Celestine

My biggest towns are Chantonnay and Fontenay, Dept 85. Didnt realise that about hard cheeses, that might not be so bad then.

My friend is coming to stay for 5 days which is great news. However, she is lactose intolerant and wheat too! Seems my world famous lasagna wont be appreciated this time round! Can anyone advise me on which products to buy instead of the normal things please, rather than me having to stand in the supermarket for hours reading labels that I dont understand lol. Is there a wheat-free pasta in France and would I be able to find it in the hypermarkets? I also need some alternative butter or margarine, cheese (goats cheese is OK but want some kind of grateable really), mayo and bread that isnt wheat bread. Any help much appreciated :)  

I have been in touch with MSA and we can pay monthly but not until next year now, we are too late this year. Although we have been putting away about 40% of my husbands earnings for the cotisations, we are worried by some of the scare stories that we wont have enough to pay the bill when it comes in. Has anyone had the problem of not having enough money to pay their cotisations and what was the outcome please?

Thats a good idea! Will mention it to her, thanks very much

I cant give her a UK cheque cos theres no money in the account hence needing to get some money in there lol. The other option, getting her to pay it, is a good one but theyre not out again until Aug. Good idea though

I need it to go into my UK bank account and my SIL was going to change it up at a bureau (cant remember which one but she said it was a good rate) then pay it in for me. This would give me a much better rate than sending it via my French bank and being charged here, then being charged in the UK to change it up and lose money on the exchange rate too. Will have to think of a different way. Thanks anyway [:)]

So theres no sort of registered post that I could get a signature for at the other end then?

Hi there, Does anyone know if there is a safe way to send some cash back to the UK please? It would be about 100 euros so I need to know that it will get to the owner with no problems. Cheers

Oh really? Thats good to know, thanks!

Going back to these cotisations again, I have seen a leaflet that says it is possible to pay them monthly. Can this be set up once the bill comes in or does it need to be set up well beforehand? We are with MSA if that makes any difference.

Have been meaning to go over there, so thanks for the recommendation, will have to give it a try.

Thanks very much for that!

Does anyone know of a good market on a Monday in the Vendéé please?

I recently found a dog wandering along a road and took her in. Ive taken her to the vets to check for tattoos or chips but theres neither. We had decided that we would keep her but she is becoming a nuisance. We have 2 other older dogs which come in at night and sleep in the kitchen. The new dog, Stella, is obviously not house trained and pees and poos on the floor EVERY night. We take her for long walks before bedtime, she will not do any business until the minute she steps foot in the kitchen, then she does the lot! I cant leave her outside at night as she howls - she definitely got Beagle in her - and boy does she howl, so no good for the neighbours, my parents or my son trying to sleep. She has a cataract in 1 eye and the vet has said he thinks she is old. Shes obviously been bred from many times and had a hard life as she cries if she thinks she is going to be hit and wees from fright (we arent mean to her!) and is very submissive, crawling on her belly along the floor. I dont want to sound mean -  shes too much for us. We are going on holiday later this year and will have to pay for her jabs and boarding her in kennels but whats the alternative? Who is going to want to take this dog off our hands? What other alternatives are there? Is there a rescue place that would take her in? Feel a bit like we did a good turn and its come back and bitten our butts lol. Thanks for any advice.

OK, thanks very much. Shes gone back outside now and tends to stay in next doors barn so I guess its up to her now. Thanks for your help everyone

This is the thing, I thought she was having them yesterday but she seems to have stopped today lol. I would be willing to look after the kittens if she has them and yes, perhaps I will have a word with my neighbour. Good advice thanks

Next doors cat is pregnant AGAIN! He hasnt had her done so shes always pregnant then the kittens disappear - Im assuming theyve been disposed of. Yesterday, she came over to my house (I do feed her every night!) and started meowing and following me everywhere. I made up a box for her with covers in but as soon as I moved she jumped out. She did this for most of the day, then it just stopped and shes not doing it at all today although shes still keen to stay here when she would usually be an outside cat. Has anyone else had this happen? She did this once before, exactly the same symptons and had her kitten on my kitchen floor! Unfortunately once my back was turned she fled with kitten still attached and that kitten was never seen again. Wasnt sure if maybe labour could be a long process with cats and yesterday was a false alarm? Any advice please?

OK thanks for those suggestions. Chantonnay is in the Vendée yes - Dept 85.

Right all, need some help please. My sister-in-law, hubby and 2 kids (aged 8 and 10) are arriving for a few days next weekend. We had planned to go to the coast for the day (realise it wont be sunbathing weather but least can walk about) and other trips out and about but Im beginning to doubt the weather is going to be anything but grey and wet lol. What else is there that we could do? We have lived here for over 3 years but havent done much of the touristy stuff, tending to stick to lakes and free things. Sight-seeing of the pretty villages isnt the same when its raining! Any suggestions please?

Thanks to everyone thats helped with this, I have passed the link over to my friends for them to read thru. Youve all been very helpful and theyvenow got some good info to go on.

Thanks very much for your help too. Ive just emailed this info to them. I know they havent paid any cotisations and that the gite doesnt earn huge amounts of money so the private insurance route is probably the best way for now. Thanks again!

Hi all, I did post this in another section about health cover - Cooperlola was very helpful but didnt know the answers and suggested I posted here, so here goes: My friends have been here for 3 1/2 years so their E106 ran out some time ago. When they tried to apply for their carte vitale they were told to wait until they registered their gite and got a siret number. This they have done and gone back to get their carte vitale but with the new rules they have been refused. The gite is classed as inactif even tho they pay tax on it. They have been quoted 4500 for private 70% health cover for 2 adults, 2 children - which they cant afford. If they dont get the private cover, is this classed as illegal? Would they still get treated if they had to go into hospital? Why is a gite with a siret number classed as inactif? They have been steered in the direction of Gamex (sp?) now - fingers crossed they get some answers! Can anyone shed anymore light on this or has anyone had similar problems please?

OK, thanks very much for your help. I shall pass this info on and they can post on the gite sub forum to follow up.

Oh I dont know. I know they kept going to CPAM, they tried 2 separate offices without success. What would you suggest they do please?

My friends have been here for 3 1/2 years so their E106 ran out some time ago. When they tried to apply for their carte vitale they were told to wait until they registered their gite and got a siret number. This they have done and gone back to get their carte vitale but with the new rules they have been refused. The gite is classed as inactif even tho they pay tax on it. They have been quoted 4500 for private 70% health cover for 2 adults, 2 children - which they cant afford. If they dont get the private cover, is this classed as illegal? Would they still get treated if they had to go into hospital? Why is a gite with a siret number classed as inactif? They have been steered in the direction of Gamex (sp?) now - fingers crossed they get some answers!