Audois

Richard, richard, richard .... Tut, tut ...!!!  Your builder should be able to also get up to a 25% discount on any 'bits' you wanted ... that's the way the team work it in and then quote at 5.5%!!! Never mind! Next time!!!

The artisans I work with use 'hydrofuge placo' from Reseau Pro with a VMC unit (air extraction) which is now considered the 'norms' for bathrooms, tiles can be put on this in the normal fashion.   

Nick - the land is nearby ... it's a third purchase here but never done the 'agricultural' route before. Thanks for answering that, as I thought we could buy it with one fee having split the actual land during the whole legal process. I'm taking a risk here, in the hope that I'll be able to get a CU for it in the long term!!! Fingers crossed!

I'm out of my depth here with a land purchase that I'm thinking of making. It's for grazing land, 4,275sqm that two of us are thinking of buying and splitting between us. 1.  If we buy it together, do we need to pay two notaires fees?  The other buyer isn't a relation and we will do our 'own thing' on the land plus we don't need any inheritance issues in the long term.  We will have a geometre split the parcelle for the 'acte de vente' but would we need to pay the notaires fees twice over? 2.  Is there just the one tax to pay on it?  I've been told it's a mere 6€ a year (on the current ONE parcelle). 3.  Any other 'rules' I should be aware of?  ie. in NZ land has to be cleared each year to stop the risk of bush fires (which we do have here!) Any comments gratefully accepted!!    

What you have to bear in mind is the labour cost - obviously! The current 'guideline' labour price from the Chambre de Metiers for a job like this is about 36€ an hour .. I'm not sure how long your attic will take taking into account joists etc.  Please don't forget that in France the cotisations etc mean that the builder 'sees' about 30-35c per euro he bills for!!!  

Just a warning. Having helped some clients with their E numbers & the French administration they still hadn't received an attestation after 3 weeks, having been promised it within 10 days. I did some chasing yesterday, I'm still waiting for the International Department in Narbonne to call me back (that could take months!).  But from my local team I've discovered that the Narbonne team are SERIOUSLY behind in their paperwork and it's getting worse as they are all taking their holidays. So anyone getting panicked over the non-appearance of post from Caisse Maladie with the 'promised' paperwork, don't worry, it will happen.  In the meantime keep your receipts until you get that all important number starting with an 8!!! (if it starts with a 7 you're still on a provisional basis!).  Once you do get your attestation or Carte then take the forms into Caisse Maladie with your new number filled into the appropriate box to be reimbursed

Washy The left hand never knows what the right is doing.  I've been doing immatriculation things for clients and last year I was told by the impots in Limoux that I didn't need to get the 'tax' form anymore.  I went to Carcassonne to put all the paperwork through and they asked me for a tax form .. I told them what the impots in Limoux had said and they took umbrage to this. I ended up in the Chef's office telling her the same thing, she wasn't happy being told by me that this piece of paper was no longer a necessity.  She was outraged (with Limoux) to find that I had been telling the truth and she was the 'last' to know!!!! DRIRE (or rather DREARY!!) will be a sad departure, used to love going to battle there and meeting the boss's spaniel!! PS.  Sad news, 'Caramel' has died, he got hit on the road through the village which is meant to be a 30 limit!!  I was devastated as were a lot of neighbours, he spent his days either sitting on the piano in church or going out for walks with my neighbour & his dog!!!  He was a real little character!

Yes, the ferry still runs, I was due to be on it tonight!! A few sites for you: http://www.triotours.com - you should know this as Dysfunctional's site on TT http://www.comanav.ma - Moroccan Ferry company running ex-P&O boats. There's a second company running out of Sete, but I don't have the details to hand. However, if you are going between late May & late September you might want to look at Comanav's Port Vendres ferry ... it's just south of Coullioure, started up last year. If you want more info, PM me, I did the trip last year ... from Port Vendres.  Don't book any trains etc in Morocco before arrival as this ferry service has a habit of running late .. we sailed 7 hours late leaving France and arrived 5hrs late coming back. Personally with the cheap rental costs and good transport links in Morocco and the cost of taking your own car on the ferry, the wear & tear etc; I'd leave it behind!

