Washy

Your picture did not want to download........and anyway I do not want to think back to the snow, it is 25 degrees here today, I've come in from the garden to cool down........winter is a long way away.

In the back streets behind Lidl in Narbonne, there is a terrible junction...well for little cars anyway.  It is at a stop sign, the road it crosses being marginally more busy, but there is a very high speed bump right at the junction. Great because folk have no option but to stop, but it proved awkward for a tiny electric car yesterday.  There was a diversion in place and all traffic was directed along this road.  We were behind this very small car which seemed to have two people and a dog in it, it slowed down so much it did not make it over this mountain of a speed bump, it in fact rolled back towards us.  Fortunately we had left plenty of space, there was much waving of arms in the sans permis, I think they were lucky not to beach themselves.

TNT television - goes with a bang...sorry I am in a good mood today. www.darty.fr sent me a promotional e-mail yesterday about TNT tv. It is not a satellite system but offers 14 french channels, quite a variety,  through a set top box (analogue).  It is meant to boost poor signals and states that you can use it with just a small indoor aerial.  This could be useful for people only wanting french tv.  Or it could have its uses in our household if I wanted to watch the news or soaps on french tv and my husband wanted to watch the cricket tests on satellite. As I said on another topic as a result of the e-mail from Darty we went down to Narbonne but no one in the shop had a clue what we were on about, apparently it is not available in all areas.

Hold the front page!    There is something new out called TNT television specifically for French analogue systems with bad reception.  Darty sent me a promotional e-mail yesterday morning, so when we were in Narbonne we popped in to ask about it......none of the sales people had heard about it! Typical....Nevermind the basic idea is this: it is a small decoder (various prices) which is also a signal booster.  It offers 14 channels for free including the usual ones.  It works with old analogue tv's and only needs a small internal aerial, some prices as low as 14 euros.  Have a look at www.darty.fr I have a feeling it is not available in all areas of France.

Something we also found out here which is really useful are long lengths of different sized bands and a range of clips, so that you can make up your own clip to fit. Excellent idea.  May be called a Jeux(set) de colliers de serrage.

Hooray, some good news at last.  Only took a week, I posted the request to Land Rover France and it was returned in just 7 days, brilliant. I did not even ask for another form I just typed up my own letter in the same style as their original and provided the info and the dosh and that was that. It must have been on their computer with no anomalies. Now the dilema....I have decided this time to take the forms personally to the Prefecture but do I wait until after April 1st when DRIRE is supposedly being privatised in Carcassonne, or do I confidently go tomorrow hoping I do not even have to be sent to Mr Grumpy at DRIRE?????  Hummm I think a cool glass of muscat in the evening sun is needed to make that decision but I certainly feel a lot happier. Meanwhile the old Range Rover is in pieces at the garage, but I will be pleased to have a legal car to drive soon.

I blame this conversation on new wide screen enormous televisions!  I do not watch much tv (yet) here and then only French tv on a tiny portable.  I was in shock when I visited a friend and sat quite close to her widescreen digital tv.  It made me jump to see tv personalities up so close and it such detail.  Every line, patch of dry skin, wrinkle, tuck etc. is so visible. Frightening. 

Could my son then force me to sell and only take 1/4?  I am on my way to the notaire or avocat?  Thanks for the comments.

Sorry to bring up this old chesnut again but it is praying on my mind. We have a son from my husband's previous marriage. I brought him up as his mum died in childbirth. All was lovely until we decided to go to France. The son turned a bit nasty and wanted his 'inheritance' there and then - long story I won't go into. So now there is some animosity between us. He is 21 and living in the UK. We live in France and have pensions, life insurance and a small investment through the UK. If my husband dies before me will I have to share everything with my son? Also I have read that as I did not adopt my son then I do not have 'usufruit' right to reside the property? I would not want to live in our present property alone as I could not cope with the wood cutting, isolation etc. If somehow I do have a right to live carry on living here then decide to sell, how much would I have to share with my son. I have no intention of disinheriting him but I do not want to be destitute, especially with regards to pensions, insurance and investment. Any help and suggestions of responsible ways around what I think could prove to be a difficult situation for me in the future would be greatly appreciated.

