Jump to content

Cassis

Members
  • Posts

    6,821
  • Joined

  • Last visited

    Never

Everything posted by Cassis

  1. Does anyone know whether moss on the roof actually causes any damage, apart from the possibility of blocking gutters and downpipes?  We have a fair bit of moss on our (tiled) roof, though we are by no means as well covered as some other buildings hereabouts.  The DIY spaces seem to be full of anti-moss chemicals to spray on and some neighbours seem to regard moss on the roof as 'saloperie', but others seem not to be bothered.  There is one house in Fresnay (Alpes Mancelles) which, viewed from the parapet of the old castle ramparts, has moss inches deep all over and even ferns growing on the roof!
  2. What a lovely story, Maggi!  Thanks very much for sharing it with us.  
  3. [quote user="Gerald"]BTW, once you have created your website, make sure it's included in your forum signatures.[/quote] Good point, Gerald!  I used Serif WebPlus to make our basic website, and the software came with a couple of other extras like an image editing and 3-D image creation packages for about £45 - so it doesn't have to be expensive to do your own thing.  But it will take a few days to get the results you want.  Don't get too frustrated to start with and do follow the tutorials to get a feel, whatever package you may choose.  Start simple and build up gradually.  The SERIF package is also WYSIWYG but now that it is up and running and I have got the hang of how html and php works, I find I don't use it anymore - it's easier to make changes in the html etc. files directly. See also my earlier post about cheap hosting - you can also get FTP (File Transfer Protocol) software download from Whisper Technology - it is excellent AND FREE!
  4. [quote user="Miki"]All the best for 2006 And the same to you from  a fellow G de Fr proprietor. I really hope being with them brings you all the bookings you need but do allow time for the guide books to kick in so to speak and familiarity in advertising also sometimes helps. [/quote] Thanks, Miki - where are you based, exactly?  Your perso details are a bit on the skimpy side!  As regards bookings this winter, we were planning to head off back to the UK for a family visit this Feb (for the first time in 2 years) but we're waiting to hear confirmation of a possible 2-week, 2 room booking at the end of Jan before we make any definite plans. Re marketing, we've registered our website with a load of free travel/accommodation directories which even in this off-season has brought in a few enquiries (but no firm bookings yet) for next summer, and a French lady who did a Google search for Alencon and Chambres booked and visited with us for a couple of days last week - I was amazed that we actually came up on a search for 'Alencon&chambres' but obviously something is working!  And we've registered with our main 3 tourist offices hereabouts (Alencon, Mamers and Fresnay/Alpes Mancelles) for the forthcoming season, as well as doing leaflet drops in some of the surrounding villages and an ad in the Comice brochure in September (at least half of our bookings this first year have been from people visiting family and friends for birthdays/weddings/christenings in the area). As you say, it all takes time to build up the business, but we're doing what we can. Any other ideas on the marketing side? All the best Phil& Jude
  5. For certain species you need a phytosanitary (plant health) certificate when importing from anywhere outside the EC to anywhere inside the EC.  Full details of restricted material and plant species are available in English at DEFRA, as I mentioned above.  Here's the link to the full import guide: http://www.defra.gov.uk/planth/publicat/importer/impguide1.pdf and the shorter, travellers guide: http://www.defra.gov.uk/planth/publicat/impguid.pdf Same rules apply here as in the UK when importing from outside EC, so as regards packets of seed you are allowed 5 packets of commercial seed from Oz.  Sounds like yours aren't commercially bought, but as you've already brought them in anyway, and as long as it's not a dodgy plant likely to clog the waterways or escape into the countryside, I guess you may as well give them a try.  What are they, out of curiosity? HTH
  6. Streamline.net will check and register your domain name and host your site, for £33 for TWO years! This is a bit like a Dutch auction
  7. Not sure that the govt will have the same protective attitude to the building trade as the farmers - in France the subsidies to farmers are seen as payment for looking after the 'patrimoine' (that's a good joke - you should see the amount of spraying that goes on on the farms near here, God help the wildlife).  The builders around here all fear the worst ....
  8. [quote user="Mikejac"]Thanks for your responses guys. I have been told by more than one source (broker and french insurance co) that they will provide fully comp cover on my UK registered car, but, as it is over 4 years old, it needs a Controle Technique first.  Also, the policy offered by the broker (which seems good value) requires that I re-register the car within 6 months. [/quote] Hi Mike I think from what I've read that we were in the same position as you when we moved here permanently last year.  Our car was well over 4 yrs old but we did not need a CT to get it insured.  We insured with AGF through an agency run by a chap called Thierry Marcq.  The agency specialises in English-speakers.  We did need proof of no-claims but we got fully comp for less than it cost us in the UK (mind we used to live in London).  Tel. for Thierry Marcq is 00.33.321.111.710.  All his staff seem to speak very good English.  Email [email protected].  I believe that if you are French resident you have to get a carte grise within 6 months of your importing your vehicle from the UK so if you move here as a resident you'll need a CT sooner rather than later anyway.  But the CT centre we went to was not at all fazed by doing a CT on an English car which at the time obviously still had English registration.
