PaulT
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Posts posted by PaulT
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I am sure that you will have fun and games with Immigration if the Halifax have 'tampered' with your actual passport. They need to certify a copy.
We decided that opening an account with the likes of Britline would do us no favours - just keep us in English mode for longer. We therefore opened an account in the town near our house in France.
We went in expecting to have fun and games making ourselves understood - aware from our experience that if you try then the French will also try (dread to think of the reaction that a French person who can only speak a very little English would get in the UK). However, the person we saw had a reasonable command of English - he kept apologising that it was not better. So the openeing was that much easier. He has since left so each time we visit it is down to our French. They seem very laid back in the bank that it does not seem to matter if it takes a little while to serve us.
As to the proofs - they took a copy of our passports, doscumentation relating to the house and that was it.
So go for a normal branch near to your house.
Paul
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Not saying you should break the law but..........
If you wish to purchase a number plate in England then you require the registration document plus additional pieces of identifaction. Now this is where the United Kingdom is so wonderful - if you wish to purchase a number plate from a Scottish company then, you do not need any of the identifiction items!
If you go on to ebay.co.uk you will find Scottish companies stating that you can order from them with no identifaction needed.
So, you could get a plate for the car that matches the one on the caravan and make out that you are a visitor.
However, this method or SDs could be a nightmare if you have an accident - what will the insurance company say.
Paul
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[quote user="Weegie"]Fiona, My Disco is a 2003 model Series II. The sunvisor note and the Technical Data page in the owner's handbook give the following:
Overall height (excluding roof bars) - 1900mm
Overall height (including roof bars) - 1940mm (standard roof rails)
Overall height (open sunroof) - 2015mm
Not sure if there are differences with the earlier models but with sunroofs closed (they don't usually get opened anyway) at 1940mm we have no problems. It does make life easier not queueing or searching for change etc!
(BTW - thread drift - but was brought up on the South Side many years ago.)
[/quote]About the same for a Series 1 Disco
Paul
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[quote user="groslard"]See:
http://have-it.com/denonciation/pages/astuces/resiliation_contrat_tacite_reconduction.html
and
http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/WAspad/UnTexteDeJorf?numjo=ECOX0307005L
But was the OP worried that he hasn't got any assurance?
[/quote]Grosland, thanks for the refs but my French is not up to that level...
And no, I am not worried that we have no insurance because we do until the 26th Jan. My main thing was the level of service and perhaps the need to change - i.e. not knowing what the T&Cs are.
Paul
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We have a house in 31 and we were told that the roads arwe gritted more often than in the neighbouring department 32. The reason being that 31 had more funds available due to the Airbus factory at Toulouse.
Also wonder if gritting lorries have some marvellous traction device that is not available to other vehicles - i.e. they can drive on black ice whereas others cannot.
Perhaps one of the problems for drivers is the equipment on modern cars:
Power steering - this can reduce the 'feel' of the road, i.e. the feel that the wheels do not have good adhesion to the road
ABS - no need to brake until the lat moment and we will stop in the minimum distance instead of, especially with drum brakes allowing plenty of time to brake and also being very wary of the brakes locking up
Efficient heating (also heaters no longer being asn optional extra) - lovely and warm in here not a bad day at all
The outside temperature gauge - quite a novelty but how much regard is taken of it.
Tyres - modern tyres normally offer excellent grip in the dry but not all offer much in the wet, so choosing tyres can be important or does getting the cheapest count the most. There are specific winter tyres that you can get but how many of us have two sets, one for Winter and one for the rest of the year?
Perhaps as well choosing the route can be important. Routes that are largely tree covered can mean that the road stays colder longer as the sun does not get to it so these could be more hazardous.
And of course speed - if you are going too fast and start to slip then you may well end up in a ditch whereas a little slower might mean that you can 'steer' to the verge where there might be more traction to prevent an accident.
Paul
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Well Newbeei I can only relate from a house that we tried buying and had surveyed.
The inside had crepi which to my mind was similar to Tyrolean but sharper - if you had fallen against an inside wall you would have done yourself a lot of damage.
The surveyor said that you either hack it off with great difficulty of you render it smooth.
Paul
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Just coming up to the 1st anniversary of owning our French House - 26 January - and have just thought about insurance renewal.
