[Long Term Rental]

I have been searching the internet for long term rentals, as we're hoping to move to Charente later this year.  We are planning to buy a house, before we move over, but accept that we may have to rent, if things don't "fall into place" as we hope they will.

Is it just me or is rental really expensive.  There is only the 2 of us (& the 3 cats) but people are talking about £200-£300 in low season & £400-£500 a week in the summer!!  Am I looking in the wrong places for property to rent - can anyone suggest any good sites or have any suggestions?

Thank you.

[Science Diet Cat Food]

Is it possible to buy Hill's Sience Diet in France?  One of our cats has to be given Hills CD Diet or Walthams Urinary Diet for a recurring problem (so all 3 cats have to eat the same thing!).

If it is not locally available, can anyone let me know of an online Pet Food Supplier, who would deliver to France, as the one I use is UK delivery only.

Thank you - especially from Ben, Penny & Solomon!!

 

[The most important question I have ever asked!!]

I'm coming over to Charente, in March, to start house hunting - but there is one thing I just have to know .... will my hair straighteners work?? 

I have been know to scare small children at 100 paces without them!!

As far as I know they are 250v with a 13 amp fuse - will a typical european adapter work?  Of coures, this also applies to other small appliances, when we move - toasters, kettles irons etc.

Please help - I'm desperate - & totally embarressed!![:$]

[Incapacity Benefits NOT available if you move from Northern Ireland!!]

Just wanted to warn anyone that if you are on Incapacity Benefit, you live in Northern Ireland & are thinking of moving to France - you will not be able to continue receiving any benefits, even if like me, you are registered disabled.

I have spent the last few days on the phone & emailing the social security offices & have been told it dosen't apply to NI residents (funny, I always thought we were part of the UK!!).  I have emailed a final query/complaint to my local government office & will let you know if there is any developments.

If anyone has moved form Northern Ireland & somehow managed to continue receiveing benefits, please let me know how you did it!!

[Long Term Incapacity Benefit and Medicals in France]

I have just been reading all your posts with total shock!!

I'm moving over to France  this year (medically retired, at 39, from the civil service) & while I am on Incapacity Benefit here, I was told I could only claim it for 6 months after I leave the Northern Ireland.

What do I do when I move to France?  Are the benefits you are talking about provided by the French Government?  Do I apply when I arrive?  I really didn't know anything like this was possible for a "new" citizen!!

I will not/never be able to work again because of my back, which is degenerating, which is 1 of the main reasons for moving to a warmer & drier climate.

Please let me know anything you can on this subject or if possible give me the addresses of any sites (in English, if possible!!) where I can check what benefits may be availible to me & for how long.

Also, please excuse my spelling as I've just been put on really high levels of Diazepam & my hubby says I'm doing a very good impression of Ozzy Osborne at the moment!.[:D]

I really would appreciate any advice & look forward to hearing from anyone who can help.

Thank you so much.

Alison.

[Please help me know if I'm moving for the wrong reasons?]

[quote user="Christine Animal"]

How funny, he worked at the Melle practice while the others were on holiday when we first arrived.  I'd give his number on here, but don't know if  I'm allowed to, so sending a PM (if I can find out how to do it!).

 

[/quote]

If possible could you send me his address & telephone number in case I need it as well.  It would be wonderful to have a contact in case of emergencies! I can send you my email address if necessary.

Hope you don't mind me being so forward?

Thanks Ali.

[Please help me know if I'm moving for the wrong reasons?]

Thank you all for your posts.  I know it was propably a very silly question as everyone is different - but your replies have comfirmed what I already thought!!

I guess what it boils down to is - where would I rather live, in pain.  Rainey, gloomy & totally depressing Northern Ireland or sunny, relaxed & beautiful France.  Somehow, I don't think it's going to be a very difficuly choice!!

I was retired in September from the Civil Service - spent most of my day crouched over a PC, filing & looking after a Library for training staff so I was pretty useless (more than usual, some would say!!) when in great pain.  I'm 39 (the big 40 in February - Agghhh!!) don't want to look back in 20 years & wish we had moved while we still had the chance.

It really does sound like a good idea to rent for as long as possible to see if the area suits & to make sure I'm near a hospital in case of emergencies.

My Husband, Mark, is also retired (43) as he has ME & thanks to him I know he will always be there for me, to help and support me when things are really bad. Don't know what I'd do without him  Sorry I'm rambelling again - these Diazepam are good stuff!! (Mark says I've been doing a damn good impression of Ozzy Osbourne for the last few days!!)

