Angie

We have obviously paid our TV licence through our taxe d'habitation every year since owning our holiday home.  However we have received a demand for information every year (8 years) to ask if we have a TV and saying that we need to pay the licence fee.   Is it usual to receive one of these letters each year even though we have already declared that we have a TV and are paying the fee?  Thanks all

Sorry if this has been posted previously but I read today in a French magazine that if you are French resident and reach retirement age (assume that's French retirement age and not the UK one?) then all your dependents then become eligible to use the French healthcare system.  My husband is 60 in 3 months time so will that mean we both no longer have to pay private healthcare costs?  I am not due to retire for another six years. 

I really appreciate all your replies and suggestions.  I think our first point of call should be the Mairie and see what he has to say and then the Post Office.  Thanks all, much appreciated

We think the time has come to give our house a name!  All deliveries over the years have been addressed to our original plot number and find their way to us OK.  Our piece of land is referred to as La Fontaine on cadestral maps because there is a natural spring running underneath it and this would have been the ideal name however, I am sure I have heard about another property in the village called this.  Before we decide on a name is it advisable to check with the Marie or the post office to make sure it would be OK as we don't want to upset anyone? We wouldn't have a problem with just having a house number but none of the other five houses in our road have numbers (and they have been there for centuries!) so don't think that's an option.  Thanks all.

Thanks so much for all these suggestions. Hadn't thought that the sand might be the problem.  Yes, it is quite a dark colour.  Don't mind paying extra for the better quality (lighter) cement as I would prefer it looked more natural and yes, hopefully, we are only going to do it once!!  As always, your advice is much appreciated.

We are laying quite a long concrete pathway in the garden and was hoping for a very light grey or creamy colour finish as is currently at the front of the house (done by someone else a while ago).  We have already laid the "rough" base but the colour of the cement is very dark grey (almost black).  I know the builders merchant had several varieties of cement - can anyone suggest a "brand" that produces this light grey colour?  We have tried different ratios and the result is always the same.  Don't really want the expense of a concrete colouring pigment.  Thanks all.

Brilliant, just what I am looking for.  Website is great and in English too.  Bit spoilt for choice now which I really wasn't expecting!  Thanks so much.

Brilliant, just what I am looking for.  Website it great and in English too.  Bit spoilt for choice now which I really wasn't expecting!  Thanks so much.

Sorry to be so vague, but I want to create a "soft" painted effect on the walls in my sitting room rather than a solid block of colour to give the room a warm homely feel.  Not sure how to describe it but you see it in Tuscan style houses, usually in a pink, ochre or terracotta colour although I would want a slightly less dramatic colour.  The effect looks rather patchy and chalky.  Is this called pigment paint or lime wash paint?  And finally, is it available in France?  Many thanks

Fantastic range of ideas, thank you so much everyone.  Yes, we have had the same problem with terracotta pots in the UK and paying extra doesn't seem to make any difference.  I do agree that some plastic pots look naff (so am not offended!!) but the yoghurt suggestion is certainly worth a try.  Will also let you know how I get on if we have a trip over the border into Spain.   We did think about making some wooden planters so that's another idea to try. Thanks again all. 

I have seen some lovely extra large terracotta pots - I think they are really wine vessels?  Some have space for plants but some are standalone and look great on a terrace.  Does anyone know if they are available to buy in France as we have looked and can't find anything anywhere near this size.  Maybe a trip over the border into Spain?  Not too fussed if they are reconstituted or even (dare I say it) plastic!! as we have quite a largish terrace to fill.

Hi there, thanks for all your advice.  Yes, its a proper meter which was installed by EDF (at considerable cost) 4 years ago. It is on our boundary which unfortunately by the sound of things means I shall have to continue to walk down in the dark and rain. There is a large red button on the internal circuit board (is this the tableau) inside the house which we use to turn all the electricity off when we leave.  Pressing this restores the electricity to the house but will not do so if the electric has tripped because of storm or "overload".  This can only be done by a visit to the coffre which also houses the meter. 

