Porth

Somewhat of a long shot but I (we) wondered if anyone can help?  Briefly my wife has suffered from this illness for over twenty eight years.  Over the last year or so we have seen in the UK a range of drugs called generically anti-TNF.  This are of US origin and basically one self-injects on a bi-weekly basis.  These have been funded by our Primary Care Trust at a cost of about £10K per annum. We also own a house in (50) and so want to move permanently.  However the drug has revolutionised my wife's life so much so that she now does not need to see her consultant save for once a year. If we move then we lose the support of the Primary Care Trust and whilst the specialist hospital will continue to see my wife say on a yearly basis we do not have the drug at our disposal. Does anyone please have any idea on two fronts of one how can one identify if this drug is available in France and (2) based upon the cost would the top up insurance pay for its costs.  If the answer to either of the above is no then we will remain in the UK but spend longer holidays in France and where we can take the drug with us but under strict temperature controlled conditions. We do hope someone can help   kind regards and seasons compliments to everyone. We  

I have now emailed, written spoken and faxed to Arhus in Denmark and they have promised to get back to me.  That is a week ago.   Bluntly I am not prepared to spend more and more time trying to get someone to sell me something that they undoubtedly do not wish to sell me.   Thus the Republique has it and I am going to buy a vehicle that at least relates to the country in which I am hopefully going to live.   May I take this opportunity of thanking everyone for their input;

Please does anyone have any experience of obtaining a translation(from say a UK agency) of a detailed UK medical report and upon which we would wish to rely if things go 'wrong' in France. Basically my wife suffers from Rheumatoid Arthritis and has done so for 30 years and this is now under control due to a new drug. That is not the problem. However within the last four years she has suffered twice with the heart getting out of sync and indeed is now in hospital in the UK. When it happens it really is so worrying and even now we do not know what is happening what causes it etc. Here I am looking for both support and encouragement and whilst we have a second home about twenty minutes from a hospital I am concerned that we live in somewhat of an isolated area and that I would not be able to cope from a number of standpoints if things went wrong. Ilness and I are not good bedfellows and as responsibility now falls to me if things go as I said wrong I feel a sense of foreboding and that intelligent thinking suggests that we postpone our dream of moving to France and just await developments.   My view is safety first my wife just cannot wait to get there. I am 60 years old a retired lawyer and one would think I could handle the concept but truth is I cannot.   Support please?

Thanks will wait until the spring clear the ground underneath use a good fertilizer and see where that takes us.   thanks for your help

thanks for that will pass the information on that is when he gets up. Early rising is something that he does not like but will shortly have to get used to! kind regards

[quote]Two big markets but south of you are Villedieu les Poeles on Tuesday morning and St. Hilaire du Harcouet on Wednesday. Villedieu is a nice place to take visitors and there are things to see (apart fr...[/quote] We absolutely agree with Le Fruitiere at Villedieu. We live just ten minutes away and what they do they do very well. However I am now running out of ideas from crabe for the first course through to cote d'aneau and really do hope they can ring the changes. They know us so well that the regular bottle of wine is put on the table! However the restaurant on the ground floor near the main car park at St Lo and right on the corner is in our opinion much much better.   The rib of beef for two people complete with doggie bags for those of our friends back home is in our opinion the best value for money meal on the Cotentin. If one was to push the monetary value somewhat I still say the restaurant overlooking the beach at Pirou plage is still hard to beat. But indeed I said that about the restaurant at Flaminville where you just have to put out of your head the nuclear power station which is nearby.  He is from the South West and cooks wonderfully she is from Italy I think but its a wonderful combination and one can see on a good day the CI's

We have a house near to Percy in 50410 and south of St Lo and about ten minutes from Villedieu les Poeles. Our grandson is coming to visit and is an absolute convert to the idea of fishing,landing a fish and then putting it back. Our idea of heaven is a sea bass or belle sole normande and on the plate. Better still is a St Pierre with some butter and chives. Does anyone please have any ideas as to a 'good' carp fishing lake? It does not have to be in Normandy and if for example there are fishing holidays in Brittany then we are really quite prepared to take him there. It would be quieter without him and although we love him dearly he is somewhat on the go at all times of day and night.   kind regards

I would not wish to be accused of war mongering but returned from Cherbourg last Thursday having intending to stay a few more days.  Unfortunately my wife was taken into hospital in the UK and I had just to get back. The P and O staff at Cherbourg were handing out letters suggesting a number of valid and non-valid courses of action.  I think we (and despite the shareholder value and Footsie 100 arguments and conventional economic arguments) would feel sorry for the families that are going to be hurt by the run-down in services. However the gossip (and that is all that it is at this moment) suggests that next Tuesday there is going to be industrial action at Cherboug.  I am not sure if this is half-term in either UK or France but surely this is par for the course and we may well see some form of action.

