Beckett

[quote user="NickP"]A few years ago I was working with a French Colleague in the UK. He said; "I hear you have bought a house in France" and we got into a discussion about the buying/selling process in both countries, he then made what I thought was a very astute statement, He said: "the difference is, that in England you buy a house to sell, in France you buy a house to live in for life and pass on to your family". Low and behold this afternoon I was chatting to a French neighbour and he told me he had lived in his house since he was born 70 years ago.[/quote] Sad but true, and one of the reasons so many young British people can't get onto the property ladder.

I think it's clever - and wouldn't be half so clever without the title - but I don't like it. I'd go further: I think it's ugly, and I wouldn't buy a print. Sorry :) interesting subject though

[quote user="Lehaut"] Always willing to listen to an easier way to do it. Problem being I don't know anyone else with a "connected" house with speaker groups in different rooms.[/quote] That's an interesting system. I thought the drive(s) in a NAS were optimised for being kept on always and that turning them on and off wasn't good for them, though of course you may have chosen standard drives. Of course, you have a useful backup online (I have MS 365, but you pay for that!). We subscribed to Tidal last year and so far it hasn't failed to have what I've looked for. Again, paid. We use it via Sonos - a very old ZP90 in one room, and a One in another - which seem to work well. We also have some Amazon Dots but I like those less. It sounds like you've created a bespoke system which suits you well!

I'm afraid you're right, Bib. I've been amazed over the last few months by the number of people who have decided to move to France, but don't know where (and ask for recommendations), don't speak the language, know nothing about health care provision, taxation, ... It seems everyone has just panicked. As someone said above, it all makes work for the immobilier.

Facebook groups include Renovating in France Expat Life in France Good luck, CJ!

CJ, it's your money to do what you want with, but you asked for advice and it would be cynical and strange if people answered only the question you asked. If you really have all that money to spend, why not get professional advice?

EuroTr@sh: "apparently it can still work if you offer the right accommodation in the right location and have the right skills to promote it and keep your guests happy so they post glowing reviews online and come back next year." I suppose that's my point: it's rare to get all 4 right, and nigh-on impossible if you're a foreigner.

We really enjoy Bienvenue Chez Nous too. But I often wonder how these businesses stay afloat. It seems they go on BCN to advertise - because often they've been open only a few months - but they rarely seem to have any great distinguishing feature, and often they're in the country and don't do dinner.

Right ... that doesn't work (or, rather, no longer works) BUT it was a great starting-point because it helped me to find, under Keyboard (rather than Typing) the shortcut which toggles the onscreen keyboard: Win-Ctrl-O Thanks, Weegle!

Thanks - I'll have a look at that!

Listening to MB on France Inter this morning (https://www.franceinter.fr/emissions/l-invite-de-8h20-le-grand-entretien/l-invite-de-8h20-le-grand-entretien-07-septembre-2020) and comparing his mature, statesmanlike approach to our blustering Little Englanders was very depressing.

That's a depressing thing to read. It does chime with things I've been hearing and reading about, though: the poor pay, the appalling lack of resourcing (some police have to buy some of their own equipment), the way that areas of France have become no-go areas (93, even a part of Compiègne) ... it sounds like it's a war where the police are let down and - while I'm not excusing racism and homophobia - when an organisation feels like it's getting kicked, some of its members are likely to pass on the kicking down the chain of entitlement.

Sorry to hear that, WB. Dogs can get brain diseases, like cats can, and one who's been well looked-after so he reaches a ripe old age - well, the chances increase. I guess there will be things you can do to help him. Maybe the vet has a medicine he can take, even?

œ I have a presence on facebook, and belong to a number of France-related groups, but I wouldn't dream of giving them my real name or date of birth. The groups can be useful but - maybe it's facebook - there seems to be a lot of nonsense and waffle too.

Good point. I would be happy to share a gmail address created for that purpose on this site so that we could stay in touch - or at least, not disappear - and that may be something others might do. Maybe someone could keep a list? I'd volunteer but I'm not the most prolific poster and none of you knows me. Realistically, if this one sinks, we'd probably join (or use, if we'd already joined) one of the others. Though perhaps not the one run by albf's bezzies...