Pommier

I've read that it's obligatory to have the central heating boiler serviced annually. Is that true, and what are the penalties if it isn't done that frequently? How much ought it to cost for a condensing mains gas boiler? Thanks for any advice.

But don't forget that the house is worth more if it's re-sold, plus it's more comfortable.

Well, houses are still being built in our town at a furious rate! All new builds since January last year have to be to BBC (batiment basse consommation) standard. We had our house built in 2013 to that standard, and our energy bills are tiny, so it pays off eventually. Our builder said it added about €30.000 to the build cost. A fairly basic house can be built for less than €120.000.

As well as smoke detectors, the other essential thing if you've got wood burners or a central heating boiler in the house is a carbon monoxide decector.

[quote user="Théière"]I think it was Q who disclosed that a lab in France tested a garden fire and it was deemed to produce the same level of pollution in an hour as a car after 18,000 kilometres. [/quote] Particularly if it's bonfires such as an ex-neighbour of ours used to burn - lots of polystyrene and plastic with great clouds of thick black smoke!

Mint, I'd ask the vet if he thinks operating is feasible (and how much it would cost) and also if the cataracts are still in an early stage. At home, try not to reorganise the furniture so your dog remembers where everything is.

In our smallish town (about 8000 residents) SuperU is open every Sunday morning throughout the year - and it's not a small shop. Leclerc (which is huge) is open on Sunday mornings in summer and, together with Lidl, was open last Sunday and will be next Sunday. They must get enough trade for them to feel that it's worthwhile.

Many thanks for the replies. I'm going to look at other recipes because the one I used said to heat the oven to 170, turn it down to 140 and put the macarons in, one tray at a time. I reckon it was too hot.

I made macarons this afternoon, following the recipe exactly. All went well until they were in the oven when they started getting cracks. When they were cooked and I left them on the tray to cool, one after another just collapsed in on itself, then when I went to remove them from the silicone baking sheet they mostly left the bottom 'skin' behind. I assembled them and they don't taste too bad, but they look a total mess. Any advice, or should I cancel my place on The Great British Bakeoff (joke!!)

Chancer, it was cheap because it worked out at about €8 for 1.2kg (cash back on Leclerc's fidelity card is spendable next day) When I opened one of the vacuum packs, there were two duck breasts. I chickened out (!!) of doing anything complicated, so just washed, dried, floured, sealed and then braised it - and it was lovely; not salty and really tasty and tender.

They were very cheap at Leclerc; €12,95 a kilo, so the pack of three came to just over €15, but then with over €7 back on the fidelity card. At least, having three of them we can try different ways of cooking!

I've also had one of these forms (first time after drawing the company pension for over 9 years). Our town is quite big, so officials wouldn't know us (and would probably be wary of signing something in English) so I'm going to ask a retired policeman friend, which will hopefully be accepted.

Thanks for the help. It's got no skin or fat, so I'll treat it like steak (tasting for saltiness first if I dare!)

Glad to hear that you're on the mend.

I think that the trouble is that so many people nowadays don't cook or bake anything at all, so they think that supermarket rubbish is how things are supposed to taste. Whatever is in the Iceland mince pies (and the pastry) I bet it's not what a home baker would use.

I bought three vacuum packs of magret de canard traité en salaison today, but I'm not sure what to do with it. Is it very salty? Has anyone got a good recipe using it?

Here's some other information about European law http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/ecc/consumer_topics/buying_goods_services_en.htm Also here it is in French (handy if you want to print it off to show to retailers) http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/ecc/consumer_topics/buying_goods_services_fr.htm

Idun, you were smack on correct back in June when you said about your friend who's ring was lost amongst towels in the airing cupboard (not dissimilar to a box of winter clothing)

This article and map should help http://www.parasitesandvectors.com/content/pdf/1756-3305-3-31.pdf

I make the caramel first (sugar, water and butter), then when that's going golden I add sliced apples which I've heated in the microwave. When it's all coated and the right shade of brown I slap Lidl feuillette pastry on top, tuck it down the sides of the frying pan and into the oven. I've found Lidl's puff pastry the best of all the makes.

Where we live in the Vendee, holiday home owners pay more TdH than residents.

Many thanks for the help. So that means that from the fixed phone I can call fixed or mobiles in France and fixed phones in most of the world, and from the mobile I get 2 hours a month of calls to mobiles only in France (strange that calls from our mobile to fixed phones isn't included) Judith, we were with Orange, but there was no minimum term to the contract - maybe yours is the same?

We've switched from Orange to Sosh (which is still Orange, but cheaper!) The contract is for the internet, phone and 2 hours of calls from the mobile for €29,99 a month. Could anyone tell me (I've looked and looked, but can't find it) whether the 2 hours of calls from the mobile are only to fixed or mobiles in France, or whether calls to fixed phones in the UK would also be included. Also, some paperwork arrived today from Sosh which says;' Telephone par internet...........en illimite - les appels vers les numeros mobiles tous operators en France metropolitaine et vers les DOMS' which I translate that I can call all French mobiles from my fixed phone for free - is that right? Many thanks for any assistance.

Have you had the bill for Tax d'Amenagement yet? That's the one you pay 12 and 24 months after planning permission. I'd think if you have that everything is OK with the planning department.

Oooooooh Mint, you spendthrift!