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oliveau

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Everything posted by oliveau

  1. We had a recent situation locally where it rained at 8.30 on frozen roads, turning some roads into skating rinks. Of course there were no end of accidents because the roads weren't gritted. I've never seen gritters in action here on the roads, but I just wonder if the local authority can be held liable? Peter
  2. [quote user="Swissbarry"] I have a four year old Citroen C5 .........a significant loss of engine power Anyone got any ideas, please? [/quote]    I'm assuming it's an HDI diesel.This can be a common problem with the PSA diesel engines, because the engine management system has detected a fault, so it shuts down and only allows 'get you home power'. When this happens  the yellow 'K light' comes on. The way to sort it is to get the car plugged into  a Peugeot/Citroen dealers diagnostic reader, and get all the faults cleared. I had a lot of problems with a 1999 406, and the faults recorded would be so minor as to be insignificant, but the car would still switch to low power mode. On one memorable ocassion it totally cut out at [ahem, 80mph!] on the A38 in Devon, but after coasting to the roadside it promptly restarted, but in low power mode. Peter
  3. I'll go with woolybanana on this one. Try Anglo-Irish or Nationwide Offshore in IOM - You should be able to get 6% at least Peter
  4. First of all you will need a European Cerificate of Conformity: I bet you can't get one from the manufacturer DRIRE won't have the vehicle on it's database So you will have to go for the equivalent of individual type approval, involving acres of paperwork and an inspection by the Departement des Mines They will be very picky - e.g. does each light glass have an 'E' mark. It takes ages getting through the bureaucracy, so don't go there! I've done it with a 1992 Isuzu - too old for CoC, and the paperwork has been with DRIRE for 2 months, and I haven't even had a date for the inspection yet. Similarly I struggled to register a Spanish plated 1999 Ssangyong. The log book had the European Conformity number on it, but it still took 3 visits to persuade them that that was the number they needed to issue the paperwork. As for trying to register an English trailer, even with a Coc........!!   Bonne courage, Peter
  5. Here's an interesting one: Went to the Prefecture at Tours today to register my trailer [a tandem axle Brenderup with a gross weight of 1200kg]. Produced the brand spanking new Certificat de Conformité from the manufacturers in English and French. Lady behind the screen insisted that I produce the English registration document for it, and no amount of persuasion would convince her that we don't have such papers in the UK. Her only answer was 'Trailers in France have to have a registration document'. [I know that you silly vache, what the hell do you think I'm doing here?] Anybody else run into this brick wall? Peter
  6. [quote user="Sunday Driver"] It is the bill for your social contributions.  They are levied on your French income, so if you've just started declaring it, then that's how it's arisen. Any UK earned income remains exempt from social charges as you hold an E121.   [/quote] I'm a bit puzzled here! I'm assuming the OP is resident, since a tax return has been made. If so, surely one's worldwide income is taxed, and it's that figure on which the Contribtions Sociales are calculated? We have certainly been charged on our UK income, and come to that on my wife's UK state pension, so there's a foul -up there to start with! We don't have any income in France - It all comes from the UK. Peter
  7. ...Ramon, the randy ramoneur, raised his rattleing rusty rods.....
