Le martin-pêcheur

You could try Pineau des Charentes rouge...........not expensive and available in most supermarkets. My wife has used this for trifles before and it works well enough. Savoury dishes, don't know, sorry. Hope that helps. Cheers!

"Also, many small businesses sell via Amazon"........ and Amazon charge them a greed tax of up to 15%, the same as Ebay and the like!! Not a level playing field anymore for smaller websites/businesses - I have had a sales website in France since 2009 and could not afford to have 15% ripped from our turnover!! Just an opinion however, based on fact.

Using Google Chrome, type trump cartoons into the search bar, then "images" on the top bar. Plenty to go at that will raise a smile.

Great news, thank you Hoddy!!

A new set of Covid -19 figures - commune by commune - just announced. https://www.francetvinfo.fr/sante/maladie/coronavirus/infographies-covid-19-decouvrez-quel-est-le-taux-d-incidence-dans-votre-commune_4151943.html Sorry, using Google so can't make the link live. Keep safe.

Hi, Never bought from this site - yet - but saved it for the future.If you're OK with an azerty keyboard and a French operating system....... https://www.laptopservice.fr/ Good prices and a decent guarantee it would seem.

Hi, for œ hold down your Alt key and type 0156 on the numeric pad. We had to learn that one last year when we moved to Avenue Richard Cœur de Lion..............

+1 Us too, members since 2004 and would not like to lose the forum - too valuable a resource. Fingers crossed.

Hi, It could be this one https://mapthenews.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/5df19abcf8714bc590a3b143e14a548c Using Google so can't make link live sorry.

Hi, If you have a French bank account, try Transferwise.Fast, cheap and efficient.

A French friend of ours, who was a submariner, used the following technique to sleep cooler in a submarine with an internal temperature of 40° whilst moored in Africa. (This was a while ago, so no air-con on the boat) We tried it last year - and it does work. Dousing a towel in cold water, wringing it out and then draping it over yourself will bring your body temperature down. With a standard fan blowing towards you, the effect is even better.

+3

Very good indeed! Good to see that Cambridge students are not wasting their time ;-) See the main site https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk

Hi, Some limited info here for Nouvelle Aquitaine https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/nouvelle-aquitaine/va-t-on-voir-retour-aux-90-kmh-routes-departementales-aquitaine-1775099.html Hope it helps.

Hi, This site should give you the details https://renass.unistra.fr Tony

Hi, Interesting website on this subject: http://propluvia.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/propluvia/faces/index.jsp Sorry can't see a way to make the link live. Cheers, Tony

A great many thanks to all who have responded to my request. A good deal of food for thought there......... I agree with the heating the garden - a comment we have often used as we wait for our cat to decide whether he wants to go out or stay in Thanks again, Tony

Thank you Idun, We're currently in the southern part of the Haute-Vienne and wood is fairly cheap and readily available, we use electric radiators when it's not worth lighting a fire, but they are not so cheap to run. Looking to move again soon, so looking at various properties, one of which has gaz de ville for everything, and another which is wood burners and electricity. The latter we can easily estimate the running costs, hence my question about gaz de ville. Of course convenience can become a factor which has to be weighed up against overall running costs and of course installation/maintenance. Could be the wood burner route again methinks. Thanks again for your informative post. Cheers, Tony

Many thanks indeed Idun. Cheers Tony

Many thanks, I shall have a look at those sites. Cheers, Tony

Hi, Having had houses using log burners and/or electricity for heating for the most part in France, I wondered if anybody has used gaz de ville and has a rough idea of costs as against fuel. We had fuel central heating once and found it to be expensive, would gas be cheaper? Just an estimate would be ideal, as i understand the costs will vary as to usage. I thought I would ask our experts here before trawling through the French sites. Many thanks for any information that anyone can provide. Tony

Hi, Resident in France for 14 years and counting. Currently in Haute-Vienne but considering a move further North in 2019, maybe Brittany. I don't post a lot - forgive me - but still enjoy this forum as opposed to many others. Tony

Hi, I am not an expert by any means, but if you take a look here: https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F17578 and then click Création et changement de porte/fenêtre/toiture, it seems a déclaration préalable may be needed. You can download the form further down the page. Cerfa n° 13703*06.The form comes down in an editable pdf format - much easier to type your requirements than try to write them in the little space allowed on the form. It should be the same form that the Mairie will give you, if you need one. Hope this helps. Kind regards, Tony

Yes, great website lightningmaps.org. It's kept us out of trouble the last few weeks. We work online, so best to know when and where the storms are, or liable to be. Cheers, Tony

Here's one I haven't seen on the thread yet. You send an e-mail to a website for whatever reason and the reply............... "Thanks for reaching out to us" I am not drowning, falling nor want any form of affection, I simply sent an e-mail asking for information. Good thread, thanks.