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Don't worry about the donkeys out in dry cold conditions.  They can cope easily with snow and blizzards so long as they are in good health and have plenty of fibre (hay, toughish grass etc) to eat as this is where their warmth will come from.  They are however, susceptible to pneumonia if they get really cold AND wet. The both together.  Like goats, they need access to shelter, but the word there is access.  If they are in good health they will decide for themselves when they need to go in to the stable.  Remember that in general, outdoor conditions are far healthier and more natural for these type of animals.  They will stand very still in the fields to conserve energy which is natural, not normally a sign of illhealth.  Sounds like you're doing everything right except getting up in the middle of the night to insist on dragging them in!!

Hi We have only 6kw and have never had a trip out yet; but no freezer - just think how that would mount up in the south here in the summer.  But was interested in the thought that boiling a kettle on the gas hob would be cheaper than an electric kettle.  Do you really think so?  Or is it just that it's nicer to buy the gas in advance than face an electric bill later? Fran

Hi There's no B & B at La Mongie, but the hotels can be very reasonably priced.  Our friends are going up there for a few days in Feb., to meet some people from England and they're paying 54euros for Dinner, B & B  per day.  Not the prettiest resort when the snow isn't there, it's absolutely fine and a lovely trip up in the winter.  Plenty of skiing for a few days and a whole line of good restaurants/cafes at the bottom of the slopes.  Car parking is obvious when you get there.  You drive straight into one on your left, as the very central one is usually full.  Either way, you're out of your car and on the slopes within a few minutes.  No crowds. Fran

Hi Mark I think my first port of call would be to telephone DEFRA in the morning.  They are really good, in my experience and have certainly sorted our horses and dogs out - the sheep and goats(pets, not breeding stock) for a friend.  Often the vets find it all a bit of a nightmare, so best speak to DEFRA first. Best of luck.  Just remembered, we have friends up the road who have recently come here permanently with a parrot and five cats.  I'll ask them if you get no luck.  Let me know if you want me to. Fran

Thanks B... So this is a one off tax connected to our increase in size of house right?  You're quite right of course - we've added 143sq metres from the chai.  This has actually added a third again to the total sq meterage floor space.  Any chance that this will logically add one third to our taxe fonciere.  And I thought the habitation was based on income?  Wrong again? Fran

We have just received our permis de construire and the first page indicated that we are liable for three different sorts of taxes.  This amounts to a whopping 2600euros to be paid in two installments at 18months and 36 months apart.  Could someone say whether this is an indication of habitation or fonciere or a one off payment because we have extended the living space in the house?  The taxes are; Taxe Locale D'equipment Taxe Departementale (architecture, urbanisme, environnemente) Taxe pour les espaces Naturels Thanks Fran

This is our first year letting in France.  Due to the considerably cheaper flights midweek, has anyone looked at making their high season change over days midweek to help guests with the costs?  Does anyone in fact make them flexible and if so, does it pay or would the lost days inbetween make it not worth it?  Would be interested to know anyones thoughts on this. Fran

We have had some bespoke doors made which are seriously expensive (I think) but necessary due to the unusual size of the doorways.  However, we also asked for a price to make an oak staircase with a quarter turn - fairly standard as it is a standard size space to be filled.  The price came back at 4000euros.  From what I can see it would be pretty much the same as a shop-bought oak one.  Lapeyre quote 1500euros or similar for theirs. The only difference being that the artisans would fit it.  It pays to shop around! Fran

Thanks you clever posters.  We're off to Point P tomorrow.  Fran

I've searched high and low for this - We have some walls that we have removed the cement render from.  We now want to fill in a few holes and add a render/plaster of lime to produce a 'buttered' effect.  That is, some but not all stones exposed.  I cannot find a recipe for the lime mortar/render/plaster (which is it?) that I need.  Does anyone know of a good web connection for me - or alternatively the answer.  I don't want a cement component of this.  Do I just use lime and sand - if so what types and the french names. I know the 'chaux ' bit. Thanks you clever people Fran

Hi I'm a recent convert to Ikea.  There wasn't one within two hundred miles when we lived in Devon so discovering the shop at Toulouse has been quite an experience.  William Morris said ' Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful'.  Ikea often manage to combine the both with their design and quality.  No wonder they're so popular.  I think the problem with feeling dazed and confused when in the store is that you need to know what you're there for.  'Just looking' would be a nightmare! Where to start? Fran

Thanks Richard - well worth knowing.  It's a discovery and as to the tyre fit - well, it's got four of them, one at each corner.  Does that help?  Thankfully my driving skills are considerably better than my knowledge of the things.  I regularly back the horse trailer into tight spaces and completed the land rover 'off-road' training thingy that's 'free' to all owners.  Ha!  Free!  Not worked into the price of the car then??  Sadly, it's not me that drives up the mountains.  My husband can't stand sitting next to me in the passenger seat. Does that tell you anything? Fran

Thanks both.  Pat - where is the Gedimat that you used?  It could well be the closest to us as well.  Is it a chain or a single store? Fran

We travelled up to La Mongie to ski on Boxing day and everyone was stopping to fit snow chains.  After a while we reached an area where the sign said 'chaines obligitoire' and cars were being pulled over to fit them.  This was only our second trip up the mountain in the winter and luckily, as we have a land rover, were not stopped.  However it opened our eyes to the need to carry them always in the car and will be buying them on our next trip up tomorrow.  (Everyone seems to sell them).  One thing tho', the 'manual' says fit only land rover chains - they would I guess.  But presumably it's ok to fit any chains designed for 4 by 4 use.  Any one know? Fran

