Chrisb

....I have been waiting since the 5th May for my above ground pool from a company called 'habitatetjardin' on-line - I have had several 'rupture de stock' calls and demands for more money to upgrade to a larger pool, which I turned down.I have also called and e-mailed for up-dates without success. I had all but given up hope when I had a call today from the delivery company telling me that the pool is going to be delivered tomorrow - yippeee!! If, as has been said somewhere below, they all mainly come from the same manufacturer, perhaps you will receive yours soon as well - fingers x'd! regards Chris

...........coming from Carentan thru' St Georges de Montcoq, down to the bottom of the hill and turn left,(the old walls are in front of you) then I think it's second left (before you go up the hill) and it's around there - we parked near the 'Arc en Ciel' and walked up the hill a bit from there. If you are coming from the other side of St Lo, find the 6 Juin roundabout, follow the road which runs parallel to the river and the wall, towards the garage, turn left at the next roundabout, and you will then come to where I started! Sorry, all terribly vague, I am hopeless at giving directions, but you hadn't had any other replies so I thought I would give it a go!!! Regards Chris

I was stopped the other day for failing to stop completely at a stop sign - I didn't realise that you actually had to come to a complete stop, and the Gendarmes were hiding in the bushes just down the road!! I was very apologetic and showed him my Carte Grise, Insurance and Driving Licence(UK). He then asked me if we had the same points system in the UK and I said that in the UK they go on, rather than come off as in France. He said there was a 90 Euro fine. He was confering with a colleague about what they should do - so I offered to pay the fine by cheque there and then and please would they let me off the points, and they agreed!!! He said that he would give me a different receipt for the cheque to the usual one and then the infringement wouldn't go on the central computer and I wouldn't have to worry about exchanging my driving licence for a French one (we have been here 7 months) I was very relieved, and everyone that I have spoken to about it is amazed that I got off so lightly!! Chris

You can park in the new multi-storey carpark next to the port. The cost is something like 6.50/day. Chris

My husband still works for a UK company...we requested an E106 (proof of National Insurance contributions, which took about 6 weeks and several phone calls before it arrived!). This entitled us to a Carte Vitale which we obtained from the local CPAM offices(very straighforward - just remember to take copies of birth certificates, marriage cert, passports, proof of residence, salary slip as well as the E106) We received an Attestation about 2 weeks later with our social security numbers on, and the Carte Vitale about 3 weeks after that. Ours is valid until the end of 2008. We are now just about to take out a 'top-up' insurance to cover the remainder of any costs incurred that are not re-imbursed by the Carte Vitale. I have done the rounds of Insurance agents and bank and now just need to sift through them all to try and choose the best one for us - the average cost seems to be about 100 euros/month for 2 adults/2children. I am still very new to all this so I am sure that someone else will be able to give you more thorough information!! Chris

We brought 3 Gerbils over with us last October. According to DEFRA,we had to get a Health Certificate from our Vet - the surgery wanted to charge us 57 but the vet was so embarassed, he charged a tenner as he didn't even examine them - just said 'Are they healthy?'!!! However, no-one was remotely interested in them when we came through the tunnel even tho' they were in a cage on the back seat, between the children. Regards Chris

I have just bought a book called 'Sky! Mortimer!/ Ciel! Blake!' by John-Wolf Whistle/Jean-Loup Chiflet, which is a cartoon strip type collection of 'Expressions Courantes' One side of the book has typical English sayings and their French equivalent and the other side has French sayings and the English equivalents, literally translated - it is quite amusing!! Chris

Can't help in your area, I'm afraid, but when we were looking for kennels we did approach a neighbour, who promptly rang their vets for us to ask for recommendations - so you could pop in to your local vets and ask there. Or possibly a search in the Pages Jaunes under 'pensions chiens/chats'- sometimes there is a link to a website which you could look at before paying a visit to the kennels to have a look round. Hope this is of some help. Chris

...that is so bizarre - we went last week to the Prefecture in St Lo and our TDS's are underway, will be sent to our Mairie this week. We were told by the chap there that they were still 'obligatoire' even tho' the rules were changing very soon!! Chris

The main things we ask my husband to bring back on his weekly commute are PG Tips Tea bags for me and Shreddies for my eldest son who cannot start the day with anything else!! Also, things like Custard powder, Golden Syrup, Marmite, Peanut Butter (which you can find, but not easily)etc. etc. Chris

LAST EDITED ON 26-Jan-04 AT 10:49 AM (GMT) There are classes available both in St Lo and Carentan............beginners classes in Carentan and both beginners and level 2 in St Lo. If you would like anymore information then you can phone the tutor, Regine Vincent at the Greta des Estuaires on 02 33 77 30 90. You may have to leave a message, but she will phone you back. The class in Carentan is a bit low on people, so I am not sure if it will continue to run. It is still possible to join in the existing classes, you will pay a reduced fee. If you have, or have applied for your Titre de Sejour (Yes they are still giving them out at St Lo!!) and your Carte Vitale, then you will pay even less! Where are you moving to? Chris PS Just realised that you have said you are moving in October - obviously too late for existing classes, but bang on time to join the new ones in October!!!