Cendrillon

Yes Mint. Camino completed will email you soon.

Mint bonjour. I understand that the mandolin has same strings (gdae) as the violin and fingering is the same.

I would agree Idun's friends were sensible to return to the UK where they are fully able to converse in their own language. Although I managed well with my French hospital experience I was pleased that we were leaving for UK two days later and my surgery was carried out when I reached home. Also I was returning to Doctors and a Consultant who know me and my medical history. Albf we are very fortunate to have a first class GP. centre and doctors who are extremely dedicated. I am not sure that all areas are as well catered for.

I spent 24hrs in a French hospital in April Urgences and then kept in overnight. I managed well enough and speaking French wasn't a problem for me. The only English offered was from one little nurse who handed me the call button and said "press red bouton" bless her ? OH went to see a local generaliste last week. She offered to speak English but he insisted on speaking French and was proud of the fact that he managed. ?

A local National Trust cafe provides wooden cutlery. Their posher restaurant provides "real"cutlery.

Lol???

Big-carb is good for getting rid of smells, can you put some in an open box and place it inside the case for a while? Might be worth a try. Alternatively keep the open case outside in strong sunshine/ fresh air, assuming you have this type of weather at present.

There was a good Gloria cartoon in Sud Ouest Femina magazine last week, which made me smile. For those that haven't seen it, cartoon character Gloria (slightly dippy mother , housewife) is shopping for La rentree.

L'heure Charentaise. Where events start a little late, anything from 15 mins to 45mins after scheduled starting time.

Chrissie, if you lived in the country side in rural Britain you would also experience country life at its best.

[quote user="Judith"][quote user="Cendrillon"] Serving cheese before the dessert (I love this and have totally adopted the habit) Waiting for everyone to arrive before the aperos are served. [/quote] Cheese before dessert - adopted long ago Waiting for all to arrive for apero - NO way! [/quote] But we regularly visit two French families here for dinner and they do wait for everyone to arrive before the aperitifs are served. However this was not the case at their big party we attended last weekend. There everyone arrived in dribs and drabs from 20.00 onwards and ate and drank aperos until 22.30 when it was actually time to sit down to the meal.

"The conviction that in the UK you only buy your house for 99 years, after that it goes back to the government (have been "told" this loads of times)." Ah yes, the other day a very friendly French guy in the supermarket told me he understood that all UK property is eventually owned by the Queen! He was very pro Britain as he has a daughter working there. He mentioned a wonderful dessert he liked......turned out it's jelly!

Don't take too much notice of albf sometimes he has a very jaundiced view of things. Welcome to the forum by the way. Undoubtedly a holiday home will cost you money to buy and maintain but it will also give you enormous pleasure and a second life. Good luck with your search.

To add to the list: A coffee and fag for breakfast Serving cheese before the dessert (I love this and have totally adopted the habit) Waiting for everyone to arrive before the aperos are served. Bonjour and 're bonjour when you meet the same person twice in one day.

OH and I went to a concert last night. A special event held in a very large church in 16. We arrived half an hour early to find barriers all around the entrance. Samu had a van parked nearby and there were one or two police and firemen hanging around. My handbag was inspected and we were asked to show any portables or keys we were carrying. Then they used one of those hand held frisking gadgets like they use at airport security. After that we were allowed inside. The concert was well attended and started half an hour late, not sure whether this was down to extra security or " l'heure charentaise"? I definitely saw one member of the police standing on duty inside the church. Afterwards he and a pompier were outside watching closely while the gateaux and pot de l'amitie was served. I suppose this extra security was because of recent attacks but quite honestly it was something I hadn't thought about.

Totally agree Gardian

 Patf I agree.[:)]

Constance there are very few of us on this forum who have any experience of the French education system . I don't think we can begin to answer your request for advice on where to live without knowledge of your choice of university city . Both you and your husband seem to have a wealth of experience and knowledge about all things French and perhaps we are all wasting our time even trying to provide answers. So for now, bon continuation, bon courage ? et bienvenue en France.

Sometimes local trains may be operated by a substitute bus service taking passengers from station to station. Some useful findings from the others I see,

Like other parts of the world France has seen many changes over the last decade. For example there are now 13 regions instead of 22 this is very recent and supposedly for administrative purposes. Do visit France and have a good look round. A Winter visit would give a truer picture of what full time living in France is really like. Norman H, Lehaut and Sue in 56, Idun and the others have given some sound advice. There are hand-holding agencies who for a fat fee will help you re locate but whether they know the ins and outs of the education system I am not sure. If your daughter plans to use public transport to travel to school / uni the check schedules carefully. Good luck and bon weekend.

http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/region/la-braderie-de-lille-2016-est-annulee-ia19b0n3666574

"So I will ask the realtors point blank whether, if I buy a house, our daughter is eligible to attend a nearby school, and I assume she will be eligible." I don't think the realtors (Immobiliers) will necessarily be able to answer this question they are really only interested in selling their properties. Have you visited France recently and looked at different regions?

I made a mistake, there were apparently 7 of them![:$] By the way I've just listened to most of the link you posted, it's hilarious!

I was told by the person leading our French group (on 14 July this year) that there were only 5 in the Bastille when the event took place.

Garden Girl it's the same for us. U. K. and France.