Beckett

I'm not a gardener, so treat my suggestion with caution, but what about hawthorn? It's nice and thorny, so makes a good boundary. And anything thorny makes a safe refuge for nesting birds, and birds eat insects, so everyone's a winner!

In that respect, teh French ones are much more realistic. he distinction between porteur and non-porteur walls is always considered, and the cost of putting in eg a bathroom is usually quoted as a range, per m2.

:D nomoss

https://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.cadastre.gouv.fr/scpc/pdf/legendes/FR_fr/Legende%2520du%2520plan%2520sur%2520internet.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwjRwerX35HWAhVC0xoKHcNVBKwQFgg4MAM&usg=AFQjCNGd36108CWKWhOiapVBAVtE2ut0LQ I hope that works if not, it might be the length of it, so here's a tiny URL version: https://tinyurl.com/y7vykypq NB the link doesn't take you to a page, but downloads the document (so in Firefox, you'll see it in your downloads, ie the blue downwards-pointing arrow) Thanks suein56 for finding the original

Hi Erica I don't live in such a place but I've stayed in some, and I know people in that situation. It's definitely not for us. I might be less concerned about the practical points if I really wanted to live in the middle of nowhere, but I think if you're living in France - especially with children - then you'd miss all the fun bits (IMO). And your children will find it difficult to find friends if every social occasion involves one set of parents driving for miles, rather than popping round the corner. I sense you're by no means sure yourself, which is probably a good indication. You'd need a lot of willpower to make it work, and to have a good reason for living out in the sticks. I suppose you could try renting if you really want to give it a go.

(Use a VPN to watch it if you're away from France: you get adverts, even)

This is one of my favourites, too - then again, I'm a sucker for all the nonsense I wouldn't dream of watching on UK TV: Bienvenue Chez Nous, ditto a l'Hotel, Meilleure Boulangiere, Cauchemar, Objectif Top Chef, ...

Maybe more than one Montreuil? Google knows only one. Thanks anyway.

We have visited - because we have friends in - Conty. It's a lovely little town. Nothing spectacular, but everything you might need.

Yep, did it on two Mac Minis, one about 5 years old, t'other a couple of years old. No problems at all. (But it does look like IOS 8 :))

I'd rant! And have an early night. Glad you're okay.

I've been here a while - I can get loads done here while I wait for FE's page to load :)

It seems to work well - but I suppose the owners have found reliable people. If your own estate agent is too busy, maybe one of the others in Saumur? I'd have thought Lost in France eg would have contacts - unless they're your estate agents ;)

You may find the estate agent has some suggestions. Do you need a company, or would an obliging person or couple do? Most of the gites we hire are run on that basis (ie informally).

If you're already contemplating your return in 5 years, and would be selling your UK house to buy a French one, then renting is clearly the sensible option. UK house prices will probably continue to rise whereas French seem to have stagnated, so you'll be left behind if you sell up here and buy there. And, as others have said, you may well be left with a property that's hard to sell when you want to move back. Do I sense that one of you is keener on making the move to France than the other? If so, that again is an argument for renting. Depending on your finances, I think you have two options: 1. let your UK house and rent in France, which will give you time to decide whether you want to make a permanent move and sell up 2. let your UK house (unless you live in an area where prices are dropping, letting is the only sensible option) and buy a cheap house in France to do up.

No answer - sorry - but it's a question which has occurred to me too. I imagine that you'd be at the mercy of a French loss adjuster.

[quote user="HoneySuckleDreams"]Is this for real and not a joke? do you have some further information e.g. a link to the EDF nonsense perhaps? No one can predict the polarity of solar storms, they come in both flavours. So we swap everything and for the next 10 years all solar flares arrive in the opposite polarity, will they switch back? [/quote] I thought everyone knew about this. I've been reading about it on the internet for ages.

Shouldn't have any problem with ordinary electrical stuff. We happily use French-bought items in the UK and vice versa and have never had any problem.

I'm all for not doing stuff for money I don't need ... but truffles, man!

[quote user="JimmyEveriss"]I'm sure I wouldn't cause too much offence displaying interest in an empty property with half the roof missing... would I?[/quote] There's nowt so queer as (some) folk.

Obviously Bob T's response suggests that you should proceed courteously and cautiously. The Mairie would be a good place to start.

@PaulT: And to be able to ask strangers if they know how old I am, too. :)

Precisely. You've suffered the loss by now. It's unlikely to get significantly worse. You'd be getting out at - I believe - the bottom of the market, or so close to it as makes no difference. Unless you think you won't use the house ever again, or you really can't afford its upkeep (in which case, pick a figure and take €30K off it) you may as well keep it.

The good news is that there will be a huge improvement in the quality of the tv after the digital switchover.

There's always a temptation to make connections. Who knows? Do you know the owners of the neighbouring land? Could it be them on the quad bikes? If not, then you might ask your neighbours if they know who it was, and that you've reported it ... and if it was them but they're not telling then they'll have had a warning.