Polly

What you are actually asking for is a change of ownership, which, in the eyes of the law (any country's law) is quite important. The notaire's fees are regulated by law, and will include payment of any taxes due on the transaction as he also acts in effect as a tax collector.

You can drive a car on Carte Grise Collection anywhere you like, in France or abroad but exclusively for personal use, which means you can't rent out your car eg for weddings or use it for any business purpose. The latest FFVE flash has info on this http://www.ffve.org/?option=com_communicator&menu_id=124&date_id=59&Itemid=124) Paul, I have also pm'd you

It's not for me, but as the painful topic of hourly rates for gardening as been covered before can I suggest you give some more info such as: How much grass? Using your machinery or is the gardener to bring his/her own? Is it for once a month, or just before the place is let, or what?

Crusoe I have sent you a pm with a recommendation

The report on the Snopes website makes interesting reading http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/cocoamulch.asp

The report on the Snopes website makes interesting reading http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/cocoamulch.asp

Nick, I have never sat behind a queue of British cars on any péage. But anyway, thank you for the info on Alis, I hadn't realised they offered free péage badges : when I last investigated options some time ago this one wasn't available and the prices of others put me off. As I said earlier, it always pays to read the contracts. I have now downloaded the form and sent off for 2 Alis badges. I never use their motorways so choosing which route to discount was like pinning the tail on a donkey.

Exactly, AnOther : autoroutes are expensive enough and I for one am not going to pay for any sort of doofer until it becomes compulsory! I'm quite happy to get out of the car and walk round to pay if I'm in our of our RHD vehicles, I always give an apologetic shrug, with a smile, to anyone waiting behind me.

You DO have to fill in the compulsory registration form. Please note that if you modify the accommodation (eg adding bedrooms) or if the property changes hands the Mairie must be told. A list of all the registered properties will be kept at every Mairie, and will be available for inspection by every Tom, Dick, Jean-Paul & Henri. The departmental tourist bods will be able to use to compile statistics. And I personally have no doubt that some tax inspectors might find the lists make interesting bedtime reading. You do not have to get your accommodation classified. I'm saying no more on the subject!

Do read the small print when buying any péage badge, there are various tariff options, you need to choose  one which suits your pattern of journeys. I often drive both RHD and LHD cars on the Toulouse-Bordeaux and Toulouse-le Havre autoroutes and the cheapest option for me is cash or my French carte bancaire. Big deal, so I have to get out and walk around, I need to stretch my legs anyway. Yes, I do this on my own (I'm female) and no, I have no worries - been doing it since 1990.

Well Roro (Mrs Araucaria?) I repeat that as the law stands there is no legal obligation to obtain a classification of  your holiday accommodation. Here's another site for you to peruse http://www.a-gites.com/classement-label.php, it's not a government site but you might find it interesting. As we all know, different officials interpret rules in different ways, and we have to live with that. In my experience the staff in very small communes are often, understandably, not too clued up about everything. I really don't think you're going to get any sort of legal hassle if you don't go down the classification road, but, on the other hand, if you do you might reap some financial rewards depending on your personal and business tax situation. And you'll keep your Mairie happy.

To India via plane I presume? Probably not a lightweight less environmentally destructive one! I'm off to town now in my durable car, it's only 39 years young. I was only teasing you about your Deuch.

Just wondering Araucaria, do you use your "lightweight and less environmentally destructive" 2CV to go back and forth between France & the UK?

Araucaria, I have just had the formal receipt from my own Mairie for one of the forms. Tony, see my earlier reply to Kelly re keeping oneself informed, whether one is in the UK or in France (or anywhere else, for that matter).  Governments are not duty bound to notify each and every citizen of every law that is passed!

very 'appy, but then I'm not driving around in a modern 2cv (and my bum is just the right size for me, thank you!)

'spose they could park the 2CV inside it, saving storage space

why bother?! 'orrible slow tinny little things, with some of the most uncomfortable seats ever developed in automotive history.

I submitted registration forms on behalf of clients to two Mairies only this week, neither of the properties concerned is classified in any way. For those of you still wandering around in the mire, another useful reference source is the government website http://www.tourisme.equipement.gouv.fr, where at http://www.tourisme.equipement.gouv.fr/fr/z2/prof_touristique/sect_activ/heberg/meubles/definition.jsp you can find a definition of a 'meublé de tourisme'. On the next page, under the heading 'Conditions de classement' the text says "Pour exploiter un meublé de tourisme, il convient de : faire effectuer une visite du meublé par un organisme agréé ( la liste des organismes agréés est disponible auprès de la préfecture du département où se situe le meublé)....." The key words here are 'il convient de". From the verb 'convenir', and meaning in this situation 'it is advisable to'; there is no statement of obligation to obtain a classification of a 'meublé de tourisme' whatsover. IF you want to get your property classified you go to the Préfecture, or to your Comité Départemental de Tourisme. To see the advantages you might get from being classified read for example the 'Guide du Louer' http://www.tourisme-lotetgaronne.com/UserFiles/File/guide-du-loueur-lot-et-garonne.pdf Now, if you really want to get confused and you are just attacking your French income tax returns you should go to the laymyhat forum at http://www.laymyhat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12046. (I don't ever get involved in debates about other people's tax returns, on line or anywhere else!)

Once again, I beg to disagree Article L324-1 as currently in force states: L'Etat détermine et met en oeuvre les procédures de classement des meublés de tourisme selon des modalités fixées par décret. With effect from 24th July, Article L324-1 will read (my underlining) : L'Etat détermine les procédures de classement des meublés de tourisme selon des modalités fixées par décret. L'établissement est classé par l'autorité administrative dans une catégorie en fonction de critères fixés par un tableau de classement élaboré par l'organisme mentionné à l'article L. 141-2 et homologué par arrêté du ministre chargé du tourisme. S'il souhaite obtenir le classement, l'exploitant doit produire un certificat de visite délivré par un organisme évaluateur. Dans des conditions fixées par arrêté du ministre chargé du tourisme, les organismes évaluateurs sont accrédités dans les domaines correspondant à leurs missions par l'instance nationale d'accréditation mentionnée à l'article 137 de la loi n° 2008-776 du 4 août 2008 précitée, ou tout organisme européen équivalent signataire de l'accord multilatéral pris dans le cadre de la coordination européenne des organismes d'accréditation. L'autorité administrative transmet sa décision de classement à l'organisme mentionné à l'article L. 141-2. NOTA: Loi n° 2009-888 art. 12 VI. - Le présent article entre en vigueur à une date fixée par décret et au plus tard un an après la publication de la présente loi. source: www.legifrance.gouv.fr

Roro, I think you need to read the text of the laws to which you refer a little more closely. At present as the law stands if you let furnished self-catering holiday accommodation in France the property does not have to be inspected or classified by anybody. A 'Gite' run as part of the Gites de France system will have been inspected and classified. Other letting systems such as Clévacances also have standards and ratings for the properties on their books.

Where on the form does it talk about inspection ? Section A, B or C?

Which form are you looking at, and what section of it?

[quote user="osie"] btw2: I just bought a load of muli function galets(500g) and they are too big for the dispenser(200g) .. ha ha ha [/quote] You weren't the first person to do that, and you won't be the last! You need to check the size of any galets, and learn which makes to buy ... this season, be warned they may change their sizes next year.

litter louts!!! but I do agree re the pump & filter!

At the price we paid for water last year, refilling your pool would cost me 52€70 TTC - so cheaper than a lot of messing around with expensive chemicals. (note : we are on mains drainage so we pay for water in plus treatment of all used water, whether we water the garden with it or flush it down the loo)