When we bought I arranged insurance via phone with brokers in the north of France (house is in the south) and received an email with the certificate that was required by the Notaire. However, never received a policy document and also have not received any renewal notification.
Is this the norm or should I be suspicious?
Paul
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[quote user="retread"]We have had a full cheese given to us for Christmas, covered in very smelly cheese cloth with an aroma reminiscent of an old cellar, What do you do with it? Do you peel off the skin/rind? Feed it to the mice? The thought was great but my experience is limited to opening a packet of Cathedral chedar!![/quote]
As a kid I used to love eating the rind......also the skin off of real rice pudding.
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Going back to wiring colours......
I think whoever wired our house was colour blind.
Perhaps most disturbing were the additional modern three pin sockets that had been installed which, on inspection had simply been wired into the existing two wire system so no earth.
The required kitchen that does not meet French standards by a very long way. Now instead of a partial rewire it will now be a full rewire. Still, at least I will know that it will be correct.
Paul
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Thanks for all the replies and we will try But, Conforama (remember now when we went to Conforama in Summer the beds were located in a large marquee) and Pat will also look at Recurt - perhaps they deliver. Must admit have never really been inspired in what But and Conforama have but there again have never looked at the beds there.
Will if I had my car there I would transport it myself - however, on this trip it will be a smallish hire car and I do not suppose they would like me balancing a double bed on it [:D]
Paul
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BJSLIV I know that their computers do wonderful things for them - and sometimes the price goes up and then down again.
Some friends decided that they would come with us the last time we went to France. I checked on BAs prices - £35 each way. The next day the friends went to book. Going out was still £35 but coming back had gone up to £100. They decided they would book EasyJet for the return even though it meant hanging around in Toulouse airport for three and a half hours after our flight had left (anyone who knows Toulouse airport will know that is not a good idea).
Out of curiosity I checked a copule of days later and the return had come back down to £35 - did not have the heart to tell them though.
Paul
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Now caravanners know, or at least the all year ones do, Butane in Summer, Propane in Winter.
However, as far as I know, the Butane is the better option as it has a higher calorific value than Propane so, unless it is going to be low temperatures Butane is the better option.
Paul
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Now, the media........
The media likes bad news stories. If there is a choice between a good news story and a bad news story they will choose the bad.
Now look at their audience. I suspect quite a significant percentage of English speaking residents of France have Sky and watch that, not French TV or buy French newspapers - sorry if I have got this wrong but as some do not speak French extensively then the French media is not for them. Thus the relevant newspapers and TV are aiming at a French audience.
So do they aim the story about the poor non French landlord who is losing out to the horrible French tenants or the horrible non French landlord who is harrassing the poor French tenants.
I know what my money is on.
Paul
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Looking at flight prices with BA – interestingly the larger the number in a group the more you might have to apy (note these are for flights in Jan)
1
2
3
4
Morning
£38
£38
£38
£38
Afternoon
£48
£48
£58
£58
Evening
£48
£48
£48
£48
Morning
£168
£168
£168
£168
Evening
£222
£329
£329
£382
Interesting eh!
Paul
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Will be arriving in France on the evening of 3 Jan (coming back on the 6th).
We have a house near L'Isle en Dodon / Boulogne sur Gesse (to the east of a line between the two).
Ideally we need to buy another bed. Our thoughts are to hire a van for a few hours to collect one.
So to the question - does anyone know of a store where you can buy and take away there and then (would prefer to avoid Ikea if possible due to holiday times and the hordes) that is not too far away.
Thanks
Paul
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Do not know if it is available in France but in the UK, I think it is PlasPlug and available from B&Q, there is a tool, well actually 3 that are different sizes that are angled and produce a superb finish.
Never have succeeded with the wet finger no matter what I have wetted my finger with
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There is that age old thing of something only being worth what someone is prepared to pay.
A few years ago we were looking to move in the UK. The house was on the market and we were looking at a particular area where the property had to meet certain criteria and none were.
Suddenly one did come up and the vendors were looking for a quick sale. I therefore contacted my agent and asked what I needed to do for a quick sale. The answer was to drop the price by £10k which I did. Two days later had a buyer whose chain had fallen through and needed to move quickly. Result got the house we wanted.
Colin, the house buying times in the UK are a little uncertain at the moment. If you are really serious about the house in France then you need to review the price that your house is on the market for. Adjust to a figure that will make it attractive so that it sells - and you need your estate agent fully on board to achieve a quick sale.
