusting. We have found around two hundred so far. Be aware.

We are in the throes of doing up our farmhouse which is in a small village in the Charente. Three projects that we want to undertake this summer is building a pergola in the garden, painting the windows, shutters and gates and a bit of repointing to the external walls. Someone has told me that we need to write to the Maire and ask permission to carry out these various jobs. Does anyone know if this is true? Or should I just do it out of courtesy??? Such a different protocol to Blighty!

Hi Kimberley, We live in the Charente and have a walled garden around our pool, Although we live here permanently and I adore gardening, I have planted all mediterranean (is that how you spell it?) stuff that can withstand the heat of the summer, is as tough as old boots, good value for money and doesn't need loads of attention and watering. I would suggest Lavender (lots of), Rosemary, Ceanothus, Budleias, Canna lillies, Olives, Rudbeckia, Nasturtiums and hardy geraniums plus, of course, tender geraniums in pots. When you're starting your planting, it may well be worth your while to lay a porous membrane over the soil and plant through the holes, then you can cover the membrane with a thick covering of pine bark chippings - this will keep the weeds down and the water in. There are loads of plants to choose from out here but there are a couple of very good books on the subject that are available in the UK. Have fun! Mary

Just had to reply to this: We live in the Charente too and sowed a new lawn nine days ago. As I am a very impatient person, I kept going out to check for any signs of growth and today there are definate signs of the seeds sprouting (along with loads of weeds, I hasten to add)! I don't mean to insult you as a gardener, but you did rake it in and water it, didn't you? 'Cos we did have that hot dry spell just before Easter... Anyhow, hope that by the time you read this, your 'green sward' is coming on nicely. Best of luck.

Definately opt for the tunnel. I did the trip with our two cats (similar age to yours) and was advised to do the train - if you think about it, the car decks are horrible places with bright lights, clanking chains and men shouting. The journey from Dover to Calais is 85 mins with lots of mucking around. You have to leave the cats in the car and what if you had a 'choppy' crossing! The tunnel was very smooth, quick (30 mis), the staff just waved us through and we stayed in the car with the cats all the time. I bought one of those big dog carriers for each of the mogs and attached water bowls to the doors. I cut up an old duvet and they were fine. We are right down in the middle south west, so I had a long old drive and decided to do it through the night so that our ten year old and the cats would settle down and hopefully sleep. I loaded myself up with a flask of strong coffee and some of those caffeine-in-a-tin type drinks, booked us on to a train that left Dover at around 8.30pm arrived in France and went for it! I stopped for a short kip at Poitiers and arrived safe and well at our home around 8.30am. The cats settled in just fine and moving here has given them both a new lease of life. Just one other thing, I bought some of that Rescue Remedy spray and gave both cats and the duvets a squirt before I left and I don't know if it was any good or not but our journey wasn't half as bad as I'd been dreading it would be. Good luck!

I moved to France at the end of June and bought my Citroen Xantia with me - my UK/European cover ran out in mid-August. I have found an agent in Cognac called Bruno Sellier who is really helpful - he speaks great english too (there's also a lady there called Michele who parlez's and a charming englishman called Mr Harrison who is there part-time) 0545 82 03 20 - Monsieur Sellier emailed me the quote which I printed up and signed and returned with copies of our driving licences, copy of UK MOT and proof of my No Claims Bonus and, of course, a cheque for payment. They have given me a temporary cover while I get my act together to get the required Carte Grise. To get this you need a Certificate D'Attestation from the makers (Citroen Paris charged me 115 euros for this), a Controle Technique (french MOT)and a copy of your invoice for the purchase of the car. You then need to take this along to the local tax office and get it stamped to prove that no tax is due and then you take everything along to the prefecture of police(with proof of residence too)who, hopefully, will then issue you with the necessary to get the plates made up. Then you need a 'pop rivet gun' or something like that..... Forgive me if I've just repeated everything Normand wrote earlier!!! Stupidly (and typically me) I left it to the last minute to sort all of this out and being August everything stops for le vacance. So, with safely child ensconced in school tomorrow, I'm getting back on the case. Wish me luck. If I encounter any problems, I'll let you know. My advice would be try to get it sorted as soon as you possibly can. Bon chance.

Can anyone put me straight as to when the cheap rate electricity kicks in? And any advice on how to get the best value out of these on-the-wall heating jobbies through the winter?

Can anyone advise us on how to install/where to buy/who to contact about installing a heating system based on our wood burning stoves? I remember some friends in Normandy installed such a system that consisted of a series of pipes that went up the chimneys and into the loft and blew hot air back down - but they've since divorced, he's disappeared and she can't remember!!!