Leschenauds

We live in the Creusee, part of Limousin and apart from the Brits, many Parisians have holiday homes here for a number of reasons: Probably the most rural part of France, property prices are still reasonable and the people love the Brits. Straight down the A20 to Limoges. www.leschenauds.com

"Wrong" is subjective, otherwise we wouldn't have wars, religion or politics. As Einstein points out, it's all relative to your viewpoint.

[quote]Can anyone recommend a supplier in France of Lap Tops computers with english keyboards and language, who perhaps does mail order, we are in the Haute Vienne.[/quote] Try www.dabs.fr. I got all the bits for my PC from them and they have an english bits section.

Anyone know of a source in France of new or secondhand unlocked mobile phones?

We run a Reliant Scimitar GT6A 1978 vintage. We often have classic car runs past our campsite, seems to be mainly MGB, TR6, Jags etc. Most villages have an annual fete and we were invited by a chap who saw our car in a supermarket car park to take the Scimi to the 'exposition de voitures de collection' at their annual fete. Only two UK cars there a Morris Minor and ours, lost of other elderly Panhards, Citroens, Mercs etc but ours drew the biggest crowds. Unlike UK shows, all vehicles took part in a 70Km parade round all the hamlets of the commune and people came out of their houses to applaud the cavalcade - we were even given a free lunch for taking part (including wine!!). There are classic car clubs in most parts of France, Your local Mairie can probably point you to one or there is a magazine called, if memory serves 'Benzine'. www.leschenauds.com

I used www.cell-unlock.com. Or maybe a phone provider shop will be prepared to do it for you - at a price! www.leschenauds.com

Hi Opel fruit, We have the same boiler/burner as you, bought from Leroy Merlin. The system has now been up and running successfully for the past week or so and everyting heats up as it should and no leaks however, we can run the system all day without problems, boiler cutting in and out as necessary but running overnight results in the boiler tripping out. Easily remedied by going into the boilerhouse in the morning and pushing the red button on the burner after which it fires up and runs fine all day. Wondered if you had experienced this problem and knew waht was might be causing it. If not, it is a problem I could live with. Brian Owen

Thanks again Opel fruit for your invaluable information. Thanks to your help, our self built CH system is working away and keeping the temperature levels ok room by room. I have one slight problem which niggles a bit and which has happend three days running. The system runs fine all day (We don't have the system on timer just TRVs and one room with a room stat and no TRV). Each morning, the system has cut out during the night. A quick push of the burner reset button and it fires up and works away all day. Any ideas at all? Failing which, I'll just see if it sorts itself out over the next week or two or resign myself to going out to the boiler room each morning to reset (or train one of the dogs to do it). www.leschenauds.com

Didn't find any cable glands so used ones which I had in the goodies box for the burner, water pump and control cables. You will, of course, noticed that the moment I get the CH in operation we are back into high summer again - still suppose we will be back to winter in a couple of weeks. Thanks so much for your help. If you are down our way drop in for an aperitif. www.leschenauds.com

Didn't find any cable glands so used ones which I had in the goodies box for the burner, water pump and control cables. You will, of course, noticed that the moment I get the CH in operation we are back into high summer again - still suppose we will be back to winter in a couple of weeks. Thanks so much for your help. If you are down our way drop in for an aperitif. www.leschenauds.com

Can't give you the official answer but I installed my to a 16 Amp circuit breaker in my fuse box. This should be more than enough as it only feeds the small fuel pump, the water pump and the blower fan, none of which take much current even at start up. One of the contributors to the forum 'Opel Fruit' would certainly know the definitive answer. www.leschenauds.com

Wasn't it also Hannibal that said "Where am I going to park all these goddam elephants?"

Just finished installing our oil fired central heating system, based on the UK system with a header tank feed rather than having to braze all the joints. Many thanks must go to Opel Fruit for his help, he pointed the way to a good deal for the boiler/burner. I brought all the piping and fittings including radiators from the UK, much came from Screwfix direct. When I started up, only one leak from a soldered joint, the most difficult one of course and 5 from compressions joints where someone! had left out the olives. Bit of difficulty with the electrics which was sorted out by the owner of a local hotel who used to be and electrical contractor in the UK which means, of course and as explained to her indoors that I feel obliged to spend a reasonable amount of time drinking in his bad to repay his kindness (shame really!!). On firing up this morning, everything went on and off as specified and the whole place warmed up after 20 mins or so. We keep the big woodburner in the mani room, much more traditional and gives a better ambience. I think the total cost of the installation to heat 11 radiators came to about £1,500. Started the installation in late June and interspersed with other jobs, just finished it. Had I spent all the time on it could have done in 3/4 weeks by myself. Her indoors is delighted with the result. ps. I anyone needs any 15mm or 22mm UK pipe fittings, compression or solder,let me know.

