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Where do I buy fireworks?


Mrs Trellis
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Having a large bonfire of garden cuttings ready to burn, and having invited friends over to enjoy it, it would be nice to have some fireworks.

I've never noticed them on sale here, one person says they are only available for official displays, another says they can be found in supermarkets. A few years ago we went to a bonfire party, but the fireworks were brought over from UK (not by plane, obviously!).

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Mrs T, I don't want to rain on your parade, but are you allowed to have bonfires in your part of France?

I ask because where we are, a bonfire can result in quite a heavy fine.

Hope someone can answer the question that you have asked, BTW.

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Don't know where "here" is, but I'm surprised. We have a very strict control of bonfires in our part of the Charente Maritime, so much so that you not only have to apply to the Mairie for permission, but the pompiers have to be advised and you are given a permission slip and a 24 hour window in which to have your fire.
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[quote user="Mrs Trellis"]Having a large bonfire of garden cuttings ready to burn, and having invited friends over to enjoy it, it would be nice to have some fireworks.

I've never noticed them on sale here, one person says they are only available for official displays, another says they can be found in supermarkets. A few years ago we went to a bonfire party, but the fireworks were brought over from UK (not by plane, obviously!).[/quote]

Our local Gifi normally sells them (all year , of course) and we can have a bonfire any time from October to March [:D](Haute Vienne)

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They do all their banging on the 14th July and the 15th August in France...the whole of France bangs simultaneously. ;-). After that, there's only New Year, where, if you can't get your hands in any fireworks,you can always torch the neighbours' car.
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[quote user="CSV"]

[quote user="Mrs Trellis"]

Having a large bonfire of garden cuttings ready to burn, and having invited friends over to enjoy it, it would be nice to have some fireworks.

I've never noticed them on sale here, one person says they are only available for official displays, another says they can be found in supermarkets. A few years ago we went to a bonfire party, but the fireworks were brought over from UK (not by plane, obviously!).

[/quote]

Our local Gifi normally sells them (all year , of course) and we can have a bonfire any time from October to March.

(Haute Vienne)

[/quote]

Not legally you cannot.

It is now illegal to burn green waste anywhere in France without special and specific prefecture permission.

Some communes seem to ignore this (for example ours) others are very hot in handing out fines or warnings of fines (the neighbouring commune).
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Andy, I am pretty certain that you cannot burn dechets verts anywhere in France.

I have a newspaper article about it somewhere.  I keep it in case the neighbour decides to burn any more stuff that drives me from my home because of my asthma.

Our maire "had a word" and he soon stopped.  Now I see he takes trailer loads of the stuff away.

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[quote user="idun"]http://circulaire.legifrance.gouv.fr/pdf/2011/11/cir_34130.pdf[/quote]

Interesting stuff - so everything has to go to the dechetterie.

BUT, they will not accept tree stumps, as the machinery they have for liquidising it is not capable of handling material of that size - any ideas?

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Which is what I was going to post too andyh4. Good thing is that once it is down to braze, then something can be cooked too[:D]

RE the wood that they will not take, best place to ask is your mairie. They will hardly want you to put this stuff in your wheelie bin.

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Happy to report we had a big bonfire, 7 friends joined us to sit round the fire and enjoy mulled wine, pumpkin soup and parkin.

A French friend said he'd not heard of a bonfire ban. The only neighbour is 95 and I asked her son to warn her she might notice a bonfire if she looked out. He didn't mention a ban.

I will ask someone at the Mairie some time but have not heard of anyone in trouble for having a bonfire. I guess recycling is greener but bonfires are easier! And clear the ground.

We didn't get fireworks, though OH found cheapish ones on the Internet, it was too late to order. Just as well as I remember one of our dogs is terrified of thunder, even leaves the room if someone claps. One friend, just back from UK said it was good to be away from constant firework noise. I used to feel the same - I enjoy fireworks but it goes on for weeks over there. I always worry about animals and birds being frightened.
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Firework noise all the time, no, not here. The weekend prior, yes, including the municiple ones. Then some on the night and few others, but no, I cannot say it has been a problem and I do have an animal at home. And bear in mind that I was at a birthday party a month ago and there were fireworks, and I have been to such soirees in France with them too.

http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/particuliers/F31858.xhtml

The Mairies, well, ours could be particularly well uninformed. And your neighbours,them 'knowing' or not, is neither here nor there, that's a bit like getting good info from Joe Smith in the pub. Above are the rules of France. Ask at your Prefecture if you really want to know anything at all, it is really they that rule.

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Our French neighbours have definately heard of the ban and our immidiate one went out, had a hook fitted to his car and bought a trailer. Now, instead of spending all day burning and disapearing in the smoke he spends an hour taking the stuff to the dechet and has the reat of the day free to cut more to take [:-))]

It certainly makes our life more pleasent.. In the Aude you have to get certified to have a bonfire, or is that have to get a certificate [8-)][8-)]

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