Frank

No I'm not having you all on!!! Seriously, my sis in law contacted the airport (I would have just slung 'em in the suitcase!!) and they have told her she cannot put them in her case and then into the hold!!! (something to do with explosives.) funy when searches for said products and delivery to france include airmail[Www]!!!!! I am trying to convince her to turn a blind eye to the phone call and plead ignorance!! So we shall see, failing that, I will get my mum to post some[:D] Thanks everyone for your replies/suggestions! Funny how we are not having the same probs with the mince pies and pigs in blankets, ah well, there you go! Kimberly 17   Might try for a turkey from sainsburys next!!

Hi everyone, especially anyone who has lived in France for some time.  I am trying to find out if you can buy traditional christamas crackers in France ( I didn't see any last year, but I may have been looking in the wrong place) I have a friend who is visiting soon, but she cannot put them in her luggage in the hold,due to the increased terrorist activities and security and I am still waiting to hear if she can use the post! We're hosting a traditional english christmas day for our french friends and their family, (we have been invited to spend a traditional french christmas with them) so they are quite an important part of proceedings!!! Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Many thanks in advance[:)] kimberly dept 17

They can also bite according to my insect book[:'(]!!!!  I think they are called something like scutteride?? I haven't got my book to hand! Jetlag

You are not alone!!! Ditto here in chadeniers, can't even get windows live to load!!! Kimberly

Hi Mary have sent email Kimberly

Thanks Tony, They are definitley honey bees and they are in a chimney of all places! Will check out apiarists in local area, thanks again jetlag

H all here comes the piece of string question, how much does it/will it cost to have a bee nest removed?? And did anyone find out who does it?? many thanks jetlag

Hi Cassis I am in the Charent Maritime, and my lovely french friends have been trying to get wood for me without luck!!! You're probably right in thinking it is probably too early in the year, and like you say, it will no doubt be in abundance come winter! Kimberly

Hi Monika Spoke to my french friend about the certificate.  What she told me once a year, I will have to have my chimney cleaned by a company who will then issue me with the certificate needed for the insurance should there be a fire. If we clean the chimney ourselves and we have a fire, will not be insured! Apparently, its not expensive for the chimney to be cleaned by these companies. As for the build, she said it wasn't obligatory to have and artisan to build the chimney and that it is ok for us to do it ourselves providing we use the correct materials.  I would double check the insurance with your insurers to clarify the certificate, just in case there has been any misinterpretations! happy chimney building[:)] Jetlag

Hi Monika Our French friends are helping us to install a woodburner in our house, they have constructed a surround of beton cellulaire which will protect the walls etc from the fire, and this is OK for the security against fire and for insurance. Our 'chimney' is being vented directly onto an exterior wall, and as such, we will have a chimney built on outside, (much easier for us) using the recommended products etc.  If we were having the woodburner inside another room on an interior wall for example, then we would need to construct all internal surrounds etc for the fire in beton cellulaire, also use the special bricks? and reinforce the floor and ceiling with concrete. Apparently, this is what is needed for fires???  They haven't said or indicated in any way that we would need a certificate for the insurance, bit of a worry, so I will ask just in case we do!! Castorama do some nice fires and are available on the web, also check out the other diy stores, there are some nice well priced products out there!! I will let you now what they say about the insurance cetificate!!!  The only problem we have now is getting the wood!!  You need to order it and it is best if the wood has 'dried' for two years, so not a lot about this time of year apparently. Looks like it might be parrafin again! jetlag

Hi Painterman We have an all in one printer/fax/copier etc that webought in the UK and it works fine here, had no probs at all. Hope this helps Kimberly 17

Hi joidevie We chose the plasterboard with polystyrene as recommended by our french friends and builders merchant! It was very easy to use, just apply some MAP, available from the most bricos and builders merchants, to the back and stick it to the wall! They recommended a fair few blobs of it, but it works, quick and simple.  We have also attached it to rail in some areas for ventialtion, which our frecnh friends found quite amusing, as it's not the done thing! Hope this helps [:D] Kimberley  

Hi Cassis No we didn''t start work before the permis came through, two reasons, one the architect told us definitly a no-no and secondly, we didn't want to queer the patch! When the permis did come through and the JCB arrived, we had nearly half the village popping round to see what was going on so it was just as well we hadn't started before permission was granted! kimberley

Hi Ditto JC, I have always found them extremly helpful and the english helpline a godsend! kimberley

Hi Our permis took almost six months to come through and we still had to wait another two weeks after before we could commence the work.  We tried chasing, but it made no difference. Hope yours is quicker! Kimberley Chadeniers