[quote]Are you really sure that you NEED to do this ? Earlier this year we bought a Dell in France but fitted with English software. All you have to do is ask. John not[/quote] For a number of yearsI used to get my PCs and bits from www.dabs.uk. Now I get them from www.dabs.fr who have a 'British section' (qwerty keyboards and english software). I find Dabs very reliable and reasonably priced.

Quite a few brits who have stayed at our campsite over the last 5 years have brought their kids, largest family was 4 offspring ranging from 3 years to 15 years who have settled well, the oldest now is training as an electrician, the next youngest now goes to a building training school and the two youngest are now at school and converse between themselves in french. Without exception, the families with children that we know say it is the best thing they could have done for their youngsters.

Too busy with maintenance, e.g. putting in central heating,to spend time on the internet, even then it's looking up the Meteo. Quite often drop by to read but not a lot to say that is interesting to most of the other correspondents.

Don't you just dig out the pool to the depth of the shallow end, leaving an earth ramp, take the digger down to that level and dig the deep end from there?

I have just finished installing a UK type CH system and Opel Fruit's help has saved me a lot of money. Incidentally our insurance company is more than happy with the system when we explained that it would not be under mains pressure but just a 6 metre head.

From personal experience, I would always be wary of those who do not give full contact details, the internet companies are the worst, they dont give telephone or normal mail addresses but don't respond to emails and require registered letter to step down from a contract. Anyone who keeps contact informatio close to their chest has a nefarious reason for doing so. www.leschenauds.com

From personal experience, I would always be wary of those who do not give full contact details, the internet companies are the worst, they dont give telephone or normal mail addresses but don't respond to emails and require registered letter to step down from a contract. Anyone who keeps contact informatio close to their chest has a nefarious reason for doing so. www.leschenauds.com

Our french neighbours love us Brits, which includes everyone from that big island just off Calais, they don't tend to differentiate between english, scots and welsh. The irish are also popular. They do however dislike germans but positively hate parisians. Probably a local thing! As home counties residents, I found that the cornish were anti us unless we were buying something from them and the Dublin Irish love everyone. Same in France I suppose there are as many regional differences in attitude to others as in the UK.

I think you will find that what we are talking about is extract of fish skin used as a fining to help clear the wine from suspended particles, I don't think that the makers use anything more toxic than that. Bit esoteric like stepping carefully so as not to hurt insects or not swatting mosquitos but there we are, there a weird and wonderful range of beliefs some of which may seem irrational. Just don't step on the cracks in the pavement!

Maybe poor old Alfa was a bit OTT but your response was a bit strong also. Since the great majority of informed persons of ALL age groups in Europe and the USA are predominantly non vegetarian, who is out of step? you or the rest of us?

I have almost finished installing oil fired heating in our farmhouse, got a good deal on the boiler and also a free 1000 litre tank almost new from a friend who also has another to get rid of. Have done the plumbing myself on the english system ( header tank). Our hot water is on Chauffe Eau so the oil bit is CH only. With regard to oil supplies, there is a local network that orders in bulk from Leclerc in Gueret which works out cheaper than our local suppliers. have a word with your Mairie and see if such a network exists where you are. If you need any further info, let me know. www.leschenauds.com

It is about time some sanity prevailed in the UK house price market, you are wise I believe to get out before they start falling. Your first stop in searching for a french property should be through the Notaires website (www.notaires.fr). We have had nearly 40 UK families who have stayed at our campsite during the past 2 years who have bought in our area, on our advice, most of them have bought through the Notaire nd in a couple of cases over 3,000 Euros cheaper than the agents advertise with the added advantage that the Notaire has to be scrupulously honest and, if asked, will often advise if an offer is likely to be accepted. The discount culture is not like the UK, Some people will take an offer, some of the older ones will be insulted. Prices are continuing to rise steadily. Our campsite which we bought for £45K 5 years ago would probably sell now for £150K ( Nice house,ongoing business, good views and enough land). House and barn with a little land hasn't risen so steeply. Land is cheaper here than the UK and it is often cheaper to buy a plot and build a house rather than restoring a ramshackle place. www.leschenauds.com