Anyone else had experience of this investment?  Before leaving the UK I deposited an amount in this off shore investment.  We were badly advised by a friend and insurance agent some years ago now.  The first year it made a loss.  Coincidentally the amount of the loss was the amount our agent received in commission???? Then the following year it made up this loss - just.  The next six months it made a tiny profit.  If we remove the money before 8 years investment, we loose £8000 and this is on a sliding scale dependant on how long we leave the money with them.  Of course it is based on stocks and shares and I have not got a clue about these.  I would have preferred to see my money in a bank account earning a small amount each year, certainly not making a loss. We have the option to make changes to the portfolio of companies into which Zurich have invested our money but I again haven't a clue about this, nor has our agent/friend. Zurich guarantees to 'make a profit out of the investment', but when? Over the long term or just the last six months before the cut of date of 8 years? To me it seems a good way to use my money while paying me the minimum, which seems to be un unknown quantity at the moment.  The only one to profit so far has been the agent...! I had hoped the interest on this would add to my living allowance out here in France and I could take a monthly amount out, so far it has not made anything worth taking out!!!  I am tempted to cut my losses and remove the money, the money I had in my Livret A at La Poste made more money last year and that is a tiny amount by comparaison. Has anyone else had experience of this so called 'Wealth Account'?  Or any ideas how to manage it? And howdo I declare this on my Franch Tax form???? WHo will believe it has not made any money yet???

Hi Hagar, I have read with interest (sorry about the banking pun!) all your comments and note that you can tranfers money using the internet. This was something RBS told me was 'impossible, and no other UK bank offers this service' - clearly trying not to loose my custom. If, now as a French resident, I try to open a UK HSBC account and move my pension and other standing orders without a personal visit to the UK, I think I will run into difficulties. I have decided to wind things down quicker in the UK and depend more on my french bank (La Poste). Incidentally the row continues with RBS who (Jan - Mid March now...!) cannot tell me which of my letters actioned the transfer, so I do not know to this day whether I still have a letter floating about the universe.  Or whether this letter is going to suddenly appear and zap out £2000???  So I need to write another letter cancelling that action.  So much paperwork in this electronic age...Yuk. 

Sorry about your trees.   I had them all around my garden in the UK and hated them but they did a good job of hiding an ugly neighbour....sorry wall... I am growing some Paulownia Tormentosa from seed (Iam a glutton for punishment!)  these are very fast growing trees, which can grow 20ft in the first year.  They grow to a max of about 60ft, but they can be cut hard back each year and will grow out from the base about 10ft each year into a large leaved bush.  They also have purple, orchid-like flowers.  They are available at pepinieres as not everyone like me wants to take so much trouble.  They are the trees you see pollarded down south here for shade, their leaves can be as much as a foot across. I am sure they are not as cheap as Leylandii but so much more beautiful.

Or maybe an April 'poisson' .....we heard today that DRIRE is to be privatised on April 1st....and that my favourite man at Carcassonne is out of a job.......Our garagiste in the village flagged me down to tell me this she was so excited!!  She too has been at the receiving end of the whims of the dreaded man more than once having imported cars from belgium.  She was told by a local gov. worker about this who says it will be a much simpler process to get cars reregistered, all done by the Prefecture.  So keep everything crossed.....Does anyone else know of this happening in other departements?

You sound in a similar position to us. Everyone  resident here has to fill in a tax form as others have said.  I have just downloaded the forms from the government website.  www.impots.gouv.fr .  It looks a nightmare, and I speak fluent french!!!  There is also a page on this site to calculate your possible tax bill.  The first time I filled this in it calculated I would owe 20,000 euros in tax....!!!  On my second try it reckoned I owed nothing which is more like it, and it should be the same for you.  I printed two copies out so that I can fill one in in rough.  Have a go.  And post it before the deadline.

