sackville

Sorry to be picky but either your location is out of date or Creuse has been moved. It it to the east of Limoges

What is the situation should a deceased person have children - who would legally inherit part of the estate but their wherabouts is unknown?

Please do not just dump them on someone who you assume will look after them. We have friends in Deux Sevres who are affected by this. They currently feed about 30 cats  - eleven were dumped on them last year. It is difficult from a cost point of view. If you must do this please leave at least €50 with them.

Be aware that there are three types of bay. The bay laurel is the hedgeing  tree and is poisonous, the oleandear is also called bay -something or other - in France.The one you want if you are thinking of just taking a leaf or two for cooking is laurus nobilus - sweet bay. It can be tender in a pot depending on where you live. The latin names are the surest way to know what you are getting.

First Direct are very good at spotting unusual card use. I had a call one day to check if I had made some mistakes trying to use my card online (I had) as apparently one trick is to try and put through a very small charge to check that the card details will be accepted before the big fraudulant amount.

A bonfire once or twice a year! I wish. We have about a hectare with loads of trees and hedges. Some trees are polarded and the hedges are cut about twice a year. Between these cuttings, the twigs and stuff which gets blown off the trees, the hydrangea heads, pampas grass cuttings and those weeds like couch grass and bramble which must be burned I could do with a bonfire about once a month. What I would like to know is how the French manage to burn damp stuff. An hour after it has stopped raining I have seen a Frenchman with a gently burning bonfire. Me , I have resorted to barbeque lighter fluid at times. And yes, I do compost whatever I can.

Just checked again and it is now blue! It was definately white at 5 30 yesterday and this is not the first time it has been incorrect. It does have the goos old get out on the EDF site "non contractual"

White days are allowed on a Sunday. They have just sneaked one in tomorow!

Hello, I, too, have only just seen your post. I also live in Correze not far from Brive. - I have checked with my husband and he assures me that his name is not Andrew. In response to your query. It is a beautiful department and as Rob Roy points out the further north and east you go the more remote and rugged it gets. Another thing to consider is how much of a Brit community you want. Stephen Clarke (author of A Year in the Merde)  reckoned that this particular area was the part of France least discovered by brits in an article he wrote last year. A lot of rot really but if you want a greater Brit population you should look around Pompadour and Lubersac. Property - all prices and it is impossible to say whether prices have gone up much as all French houses are individual. Hope that helps and if you want any more specifc advice please pm me Regards Val

For some reason I thought that the place where the dog was unhappy was a vets. I have seen this many times. It seems to be a combination of the slippery floor and the smell of vets (like me and the smell of hospitals)

The only time I have had my purse snatched was in Madris near the plaza de sol. I stupidly had my bad slung over my shoulder. I have traveled the NY metro, the Paris metro, the London underground and I would say that the risks are the same. If you are paranoide don't leave home otherwise just take care.

Proper airport. Park in whichever carpark you wish. The further away from the terminal the cheaper. There is a shuttle bus to deliver you to the terminal and return you. Take a ticket on entry and pay with (certainly French probably other as well) card on exit.

Something very similar happens on British motorways.I knew a garage owner who, when he lost the towing rights, found it had an adverse effect on his business. Exactly who does the allocating of contracts I do not know

It is bicarbonate alimentaire. Where it will be is another matter - best to ask

Not quite as subtle as  Le Corbeau then.