Lavie

From a french car enthusiasts forum: "Le calcul de la puissance fiscale reste un grand mystére...en ce qui me concerne. Exemple: pour le C-Max: 136 cv 100 KW= 08 cv et 133 cv= 07 Cv !! " At least it's not just me that's confused!

I thought long and hard before posting this in case i was being a bit thick! Glad to know the answer isn't obvious and it's not just me that can't work it out!!!

I thought long and hard before posting this in case i was being a bit thick! Glad to know the answer isn't obvious and it's not just me that can't work it out!!!

I'm trying to get a car ins quote online and am a bit confused by the following: When entering car details i am asked for 'Puissance Fiscale' and have to select an option between 1CV and 40CV.  Does anyone know a way of finding out the CV in a car with a 2 litre engine, for example? The only one i've ever heard of is a 2CV citroen!!

On a less serious note than taxes etc in previous postings, i wish to question one of many unexplained points in this show.... Last night's episode was in 'early March' according to the commentary....and we see Nigel taking a swim in the stream/river, looking rather suntanned even sunburnt on his face, and ploughing part of a field with dust from the dried out soil all around him. Almost every scene showed him in Tshirt and shorts/sandals. Come to think of it, large swathes of grass were looking more brown (ie. dead) than green! Can anyone tell me if summer comes so early to the Ardeche region?  If it's nice enough to swim in a river in early March then i think i'll move there immediately!  

This is my last response as i can't be bothered with someone that is only capable of inane and offensive replies. For your information I happily share the town with 1,500 french people with no other english in the village, so no expat enclave for me.  And no, i never mentioned fishing. Elodie's post makes a lot of sense, but we are just wasting our time with the die hards....who are fortunately dying out.

"...make a lot of din and try to force your stupid grey person views onto everyone else..." Well, there's a lot more 'stupid' people around than there are hunters. Fortunately, you are in the minority and in this day and age that is where you will remain. "I would really like to see you turn up around here protesting and generally whining,you would soon get a boot up your behind and sent on your dreary way." I am so glad that in 'my area' of rural France of around 1,500, the people show respect for each other, the countryside and the animals that live in it. They also find other, more constructive uses for their time than chasing and killing animals. Please let me know where 'around here' is so i can make a point of not visiting it.        

"The problem is, that is just what these people want. They are a very vocal minority and do become a problem( look at the ban on handguns, semi auto rifles and hunting with hounds in the uk) it is the thin end of the wedge." There are far more anti-hunt people than hunters, so how are they the minority? I agree 110% with Mazan and others and the falling levels of hunt support makes pleasing reading. Perhaps some of the struggling animal/bird breeds may finally have a chance of survival in France. I'm now off to hug my trees, listen to the birdsong and enjoy my natural surroundings - a big part of what attracted me here in the first place. And yes, i have a rural property and no, my (french) neighbours don't support hunting and neither (according to them) does the village, which suits me fine!   

Thanks for the replies! Another big advantage of UK credit cards is that some are free of annual fees - unlike those i've seen in France!

It's not about having 'rights' to a post or thread. If a post goes completely off the original topic (like this one has) then politeness would necessitate a new post being made for that new topic. Also, this section relates to 'SatelliteTV, Internet, Telephone etc' which makes this off topic hunting thread in the wrong section as well. People can't help others or post comments if topics are placed under the wrong headers and it makes it very frustrating for those trying to find specific information! Well, that's stated my opinion! 

Before i notify my card providers, is it ok to have a UK credit card and a French address? Or does everyone keep a UK address they have their statements and new cards sent to? I just don't want to tell them i've moved to France only to be told that i can no longer have the cards!

"I think the introduction is more so the Marie knows who is living in the village and can claim the relevant money, rather than an opportunity for you to make friends!" I like the way you're thinking, (!) but the Marie is approached by the notaire during the house sale process so he/she is aware that a property has just changed hands. Looking at the info from my notaire the marie had to confirm in a simple document any building plans, public rights over my land etc. Has anyone living in a commune of <1,000 NOT introduced themselves to the Maire?

It looks like the replies here are going to be as varied as the various magazine articles i read! Some said you don't offer a gift as it could be misconstrued.  Others say you should give a little something! Every article has said that you should make the effort to go and meet the maire though, so at least that seems to be a cert! As for a gift, guess i'll have to ask my (french) neighbours and see what they suggest! 

Do you take a little gift (ie. perhaps a bottle of whisky) or not? I've read magazine articles that say yes, you do. Other mags say no you don't becusae the Maire is an official and a gift could be seen as bribery or similar! So what has anyone here done?

Thanks for the replies. My concerns were caused by reading other posts (on this site) that said once you signed up for a year the annual contract automatically renewed itself unless you gave 2 (i think) month's notice by registered post etc. And if it wasn't acted upon by the ISP provider then you would start the new yearly contract and be tied in again.

Can no-one help?? !! 

Yes, i watched it. I probably wouldn't have done if it hadn't caused so much uproar - probably wouldn't even have noticed it was on! I used to enjoy some of the real Jerry Springer shows in the past, so sat through this even though it wasn't really my thing. OK, i'm not easily offended but just can't believe the uproar it has caused - even death threats to BBC executives - when we can all choose to watch or not watch a programme! P.S. I agree with Val 2 about that guy needing a bra! Unbelievable sight!!

Getting fed up hearing about this in the news everywhere! As others have said, if you don't like it, turn it off! It had verbal warnings and screen printed warnings before it started and 1/2 way through! Oh, yes, the swearing. 8,000 words apparently. Calculated by taking the word and multiplying it by the number of people who sang it! So if a cast of 40 sung 'f...' then that counted as 40 swear words!! It's certainly given an OK stage show a major boost of publicity!

OK, i've read the horror stories elsewhere on here about cancelling Tiscali and Wanadoo contracts. Can anyone recommend an ISP for dial up use (no broadband in my area ) I need access pretty much all day every day mon-fri, so pay as you go isn't an option for me. I realise all contracts are for 12 months, but is there anyone that allows you to cancel relatively easily after this time without automatically putting you onto another 12 month rolling contract? (They must also be reasonable reliable as i don't want to ge tied into an unreliable service!) Thanks in advance.

£27,532 seems incredibly high to be an 'average' UK salary. I have a friend in recruitment and she says the majority of non-management roles they handle (big UK recruitment company) are a lot less than that and doesn't know of anyone that received a 13% pay rise last year.  I think the press must have inflated this figure a bit!

No doubt people will disagree with me, BUT from what i've seen, general food shopping prices in large multi chain shops (LeClerc, Carrefour, Super U etc) are much the same as the UK but in Euros. ie. a £4 chicken would cost around 4 euros, so you are saving around a third on UK prices. This is assuming you buy french brands and not British imports, of course. Of course, everyone's shopping habits vary, but on that basis, i'm afraid i have to disagree when some others say shopping is almost the same price as the UK. And while diesel in France is at a high.....it's still a lot less than the 85p a litre UK price!!

Thank you for your response. At least that explains why there is no mention of it on the washing powder packs!

I've got a packet of the 6 month stuff sitting in my house at the moment, but for the life of me can't remember its name!! (and i'm now in the UK) It's sold in Super U and LeClerc and is right next to the weekly stuff (like eparcyl) As i'm about to get a w/machine i was surprised to see that washing powder seems to be the only product that doesn't mention its suitability with fosse septiques, when every other cleaning product does!

Is there a washing powder that is safe to use with a fosse? Only all those i've looked at seem to have no mention of 'sans danger pour fosse septiques' on them. So i assume they are either no good or they are all safe! Can anyone advise?

Thk u for explaining that.