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Am I happy in France? After three months - yes thank-you.  We had never been to France before apart from a three day trip across the water to Normandy.  We had no fixed ideas about what it would be like nor any 'francophile' dreams based on years of holidays.  We simply wanted somewhere that I could afford with some land for my two horses.  I want to spend a lot more time riding on peaceful lanes in extensive countryside like the Exmoor I'm used to without the awful weather.  I wanted to stop working so hard (we had a Pub and B & B for sixteen years) and I wanted to do something 'different' as the last of our three children was leaving home.  I also wanted to learn another language - and had done for some time - and there's no way anyone can really do that without living it.  I wasn't escaping from England - we had lived in a glorious part of North Devon - probably more beautiful even than the fabulous Gers countryside that we now live in.  I simply wanted a change and the neighbours, local bureaucrats, shopkeepers and ex-pats that we have met in this short time have reinforced my belief that we are all - French  (sorry - french) or English, just people getting on with our lives and trying not to upset anyone and being polite in a way that we hope people will be polite back.  Can't say fairer than that can you? In answer to the second part of your question - there are no obstacles in our way but I would not go back.  Why?  Because I love this warm weather and anyway, I've 'done' England. There's a whole world out there, and at the age of 51 still time and energy to explore it. Fran

Hi   We need supplies of sand and cement. blocks and a garden shed!! And loads of other stuff.  We are near Marciac - does anyone know the best value Building Suppliers in the area.  Is Brico Depot at Tarbes going to be as competitively priced as a building suppliers?  And what has happened to the search facility on this site?  How come it just gives me loads of unrelated posts or am I doing something wrong? Fran

Hi Helen I guess the 'do not care' is why you came to France isn't it?  We arrived here two months ago with such organised plans and ideas but the passion for 'getting on' seems to have disappeared into the ether with the wine fumes and hot weather.  We will of courese complete what we came here to do - but oh so slowly!! Fran

Hi Keith Not sure this is going to help exactly but we are having two showers put in and I wanted them to be like the English now call 'wet rooms' i.e. an open shower without cubicle.  I have found that I can call them 'Douche Italienne' and SOME builders know what I mean.  When I've looked on the devis' to see what they have written for this area I see the have 'plaques hydrofuges'.  I think this should make it clear what you want. Best of luck Fran

Hi Keith Not sure this is going to help exactly but we are having two showers put in and I wanted them to be like the English now call 'wet rooms' i.e. an open shower without cubicle.  I have found that I can call them 'Douche Italienne' and SOME builders know what I mean.  When I've looked on the devis' to see what they have written for this area I see the have 'plaques hydrofuges'.  I think this should make it clear what you want. Best of luck Fran

Hi We are moving to our new house near Beaumarches (Marciac area) on Friday. We already have one builder coming to give a quote, a man called John Taylor who was reccommended here for another poster, but is there anyone else we might contact? We need internal renovations, a pool and stables so would like a builder large enough to do it all rather than us employing individual artisans. Thanks in advance - I don't know what I would have done without this site to refer to. Hopefully, when we are in France, we will be able to offer help in return. Fran

Our ifor williams horse trailer is being towed over to France on the back of the Removals lorry. Thing is, I haven't got the sales invoice any longer - it was purchased about 4 years ago. I know I have to re-register it in France, but is it likely that I could give the Removals men a signed letter to confirm that we own the trailer and that would be sufficient to get it into France? After that presumably I could contact Ifor Williams and they would send me a copy invoice that I would need for the carte grise. Anyone any experience of this? Fran

Yesterday I bought a freeview digibox from Currys to take to France. They were half price at 39.99, so thought it worth the shot. The box however says it works on any terrestrial aerial and makes no mention of a satellite dish. I haven't managed to get any sense from their recorded 'help' lines, so please someone - will this digibox work in France linked up to a satellite dish instead of a terrestrial aerial? I know some technically minded posters will be laughing out loud at this question but in spite of downloading the really helpful stuff on tv's by Will to take with us, I'm still not sure of this one. Fran

We are about to take possesion of our new house in the Gers. I've read some postings here recently that make it obvious that roses can be grown there - but what sort are best for such hot conditions? What are you other gardeners growing there? The house is on slightly elevated ground and doesn't seem to be as clayey (?) as some parts of the south of the Gers. So far it's just overgrown lawn and a few fruit trees which I have yet to i9dentify. (It will all become clear in two weeks time - can't wait!) Also, I would love to plant an orchard. Any suggestions for fruit or nut trees? Thanks Fran

Hi there, I think you'll find that the problems with SAFER occur when you purchase the property through some sort of special contract which allows you to waive paying the french equivalent of stamp duty. (Because it is a farm you are buying) Sorry to be unclear but we lost a house recently due to complications of this sort when the owner discovered that as they had owned the property for less than ten years they would be liable to repay something in excess of 12,000 euros on resale. They decided not to sell. It all depends on the conditions that prevail in the contract you sign. But I don't think it's quite as frightening as it may at first sound. Any French estate agent should be able to clarify it for you. Best of luck Fran

Hi Christian I was interested in your post because we are moving just north of Marciac (Beaumarches) in a month or so and will be looking for a farrier too. I remembered a post I had put on this forum for a good horse vet and was recommended to a man called Georges Thusseau in Tarbes. His phone number is 05 62 90 09 02. I would think that a call to his practise might turn up a farrier in your/our area. He's bound to know them all and would at least recommend a good one. If you have any luck, I'd appreciate a mention on this post so I can contact him too! If you want to check the address put in a search here with 'vet in Tarbes' and it will give you all the info. Best of luck - perhaps we'll meet out riding in a few months! Fran

Hi, The 20 acres that come with the house we hope to buy has a little church in the very end corner of the furthest field. We don't own the church, of course, but I can see how this may make it difficult for plans we have. The plans we do have are; a block of stables and outdoor school, a swimming pool, and extending the living accommodation into the wine cellar at the back of the house (this last will only be change of use, as the outside is and will be unchanged). I would really like to know if anyone else has had similar work done and any problems that they have encountered. What sort of planning permission, for instance, do I need for stables (there are no other buildings on the land, except, it appears, a few footings of delapidated ones under the brambles near to where we want to build). Is the 500metres rule that I have read about elsewhere here only relevant to some churches? Wil the pool have to have a black liner? The property is just north of Marciac, near Beaumarches, in the Gers. I will of course discuss these issues with our solicitor but would love some pointers from other people out there as you can never have enough information! Fran

Does anyone have experience of installing an outdoor school in the south of france? I'm interested in knowing the cost involved and whether there are specialist firms as there are in England, or whether it would be better to get it done ourselves with plant hire. Also is the climate more conducive to a simple sand school without the attendant costs involved of extensive drainage as we have to do here - or is that just wishful thinking on my part?