  8. I ran into a problem a while back as follows: Trying to immatriculate a 1992 Mk1 Isuzu Trooper Pre 1997, so no COC. DRIRE had nothing on their database, so referrd me to GM. GM said they had only taken on Isuzu in France in 2003, and they referred me back to DRIRE. I contacted International Motors in the UK, the importers, and they sent me the original Type Approval documents for the car FOC - No COC because the car's pre '97. Sent everything off to the Prefecture, who after several weeks asked for a cheque, then 3 weeks later sent everything back asking for a European COC! I went back to DRIRE and explained everything, and then there were many consultations in an inner office, and back came the message, "That's fine, your UK documents are OK; fill in this form and bring all your papers back in duplicate with a cheque for 87euros and we will deal with your dossier".   At the same time I was trying to immatriculate a 1999 Ssangyong from Spain, and despite this model being sold in France, they hadn't got that on their database either, bur they told me that they would prepare a dossier for me and deal with the registration - no need to go to the Prefecture.   So back to DRIRE on Monday, and I'll keep you posted. Oliveau
  9. I too went down the chrondroitin/glucosamine/MSM route in the UK, but still needed painkillers for an arthritic knee - too young for a replacement! 3 months ago the French medics put me on 'Chrondrosulf' 3 times a day. Fantastic, no painkillers since! It's only supposed to be for knees & hips, but the rheumatologist also prescribed it for Madame's spinal arthritis a couple of monts ago, and it seems to help. Peter
  10. ....Vietcong winebar for a pre-prandial aperitif. La belle veuve Camembert was left....
  11. ...it's almost midday, and it's time for lunch". Without another word the undertaker jumped into his ven and sped off to....
  12. [quote user="Tony F Dordogne"] Glucosamine is usually regarded here as a supplement or even as a complimentary therapy, like homoeopathy and isn't covered usually by the 100% and even some top-up insurances don't cover it even if you get it on prescription tho generalists do prescribe it. I take it and buy it from a company in the Channel Islands (cheapest prices usually) or wait until I'm back in the UK and buy it from Holland and Barrets when they have their sales on, best value around.  [/quote] I used to by both Glucosamine/Chrondroitin and MSM from the same suppliers when I was in the UK to treat an arthritic knee [to young for a replacement!] Following a visit to an orthopaedic man in France, I now am prescribed 'Chrondrosulf' - 3/day which I have been taking for three months and I'm experiencing much, much less pain than over the previous 5 years. Good old French healthcare! My complementaire covers the cost. Peter
  13. ...Golders Green Hippodrome in 1943, so you must be at least 103 now." At that, Randy Ramon realised that he was well past his sell by date, and dropped dead on the spot. M. Jambe de Bois, the undertaker, who just happened to be passing in his little black 2CV shuddered to a halt saying, "I am just on my way to lay the widow Beauvais........
  14. ...out stepped Randy Ramon Ramirez, the ramoneur from Rochdale.......
  15. Not cheap to start, but then, look at the savings: So first buy an abri- No muck, so no cleaning. No wind blowing across the top removing the heat We were at 26c by the end of April, dropping a bit in late June as 'summer arrived!', but it now hits 29c with a bit of sun [and there hasn't been much lately has there?] And no, I'm not on the Med!    
  16. [quote user="Jemima"] thinking of retiring to France a.s.a.p. (as soon as our house is sold!!).  [/quote] Fine - £18k income is more than enough BUT: You've sold your house in UK, bought a lovely place in France, but after x number of years you need/want to return to UK, and you suddenly find that french property prices have moved slowly, but the increase in UK prices means that you are reduced to a box on an estate! Try & hang on to property in the UK if you can. Peter
  17. ...was sweet, and now she understood that when Les Anglais were referred to a 'barmy' it meant they liked barm cakes. Poor misguided Anglais, what chance did he stand of finding an Anglais delicacy in the boulangerie? Pouf! about as much chance as.....
  18. You beat me to it Phil! Chaux is much softer than cement - a bit like using lime mortar in the UK.
  19. ...Andouillete sur Merguez, the self proclaimed French centre of excellence for artisan.....
  20. ..."She promised me something fragrant, and it's just a bun! Merde!" Marie from the Mairie heard the Maire hollering and shouting so she........
  21. ...found the kitchen full of a wonderful aroma. " I 'ave ze bun in ze oven" she proudly announced as....
  22. ...Mlle Lafarge called out to him from the Presbytery, 'Coo-ee! M Maire, I 'ave something 'ere for you zat is 'ot and fragrant, and just for you!' Leaving Yvette standing there open-mouthed in surprise he.............  
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