Could I ask a similar question please? Our trip switch goes at the slightest hint of a storm and its a real pain to have to traipse down to the meter box to re-set it especially in the dark and when its raining.  Our house is fairly new but the meter is 80 metres away at the end of our drive (but in a sort of ditch at the side of the road!).  Does anyone know if its possible to have the meter box moved to nearer the house, or preferably whether the trip switch only can be altered/moved so we can re-set it from indoors?  Sorry to sound so naive but know nothing at all about electrics.  Thank you

This is great advice, thanks so much all of you.  Yes, roses are about the only thing that we've managed to hang onto and they do flower well and for long periods.  I took some cuttings of Oleander (from outside Carcassonne airport!!) and all 10 of them took and grew a little but unfortunately (as advised by you all) the recent harsh winter killed them all.  I will definitely try the membrane idea and plant all of your suggested varieties to see what's successful.  Thanks again, much appreciated.

Having owned our house (in Aude, 11) for 5 years now we finally have time to start on the outside.  It's a holiday home and is in desperate need of some structure and colour in the garden.  We have successfully planted a number of trees but as its almost all south facing we are having difficulty growing shrubs or perennials, because we don't have anyone close by to water them.  It can rain quite significantly in the autumn but its the long, dry spells that seem to put paid to our efforts. Can any of you avid gardeners out there please recommend any heat/drought tolerant plants we could try?  We have plenty of space so size is not an issue.   Not too keen on cactus!! Thank you

Meant to mention that I have emailed, phoned and faxed the tourist office in Lavelanet and also the site specially for Mont D'olmes but haven't been able to get through on the phone or received a reply to my email/fax.

Does anyone know if the chair lift is running at the moment on Mont D'Olmes?  We went in June and again beginning of July but it was shut for maintenance.  When we visit France we usually pop up there for a picnic and a walk but the kids would like a trip on the chairlift.  Don't want to waste another journey.  Many thanks all.

Thank you to everyone for all your helpful comments.  We are getting this sorted one way or the other this weekend as its started to drip very badly.  With Quillan's detailed instructions we are going to have a go ourselves and try to save a bit of money!  Our very local plumber has said he will pop round middle of the week if we don't manage to sort it out.

He classed it as 4mm safety glass - the type that shatters into very small pieces rather than large shards of glass.  As its not in a moveable door (it fits above the frame in a sealed panel) we were happy with this. 

Wanted to say a big "thanks" Quillan. Popped in to Vallets and they were extremely helpful.  The guy (who fortunately speaks very good English) looked at our glass project and cut it there and then.  1.7m by 60cm and only cost 19 euros, fantastic.  They had a great selection, greenhouse type glass, safety glass, coloured, patterned and the alternative of perspex and polycarbonate (which despite being twice the price he didn't recommend).  We also asked him to quote for some building materials which we were going off to order that day at Romera's in Lavelanet.  His quote was over 200 euros cheaper (no special discount) and he delivered the whole lot (blocks, 4 tonnes sand, cement, metal rods etc.) for 13 euros - the driver even advised opening an account as we would get the stuff even cheaper.!!  We shall definitely be using them again.

Thank you so much, this is great.  It makes the possibility of retiring to France sooner rather than later all the more feasible.  We will of course be playing by the book and making a proper tax declaration.  Much appreciated.

Does anyone have a rough idea of what I should be paying a plumber to have a shower mixer tap replaced, like for like. Shouldn't involve any new pipework as tap is same as original and less than a year old.  Thank you

Can anyone shed light on the reductions given to pensioners in relation to the annual Taxes due?  I recently came across an article on a French finance website (couldn't find it again) that if your retirement income was below a certain amount (think it mentioned a figure of about 11,000 euros per person or 15,000 euros per couple) you received quite a considerable reduction or in some cases, exemption from one (or both?) of these Taxes.  Our joint UK pensions will be below the 15,000 euro amount.   Because we thought retiring to our house in France full time would not be viable (our Taxes would represent about 20% of our annual UK pension) this possibility is obviously of interest to us.   If true and we became resident, would we be classed as pensioners in France at their retirement age (is it 62?) or our UK retirement age which unfortunately has now risen to 66!! Hope you understand what I am trying to say!

Came across your post by accident - we have been looking for such a website for ages, thanks so much!!!

Its as I thought, thank you (frankly its what we're used to so would be happier doing it stretcher bond I think) - good to know that I can still fill the joints from above though - that will definitely save a lot of time; I'm no brickie!!  Didn't realise about the "special" blocks so thanks for the tip.  Regards