Frank

Hi everyone Does anyone know of any shops in the Saintes, Cognac, Royan area etc that sell exterior all weather table football?? I have been looking on the web and found Rene Pierre do an exterior one for around 1200 euro and the ones in king jouet etc. although they say they are for 'plein air' I don't think are true exterior baby foot.  Also, we are trying to get one with a glass top but as yet not seen any in France.  If needs be, we can buy in the UK and bring over, but would prefer to buy here (guarantees etc) If anyone has any info, I would really apreciate it. Many thanks in advance Jetlag PS doing a jolly to Bordeaux on Saturday, so can visit shops there.

Hi Quillan Thanks for the link and info, but I must be missing something because I cannot find any reference to gites even after I have translated the page.  Would the Chamber of Commerce know as I could ask them when I register next month or shall I just go the mayors office.  Also, if the tressor public have forms etc, does this mean there is a fee??  Thanks again Jetlag

Hi Just reading the info re Bed making and I noted from Quillans reply the reference to registering at the mayors office.  Is there a website with the information regarding this legislation that I can visit as its the first I have heard of this ruling!!  Is it for all types of Gite/CDH whether registered with other bodies or not?   Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance Jetlag

Hi BJSLIV Thanks for your reply, just to clarify, its us who have named it phase two, it is all part of the original permis construire to convert/renovate the school and houses and put a pool in ( we had an architect draw up the plans and submit the papers etc) the impots have been notified only for the completion of the houses for habitation tax purposes.  If it is gonna be 19.6% then boy is it gonna hurt!!!!  We can't even do it ourselves as the aspect has to remain exactly the same and you can't buy ready made 2.5m *2.5m windows in toughened armour plated type glass!!!.  Thanks again Kimberly 17

Hi Baz Thanks for your reply, I have created a seperate Hotmail account for when the problem arises as I need to keep my existing email address.  It seems to be quite intermittant and dependant on time of day!  Thanks again for the info re orange, it has saved me a trip in Saintes. Kimberly

Hi All I have just read this thread and I am slightly confused (it doesn't take much these days I think its all the vino calapso!!)  Just a little history to give you the picture!! I have just had a chap round to do a devis for the windows for phase two of our renovations.  We have a permis constuire and the CdeU to change the use of the school to habitation. Now I mentioned to the chap about tva at 5.5% and I got the shrug and shake of head to say no!! In my limited french I explained that I thought tva for artisan to complete etc is 5.5% and for me to do ie ready mades from a brico etc it would be 19.6%.  He then asked me how long I had owned the property, did we have permis constuire and providing the windows didn't exceed 70% of the building value, then maybe we could get 5.5%.  So I, in my best french, babbled on about the numerous meetings in 2005/6 to keep the TVA at 5.5 for renovations (I think I confused him!) and that as far as I knew, it would be 5.5%.  So for clarification, for replacement windows for an old school, over 100yrs old, they are extremely large (2.5m*2.5m) and going to be toughened armoured type glass as we can't have volets, what is the TVA to be charged.  Is it 5.5% or 19.6% or does anyone know of a site where I can get the info, obviously for us the difference will be vast!! All other works will be carried out by us and not artisans if this helps!  Any advice greatly received Many thanks in advance Kimberly 17  

How bizarre is this, today it works[:D]!!!

Hi Chrissie Many thanks for your reply.  I had a look at my outlook express and all the info relates to wanadoo and not orange and no passwords are setup.  I think this is because when I set up wanadoo way back when it was the provider, I didn't set up outlook express.  I think what I will need to do is go to see France Telecom in Saintes and ask if there is a software upgrade that will change the server to orange.  In the interim, I have created a second hotmail account to get around the problem, so when I do get enquiries with hotmail acc., at least I can reply through that.  Thanks again for all your help Kimberly 17

Hi Chrissie Thanks for your reply, I have a quick look at the link, and please pardon my ignorance!, but I use the orange/wanadoo messagerie and not outlook express as my main emailer, although I do have it and can read emails in it but not send, would it still work for the wanadoo messagerie?? I don't want to start 'fiddling' around if it won't work for messagerie in case I lose all connections!!  Many thanks Kimberly As you can probably tell, I am no expert!!!

Hi everyone I don't know if this has been covered before, sorry if it has,  but I am having immense problems trying to email hotmail accounts,  whether they are .com or .co.uk.  They are getting bounced by the 'post master general' in windows live for policy reasons. ie mining etc!! This problem has only just arisen with what seems to be all hotmail acc.  Before it was just the occassional account, but now, I can't even send emails to my own hotmail acc. (which I could do up until this morning) from my orange messagerie emailer.  I have thought of setting up a hotmail acc to try and overcome the problem, but  I need to use the wanadoo.fr as it is on all our advertising and website, and up until now, there hasn't been any real problems.  If anyone out there has experienced the same or knows of any fix, I would really appreciate it.  I need to sort it asap as it is going to impact on our small gite business if I cannot send info out to hotmail acc. Many thanks in advance Kimberly PS I use mcaffee internet security suite for virus, privacy etc. and is updated daily

1200 euro for 8 large windows, Now that is cheap.  Or should it be 12000 euro?? We are on the search for pvc replacements for windows upto 2.5 mtr * 2.5 mtr plus other very large sizes, (old school) with built in rollers, Getting a devis from a company called Tryba next week, has anyone used them or know of their quality?? Got a couple of local artisans also to quote.  Would be a great help if someone could PM the supplier for the 8 windows at 1200 e!  If anyone has any recommendations for anyone in the Gemozac/Saintes/Royan areas, then please drop me a line it would be greatly appreciated, 'cos whoever we use, its gonna hurt the pocket!![:D] Many thanks Kimberly 17 PS Sorry to hijack the thread!!