  9. Not sure about yesterday on the coast but today just south of Alencon (Orne/Sarthe border) we've got something I haven't seen before - freezing rain.  No, not hail, rain that freezes as it hits the trees/ground etc.  The icicles on the barn roof are amazing and the lake looks perfect for ice skating now - but I think we'll stay by the fire a bit longer!
  10. 'Fraid I don't know the price in your area but if it's the same as round here (Sarthe) then we paid 35euros per stere (cubic metre) inc. delivery.  But I have seen it advertised for as much as 40euros.
  11. [quote user="Opel Fruit"] Rather strangely, most burners are specified to operate only down to 0C - bizarre.[/quote] Very good observation! I'd better go and switch ours off now!
  12. Em ... just putting my head above the parapet to ask, do you think it might be a good idea to have a forum just for reporting scams like this?  
  13. Quillan's does indeed sound a good deal - our guest insurance cover is through AGF and it's 12 euros per room - I believe (and someone please tell me if I'm wrong) it is needed not only for accidents, but also because anly claim for burglary or theft from your property would probably be contested by your insurance company if they did not know that paying guests had the run of your house.  Ditto if visitors accidentally set fire to it! 
  14. [quote user="Will the Conqueror"] So although it is cheaper to buy through a notaire you can only avoid these fees altogether by buying privately - when I would imagine there is a very real need for a service such as you propose.[/quote] But I guess most properties are in the hands of agents and notaires, so if all the foregoing is true then we're looking at a service with very limited niche market.  Or have I got the wrong end of the stick (as usual)?
  15. Cheers, Arnold Yes, I'm just a very sad person with nothing better to do than faff about on the 'puter at Xmas!  Phil
  16. I'm sure no-one on this forum would be taken in, but for amusement value I offer the following hoax booking that we received today ... Bonjour Je suis Mr PATRICK ROGER , je souhaiterais etablir une reservation pour 5 personnes dans votre hotel qui viendront pour un stage . Ceci dit voici notre demande : 5chambres individuellles pour 5 nuits les dates : du 10 janvier au 15 janvier 2006 PS : Pendant ce sejour nous aurons besoin de faire quelques achats de téléphones mobiles gsm pour notre personel qui les utilisera comme outil de travail  Etant donné que nous serions trop occupés à baliser notre documentation complète sur nos futurs travaux , est ce que nous pouvons vous confiez cette tache s'ils vous plait ? Ceci dit voici les achats que vous allez nous faire en ce sens : Téléphones mobiles gsm Nokia 8800, Quantité.......05..pieces (sans abonnement) Veuillez ajouter sur le montant total des téléphones une commission de 400 euros pour la prestation que vous effectuerez. Egalement,veuillez inclure  sur la même facture les frais de port via TNT ou CHRONOPOST jusqu'Abidjan COTE D'IVOIRE Nous vous reglons a la commande par CB pour un devis global . Reçevez nos sinçères salutations , Cordialement , PATRICK ROGER    
  17. [quote user="Ron Avery"]If you have a EU certificate of conformity in your car  handbook you do not need to get another one, but cars built before about 1998 will not have one and you still  have to get one, I have heard nothing about a CoC  not being required after July this year. [/quote] Sorry Ron, but that can't be right.  Our 306 was built in 1996 and we didn't need a CoC to get our plates when we applied to the prefecture in June this year..
  18. Just out of interest, is a Mist Wagen the same as an M-Wagen?  One of those big Mercedes vans?  Forgive my ignorance!
  19. I'm surprised that you were told the certificate of conformity is still required - our prefecture told us that the law changed about 2 years ago and any car built and registered in one EC country was automatically assumed to conform.  We registered our UK built 306 here without one!  Just filled in a form at the prefecture, they sent it off to the DRIRE and 3 weeks later, bingo - all done.  Maybe some fonctionnaires aren't aware of the change?  Or maybe we were just lucky?
  20. I've just tried registering our B&B www.normandie-chambres.co.uk at OurInns as suggested in another topic but the link to the registration page is not working - I get a 404 message. Anyone know the correct URL if it isn't http://www.ourinns.org/france/owners.htm ? Happy New Year!
  21. Hi SalvageMan We had work done on our house at Ancinnes 72610 this year by local traders whom I can recommend.  They are all based near Alencon or points south. Mason - Joel Guilloux 02 43 03 52 79 Roofing/carpentry/zincwork - M. Josselin of Entreprise Toit - 02 33 29 32 56 Electricity - Entreprise Vonthron 02 33 29 04 01 Plumbing - Entrreprise Payen 02 43 97 04 11 We used a very good menuisier for internal walling but they are based here in the village - not sure how far his men would travel - Philippe Lelievre 02 33 26 42 98
  22. From speaking to some French agents a common complaint that they have is that not enough homework is done by the buyers before they brief the agent - the agents waste a lot of time showing unsuitable properties as a result.  And I know at least one Brit who used to spend her holidays having agents take her round houses even though she was not really looking for anywhere to buy!
  23. Can I just say, Paraffin is not a cheap fuel - forget it!  You do not get anything for free in this life. 
  24. Hi Mary We had the same problem when we cancelled Wanadoo.  On the day your subscription expires they basically wipe your email records and account off their system and you're stuffed; if people mail you at the old Wanadoo address, any forwarding rules you may have had the foresight to set up to your new email address will not work - not exactly a good way to encourage people to return!
×
×
  • Create New...