saddie

Deimos  -- I believe French water towers are at least as much , if not more, to do with maintaining the water pressure we enjoy than acting as holding tanks. The only places you see them in England are places which have trouble with low pressure.

Having recently moved to Correze from Charente we would like to continue improving our French. I can't find any classes public or private locally. I even asked the maire. Are there so few English around that it is not worthwhile putting on courses or are they all so fluent that there is no need? We live 20min north of Brive and anywhere within reasonable driving distance would be good.

I am in total agreement on this topic. Is there or is there not any customer protection in France? Does anyone have a French friend/neighbour who can confirm the rules. At present it appears that the French attitude to customer service  is caveat emptor

Pharmacies have posters in summer showing the seasonal insects etc and whether they are harmfull like frelons (hornets) and scorpions or harmless like gendarmes. In the autumn they have posters showing the various fungi and whether edible or not. I think half the population goes about with their eyes shut.

Cultivate your local hairdresser. Once you get a hairdresser talking not only will your French improve but you will learn about what is happening locally. The other day I was asked if I wanted my hair backcombing. I think the word was crépue and I said wasn't crépi what you put on walls? A good chuckle was had by all. I am sure my pronunciation makes me sound like the English policeman from allo allo at times but eventually........

Buy in France and buy locally if you can. Conditions are not the same as in England. For example - pears grow better in France especially in your area as the summer nights are warmer. Many common varieties of pear are French if you think about it. Apples prefer a cooler night I believe. Here (in Limousin) they have an AOC on a specific apple golden d'altitude but they cant grow cox's according to a local dutch apple grower as it is still too warm at night. Cherries do well but the flowering season is earlier so you will have to buy those with compatible flowering periods. I suggest you buy or borrow a French book on fruit growing.  

back to the original question . Are there any new regs? what ,when, where?

La puce electronic (microchip) is becoming more common here. Taking one of my cats for here annual vaccinations I told the vet that she had a chip. He read it and copied my English document and arranged for it to be registered on the French database. The advertising for the puce mentions that tatoos can be altered and are sometimes difficult to read - but of course they have an interest in the product.

In New York and New Jersey (surely the home of the bagel)the cinnamon bagels and onion bagels are certainly not "made up recipes" and they are delicious.

Just let them drop off the tree. Take any outer skin off and make sure that they are dry before storing. Some people knock the tree with a stick to make the nuts drop but it is not really neccessary. There is an old English saying A woman, a dog and a walnut tree, the more you beat them the better they be. Not very PC!

It does apply on some roundabouts! There is one in the centre of Objat and one in Brive (Correze). It causes absolute chaos and can snarl the traffic up completely. Most roundabouts have  "vous n'avez pas le priorité" on approach and give way marking on the roadway. If not beware.