Paul
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No one has answered a part of the question:
I think I am right that you will be liable to the agents fee which is probably 7-8% of the sale price, especially as you have signed the compris which states all the fees payable. Plus the notaires costs will be payable.
Paul
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[quote user="val douest"] and the rest of the time (November to Easter) there are just three Air France flights each day to and from Paris Orly.[/quote]
Wonder if they have any Winter jobs going - sounds ideal [:D]
Paul
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[quote user="ErnieY"].
Anybody know just where and when this nutty and dangerous piece of nonsense originated [:-))] [8-)]
[/quote]
My understanding is that it goes back to coaching days. The driver entering from the right would have a team of horses in front of him so would be unaware if there was a coach already on the road he was joining. Therefore, the driver on the road that is being joined would see the horses coming from the right and give way to them as their driver was blind as to what traffic there was.
Paul
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Pads
As I said, I went to the arrivals hall at Tarbes and there was not a soul there - it was a ghost town.
When I collected the car at Toulouse I was given a diagram of a car and one of the rear doors was then ringed and I was told that it had a dent - the only damage - and signed the paperwork. At 23:00 in the darkness of the car compound you cannot check. It was in the morning that I checked (always do with a night pickup) and discovered the bumper had been scrapped.
Always wary of car firms so wanted to report it so that I did not get charged.
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Flew in to Toulouse last Thursday night, picked up a car and could only inspect it next morning when I noticed that the bumper was scratched. Could not contact the agency where I hired it (they were not answering the phone) so called the central reservation number who told me to take it to another agency to get it verified. Tarbes was the easiest so was told either Tarbes (Ossun) airport or in downtown Tarbes.
Opted for the airport, which I had never seen before. Discovered a brand new airport. Entered and found I was in the departure area. Could see a few people in the inner departure area and there was a woman working in the restaurant. Went down to the arrivals hall and it was totally deserted, including all of the car hire desks.
Seemed a very large white elephant.
Paul
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Sounds fairly frugal in its drinking habits if it is on 24/7...
The PO of our house used to leave the boiler on a time switch so that it came on 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the evening. They also marked the fuel level on each of their visits.
I on the other hand have installed a thermostat and set it to about 8 degrees. Fuel usage is far lower. Just need to fininsh the little control device I am building, using a couple of timers, so that I can set the boiler a couple of months in advance to come on full time a couple of days before our winter visits so that it is nice and warm.
Paul
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Frenchie
Now, if you really want to fit in and will only be doing 60mph on Motorways (70mph limit) then do as the British do, drive in the middle lane [:@]. This ensures maximum inconvenience to drivers who wish to drive at the legal limit and those who wish to exceed it and normally by a far greater margin than French drivers in France.
By doing this you will ensure that other drivers are aware of you on the road, and this is confirmed by them coming up behind you in the middle lane and flashing their lights - you can be sure that, if you are in a French registered vehicle that this is a 'welcome to Britain' message.
You may also find that some drivers will give a Churchillian two fingured salute but unfortunately, they do not know which way round the hand should be. You may also be given a different gesture using the hand. The response is to smile sweetly and may be even return the compliment.
From my experience you will find British drivers, generally, less tolerant and impatient than French drivers - an example, was over in France at the weekend and pulled up at a pay booth on an Autoroute and there were two cars in front of me. The driver of the car at the pay booth was having a chat with the person in the pay booth and this went on for a couple of minutes. The car in front of me was French registered and the driver just sat waiting patiently for the conversation to end. Now, if that had been Britain then there would have been horns sounding, gestures made (see above) etc.
My advice to you would be to take your time, do not allow yourself to be intimidated (which can be quite common), and relax. It is a bit like riding a bike - once you have learnt how to fall off then it is quite easy falling off from then on.
Paul
Towing UK caravan.
in Driving in France
Posted
So, you could get a plate for the car that matches the one on the caravan and make out that you are a visitor.
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Too expensive.
Using a false number plate means five years in prison, a 3,750€ fine, six points, a three year driving ban plus confiscation of the vehicle.....[:(]
[/quote]
That is a little painful.
I suppose the other option is to do what some in the UK do to avoid speed camera fines - cover the plate in mud so that it cannot be read.
Paul