BJSLIV

The boring explanation is that the onboard mobile phone service is provided by On–Waves which is a subsidiary of Siminn the new name for Iceland Telecom!.

Therevised 2013 timetable through 'til the autumn has been on line since October 2012.

St Malo to Portsmouth?

I think BF have moved to a more active, probably automated form of yield pricing since the start of October. This all happened when they abolished the short period cheap returns.A return ticket is now always the equivalent of two separate singles. Previously fares changed erratically and infrequently. Now they changes quite regularly. I had been planning our December/January trip for quite a while and had seen prices increase by £30 on the UK/French leg. I decided to book a single yesterday morning, and was just about to enter CC details when the door-bell rang. By the time I remembered to continue the booking, I had to restart and the price had increased by another £30. Grrrr I think this £30*2 on the outward is what has affected the original poster. Any changes to times or dates mean that you are now treated as a new booking at current prices with a credit for the old crossing. Still quite generous compared to the airlines. More generally it's good to see that some of the crossings have virtually sold out of cabins. There must still be some life left in the western channel market!

Eurostar have lots of alterations on 29th and 30th due to engineering works. I suspect that the tunnel is completely closed overnight for these works. It also affects 15th October! http://www.internationalrail.com/rail-travel-news/eurostar-engineering-works-29th-30th-september-and-1st-15th-october.aspx

The makers are Hugh Prichard & Co Ltd, Greasley Street Nottingham Nottinghamshire NG6 8NG Telephone: 0115 927 2321 Fax: 0115 977 0671 As befits the makers of such vintage kit they don't have a website.

It's the lowest EU classification, basically the stuff normally sold in Cubitainers or litre bottles.

In his new year Presedential address he promised to reduce the burden of social security and health charges by taxing imports instead. Highly realistic!

Apparently day one is the day you arrive. I guess that's why they give you 8 days for the first week at 35 Euros, then 25 euros per week after that.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,806469,00.html

As the insurance company are involved, have they also asked for the roots to be pruned?

I didnt know her very well at the time or that she spoke English. As an Australian I guess she probabaly speaks a subset of English...........................

Main plus a better headline rate of interest. Downsides. The 7.25% is gross so UK or French tax must be deducted. The bond can't be put into an ISA The bond is for a fixed 4 year term with no escape route. It is a bond with an individual company who might encounter problems during the 4 year period. There is no protection if the company were to get into difficulties.

You need to take out the wire shelves and anything in "ordinary" enamel. The Pyroltic coating is quite distinctive. Select Pyrolytic function by turning knob, pushing button or whatever. The door will lock itself and away it goes for a couple of hours. The wire shelves will have to be cleaned with Ajax, Astonish or something similar! http://www.electrolux.fr/Support/Manuals/  Is a searchable database or the manuals and even shows where to find the model number. At http://forum.hardware.fr/hfr/Discussions/Cuisine/comment-arthur-martin-sujet_35621_1.htm Someone was looking for similar instructions and found model FE6422 to be appropriate. http://www.electrolux-ui.com/2002/337/231901fr.pdf

This seems to be a good , clear explanation of the different types. http://www.builtincookers.co.uk/files/catalytic-pyrolytic-ovens.html We have been very satisfied with the cleaning cycle of our,  De Dietrich, pyrolytic oven

Probably prompt them to introduce some other charge. It's about time for them to charge for hand luggage.......   It will be more interesting to see if the EU proposal outlawing all  add-ons ever gets through.

I think you need to have been 100% educated in the French system to understand the central role of Le Dicte! (Note I have just lost a serious number of points due to the absence of accents, circumflex etc.......) To me it embodies so much of their  attitude to the importance of the rules. You have to know the rules, so that you can either. 1 Bend them when it suits. or 2 Claim that something isn't possible because the rules don't say it's possible.   I had an amusing exchange in our local Simply Market the other day. When the name changedfrom ATAC  the loyalty cards were reissued, but the barcode / account number was identical. the only thing that changed was the branding and colour of the card. By accident I took the old card with me. The old card was unacceptable.They had been told to refuse it, it wouldn't work, why not try?, not allowed......................... .

For example, films are usually broadcast first of all on Canal+, for which you have to pay a subscription. Eventually they are shown on TF1 or France2. The first time this happens they are described as "Inedit En Clair".

We will have to wait until 11 May when the details are supposed to be published. The informed speculation seems to suggest a couple of possibilities. 1 Abolishing the gradual abatement of the tax if you hold the property for more than 5 years. or 2 Collecting CGT on the notional increase in the property's value each year. That sounds suitably bureaucratically complex! Presumably with a wash up at the end offsetting tax collected against total tax due.....

Well to be precise it's not a question of foreigners but non residents.

As I said, but thats today's proposal. Création d'une taxation forfaitaire des résidences secondaires. Elle concernera les non-résidents.

There are two new taxes being proposed.. The exit tax on resident's taking their wealth out of France. but also An annual tax on all foreign owned holiday homes. There has always been a provision for people resident outside the EU to be taxed on the notional rental value of property in France. It will be interesting to see how this new tax can/will be applied to EU residents who are I suspect the largest owner of French holiday homes.

It was a Docker's strike at Caen. Seems to have been resolved. http://basse-normandie.france3.fr/info/ferry-bloque-a-ouistreham-pendant-24-heures-68027863.html      

Yes they do - Air France does for £198 (according to www.fly.com) Air France tickets to Tours involve changing to SNCF at CDG and completing the Paris to Tours segment by train!

One or two for starters. http://www.abiolo.com/calcaire-carte-durete-eau%20.htm http://www.leaupure.fr/product/Carte-detaillee-du-calcaire-en-france http://www.jpw-confort.com/eau/