Chas

If the French use is the same as the English this link gives some info http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staddle_stones

Went through in our camper on 31May - about 0830. It was virtually instantaneous, certainly no more than a couple of minutes.

[quote user="Chancer"][quote user="Sunday Driver"][quote user="Chancer"] There is no law saying that you should insure your ride on mower, [/quote] According to the cour de cassation, la loi du 5 juillet 1985 says you must .....[;-)] [/quote] Rubbish! Have you read le loi du 5 Juillet? [/quote] This section of the Loi du 5 juillet was quoted to me by a neighbour when I purchased my ride on mower ème Chambre civile, 24 juin 2004 (Bull. n° 308) Appelée, pour la première fois, à se prononcer sur la question de savoir si une tondeuse à gazon dite "auto-portée" ou "auto-tractée" était ou non un véhicule terrestre à moteur au sens de la loi du 5 juillet 1985, la deuxième chambre civile de la Cour de cassation, s'inscrivant dans une continuité jurisprudentielle qui l'a conduite à reconnaître cette qualification juridique à des engins motorisés divers, notamment agricoles, a répondu par l'affirmative. Ainsi, la deuxième chambre civile approuve-t-elle les juges du fond d'avoir retenu, pour lui appliquer la loi précitée, que la tondeuse à gazon "auto-portée" à l'origine de l'accident subi par un enfant qui en avait chuté alors qu'il se tenait assis sur les genoux de la personne qui la conduisait "était un engin à moteur doté de quatre roues lui permettant de circuler, équipé d'un siège sur lequel une personne prend place pour le piloter". Il n'a pas échappé à la deuxième chambre civile que la soumission d'un engin de cette nature à la loi du 5 juillet 1985 aurait pour conséquence inévitable de l'assujettir à l'assurance automobile obligatoire. Aussi consciente du fait que les contrats d'assurance de type "multirisques habitation" pouvaient expressément exclure - comme c'était précisément le cas dans l'espèce qui lui était soumise - la garantie de l'assureur en cas d'accident, fût-il "domestique", survenant du fait de l'utilisation d'un tel engin qualifié de véhicule terrestre à moteur, il lui est apparu qu'il devrait appartenir aux fabricants et aux revendeurs de tondeuses ainsi motorisées, mais aussi - du moins lorsqu'ils sont avisés par un assuré de la détention d'un matériel de ce type - aux assureurs, tenus envers leurs assurés d'un devoir d'information et de conseil, d'attirer particulièrement l'attention des possesseurs de tels engins sur la nécessité de souscrire, au cas ou leur contrat d'assurance ne la garantirait pas, une police complémentaire couvrant la responsabilité qu'ils seraient susceptibles d'encourir du fait des dommages causés par ces véhicules.  

Good luck. I also did a similar thing with my motorhome insurance for Safeguard. My French insurers were AMV who provided a table with the relevent details. I created a blank and filled in the details in English (my own uncertified translation) which Safeguard accepted. Their only condition was that I changed my French driving licence for an English one - which I would have had to do in three years anyway.

In similar circumstances a couple of years ago I chose Churchill because they were the only company I found who would accept my "releve d'informations". I sent my French AXA agent a letter with the wording that Churchill required  - basically stating that I had held the policy since 2000 and had made no claims in that period. He sent back a copy on AXA headed paper which I forwarded to Churchill along with a copy of the original French releve d'informations and an explanation of how the French system worked.  Churchill accepted this without a problem.  I hope this is of some help to you.  

Click on the rubriques at the side of this link to see quite a few examples http://trobenet.centerblog.net/rub-jets-eau-.html

[quote user="Boudicca"]Perfectly legal. I ask DVLA regularly. This year I got caught by a speed camera (blush) and went on a speed awareness course to avoid points. I had to show my licence and my marriage certificate (because it was still in my maiden name) and there was no problem at all. The only problem I sometimes have is that some insurers won't accept a European licence, but actually I’m not sure whether they are legally allowed to do that. I always make sure that I state that I have a French European licence.[/quote] Just to clarify it. As a UK resident it is legal to drive a car on an EU licence for three years or until age 70 whichever is the longer period. http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/DrivingInGbOnAForeignLicence/DG_4022556

We eventually sold through our local village agency but the Greenacres site produced plenty of enquiries and viewings.

[quote user="Edward Trunk"]There was a programme on telly last night featuring a family who had to live a 1970s lifestyle. No microwaves, no mobile phones, no Ipods, no satellite TV...the horror of it all. I survived the 70s, but I am wondering now how I managed...[/quote] Try the 40's - outside toilet, we had a bath but the only washbasin was the kitchen sink. One radio, no tv never mind satellite. Next door neighbour had a phone. didn't see my Dad between 1942 and 1945.  I think the 70's were luxurious. [:)]

It may be too far out for you but before returning to UK we went to L'Ecluse at Port Maubert for three years in succession and had a really good night out.  Bar-Restaurant L'Écluse Renseignements : Port Maubert   17240 ST-Fort s/ Gironde Tél. 05.46.49.94.78

Our notaire did a same day electronic transfer to our UK bank- which then took 5 working days to clear to the current account!

If it is not too far we used "hotel chiens chats" at Semussac (05 46 05 75 61)on the left just outside Cozes on the road to Royan for our cat on many occasions and were very pleased.

Plenty of adverts in the camping car magasines - e.g. Le monde du camping car

This link gives info for poitou-charente. I am sure something similar must exist for other regions  http://info.eau-poitou-charentes.org/

I returned to UK in December 2008 bringing with me my Frontera in which we had left UK in 2000. Perhaps I was lucky but AXA, on the understanding that I was changing back to a UK registration, agreed to insure during the process, which took about 6 weeks total. During this period I was house hunting and drove without problem on french plates and french Insurance. In the strict letter of the law that was probably illegal but I was "on holiday" and had not decided whether I was about to become a UK resident or not.  DVLA were very helpful, lights were changed, MOT completed, the biggest problem being finding a UK insurer to recognise my French "releve d'information". Churchill came up trumps in the end and accepted my translation and I finished up with the original registration number that I had in 2000.