No one scanned any of our pets. We had the four cats stacked up in separate cats boxes in the back of the car and the dog in another car.  We were prepared to move one of the cats over as the regs used to say only three animals per car. No one really bothered, they glanced at the paper work at the pet check-in at Portsmouth, the dog had been out of the second car in the doggy toilet area and the other check-in girl came out to stroke him as we put him back in, and again a glance at the paperwork and that was it.  They counted the cats, but no one said 'only three', so we left all four together. Good luck, and if you are taking them far send me a PM as I can pass on my methods. Washy

I have just had a terrible time transferring money from my bank account in the UK with Royal Bank of Scotland to our post office account here. This is something that we have done many times in the last three years, no problems, although it seems antiquated that we have to send a letter each time. This time I knew I needed money in March for the electricity connection, and now loads of work to the car to get our french plates, so in January I sent a letter asking for a transfer. It usually takes 2 weeks, so after 2 weeks I rang the bank, no sign of the letter....I had not sent it registered.  So I sent another letter and a copy of the previous letter, increasing the amount as I knew about other forthcoming bills.  This was sent at the beginning of Feb. No sign of it for ages, rang the bank and they said they had no idea where it was as the mail is intercepted and does not come to the branch at all, my letter would have gone direct to the International Department.  RBS could not even get in touch with their International department or Royworld Express who handle the transfers.  I could no contact them either as they do not have a number for the public????? Next, on Sunday 27th Fen I notice the money has gone from my uk account, I used telephone banking.  By Monday 8th March there was still no sign of it in my account, meanwhile I received a letter from RBS saying the money had been sent to Paris, wrong, all the information I sent was for the money to go to Montpellier. Nightmare. I rang RBS again they lodged a complaint with their International section but we have to wait a further 5 working days for a reply????? RBS branch cannot contact Royworld, and neither am I able to???? The letter from RBS did not have the date of my letter so I did not know whether it was the first or second letter, and they could not tell me.  I was distraught, and I am trying to explain to them that it is a criminal offence to go overdrawn. I started this procedure in January - today, March 8th the money finally arrived but I still have no idea which letter they used? In this day and age why cannot international transfers be made by internet banking or by fax???? It is infinitely more risky to send a letter with all bank details and loose it as we did. Does anyone know a better method, or any bank that will do this by internet or fax, please?

Wow Nick....sorry this topic enraged you sooooooo much!!! I have the answer from my mate (!!) at DRIRE here, they are illegal if not factory fitting and an original part of the design of the car. So I am very glad ours will have to be removed before we take the Land Rover to DRIRE.  No other way around it it seems.

Hi all, I did not expect this thread to go on so long but I and others must have gathered very important information. Dave and Olive, yes I must admit we thought of pushing the car off the mountain. A french friend of ours telephoned the Prefecture and really made a strong complaint about this man at DRIRE, he gave his name and stated that he had many ex-pat friends who were having problems with the man's attitude, the person at the Prefecture took all the details and logged the complaint but encouraged us to write in, which as I said I will do when I have got my cars through. This was on Monday. Yesterday afternoon we decided to go ahead with the work and grit our teeth to get the Range Rover through at least as it is a well cared-fro and cherished car.  I had to ring the garage, of course they were pleased, money money money....Then I rang DRIRE, he was a nice a pie, sickly so (obviously I suppose). 'I am only here to help you Mrs W., not to make problems....'yuk! He was even trying to be humorous, so I told him we had a Land Rover to do as well, Oh no, he said I hope that is not GPL as well.'  It is not, so he said I should have no problems.....we shall see.....next episode soon.  Oh thanks above for the comments re the seats, we do not have a Carte Grise of any sort to refer to so now we know. I also dared to ask DRIRE about the Bull Bars - Pare-bouffe (?spellng), of course they are illegal if not an original fitting to the vehicle, yipeeee I can get him indoors to remove it!