When we purchased our house some four years ago the owner pointed to a walnut tree and said that it had been hit during the tempete (is that a correct spelling) and was likely to die. To compensate he also pointed to a new walnut tree that he had then recently planted. This year the leaves dropped in June/July and the tree looks poorly.  Thought to wait until the spring and if then signs of growth then live with it for another year.  If no growth then unfortunately it is dead Question please (and as tree is in a direct relationship both with France Telecom and Electricity) does anyone have any experience of what we call a tree surgeon and someone who particularly has insurance? We live as do lots of others from the UK near Villedieu les Poeles. Final point would like trunk (and it is huge) to be planked and then stored outside and to mature and at that stage to utilise within the house. Any thoughts please as the concept of on (en ou dans) the log burner would be unacceptable.

I am exceedingly grateful will get on to it straight away.  Thanks for all of your inpu   rdgs

Have just returned from France and the local dealer will provide a top spec Volvo at about 39000 euros. Volvo ex-pats will supply the same car at 31785.50.  To this you have to add the 19.6% tax in France. So there is about 1000 euros in it? I think with a bit of arm-twisting I can get down to that level in any event. Therefore and on the face of it it seems better to purchase from the dealer.  The euro to the pound is the same it has to be converted at whatever the rate is on the day so I cannot see any benefit from buying ex-pat. Whilst I think I am now content does anyone please have any experience of dealing with Denmark and how does one go about it?   kind regards and thanks for all of the contributions.

Britline tell me that unless you are resident in France they cannot allow you even on a temporary basis to go overdrawn and indeed cannot provide an overdraft basis?   Its different if you are resident? It is absolutely correct?   We are moving shortly to France and may well decide to move accounts to a local branch as whilst Britline have been most helpful long-distance banking does pose some problems.

I am a semi-retired lawyer in the UK and continue to do consultancy work for let us say government sources.   Thus I have to play the game and have declared my extra rental income from our home in France plus my consultancy.   However before I did so my tax office sent me a stiff reminder that I needed to fill in a tax return to include income from sources outside the UK etc etc.  They were aware of everything. As it is in pure P & L terms and throwing the kitchen sink at it there is no profit on rental income from the house. We may obviously be at odds with the rest of the rental market in France but whilst it does provide a contribution to overheads it does not in our experience provide for profit.  Profit that is in the strictest accountancy sense.

thank you for your responses.  I am very grateful so are the dogs!   kind regards

I am grateful for the responses.  I have checked the specifications and whilst there are minor changes between UK and European standards there are too minor improvements in the left hand drive versions. So happy on that front and indeed the insurance front.  However and as you rightly say the problem is whether its beneficial to buy direct from Volvo ex-pats or from the dealership in France. With the £ weakening against the euro and who knows what is going to happen on that particular front it may well be beneficial to buy in France. I suppose the logical thought process is to see what they will charge and if there is very little or nothing in it I suppose and as the vehicle will have to be maintained by the dealer in France then its wise to buy from them? very grateful for you help

I really do know that this has been listed before.  However as a relative newcomer the archives are not throwing up the details I think there were two kennels one near to St Lo the other near St James or Avranches. Does anyone know please the names and addresses. I am not very up to speed on this process (Living France and this new forum) so please forgive me. Again has anyone up to date experiences that they can relate to?   thanks again

[quote]Hi, are there any kind souls out there who are travelling to the UK on the Sunday evening (17th) P&O crossing that would be able to offer my hubby a lift to Cherbourg? We live near Hambye althoug...[/quote] Whilst I live near Percy I am over next week but think I will be leaving on Thursday back to the UK.Otherwise I would gladly help.   sorry.

Volvo cars have suggested that I can buy a left hand drive car which will be delivered to the UK and I have to pay for it in euros.  It will come with euopean plates and then I import it into France. Obviously it will meet all european standards and then I import into France. As I understand matters the car then has to be registered with French plates at the Prefecture. Is it please at this time that you have to pay the tax at 19.6%? Indeed has anyone ever carried out this type of operation.   thanks for your help  

I have a Jewish recipe for pickled green tomatoes. Lots of cider vinegar, mustard seeds chillies honey that sort of thing. I reckon its wonderful but be careful on the chillies. If anyone wants it I will gladly list it. I go to our house in September and am hopeful that the greenhouse will be full of green tomatoes. If so they go in the pot. kind regards

Hi an absolute amateur at this. My email suggests another reply to this posting. However on looking at the topic nothing is shown. What please am I doing wrong? kind regards

Please we live (as do lots of us) near Villedieu. Having problem with new chippings on the driveway just mysteriously slipping away. Indeed in the last storm we had to shovel lots back into place. If you go around the Mairie(s) you see what looks like granite kerb edging which keep the flower beds in place. Does anyone(please)know where you can obtain granite kerb edging? thanks again and as a very recent newcomer please treat me gently! thanks for looking and for any responses.

Please does anyone know of a mail order nursery in France that supplies any of the above. Obviously within the UK we are spoilt for choice. However I would not wish to be witnessed taking UK produced fruit trees to our home in France. If the nursery has a web-based site so much the better. Many thanks for you help kind regards