Thanks again & please let me know if you have any other thoughts.

Luv, Ali.

[Bad Back - Am I doing the right thing in moving? PLEASE HELP!]

My husband & I are planning to move to Charente or Charente Maritime we have both been medically retired. The weather, fresh food & general change of lifestyle have been appealing for a number of years now.

I suffer from Degenerative Disc Disease & find the weather in Northern Ireland to cold & wet (all year) and only during warm(ish) weather do I get any relief. (I ended up in A&E on New Years Eve & have just been put on 20mg Diazepam a day, so if I am rambleing or making terrible spelling mistakes - please excuse me!! )

Does anyone have any similar back problems or health complaints that have been helped by their move or is warm/hot weather not a good idea? I don't expect any doctors or professional medical advice - but would really appreciate any stories or suggestions of how your health problems may have changed.

The thought of not moving would break my heart as it's the only thing keeping me going at the moment - but I don't want to be making the biggest mistake of my life. I know it's really cold over there at the moment - but the spring, summer & autumn, I believe, would work wonders for me.

Please reply with any suggestion, or let me know if you, or anyone you know, has a bad back & how they found their move.

Thank you, & Happy New Year.

Ali.

[Please help me know if I'm moving for the wrong reasons?]

I've been asking on this forum about moving to Charente or Charente Maritime as my hubby & I have both been medically retired.  The weather, fresh food & general change of  lifestyle have been appealing for a number of years now.

I suffer from Degenerative Disc Disease & find the weather in Northern Ireland to cold & wet (all year) and only during warm(ish) weather do I get any relief.  (I ended up in A&E on New Years Eve & have just been put on 20mg Diazepam a day, so if I am rambeling or making terrible spelling mistakes - please excuse me!! )

Does anyone have any similar back problems or health complaints that have been helped by their move or is warm/hot weather not a good idea?  I don't expect any doctors or professional medical advice - but would really appreciate any stories or suggestions of how your health problems may have changed.

The thought of not moving would break my heart as it's the only thing keeping me going at the moment - but I don't want to be making the biggest mistake of my life.  I know it's really cold over there at the moment - but the spring, summer & autumn, I believe, would work wonders for me.

Please reply with any suggestion, or let me know if you, or anyone you know, has a bad back & how they found their move.

Happy New Year to you all & I hope to be joing you all, over in France, very soon.

Luv, Ali.

 

[Four Letter Word - DIET]

Hi, I just read through all your replies about diets & would highly recommend following the "You Are What You Eat" programme.  My hubby & I bought the book & then the cookbook - & in the last year I've lost over 4 stone!! I have a very, very bad back & did absolutly no exercise at the same time.

I didn't even stick to it strickly - I still eat buns, cake & chocolate (a girl needs a little pleasure in life!) but made a lot of the (veggie) recipies. I live on her burgers & aduki bean stews instead of ready meals & never feel hungry.

Give it a go or if you want I can send you some recipies to try!  They are really good!!

Good luck & Happy New Year to you all.

Ali.

[A Vegetarian In France!!]

I'm moving over to France next year & wonder how I will get on as a very strict vegetarian.  I'm not vegan - I do eat butter, cream, eggs etc (& of course, chocolate!!)  but I don't eat any meat, fish, chicken or any animal based products e.g. meat/fish stock, geletine or anything with red food colouring (usually chrushed beetles, if you're wondering!).

I do most of my own cooking from scratch, but somtimes feel like a chilli etc. with soya mince. Does anyone know if you can you get veggi mince or any other "meat" subsitutes in the Poitou Charente area?  Will I be living on vegetables & crepes for the next 30 years??!!

Other veggies - please let me know how you survive or am I the only "weird, tree hugging hippy"  in the area!!

Thanks, Ali.

[From Belfast to Charente]

Has anyone found the easiest way to fly from Belfast (International or City Airport) to either La Rochelle or Bordeaux. We're travelling in early February & a lot of the flights only seem to start in March/April.  Any advice would be appreciated.  I can't travel by boat or road as I have a very bad back & can't sit/stand for long periods of time. Thank you. Ali.

[Moving to France]

My husband & I (& the 3 cats) are moving to France next summer.  We had decided to move to Poitou Charentes, but now my hubby has taken a fancy to the Languedoc region.  Can someone please tell me what it is like (weather, life in general etc.) in Poitou in the different seasons as I really want to get him back onto the area again!! Any information would be really appreciated. Thanks.