Susannah

I do hope this hasn't been covered at length somewhere before; if it has apologies but I can't find it. Although I tried typing holiday insurance in the search box and came up with around 500 replies, I couldn't see any relevance in the first 15 or so I waded through. So............ can anybody out there offer me any advice on obtaining holiday/travel insurance when we live in France but have booked a holiday flying from UK to Greece. The UK travel co. don't want to know us because we're not resident in the UK and I'm not sure who to approach in France. Companies don't seem to advertise all over the place like they do in the UK. It is likely to be complicated by the fact that my huband has a 'pre-existing medical condition'. I'd be grateful if anyone can point me in the right direction; I need to get this sorted asap. Many thanks, Susannah.

I'm sure that this has come up before but I have waded through 15 pages and can't find anything about it. Please can anyone tell me for how many years a farmer has to have grazed his cattle on your land - and paid for the 'privilege' - before he has some sort of legal claim to go on using it. Does this right extend to eternity? Does it make any difference if the land has only been grazed for 8 or 9 months each year? As you may have gathered, I think we may have got ourselves into a mess. What was originally an 'informal' agreement seems to be in danger of backfiring. Nothing was ever signed but a letter was sent by my husband to the farmer last year asking for the money to be paid as it was 3 months late. Oh dear! I'd be extremely grateful if anyone could clarify the situation. Susannah.

Ermm .................... I was about to say I normally reckon on about four and a half hours from Portsmouth up to south Manchester, assuming you hit Birmingham outside of rush-hour(s) (mind you, that's not quite so horrendous if you use the new toll-motorway) but I can't remember where the Cherbourg crossing docks so that might not be of any use whatsoever! Sorry! Susannah  

Is there anyone who is clued up as to what format an 'average' French funeral follows? An English friend has been invited to attend the funeral of a French acquaintance on Wednesday. She and her husband are anxious to 'do the right thing' but, never having been to a funeral in France, do not know the way these things are conducted. It is normal to take/send flowers/wreaths as in the U.K., for example? Is everyone expected to go back to the deceased person's home or another venue for refreshment? I had to confess to my ignorance but said that I was sure somebody out there would know - I'm counting on you! Many thanks for any pointers that you can give us, Susannah.

Likewise I have looked in Normandy and parts of Eure and Orne - to no avail. Does it exist in France, I wonder?  I have resorted to bringing bags of it back with me when I have visited the U.K. At least it weighs less than most of the things I haul over! Susannah.

I just wanted to add my voice to those who have already advised you to give your dog two meals per day.  We kept on having problems with our labrador (who, incidentally, was older than your setter) - he would be 'clean' for numerous nights and then just when we least expected it we would come down to an unwelcome mess 'right out of the blue'. He would be utterly ashamed of himself and it really did seem that he couldn't help himself. We couldn't attribute the fall from grace to anything different in his regime the previous day/evening and thus couldn't understand why it only happened sometimes. However, we decided to try splitting his food into two; after all it did seem an enormous amount for his system to cope with if it was at all delicate. I am happy to report that we haven't had one single unpleasant experience after taking this simple step. He now has breakfast around 8 a.m. and dinner around 5.30 p.m. and everyone, including him(!) is happy. Good luck and I hope you find a similarly easy solution to the problem, Susannah.

Having driven around France since we came to live here nearly three years ago with the usual sticky bits of plastic on my headlamps, the crunch came the other week when my car reached the grand old age of four and was hauled off for its Controle Technique.  As I had expected it failed but having remembered several people here saying that miraculously AGF Insurance had stumped up the cost of replacement headlamps, I wasn't too concerned.  The sad news is that if they did in the past (which my agent hotly disputed, incidentally) they will not do so now.  Oddly enough, however, my local garage who carried out the search for Hyundai Accent headlights (not too plentiful in France) and subsequently fitted them, seemed to think that my insurance company WOULD probably stand the cost.  However, AGF were adamant that unless there had been some sort of accident then they would not pay for new headlights. Oh well, I suppose I should be grateful for the fact that I have 'got away with it' for so long. Yours, in destitution, Susannah.

From personal experience I would say that you shouldn't have a problem, although I don't know what the 'official' position is. Although we live in Normandy and have several hectares of cider apple trees I could not find a decent 'cooker' amongst them (or eating apple either, for that matter). I kept moaning about how much I missed the good old Bramleys and so on a trip to the UK a couple of years ago, my husband bought me a young Bramley apple tree. He imported it in his car via Caen-Ouistreham and although it was very much on view, no-one seemed remotely interested. I haven't had any fruit from it yet, incidentally but 'hope springs eternal'! Good luck! Susannah.