Hi Mark I 'ditto'Les, Our insurance was due for renewal and the existing policy was quite expensive, anyway, long story short, the new insurance company completed said letter for existing insurance, posted and sent me the recorded delivery slip, My existing insurers renewal notice had the clause written in for cancellation for 20 days from postmark, which I am glad to say we met because the price diff between the new and existing insurer was over one hundred euro less!!!! and like the other posters, included pool cover and gite cover, so yes, I am a happy bunny it pays to shop around!!!! If memory serves, written on the letters was the phrase 'loi chatel' for reason for termination, it was also on the confirmation letters form the old insurers. Hope this helps Kimberley

Hi Louise Thanks for your reply, I have been watching the bird all afternoon and I saw the mother and one of the other babies come and sort of herd the baby to the side of the fence, it then promptly hopped into the farmers field next door and into some 'brush' for cover, so I don't hold out too much hope for it (he has three cats)  I will keep checking for it in case it comes back to my garden and try and catch it again and like you say, pop it inot a pot in the tree. Thanks again Kimberley

Hi, I have a nest in one of my batiments that I believe are blackbirds.  Any way, the eggs hatched about two weeks ago and there were three babies. Today I heard a comotion in the batiment and one of the babies had flown/fallen into a large box, I managed to get it out of the box and it hopped into the batiment, then it hopped out into the garden. I could see the mother, so with the aid of a neighbour, we caught it and tried to put it in a tree. It jumped down and went into the adjoining batiment. Question is do I now leave it alone and hope it takes flight, or should  I try and catch it again and put it in a tree.  The nest is too high for me too reach and I have a dog (who is at the moment indoors!) so I need to sort sooner rather than later.  From the other bird in the batiment ( which has flown), I think they are big enough to fly. Any advice would be greatly appreciated Many thanks in advance kimberley

Thanks Possumgirl, I will pop down to our pharmacy tomorrow and try and get one, it's worth a try to help her with the stress. Thanks again Kimberley 17

Hi Possumgirl Is it a DAP collar or one of the DAP plug in affairs??? If it's a collar, can you let me know where you got it from and cost etc please??? We have tried the dap plugins from the vet when we used to live in the UK, but they seemed to have little effect after the third plug in, so maybe a collar would have more effect. Now we are in the Charente Maritime and the thunder storms are greater, our poor little pooch has the terrors big time! So I am up for trying most things to help ease the stress for her as she is 12 yrs old, whilst avoiding the use of drugs etc.  So any info would be greatly appreciated[:)] Many thanks Kimberley

Hi Jo Apparently, it's the 'norm' to have such a document, (or so we have been told!)  It is just for protection regarding the legislation and pools.  We are obliged to post opening tmes and other info about the pool on the pool fence and interior, if clients choose to swim outside these times, then the advice given was to have a document drawn by the notaire outlining liablity.  if this is incorrect, can someone please advise what is the best course of action. Many thanks in advance Kimberley

Hi Steve As far as I am aware, you don't need an architect plans for the C d'U, sorry to be vague, but the estate agent took care of it, is it too late to include it as a clause suspensive??? We only used the architect for the permit. from what we were told by the architect, the C d'U is only valid for 12 months  then it would need renewing, however, if the application for the permis de construire has been submitted, then that counts as 'works in progress', he also told us that we then had 5 years to complete the works, not 2 which we had been advised earlier. Hope this helps Kimberley 17 

Hi Steve We purchased an old school recently and we had a clause suspensive written into the compromis to have the certificate d'urbanism ( I think I spelt it right!) for change of use to residence, granted before completion.  In our case, it was completed in three weeks, but I have heard some taking months to get passed, I think it depends on your commune.  As for the permit to complete renovations, ours took around 6 months ( permit for pool and creation of 5 gites) for which we used an architect.  We found the chap we used very helpful and he did all the work including filling in forms etc.  He is French and based in Saintes dept 17, so I think he is probably too far from you. Our permit application was straight forward as we have no churches or historic buildings close to us.  As for the electrtrics etc, I think some more knowledgable beings on this forum would be best suited to answer those q's!!  I don't nkow how things are in relation to 'camping inside' for a couple of years, perhaps again someone more knowledagble can help, also, try popping into the Mairie, they can also be very helpful and would point you in the right direction for answers to your question. Kimberley 17

Hi Vervialle We are currently in the process of renewing our insurance and our devis includes liability insurance for the gites and pool.  Our architect also advised us to have a disclaimer written by the notaire for clients to sign with regard to the pool.  Eg if they wish to swim at anytime after the pool has been closed (night swim), then they do so at their own risk. The price for the increased insurance didn't diifer much from original, however we have aslo been advised the clients must have their own insurance also. Hope this helps Kimberley 17

Hi mark The best guy to help with this one is poolguy, he is an all knowing being when it comes to pools!!! That said, we are researching into the auto chlorinators at the moment and have been quoted prices from 1700 to 2300 euros for use with an inground pool.  They are different manufacturers, so we are still 'looking into' the differences between the two.  PM me if you want further info, don't want to upset the forum moderators with advertising!  Kimberley