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ventodue

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Everything posted by ventodue

  1. [quote user="Loiseau"]Here they all are, as a refresher: https://fr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panneau_de_signalisation_routière_de_priorité_en_France <snip>[/quote] And don't forget: "La priorité à droite est le régime qui s’applique en l’absence de signalisation. On ne signale donc que les intersections qui offrent un caractère dangereux, soit par l'importance ou par la nature de la circulation qui les fréquente, soit par la disposition des lieux". Drive defensively out there.  This is France, remember  ... [;-)]
  2. Under the statuts du Parti socialiste français, M. Peillon should have paid over to the party a part of the indemnité that he received as a eurodeputé. You may consider this to be a backdoor way of using public funds to finance a particular political party. "I could not possibly comment ..."
  3. Hi Mogs, I see that oaks are (one of the many) larval food plants for Winter Moth, so Winter Moth they probably are. You'll have to a take a photo the next time you get infested :-).  Do they look like this ?  Dunno how long they'll 'hang around' for ... http://www.gardenfocused.co.uk/images/pests/winter-moth/caterpillar.jpg Craig
  4. Yep, as Andy's post:  the most likely candidate is Winter Moth. Other candidates include certain species of sawfly and also other moths, such as Oak Tortrix Moth.  Have a look at the species of tree they're dangling from - that might help identify them. Craig
  5. I agree that these days, a silicone bed could well be the way to go.  So this is really just for info: The glass should be held in with clips or springs, Ian. See if this link works: http://media.wiley.com/Lux/30/82730.image16.jpg?h=400&w=535 However, these clips are often missing, as I think you've just found out.  Unfortunately, they are often of a proprietary nature which means that if over the years they rust out or snap, they don't get replaced ... Also, try to use a metal glazing putty, not a timber or 'all purpose' putty.  These latter normally contain linseed oil which won't work with metal casements (the oil doesn't get absorbed and starts bleeding out, and then the putty fails).  Trouble is, metal glazing putty can be hard to find, especially in small quantities. It must be over-painted, too. P.s  And if you want to do the job properly, don't forget to paint the glass rebates while you're there.  Otherwise you risk them rusting and, 'Crack!!' That's the glass gone!
  6. Hi Charlie, Maybe I'm being thick here, but if the bike's going into store in the UK, why can't you simply buy a UK storage policy - thru someone like Carole Nash for instance, if they still do them. (And now part of Groupama, itself a French company). That way you would retain a continuous insurance record which you could produce to reactivate your on-road insurance when back in France. HTH Craig RGS Corsa owner
  7. [quote user="AnOther"]Both posts by ventodue contain disinformation ![/quote] Thank you to AnOther for clarifying certain nuances in what I wrote, none of which I would contest.  The only minor correction I should offer, however, because it is relevant to the OP's question, is: [quote user="AnOther"]Legally a French resident is not permitted to purchase <snip> a non French registered vehicle.[/quote] Hmm.  Not quite.  A French resident may PURCHASE a non-French registered vehicle.  What he/she is NOT permitted to do is to to drive it on foreign plates, notwithstanding the behaviour of certain of your French neighbours, Angie.
  8. [quote user="You can call me Betty"] <snip>If you sell a UK registered car or van and the vehicle isn't in the UK, presumably the sale will still have to go through the DVLA and if so, to all intents and purposes, it'll STILL be registered in the UK. [/quote] No, it's relatively painless.  When you sell the vehicle, you hand over the V5C to the new owner and declare the vehicle to the DVLA as being  'Permanently exported'.  They take it off their 'live' database.  Then, when the new owner applies to re-register it here, he hands over the old V5C to the French authorities.  They make a check with the DVLA that the vehicle is no longer 'live' in the UK and 'Bob's Your Uncle'  ... Craig
  9. Hi Angie, 1.  First off, as Andy says, if you are French resident*, then you had one month from the date you imported the van to re-register it here in France.  As you didn't, you can now cop a fine of 135€. Go: https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F1050 2.  If you are UK resident, then you can use the vehicle here on UK plates, normally for a period of up to 6 months but in any event not for more than 12, provided you continue to comply with UK statutory requirements (tax, MOT) and whatever your insurance policy says. Afterwards, you can sell it on to a French resident.  To do so, you would have to make the necessary declaration to the DVLC that the vehicle had been permanently exported.  And your buyer would have to go thru the necessary steps to get it re-registered here: VAT clearance, technical conformity, CT, etc. * Note: this applies to all French residents, not just to French nationals.  Andy's post may be read to imply otherwise. HTH Craig