Does anyone out there have any experience of how safe it is to leave a car parked at the ferry-terminal at Cherbourg for several days, please? My husband is travelling as a foot-passenger and will be away for five days. I had previously thought it looked a safe enough haven but last time I was there I noticed a car with its window smashed in ....... which set me thinking/worrying. We live a 21/2 hour drive away and I really don't want to do a 5 hour round-trip to drop him off, if I can possibly avoid it. On the other hand, I suppose I don't want the guilt trip if anything should happen to the car! I know that nowhere is 100% safe these days but how would you rate it? Any advice gratefully received, Susannah

Dear Em I really feel for you; in fact my stomach started churning as soon as I read your posting. We went through exactly the same thing with our much-loved Birman a couple of years ago. Please do not give up hope; we had tried everything and really had given up because he had never gone missing in his life before. The best I could imagine was that he had been stolen and given a loving home. However, to my absolute joy, I went down into the kitchen one morning and he was there. I could hardly believe it. He had returned at some point in the night through the cat flap and was waiting patiently. He was very thin - his long hair disguised the fact to a degree but I could feel his bony haunches. For the first 48 hours all he wanted to do was to eat and sleep but after that he was fine. I would love to know where he was for 8 days; if only he could talk! Fortunately he has never wandered far again - and I sincerely hope he never does. I do hope that your story has an equally happy ending. Very best of luck, Sue.

I was horrified by how much you were charged but I see that the first reply you received seemed to think it was about right. We 'only' pay 45euros for what seems to us to be a very thorough job; perhaps chimney sweeping is cheaper where we live in Calvados (14). Now you've got me wondering! Sue.

I'm so very sorry to hear what has happened; it strikes a note of fear into all dog-owner's hearts. Try as we may, we seem unable to keep our 3 year old labrador within our huge garden (life outside always seems more exciting) and he is prone to having a little wander from time to time. I know how utterly devastated we would be if anything happened to him on one of these jaunts and I really feel for your loss. Try to remember the good times - easier said than done I know. Very best wishes, Susannah.

I am still in shock having recently been charged 21euros to have a 24 exposure, 35mm film developed and printed. I usually save films and have them processed in the UK but this had Christmas photos on and I just couldn't wait. I can't for the life of me remember the name of the company (I think I've thrown their envelope thingy away) but they were just outside the entrance to Carrefour at Caen-Mondeville (14). It was a 1 hour service so I suppose I should have known better but I had folk memories of Tesco and their photo services! Needless to say prices were not prominently displayed- if at all - another warning sign. I did get a "free" enlargement of one of my 24 photos - their choice - and I didn't want it. Just to add insult to injury, they tried the 'hard sell' by showing me how wonderful this enlargement looked in a vivid orange frame, which they wanted me to buy for an additional 15euros. Thankfully I had declined prior to discovering the cost of their service! A cautionary tale; BEWARE! Susannah

I confess to knowing very little about these things but offer you one cautionary tale. We have some sort of surge protector fitted to the computer and it did its job during an electrical storm last May. Unfortunately our telephone wires were hit and because the computer was connected to the phone socket for the internet, the modem and goodness-knows-what-else were fried anyway. This was something that had not occured to us - and cost a couple of hundred euros to put right (although we were able to claim something back for the damage to the computer and the phone itself on the house insurance). Susannah.

I'm beginning to wonder if it was some sort of hallucination but I could almost swear that on the board outside the Leclerc travel agency and ticket office in Lisieux (Calvados 14) there was an advert for an Aznavour concert in Paris, sometime next May. I can't have imagined it, can I? I never thought to see him alive again (or dead, for that matter!), how old must he be? I was an ardent fan of his and saw him perform in England several times but that must have been more than 30 years ago (scary!) Is he still performing? I still play his greatest hits on my car CD player and sing along with gusto - when I'm on my own (my husband is less than enthusiastic). Should I rush back there and book, thus trying to conjure up some of my mis-spent youth ..... or might I be sadly disappointed? Perhaps the experience might only serve to remind me that the passing years are none too kind to any/most of us! Now I know some of you can't stand the man but there must be others amongst you whose emotions are laid bare by some of his more poignant songs. I need your advice; what should I do? Live dangerously, go and risk all; or live on dreams!! Susannah.