Thanks Chezshells and RuthMcG for your replies, will check them all out[:D] Jetlag

Hi everyone, I know this has been covered before and I have done a search, but can I find the info??? nope!!  Last yr sometime, there was a discussion on advertising direct to the Dutch and Belgian markets via their publications/websites etc, at the time a couple places to advertise were mentioned, but I cannot find the info anywhere.  Does anyone out there remember the sites or have any suggestions on where to advertise to target this market please. We already advertise to French and English markets on a number of sites.  Many thanks in advance Jetlag 

Hi I asked this question in the employment section for clarification as I visited  the CDC last week and he categorically told me the gites were classed as service and therefore a ceiling of 27000e!!! I questioned him a couple of times and he insisted on 27000.  However, on the employment forum as with the advice from Quillan, everyone is saying 76300e with links to legislation for clarification.  I am due to go and sign up this week, but may leave it until December now after looking at the cotisations calculator!!! Going to ask the question tomorrow if paperwork can be completed now and registration for January 1st when E106 runs out!!!!  If I get any more info I will gladly share! Still non the wiser[:P] only kidding!! Jetlag

Thanks puzzled, will check it out, I wonder if french ebay is the same, will soon find out[:D]

Hi I wonder if anyone can help[:D] It is soon to be (next week) our 25th Wedding anniversary and we are having a little soiree with our French friends to celebrate. My problem is I have found some silver balloons with 25 on them and a banner, but can I find knapkins, table covers or decor in silver/white etc?? Nope!!. I have tried all the usual, gifi, le clerc, carrefour, supermarkets etc, even the specialist shop opposite Mr Bricolage in Saintes! So if anyone out there knows of somewhere where I can buy some special occasion materials I would be really grateful[:D] I am in dept 17, many thanks jetlag I don't know what possessed me to put this here, I must have been having a senior moment! How do I move it to the shopping forum please[:D]

Hi Just a quick question re the micro bic ceilings, I have visited to Chamber of Commerce to get advice to register the gites and return next week to complete relevant paperwork, but now I am getting confused over the commercants/ventes and service ceilings.  The chap at the Chamber of Commerce said that gites and B&B were classed as services and therefore the ceiling was 27000e, but some conflicting info on forums etc suggest that gites are commercants/ventes with the ceiling of 76000e. So now I am getting confused as to which it is, I have also had conflicting advice about the REEL option which has a minimum turnover of 26000e, whereby you cannot join this option if you are an enterprise individuelle or have less than the minimum, can anyone shed any light on all this please!! Many thanks Jetlag

Hi have sent email Kimberly 17

  I have had a couple of these this last week, they look french, look genuine ish, again for three months, and the same payment method and when I put address into Auto route, its the good old Ivory coast again!!! When will they learn that we are getting wise to their scams???? Wouldn't touch 'em with a ten foot pole!!!!!!!!!!  

I most certainly do[:P]!!  Used over half a bottle of cognac in last yrs cake, it had carried a warning Do Not Drive or gicve to Children[:D]!!  But it went down very well with all who ate it........yummy[:D] Kimberly

It's here again, that time when you have a gentle whif of cognac wafting through in the house as the good old fashioned chrimbo cake slowly bakes away in the oven[:D]  Mines been in for just over three hours and smells devine!!  Our french friends love it as well and are looking forward to another slab with wenslydale cheese on chrimbo day!!  Happy baking everyone[:)] Kimberly 17 

we use the multifunction (4) tablets that you can buy from most retailers, aqua systems at Saintes is our prefered source, had no problems, had to shock it a few times during a 12 month period otherwise spot on Never have used javel, and use the liquid in two sereate vials ans the paper strips to test the levels   good luck Phil & Kim  

Update Unfortunately the little chap didn't survive the night.  Thanks again for all advice received Kimberly

Hi everyone Many thanks for your replies.  Unfortunately the little chap can't fly and has been hopping around and twittering since last evening. He is quite friendly and sits quite happily on my finger! I have tried to feed him and give him drops of water on his beak but he won't take the food, it goes in his beak then he shakes it out.  For tonight, I have put him in a box and put him in the shed for safety.  No sign of any birds coming to feed him, so tomorrow if he is still with us, I will go to the shop and buy some grubs etc and try again. Thanks again for the advice Kimberly

Hi everyone,  Has anyone got any advice on what to do to help a baby sparrow (I think) that has come from the nest, can't see where the nest is, we have loads in roofs and trees, so difficult to know which one.  Anyway, its quite big, but not big enough to fly and trying to climb up our horschestnut tree and I can't see any parents anywhere.  So my question is, how do I look after it, what shall I feed it on and where shall I put it for safety????  I can't leave it for the local cats etc and its chirping is pitiful!  Any advice greatly accepted Thanks Kimberly