  10. Curiously, taping the paint name into Tinternet, I come across this thread on a Leroy Merlin forum.  This time, tho', it's people complaining about the paint going off too quick! So, is there a problem with the formulation of this stuff?  Could be ... http://communaute.leroymerlin.fr/t5/Satisfait-Pas-satisfait-Dites-le/Peinture-Glyc%C3%A9ro-V33-mat-professionnel-en-10L/td-p/229704
  11. It was, John, it was .... Actually, I'm still trying to work out how I could have been so dumb .  But keep that between you and me, will you? Craig
  12. My, am I the Stupid One! Sorry John, and thanks to everyone else for pointing out my foolishness: yes, of course it's a Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs, Fr. Pinson des arbres. Duh! Apologies again! [Ever overthink things? Yeah, well, happens ... :-)) ]
  13. Wow ! This is a good one, John! It’s a sub-adult of either Siskin, Carduelis spinus, Fr. Tarin des aulnes; or of Citril Finch, Serinus citronella, Fr. Venturon montagnard. 1. First off, it’s a finch, not a warbler - bill shape and size tell us that. 2. By the colouration, it’s one of the green finches. But the wing bars rule out Greenfinch. 3. So that leaves us with either Siskin or Citril Finch. These two species are very similar - both have double wing-bars, for example, more or less yellow according to the sex and the time of year. But which? To be honest, I’m not sure. It doesn’t help that your bird hasn’t yet put on full adult dress. 1. Against Citril Finch is the fact that Citril Finch is really a bird of the mountains - viz. the French name - from where it doesn’t move much. Nearest typical habitat to you would be the Pyrenees or the Montage Noire. That’s not to say one couldn’t turn up in the plains, but it would be unusual. 2. Against Siskin is that your bird shows very little belly streaking. Even the juveniles have this and it’s retained into adulthood. Your bird does have some light streaking, but it’s on the back; but this is right for Citril. Sub-adult Siskin should also show something of a pale supercilium - I can’t see anything on yours. For a first year bird, the sides of the face should also typically be browner, rather than grey. However, confusingly, female Siskins tend to go greyer around the face in the winter. So no great clue there! 3. For Citril Finch is the tail which is quite long - Siskin is relatively short. 4. For Siskin is the pale area at the base of the primaries (I think that's where it is ...). I can't find any references to this showing in Citril. So, conclusion: Err, not sure! Craig
  14. "La valise ou le cercueil..." was the choice offered to the pieds-noirs by certain Algerian nationalists. The first pieds-noirs who chose the valise rather than cercueil were classified as 'vacanciers' by the government when they arrived here. Most arrived with nothing, having been forced to leave all their worldly goods behind. Even their official papers, such as birth and marriage certificates, so important to do anything in France, were left in the ownership of the Algerian government. So they debarked with nothing, not even proof of identity or qualification, into a society which classed them as rich, pampered racists - even if most of them were actually simply 'bakers, butchers and candle-stick makers'. But, with the possible exception of the Harkis, no-one comes out well of the story. Not the pieds-noirs, not the French government, not the French army, not the French people, not the Algerian nationalists nor their government. No wonder France still has troubles dealing with it.
  15. A nasty, nasty period of French history.  I can well understand the sense of betrayal and abandonment, and how it carries on down the generations. "Je vous ai compris!" The choice of 19 March is worse than simply provocative.  It smacks of a desire to be deliberately cruel and insulting.
  16. Hi Dave, What do you want to do with the images that these cameras capture?  Intervene yourself?  Or offer them as evidence in an eventual police case? I ask, because both options are fraught with potential difficulties.  For example, in our residence here, after a few minor infractions committed by members of a certain ethnic minority goup, several members of our conseil syndical knee-jerk reacted into demanding the installation of CCTV.  Once it was pointed out that: a) The cameras have to be monitored in real time by someone if you want to put a stop to what ever is going on; b) Their use as evidence in a legal case is not a simple matter (you need to look into this more) It was decided to install caméras factices instead.  Of course, this was a total waste of money, 'cos those who know recognise tham as fakes and ignore them.  But at least it was a smaller 'Bad Spend'  than the Real Thing ... Craig
  17. Kong wrote the following post at 20/01/2016 19:47: I wish I could find some Seville oranges... You normally have to ask for them specially.  Most primeurs won't have them as part of their regular stuff. Ask for 'oranges amères' or 'Bigaradiers'.  They're not the same as Sevilles, but they do the job.  Just be aware of a minimum order quantity, however!
