carla

Thanks cassis,  I've done some searching.  Guess I'd really like to leave the whole lot unfinished, but not sure if this is appropriate for the window frames.  Can anyone explain what is meant by "green oak"

The north wall of our (in progress) house extension consists of an oak framework in 15 x 15cm timber into which will be fitted oak windows.   This work is being done by local artisans, but we will do the finishing ourselves.   Local advice is  to use 'lasure'..................we want to keep the wood as light as possible, and would like to avoid too much 'yellowing' of the oak as it ages.  We really like the silvery grey finish of old   (? untreated) oak but are advised that leaving the window frames untreated/unfinished is not a good idea.  Does anyone have experience of leaving  oak window frames as bare untreated wood? What sort of finish will we get from 'lasure'?  Is a wax or oil finish to wood suitabe for outdoor timber? Thanks for any advice.

Thanks hlg/missyesbut.  It's a bit clearer to me, but still seems dreadfully complicated.  Guess all will become clearer when my daughter actually starts college in Septermber.  

Just seen the Brevet results for various collèges in the local paper.  In the lists of names of those who'd passed were some with TB or AB....................is the Brevet graded?   Just wondering, my oldest starts collège in September,  and I'm trying to get to grips with secondary schooling.  

Thanks all.  Sorry my initial posting was a bit vague.  The room with the gas stove  will be heated as part of the main house central heating.  The gas stove will be there to 'look pretty' , take the chill off the room in Spring/ Autumn, and top up the central heating in any really cold snaps....................think we'll go with bottles[:)]

Thanks for the replies.  Sadly for us, looks like the deposit system has been replaced by the annual charge.  We need to do some sums to work out whether  we can justify the annual charge  as we're  only planning to use LPG for cooking and one gas stove to supplement the (oil fired) central heating..................maybe a collection of large bottles will work out cheaper.  

Hello We plan to use LPG for cooking and to heat one room using a gas stove (the sort that looks like a woodburner but without the mess).  Not sure whether to opt  for a bulk tank or bottles of LPG.  Does anyone have any thoughts on whether the cost of installation and perhaps rental of a bulk tank is justified in this situation?      

Thanks to everyone for the replies which have given us a great deal of encouragement.  We certainly now feel much better equipped to persue the derogation.   [:)]    

Hi  Our daughter is due to move on to college in September after 4 happy years at a local village school.  We are keen that she avoids taking English, rather that she should take German as LV1 and then Spanish as LV2.  The "college du secteur" offers only English and Spanish, but in a nearby town one college does offer German and Spanish.  We read on the French government education website that a derogation can be given if a certain language isn't taught in the "college du secteur", and choice of foreign language is specifically mentioned, but on contacting the office of the inspecteur I was told categorically that our daughter MUST go to the secteur college and take Spanish LV1 as this is the language she has learned at primary school...............the lady was emphatic that I had no grounds to ask for a derogation.   Does anyone know if we do have any rights in this matter, and what if any obligations the education department has to us?