We're putting some more gravel down in the Spring and will be landscaping around a pool - I want to get hold of some bidim (I think that's what it's called here) to put under the soil or gravel to prevent weeds getting through.  I have looked at various DIY and garden shops but have yet to see it for sale.  Any one know where I can get some? Fran

I was in our bricomarche this morning looking for something 'like sikkens' to put on our new oak internal doors.  The sikkens was only available for exterior wood and I know they don't advise using their interior products for exterior and vice versa.  There were a couple of other (presumably french) products that seem to do the same job and are recommended for interior and exterior work.  They are also cheaper.  Having bought 'cheaper' french paint (monocouche! ha!) I am wary of buying a lasure that is cheaper than sikkens.  Could anyone give me the benefit of their experience on this? Thanks Fran

I was in our bricomarche this morning looking for something 'like sikkens' to put on our new oak internal doors.  The sikkens was only available for exterior wood and I know they don't advise using their interior products for exterior and vice versa.  There were a couple of other (presumably french) products that seem to do the same job and are recommended for interior and exterior work.  They are also cheaper.  Having bought 'cheaper' french paint (monocouche! ha!) I am wary of buying a lasure that is cheaper than sikkens.  Could anyone give me the benefit of their experience on this? Thanks Fran

Hi and a happy christmas to anyone reading this today. After sixteen years doing Christmas and raising the family in a pub, this year is really different for us too.  Our two boys have stayed in London and are celebrating with flatmates and friends - only those, that is, who have been 'let off the hook' by their parents and allowed to stay in the city to celebrate their young and single lives as they wish to.  Ours will be over for some skiing later in January.  Our youngest, a daughter at 16yrs is here for her quietest Christmas ever before returning to college in England in January.  So long as there is a sofa, two dogs, a television and chocolates she seems to be having a 'goodenough' time.  As I think of my four younger sisters all together with partners and children today in Buckinghamshire, I'm pleased for them, but enjoying the real peace that comes when you know all your family are well and happy but you haven't got to cook for them and there's always room on the sofa instead of the floor when something good finally comes on tele.  ..And you can e-mail for long inexpensive chats! It's not so bad!! fran

How chilled out am I.  Sitting here on Christmas day with the turkey sizzling and the family watching junk tv.  Anyway - what do I use farine de mais for?  I mistakenly bought it thinking it might be cornflour in the English sense.  Although it has made a lovely cheese sauce, it obviously isn't the same.  What do I look for to buy the cornflour that we would buy in England, and now I have a kilo of the farine de mais - what can I do with that?  I'm a quarter of a bottle of floc down and feeling very well.  By the way - floc (red) would make a very acceptable substitute for sherry for the trifle. It certainly does in the glass. Merry Christmas Fran

Hi Christian Thought I'd post a thank-you for giving me a list of farriers in this area a few weeks ago.  We contacted M Bazin and he now shoes both my horses - very well.  Many thanks and I shall keep a note of the vet you have just mentioned - in the hope that if I do I won't need one! Fran

We have an enormous beast of a woodburning boiler with the ominous name of 'fire'.  The chauffiste we had over said it would have to come out and has given us a devis for 9,000 euros to replace it with an oil boiler and tank. We're not totally convinced it does have to come out as we worked with a similar animal in Devon.  It eats half a tree at a time.  All the radiators etc are in place and we can't help feeling that there must be a cheaper way. If we do have to get rid of it, one possiblilty is to use the hideous over-sized fireplace in the kitchen for an insert with a back boiler.  Any one any ideas where we could find one of these.  All the inserts locally are without back boilers. Will Brico Depot do them? Any comments gratefully received. Fran

Thanks to both replies, but now, some four months later, building work is well under way with completion almost certainly before Christmas at this rate.  We have been very lucky with fab french building company, english (french registered) architect and lots of help and advice.  No problems so far!  We'd be very happy to recommend our builders! Fran

Thanks - it was as simple as that eh?  What did we do before forums! Fran

My daughter was whipping through the tv guide at break neck speed and the TV suddenly gave up and produced a large rectangle of bright green in the bottom left hand corner and nothing else.  The remote control is still getting through to the digibox (lights changing from red to green etc.) but absolutely nothing else is happening on the screen whichever button we press. We've tried another TV but no change.  We only receive BBc through this - we have no viewing card, so does anyone have any ideas as to what we could do?  Thanks Fran  

Hi Although it does seem to be more bureacratic to run horse businesses in France than England, I don't think I would be put off by this.  If you have any BHS qualifications, these can be transferred to France and will allow you equivalent levels of competence.  Speak to the BHS in England and ask about the International Trainers passports.  The one advantage of horse business in France is that the TVA (VAT) rate is as agriculture, not the horrendous business rates as in England.  Horse trailers require a carte grise, like cars (french equivalent of logbook) but this can be arranged through the normal (long-winded) channels and we've just arranged insurance for the trailer when being pulled with the insurers of our car in one short visit to the agents.  Get a magazine like 'Cheval' to get you in the swing of the French horse world. We're fairly new here ourselves, but do e-mail me if you want any more info.  I can probably find out for you. Fran