Bull bars - I hate them, this would be a good opportunity to persuade my hubby to take them off......! I presume as we fitted them and they were not standard to the Land Rover they should come off if we are summoned to DRIRE? I mentioned this at the end of my posting on GPL and DRIRE but as this is a lengthy posting I thought I would post separately. Merci again to all the well-informed people who are saving me unwanted, extra trips to DRIRE.

To Vienne Billlygoat above, please let me know how you get on with the LPG Land Rover, and the RHD diesel one.  Removing the LPG system was given to us as an option but then I suppose if it was replaced after the DRIRE report we would be illegal. We have almost decided to go ahead with the expensive (2500euros), changes to the lpg and petrol tanks on the Range Rover,and at least have one legal car to drive around in, it is after all our cherished, oldest, most comfortable car. Today we looked over the Land Rover RHD diesel, checking for E2 numbers which the DRIRE in Carcassonne seems to hate, E2 is for the UK.  Sure enough all the windows are stamped E2...I expect he will have a fit when he sees them.  The windscreen has no number and the sun roof is E11, does anyone know which european country is E11???  Apart from that everything else looks fairly standard but the engine has been changed....so we may have another nightmare. With the LR papers we will take them to the Prefecture, not send them via the Mairie in the village. MeowPoo, yes I am aware of the garage you mention, the only other GPL authorised garage in our area is REP Auto in Carcassonne, this is the one we know and the one we will use, even if I think he seems to have a special relationship with the man from DRIRE. We have 'Bull Bars' (I hate them....) on the Land Rover, should I take these off before attempting another DRIRE visit? Also, does anyone know whether the number of seats is registered on the Carte Grise, as we have a full set of back seats for the LR but do not know wheher to put them in or not. I love this forum.......someone always knows the right answers without me having to ring the UK.  I would be lost without this.  

Regarding the Limoux check, were all cars being stopped or was it just British cars?  As the posting above mentions there are many Belgian, German etc. drivers in the same situation.

Quillan, Where can I get Perspectives from, we are in the wilds of the Haute Corbieres and not much new filters through here.  At least I have the internet but other friends would appreciate local news.  

Getting nowhere on the LPG situation at the moment as there is only one other garage qualified in the Aude to do homologated GPL fittings and that is near to the DRIRE in Narbonne.  I went to the one in Carcassone and he seems to know the DRIRE guy very well.  French friend is going to ring an LPG garage in Perpignan (66) tomorrow to see if I can get a better quote or go out of departement to have it checked.  Same french man also rang the prefecture to register a complaint about the attitude of the man at DRIRE, I will be making a formal complaint when this is all over, whatever the outcome. We also have a Land Rover to change to french plates, it is not lpg, but does not have the original engine so I do not know if we are even going to bother with DRIRE.  It is our old workhorse here for towing on site mainly, will probably give it to my son to drive back in the summer. My problem at present is playing for time.  I am worried that the man from DRIRE will put a time limit on our taking the car out of the country and inform the Gendarmes as he was telling the arab man that day.  He gave him a month to do the work or else. Does anyone know if there is an equivalent of a SORN declaration in France?  We could do this and to the car back to the UK if necessary.

Ha, sorry about the typo 'nut', not a comment to you Dick or a reference to my state of mind - although some may argue.   And Furryknickers, the cat in the picture is one that I had to rehome last year for a friend, she was sweet, no idea about the parentage.  Incedentally they four were rehomed successfully with the help of people who read this Forum.

Well you are right Dick, I had sort of wanted a serious reply....nut I have enjoyed reading the comments.  I do not intend to go out quietly and do want a non religious funeral.  My friend's funeral was great, we are in a tiny village, her casket was wheeled down the hill by locals on a special trolley, her dad played clarinet, everyone said something about our friend and the most heart wrenching bit was when a good friend sang Amazing Grace. Incidentally the 'Dead Good Funeral Book' has some very interesting non religious funerals and a papier mache eccological casket can be bought.  I have my eye on a purple one with whisy doves on it.......they are advertised in Permaculture Magazine Earth Repair catalogue and CAT Centre For Alternative Technology. My real reason for writing this posting was to see if anyone knew if one could be turned away from a French cemetery or not.