Duckalaronze

Or you could try Chiltern seeds at http://www.chilternseeds.co.uk . They have an absolutely huge range and cheaper too - and their web site is much faster! no pretty pictures on the seed packets though. I've used them for years. Gill

Hi We're (hopefully) getting married here a week on Saturday, but had we known how much bureacracy was involved, it probably would have been cheaper to fly back to England! Having paid 150 euros for translations of birth certificates & divorce papers, 112 euros for 2 'certificat de coutume's from the British Embassy, numerous phone calls and visits to local Mairie (who know nothing of the procedure for 'etrangers') and the 'Tribunal' in the prefecture town (in trying to find certified translators - none apparently in our department so it meant a 2 hour drive to get to one). Now at the eleventh hour - 8 days to go - it appears that we need birth certificates less than 6 months old. This meant a phone call to England and another 55 pounds for new copies of the same pieces of paper with no new information on them except a date!!! We hope they arrive before Friday - our deadline - as our visitors from England will be arriving come what may. The British Embassy were not any help at all in 'advising' which bits of paper we would need. The Mairie did supply us with a booklet, in French, with the appropriate boxes ticked as to what we needed to supply, but regarding the birth certificates, it said 'si possible'. Of course what they meant was 'absolutely vital'. It also appears that you must be resident in France for at least 3 months to be able to marry, but we have no carte de sejour or carte d'identite, and this wasn't a problem (they took a photocopy of our passports). The easy part was the medical - being over child-bearing (I hope!) age, we didn't have to have a blood test or x-rays, just a blood pressure check. That was the only part that has been free - the doctor said it was a wedding present! It's tricky, because you need to start obtaining the paperwork well in advance, but some bits can't be more than 2 months old! And the Mairie won't give you a definite date until you've got all the paperwork - catch 22! If your son goes for it - we wish him good luck, lots of patience and perseverance! Gill & Alan

It's finally official...Gill & I are getting married on Saturday 18th September! An invitation is extended to all and every sad person who (like me!) has nothing better to do that day to share our 'joy' (huh!) at a barbie afterwards (attending the 'execution' is voluntary!). We're in Creuse (23) - just south of Gueret.. If you want to participate (it's a BYO grub thing...fire, company, hospitality provided free!) please email for address etc. Sadly, not too many pommie/antipodean friends can make it over so it will be mainly locals (French & English) but we hope some 'new friends' may like to share the occasion. At the least....wish us luck. Alan (the Duck)

Sometime back (July, I think), we responded to a 'swimming pool - non delivery' posting. The company concerned was (is!) Castorama direct - with whom we had some serious 'delivery' problems...goods ordered in April & not delivered by end June..... The outcome is - we aproached `Association des Consommateurs' in Gueret (23) and presented them with all documentation (copies of Order/emails etc) ...soon to receive a phone call and email from Stephane Cossart - the Director of said company and closely followed by delivery of the ordered goods, as well as a 'bon d'achat' for 100...to be spent on "our next purchase from Castorama direct". So - we ordered a satellite dish kit (3rd August) which arrived today.....sadly, without the important LNB! A further phone call to Casto + a follow-up email to M.Cossart and it's promised for delivery next week (???). Should anyone need to expedite their order from this company, may I suggest they contact: [email protected] His english is impeccable and he obviously does NOT like his organisation from appearing 'incompetent' Good luck to all internet shoppers in France (especially those who use this Company!) Alan

Hi we're just south of Gueret and have 2 Welsh ponies (don't like to rub it in, but you should have been a bit further south for the riding!) Anyway... farriers... there's one called Max Bloch who's supposed to be quite good, and there's another that we've been recommended but I can't remember where I've put his phone number for the moment. I wouldn't recommend one called Mr Simonet - we had him ONCE. I'll let you know when I find the other's number though. Good luck with the move! Gill & Alan

Sent you an email. Alan

DON'T buy anything from Castorama's internet site (see swimming pool-non delivery). We've been waiting 3 months plus for a greenhouse - stated delivery was 3 weeks. They don't return calls or emails, only responded to a recommand letterto a director with more false promises. We're waiting to hear if the Association des Consamateurs get any better results! Gill & Alan

We've only just come across your 'thread' We ordered a rotovator and greenhouse from them on 2nd April with 2 & 3 week delivery dates - apart from confirmation of our order on the 19th (after debiting our account on the 14th) - never received any delivery dates. Two separate neighbours called them on our behalf - no response. Eventually one neighbour wrote a very scathing letter for us to send to a director of Castorama. This was forwarded to the director of the appropriate division: ([email protected]) Stphane COSSART Directeur BtoC CASTORAMA DIRECT He sent us an email on 14th June apologising for the delay (due to computer problems, he said) and promised that the greenhouse would be in their depot the following week - we had received the motoculteur in the meantime (2 months after ordering it). Today the other neighbour phoned them again regarding the serre and was told they haven't got it, and don't know when they will get it. They verbally offered to refund the money, but we're going to the local Bureau des Consomateurs with all the printed orders/emails etc. Pucette's comment of non-supply of manufacturers is all very well, but they DO say on their web-site, that customers will be informed of rupture de stock in the BRIEFEST delay (the only information we've had is secondhand via neighbours - we have called them ourselves as well but calls have never been returned), and shouldn't quote 2/3 weeks delivery dates if they know they can't get the goods! The final straw was receiving an "I hope you are satisfied with our service" questionnaire for goods we still haven't received!!! Let us know how you get on, please...give us some hope!! Even our French neighbours are disgusted! Gill & Alan

