TroisChatNoir

Hi all, does anyone have an address for this please? Or a rough reminder of how to get there would be OK! Many thanks

Not sure what happened there? Anyway meant to flag up www.jon_the carpet man.com as a useful place to start re all things carpety!

Have you tried www.jon-thecarpetman.com ?

Hi, have read with the interest the soft cheese and cream advice. Does anyone know if cottage cheese also lurks in France under a different guise? Many thanks

I found someone, did you?

Needed for first floor rooms plus one downstairs, please pm me if you can help

Hi Nigel, the car park is not huge. It is on one level and we got the last space at about 9am when we went recently. It is cheap, about 5 euros for the day if I remember correctly so would guess most people leave their cars all day so not a lot of tooing and froing?  We missed the entrance the first time round (approaching it with the station on our left) and got sent round the one way system. Couldn't see anywhere else handy to park within easy reach. If I was going to use it again I would definitely have a back up plan just in case it was full!

Hi kat1, when do you need it from?

Hi, thanks for looking. This is the page I get up from the SPA in Montlucon when I search for dogs at that refuge. I hope the link works it looks a bit long! You can see that the second dog Cesar is "sauvetage" but so are others as I scroll down and I can't see a common link as to why, some big some small etc. It may not be that important but have steeled myself to go and adopt two dogs from here and am trying to prepare a list of a maybe half a dozen that seem suitable so I can go prepared rather than turn up with no idea of which I would like to see. Just looking on the site makes me want to cry and the visit to the shelter is something I am dreading. Thanks again, this is one of the many times when I wish my French was better http://www.spa.asso.fr/

I'm on form today, two posts in ten minutes! What does this word mean in relation to dogs available for adoption on the SPA site please? In all my dictionaries etc it says "life saving" or "rescue" but surely they are all rescue dogs in need of life saving so why is this a banner on some dogs but not others? Thanks to anyone who can shed some light

I have lived here in France for over two years and during this time have regularly driven past a barn which has a sheep dog type dog tied to a chain outside it. It has a rudimentary shelter consisting of a sheet of corrugated iron leaning up against the wall and I have no reason to think it is not being fed properly, but it must be so bored. I have never seen it off the chain no matter what time I have driven past and I feel so sorry for it. If I was in the UK I would feel confident about approaching the owners (I think I know who they are) and broaching the subject, hopefully tactfully, perhaps offering to take it for a walk a couple of times a week if they don't have time. However, as my grasp of the French language is not up to much and I could easily be seen as an interfering English person - which wouldn't help anyone - I don't know what if anything I can do. Has anyone any experience in this area? I have done nothing for two years and am not proud of myself but for not at least trying to help. It may be that he gets taken out regularly and goes into the house at night to be with the family but I honestly don't think so as he is there in sun, rain or snow all alone on the end of a chain. 

Hi Lilly, I go to group lessons in La Cellette and can PM you the details if you're interested? The teacher runs various courses throughout the week to cover all proficiency levels.

Hi, understand about keeping more than one pig for the company. When keeping as pets and you don't want to breed and have lots of unwanted piglets, are you best keeping two females together or are two males OK?

Hi Cassis, thanks for taking the time to take photo and send. If only my veg plot looked as lovely as yours!

Thanks muchly for that. As I suspected mine certainly don't look anything like they would if they were actually parsnips!

Does anyone have a picture of a top of a parsip i.e. the green leafy bit? Strange question I know but I have only ever seen the bit you eat. Sowed some seeds a few months back and have carefully weeded round what I now think may be cow parsley!! Think they should look like carrot tops? Looks as if I'll be starting again.

WJT That's great news (for him anyway!) I am really glad that he has been reunited with his folks (says me, putting on a brave face) and you mustn't feel bad for trying to help him in his hour of need. But, having taken the plunge towards doggy ownership again (been a while now since we lost our last boy)  I am now determined to get one, or preferably two, to share our lovely garden and fab walks round here. Up til now, have shied away from going to a rescue centre without a specific dog in mind 'cos am not strong enough to walk past all those poor little faces without crying - bit of a baby I know! We live close to La Chatre in Dept 36 and have heard rumours of a shelter in Chateauroux. I was drawn to a youg retriever cos they are supposed to be the best with children, my daughter is only 2 and a half and I would like her to grow up with a dog - not necessarily a puppy. Sure theres just the chap(s) out there somewhere.

If we do manage to secure him (everything crossed, I've fallen in love with him and haven't even seen him yet) will keep you posted. Still trying to track a contact for where he is, the SPA site I've found lists 57 refuges but none seem to be the right place. Ellie wants to call him Lucy (!) will work on this one. Bye for now - back to searching

Hi, I would like to give this dog a home with us here in Central France. We have lots of secure garden and a little girl who is desperate for her own doggie to take exploring. As I say, I live a few hours drive away and can't come til Saturday when my husband is not at work but I definitely want him. Being a bit of a technophobe I can't find the SPA Bergerac details on th'internet - don't suppose you could mail me a link so I can try to reserve him - if that's possible? Never adopted in France before, only in UK. Obviously, if his people do get in contact they could have him back but would like to get him out asap while we see what unfolds. Here's hoping

I have a 6m x 1.5m above ground pool with a good pump & sand filter running at 0.5 bar, I am currently filling up with clean water from my well & getting it set up for summer, but so far haven't added any chlorine etc, and would prefer not to use chemicals if possible. question 1 can I use salt instead of chlorine? question 2 do I need to buy anything extra to use salt ? question3 will it be cheaper? thanks in advance

Looking back, I can see my question wasn't worded as clearly as it might have been so many thanks to everyone who was able to decipher it and offer so much helpful info. Off to the maire I go - with map in hand!

Have looked back but not found this question asked before, hope I haven't missed it! Have seen a house I am interested in buying, clearly not lived in for a long time and no near neighbours, not even really sure which commune its; in! Has anyone had any success in finding the owner to approach re: selling in this circumstance?

Thanks for the advice, will give this chap a go.

Does anyone know where I can buy Ouessant sheep locally - dept 36 near to La Chatre - I have followed up a few adverts recently but they have all been several hours drive away. I would like a couple as pets and hear they make great lawnmowers - no intention of eating them!

Whilst I can't fault your statements re air tools to balance a decision on which way to go the choice is entirely personal, a purpose made SDS "type" hammer such as a K&ngo or similar is far more useable by the general public, air hammers require a compressor, lengths of purpose made hose & fittings, specialist breaker guns and tools if you can lay your hands on them great, whereas an electric breaker requires only a plug socket and an extension cable and sometimes a generator if no electric on site. good luck, its not how hard you hit it but knowing just where to hit thats the secret. I've seen people take days to knock out a great big hole when a couple of hours & some intelligence is all that's required