le val charente

This should have been up and running by now...!! I think its being delayed until next year now - there was a large article in the Sud Ouest on Friday about renaming the airport Brie Champniers Cognac!  Still lots of haggling with Chambre de Commerce etc about who is paying what.

Hello Apparently spraying with diluted white wine vinegar will remove the smell and deter cats in the future - may be worth a try?

Would like to say that we have never been delayed on Speedferries and would always recommend them! This thread made me chuckle, after the journey we endured with our young children this time last week, admittedly not across the Channel! Our journey was leaving from Algiers to Marseilles (22 hours) last Monday at 12 midday, which meant checking in a 9.00 to do all the police and customs checks.  At the port, the authorities were telling everyone to come back at 15.00, so we squeezed in some extra sightseeing (it is a lovely city in some parts). At 15.00, we were bustled into a queue where we sat for 2.5 hours without any explanations on the delay, before being offered free juice and mineral water - the sun was beating down in 30° C temps; at this point we were wondering when we would ever board. By 20.00 we had moved slowly through all the formalities, drive 20m, stop for police to search cars, drive another 20m, stop to arrange cabin facilities on board, drive 20m again for this time the customs to search cars, aaaaarggh!  By now we could see the reason for the delay - a large 3m square hole in the side, with teams of welders working frantically to fix it... still no idea of when we would leave, still no staff to offer explanations and everything was closed, except a small café (not cheap by local standards) who were doing a roaring trade!  A few dirty hole in the ground toilets with no running water were available - nice! By this time, people were hungry, tired and impatient and starting hooting their horts and a small mob, led by a French guy managed to find a suited person from the boat company and insisted at least the women and children be allowed to board and have some food on the boat.  Meanwhile my husband waited outside and after all the men were offered steak sandwiches in their cars at the docks, they finally came onboard at 2.00am! Luckily all food onboard was being offered free!  Next day, the welders were still hard at work - one of them had said the boat had hit rocks causing the damage, there was a ministerial visit the previous day, and they were doing what would normally be a week's work. No announcements were made but we finally set off that evening at 19.00 after nearly a full 24 hours on the boat!  I was then violently seasick, just to round it off.  Finally arrived home on Thursday morning at 3.00am.  This led to the kids missing 2 days of school as well! At least if channel operators hit these problems, there are other options and they aren't government run!

Thanks!

Hello, that got your attention !! Does anyone know where we can get shutters dipped to remove old paint, pref around the Angouleme or Bordeaux area or what is it called in French so I can search for it in the Pages Jaunes? Thanks in advance, Val

I wasn't sure if allowed to post their name but here goes.... UPPS I know its our own fault but don't want anyone else to get stung!

Has anyone else heard of this company - we took advantage of their free advertising and were stung for 100 euros last winter, and they are now back asking for more... I know now that in the small print, they are entitled to this and because I didn't cancel more than 3 months ahead, they now want another lot! What is worst is the total lack of response from their site.

Hi Thanks very much for that - I think its the same person who sent an email to me, but we are hoping for something in used condition, at a cheaper price.

Seems like we're too late for this one... still looking

Thank you!

We are looking for some high scaffolding, must be at least 6m high, please pm if you have or know of - we can collect.

This reminded me of a story I heard recently of someone who bought some woodland for similar purposes but after buying it, realised all the trees had been cut down as they belonged to the farmer - be careful!!

Hi, here are my happy memories of Canada, though just on a visit - Toured western Canada, mainly Alberta and British Columbia - just passing through, backpacking in 1991 with an Aussie pal admiring the fantastic scenery of the Rockies in autumn. It was just around when Thelma and Louise came out - went to a cinema to see it and the whole place was cheering when the girls got their revenge on various guys in the film (the truck driver and his burned truck spring to mind!!)  We were just about to embark on a road adventure too!!! First though, we hitched around on Vancouver Island, meeting an old character who picked us up and informed us that the only visitors were usually "the newly wed or the nearly dead"!!  Later when our car had problems, a guy stopped and offered to help, but couldn't get to his toolbox as he had a dead moose in the back....!   Stayed at a hostel in Banff which was like a picture postcard, complete with elk wandering outside. Really enjoyed Calgary and Vancouver as cities to visit and found everyone we met really friendly - remembered Canada last weekend when it turned cold here and I dug out my trusty Canadian walking boots to go through the mud all round our renovation project!  They're still going strong... I guess the sheer scale of a country like Canada with varying time zones is probably the reason phone calls are not cheap.  Have never been to eastern Canada, but met someone from Halifax once - she was importing Turkish leather jackets there because there was only one shop selling them and the range was so limited and expensive! Hope things improve for you over there val

Hi Please let me know if you are interested in a 3 bed house in Jonzac at 650 euros a month - it's just across into the Charente Maritime.

A bar at St Simeux, just east of Angouleme is doing live music with a buffet.... check out www.pubgabariers.com  

Hello We have a 3 bedroomed house on the edge of Jonzac (Charente Maritime) for longterm rental.  It is one mile from a large LeClerc supermarket and yet in a quiet location with conservatory, garage, garden and pretty views all around, satellite no problem, can send photos if you email me.... 650euros per month plus bills.

Hello We received something similar - I emailed back to say their requirements weren't straightforward and it would be better if they phoned me!!  That was the last I heard!

Also, you could ask your pharmacist for them, and many other treatments for cats & dogs.

Hi We had a qualified electrician do all the work for "the norms", which was then inspected by a company called Apave.  Can't remember how much this was, but overall we spent nearly 40k euros on materials alone!  

Hi, have you been to Castorama at Angouleme?  May be worth checking their website first, if that's a bit far!

Another winner!  Hubby got the top five, but not in the right order... otherwise I wouldn't be sitting here now!!!

So that would explain why they all congregate under our fig tree in autumn!

Piano evenings here every Friday in October, by Don Kingdom & bass player.  An ex concert pianist, Don has a wide repertoire and is very versatile.  Billed as "Jazz Duo" for brevity!  Free entry, meals also available in our restaurant. We are just behind the Mairie in Chateauneuf sur Charente.

On a similar subject, someone else was trying to find out about help for a 6 year old with learning difficulties moving to the Charente, and what support is available.  Does anyone know who to contact and what phrases are used to describe this condition please?  

Ho ho, not us!