  18. First off, congratulations on getting your accounts unblocked, Chrissie!  That said ... [quote user="nomoss"] Some postpersons take it on themselves to decide not to deliver letters if the name on the letter does not correspond to that of any person who they believe lives in the house.[/quote] I do tend to feel that your facteur/factrice bears a certain amount of responsibility in this sorry tale.  Putting aside the lack of exercise of any common sense, I note that in the Conditions générales de vente de la Poste  the requirement to have matching names on the letter box and on the letter would appear to apply only to immeubles collectifs.  I quote (my underlining): "L’absence de boîte aux lettres, son inaccessibilité ou, dans le cas d’un immeuble collectif, l’absence d’indications nominatives ou d’un numéro sur la boîte aux lettres, permettant de faire le lien entre les mentions portées sur l’envoi postal et celles figurant sur la boîte aux lettres, décharge La Poste de son obligation de distribution à l’adresse indiquée par l’expéditeur". Alinéa 4.3 https://www.laposte.fr/particulier/conditions-generales-de-vente
  19. 1.  Ignore the threatening phone calls.  Two weeks delay in making a payment isn't going to make any difference to a company that is financially healthy.  And if the company isn't healthy, better that the money stays in your pocket than they go bust on you holding your cash, and leaving you with a half-completed project. 2.  Mondial's web-site still lists an agency in the Dordogne: Mondial Piscine 24100 CREYSSE 24 Dordogne France You or your project manager might like to contact this agency as a matter of urgency ~ and certainly before your site meeting ~ to try to ascertain the truth about their operations in your area and, if possible, their relationship with your contractor.  I don't see how you can do this except face~to~face, btw. 3.  If you decide after the site meeting that you are happy with the pool as it now is ~ I trust you know what criteria you will use to ascertain this? ~ then I advise you to think carefully about changing contractors at this stage.  Changing horses in mid-stream opens up all kinds of horrible mixed liability issues in the event of things going wrong.  'Frying pan to fire', 'Better the Devil you know' etc. If the company is going bust, they will most likely initially be put into redressement judiciaire.  This is similar to being put into admnistration in the UK, i.e. the company is allowed to continue to trade while being protected from its creditors.  This period can last for 6 to 18 months, which will hopefully be long enuf to get your pool finished, particularly if you owe them some money.  But no promises ... 4.  As to whether you have grounds to break the contract with your current installer, that will depend on what he undertook to supply in the first place.  Without the exact wording in front of them, I don't think anyone can advise you.  Can you post on it here?
  20. Hi CeeJay,   I'm with Quillan on this.    1.  'Pound to a penny' that it wasn't a lightning strike.  Those are a) pretty unusual; b) will typically blow pretty much everything in, on or around the circuitry!   2.  Seeing as your problem was associated with only one part of the installation, logically the fault is somewhere in that part.  To try and pin down its origin, first have a look at the type of breaker that's tripping.  Essentially, there are 2 different types, each with its own purpose.    A MCB = miniture circuit breaker = disjoncteur divisionnaire is the modern equivalent of the old-fashioned  fuse.  These detect overloads (including short-circuits) in parts of the installation and are designed to protect the installation and its components.  From the sound of it, this was the problem Quillan had - an overload.  This may be your case, too.  Solution is simple: reduce the laod on that part of the installation (Do not simply up the maximum load of the MCB; that risks putting the remainder of the circuitry, including the cabling, in danger).   A RCD = residual current device = interrupteur différentiel detects leaks to earth and imbalances between the poles.  They are designed to protect people and are much more sensitive than MCBs.  If this is what is popping out, you may have a breakdown in the insulation somewhere in one of the freezers or its wiring.   HTH   Craig    
  21. [quote user="Debra"]I find that people worry a lot less about things like woodworm and rot in France than they do in the UK [/quote]  +1, Debra.  The whole thing with dry rot in the UK can be traced back to a large part to the timber frame housing scandal of the 1980s.   Yes, for sure, the abuses were rife and the consequences serious. But unfortunately certain scare-mongering 'experts' have been making their living off it ever since .... [quote user="Debra"]The only thing that would put me off would be termites.[/quote] Ah!  There's a simple solution to that one, too!  Build in concrete/stone/brick/steel ... Hey, like wot they do round here  ... [:D][:-))]
  22. [quote user="ross.e"]  so without wanting to seem too foolish and a time waster we have decided to complete the purchase. "arghhhhh" - I hear you say - "what a tosser..." [/quote] Absolutely not.  The exact opposite, in fact.  You have wasted no-one's time who wasn't willing to give it; and, at the end, after just a little wobble, you've made a reasoned and informed decision. I hope it turns out to be the right one, good on yer, and I hope all goes well from here on in. Craig
  23. [quote user="ross.e"]  “The seller's notaire so passed on  …  that the building was not affected by a mérule.  In conclusion, the condition precedent of absence of mérule does not work and does not allow you to go out of the compromise. If you persist in your intention not to settle the sale, the sellers can decide to continue you in execution of a writ of the sale; or at least to ask you for 10% of the price as penalty clause. <snip>” You have suggested early (sic) that we might offer a low price...[/quote]   Not me, Ross - I’ve never suggested that. And it’s difficult to see how you can.  What would be your grounds?  That the house has some wet rot?   Given all the rest, that seems mighty thin …    And at this stage in the proceedings, the vendor has very little incentive to accept a lower offer.  Because, as your Notaire has correctly, if somewhat clumsily pointed out, the law is simple: either you pay the contracted price, or you have to pay a penalty.   As to this penalty, well, it’s similar to liquidated damages in British law.   You need to look at your compromis and see what you signed up to in the event of you not completing the purchase.  By all means post it on here, if you wish.   But I think your Notaire has already told you ..   How enforceable it is, and how it all works in practice, I can’t say - that’s outside my knowledge or experience, I'm afraid.
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