DerekJ

[quote user="Martin963"]If you've got an 80 cm dish I guess you'll be fine.   I believe Danny is roughly at the same latitude as you. If it's a 60 cm then it might be on the edge.   Certainly it would be great if you could let us know when you get out there.   I'll be out at about the same time but as we're the best part of one hundred miles north of you we're well above the risk zone. [/quote] I'll certainly do that Martin.

Just a thank you from me as well. I've been watching this, and the other related threads, with interest. I can't offer any expertise in this area and we won't be back in France until the end of March... so what we will find I've no idea. It looks like we may be just just above the "magic line" that has been suggested... a little to the NE of Cahors.

[quote user="gardengirl "]Home staging might well work, but thinking of places we looked at with a view to buying could just have done with a good tidy! Washing all over the place, kids' toys/clothes etc all over the place, dirty pots and pans everywhere when we turned up with estate agents, who had pre-booked a time to view the properties - just a few of the things we came across in the Drome. [/quote] I always found the ironing board was a great enhancement and created a suitable ambiance.[:-))]

Whilst I'm in favour of pursuing those who have committed war crimes I'm not very comfortable about this particular case. The soldier in question was 19 years old. It's pretty unlikely he would have had any discretion over carrying out orders in the Oradour massacre and I would think that the result of any disobedience on his part would have been to have forfeit his own life (as has already been suggested). Remember, a 19 year old junior soldier.  

I guess we will await our with baited breath.

[quote user="HoneySuckleDreams"] I wouldn't put it past the BBC to vote Mandela as sports personality of the year the way it's going[/quote] I don't think so... he's earmarked to win Strictly Come Dancing.

Yes, I agree. The BBC went totally OTT... They seem to have no sense of balance and take the coverage to the level where I almost started to feel resentment against Mandela. Whilst I feel he was a controversial figure, overall I think he was a force for good.... however, he was not the second coming. This was a 95 year old man who died of natural causes. He wasn't assassinated, his death was widely expected.

[quote user="Quillan"]Your right people who have moved to France may not all be intelligent but it seems they are far less bigoted and simple minded in their views than some who still live in the UK. No personal offence intended.   [/quote] And maybe they are far less likely to be effected.

Back in October before we came back to the UK I was cycling up a categorised climb of about 3 miles ascending from the Cele valley. This is quite a steep climb so I wasn't going at a great speed. About 2/3 of the way up the climb I came round one of the bends and saw a man just off the road and heard the click of a cartridge being loaded. Next thing I saw was a sanglier come charging down the hill through the trees chased by several dogs. It came to a halt about 20 metres in front of the hunter as there was a wire fence running in to the forest from the road. The hunter took aim and fired. There was no reaction from the sanglier and as far as I know he missed. The sanglier then charged back into the forest. All this must have taken very few seconds but seemed to happen in slow motion to me. Then, as I started to pull level I shouted at the hunter who hadn't any idea I was there... he acknowledged me  (politely). This idiot had fired a shot parallel with a road from a position no more than about 3 or 4 meters inbound from it... missed.. the bullet went where? The road above him bent round and presumably the bullet may have gone straight across it. I'm pleased I was ascending, not descending at the time.

[quote user="HoneySuckleDreams"]Like most things on TV, it's all a question of taste. If you don't like it then turn it off, unless your slave master is forcing you otherwise :)   [/quote] And of course I will. However, it hasn't stopped the BBC ramming it down my throat on every possible occasion during the last few weeks.

A great match and super play by both teams. I felt sorry for the England team who I felt, like you, just had the edge. They don't take any prisoners do they.

[quote user="Gardian"]Is it me? [/quote] No, not just you... I've never liked it (a load of cr*p) and I dislike it even more now that the BBC is promoting it at every possible occasion.... apparently it even rates as a News item.

[quote user="Clair"]Thank you, GardenGirl, for posting this. The original thread which prompted me to offer the sample letter can be read HERE. [/quote] Ah yes, I remember that thread Claire... worked well for me.

I use one of these. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cyclone-Micro-MultiMedia-Player-Adaptor/dp/B00534L3B8/ref=pd_sxp_grid_pt_1_0 Very small, connect it to my TV via a HDMI cable. I use SDHC cards and transport it between the UK and France. It displays a basic menu and has a remote control. An excellent little device and very cheap.

Thanks for that... I've got a few potential options now.

Thanks for the information CBC65 and Sue. The letter head address of the office I believe we are dealing with isn't actually one of the agencies listed on that weblink. It's actually.. Rue du Coq Vert BP1091 15001 Aurillac The department seems to be : ACPS Construction Thanks for the input though.

Thanks for the offer, that's very kind of you. If you do get a chance to ask her that might be useful. The number we can't get through to is: 09 69 32 03 19 It's the office in Groupama d'Oc in Aurillac. We are now trying a different route to resolving our problem but being able to speak with them would potentially be useful. Thanks again.

I hope they realise that when America says "Jump" that answer is "How high"?

Thanks for that... it could be useful. Our French is OK(ish) from a writing perspective.   We have emailed the department who are supposed to be dealing with this but so far just an automated reply saying  that the person we need is on holiday and giving an alternative email address - to which we have resent our email... so far a deafening silence. At the moment we are trying another route.

[quote user="nomoss"]If you go to their website and under "CONTACTS" click on "Je contacte un conseiller", you can put in your French postcode and get an 08 number, which I think you can call from UK with no problem. We have two of our cars insured with Groupama, the Assistance number provided to use from overseas is 33 1 45 16 66 66. They may be able to give you the appropriate number for your inquiry.     [/quote] Well, I've obviously p*ssed you off. Sorry, that wasn't my intent. I referred to finding an 08 number and that was as a result of your suggestion, so a belated thanks for that. The resulting recorded message we received on dialling the number was indistinct, very fast and we couldn't understand it. Our French is far from great but not non-existant. We haven't tried the 33 1 45 16 66 66. as you say this was for car insurance. Our need to speak with them relates to a claim on an artisan's deccenale insurance and it seemed a bit of a long shot that we would get very far using that number. But back to responding to having upset you... I'm usually very good at responding to people trying to help me. In this case I've obviously failed. I apologise if I've struck a nerve... and yes, thanks for trying to help.

Thanks for that. If your 09 number can take calls from UK landlines I've no idea why the Groupama 09 number rejects them. They don't even give an alternative number to call or button to press. We got hold of an 08 number which seems to be a head office type number but were met with the usual recorded message which we couldn't understand at all. Thanks anyway.

[quote user="Araucaria"]We only have an 09 ... number in France, and members of our family in the UK regularly call us on it, usually several times a day. So I can't think that there's a block on calling 09 numbers from the UK generally, in view of our own experience. [/quote] Are they calling from a UK landline or from  VOIP/Skype?

[quote user="EuroTrash"] Have you tried calling via Skype or some other VOIP service?[/quote] Thanks for the feeedback. Might have to try the VOIP/Skype route and see if it works, but don't currently use it.

Unfortunately we can't find ANY other number for them and there was no option for pressing buttons or details of another number to call. As far as I can understand, 09 prefix numbers are VOIP numbers but does that mean they can't be called by an ordinary landline, have they just blocked non-France originated calls?

Thanks... but yes, we did that.