If your iMac is a 333mHz with tray-loading cd-rom, then no, you can't upgrade the system software, according to the Apple imac support website. If it's 350mHz or above, you can buy a cdrom for the upgrade and I would suggest one of the mail order web sites like Jigsaw or Dabs Direct. It shouldn't be too difficult. Pity you haven't got a SCSI connection - I've got two spare scanners here! Good luck, Gill

Message in your in box....hope it helps. Regards, Alan

I've seen some gunneras advertised on ebay - I can't remember if it was the french or english site -they were fairly expensive though. good luck Gill

It may sound like a basic suggestion...but have you got an ADSL line rather than just an ordinary phone line? If you're in a remote area chances are you don't have ADSL. If you visit your local France Telecom office (they're fairly helpful generally), they may be able to tell you. regards, Alan & Gill

Found a very useful site: http://www.adagio.com.fr/consomed/FRSOMMAI.HTM which gives the consumer laws (in French) and how to write letters concerning them, Hope you find it as useful as we are! We're having an on-going battle with 'cast-a-llama direct' over non-delivery. No luck in resolving our dispute yet but this helps relieve the frustration!

Found a very useful site: http://www.adagio.com.fr/consomed/FRSOMMAI.HTM which gives the consumer laws (in French) and how to write letters concerning them, Hope you find it as useful as we are! We're having an on-going battle with 'cast-a-llama direct' over non-delivery. No luck in resolving our dispute yet but this helps relieve the frustration!

Found a very useful site: http://www.adagio.com.fr/consomed/FRSOMMAI.HTM which gives the consumer laws (in French) and how to write letters concerning them, Hope you find it as useful as we are! We're having an on-going battle with 'cast-a-llama direct' over non-delivery. No luck in resolving our dispute yet but this helps relieve the frustration!

Sounds like it could be a black redstart, Does it 's song sound quite pretty with a bit in the middle that sounds like rustling paper or a badly scratched record...if so..that's it! Gill

You might find it easier to look locally when you get here, I don't know about the Auvergne but here in Creuse they have leaflets and books of walks. You could try looking at the Auvergne's tourist web site (I'm sure they must have one!) Gill

We're still waiting for our motoculteur to arrive so we can dig over the (2nd, enormous) veggie patch - the seed potatoes have been sprouting in the upstairs bedroom for weeks - they'll be very late in but there should still be a good crop from them. I planted the earlies about 3 weeks ago and they're on their second 'earthing up'. I'm not one to follow the 'rules' - I've always found that you'll get at least something whatever you do and whenever! You could try growing a few in large pots if you have any - just plant them low down and gradually add more soil. Earlies are 'new' potatoes and maincrop are 'old' Hope that helps - Gill

I used to have a rabbit problem in England - the only solutions seem to be growing things they don't like, a fence sunk into the ground (small mesh - the young ones can get through a tiny hole), or a jack russell! Luckily we don't seem to have rabbits here - but we've got molehills the size of Mont Blanc! Gill

We moved here 3 months ago with 'O-level' French. Yes, the people are great - friendly, helpful, and we are improving, but with our level of French we find it frustrating being unable to communicate - I think without any French you would find it incredibly difficult. You'd be ok with shopping etc, but when it came to (like we had to) getting a telephone installed, bank account, changing from 3-phase to single phase electricity, trying to find someone to repair the roof etc - things that you can do subconsciously in the UK - you might find it a real struggle. We find it quite tough with our limited vocabulary - having to draw straws as to who will phone the 'ramoneur' for example. But...even with the difficulties we wouldn't go back to the UK now. Don't be daunted...learn as much as you can before you come over, don't worry toooooo much about grammar - communication is the important thing! Bon courage!

We moved to the Limousin in December with two Welsh ponies using ECS horse transport who were very good (can't remember their web address offhand but I think you could find it with a search). We left before the horses and they picked them up from their field, kept them at their yard for 3 days, (an immaculate one I might add), arranged all the paperwork and vetting, and were cheap to boot! They also brought over a bag of mollichaff & sugarbeet COD. They're always travelling to France, Spain and Italy so you could probably get a shared load (it's an eleven-horse (I think) box with air suspension and cctv). The only problem they had was a 6 hour delay at customs due to the 'right' official not being available (well... it was a Monday). As far as riding goes, although we're a different area, we've also been told 'you can go anywhere' - we haven't yet though - too much renovation to do! We did go for a walk one day though and found tracks going everywhere.