The only reason (well one of them!) I go to Italy is to buy limoncello!!!   However, have you tried Andorra, I know that there's pure alcohol up there but I'm not sure to what degree.  I'll be going up next weekend and could have a look for you - and bring a bottle of it back to Aude if it's 95%.    

An Aude language school is desperately seeking a TEFL teacher to give classes in Narbonne. Initially it will be 3hrs every Monday morning for the next 13 weeks.  There may be a possibility of more work following this. You will be educated to a degree level, speak some French (not needed in class), and it would be advantageous to hold a TEFL/CELTA teaching certificate.  Please call me on 06-15-62-87-15 ASAP This will start on MONDAY!  

An Aude language school has an IMMEDIATE vacancy for a TEFL teacher. You will be educated to degree level, speak some French (not in class) and it would be advantageous to have a TEFL/CELTA teaching certificate or it's equivalent. The role is for 3hrs each Monday morning for the next 13weeks, there may be a possibility of more work in the region. Please call me ASAP on 06-15-62-87-15 This will start on MONDAY!!!

Your best bet and cheapest option is to go down to Spain.  The best tile shops I've found are on the road into Girona from the south (airport) side of town. Alternatively, Brico Depot on the northern (nr. Carrefour) edge of Perpignan. La Jonquera had a very good tile shop that has increased it's prices beyond belief.  Try further south or head for Girona!  

Strange year for me this year.  Last year all my summer bookings were booked solid by the New Year, this year I have one week!!! Anyone else in the same position?  First time in 6yrs that the gite has not had a lot of bookings ... I'm hoping for some later ones   Audois

I may be able to help you.  Have you been shown this house by an agent called Alain?  PM me if you have any questions.   Audois

I think this subject is two-pronged.   1. In this area the French are getting 'greedier' (as are the English who are selling too!) with ridiculous figures for houses that don't deserve it and in some cases more expensive per sqm than some areas of London!  These prices deserve to have X% knocked off them.   2.  Yes, the bubble has reached it's height I believe.  But unlike with the previous 'fall' here, I don't believe they will fall all that much in some of the favoured areas (south particularly) due to the Euro.  You can still find other Europeans looking to buy, who have the same currency, not such an inflated market as the UK and with cash to spare.  Additionally to this there seems to be some interest (not massive at the moment) from the former Eastern European countries and Russia.  The former Eastern Europeans will be joining the euro and therefore are investing in their future currency.  Many of these countries are starting to see an influx of Brits and other Europeans buying their property and so the market goes on.   So, in conclusion, yes, I feel the market will 'drop' but not massively, probably to the 'real' prices that most property 'should' be marketed at!  

An interesting 'green' grant is for solar panelling for your energy supply. Until the end of 2004 EDF/GDF & the govt. were offering interest free loans.  This has now been changed to a 40% reduction in impots.  If you have a large house or use a lot of hot water, it is the ideal energy solution although a little pricey to install initially but the long term benefits are worth it.  

Somewhere I have a flyer for a B&B place in Pas, it's 10.99 a night; when I find it I'll post it on here but did seem good value!

They are obligatory, you only have to drive around Figueres etc to see every car with one on show inside.   Apparently the law is that your yellow jacket must be in the car (not the boot) so that you can put it on before getting out.   Added to this, you need to have 2 hazard triangles, one behind your vehicle and one in front, these should also be inside the car and should be easily reached; ie. not in the boot.   Some friends were 'done' just outside La Jonquera for not having the hazard triangles inside the car and not having a jacket at all, think it was an on the spot 80 or 90euro fine!   I bought my two triangles and a jacket for 12euros (the lot) in Andorra, a lot cheaper than the guy flogging them at Esperaza market!  

Can anyone help? A colleague, his wife and their 7m long 2.6m high camping car want to go to Galway this summer. I looked up the cost of a ferry crossing to Cork with Brittany Ferries and with an inside cabin it came to a whopping 1400 euros!  Jean-Paul almost collapsed when I told him. I've not done the maths yet but think it might be cheaper to Ryanair it to Ireland, rent a car and stay in a B&B for 3 weeks from 5th August. Any ideas please, he wants to go fishing!