Vernet-les-Bains (Department 66)

[Carlos2Barry James Clements]

Hi

We are new to this area having purchased an apartment in this village in April of this year.  I am looking to make some social contact in the area with English speaking people, (not necessarily English) to enable me to find out more about this area from those that spend longer here. 

I also need some basic information regarding french building works, places to purchase materials and for kitchen/bathroom fitting.

I struggle with the french but my partner has a good command of the french so we are perflecty able to cope  

please send email via livingfrance or to    bc45@cant.ac.uk

thankyou

[Piprob]

Hi Barry. You've chosen a lovely area to come to.

We are a little too far away to pass on much really local knowledge but there are quite a few LF contributors closer to your area, so you should get some useful replies.

If you need help with your building vocab you can usually rely on getting the answers you need from the Property Renovations Forum.

Good luck.

 

[Owens88]

Hi Barrie

 

I have an apartment in Vernet. On the Sahorre Road, where is yours ?

But I live in England,

and another but, I might be in Vernet w/c Nov 21st. Beer sometime ?

Feel free to e-mail me about things but here is a short list of replies. I bought in May 2003 and have done a lot of running around since.

 

There is  Brico-Depot (seems to have similar branding and 'business' to B&Q but without any notion of customer service) just north of Perpignan. I eventually gave up on that.

Auchan and Leroy Merlin in the porte d'espagne shopping area of Perpignan are more pleasing to shop in.

Lapeyre is just off the road to Perpignan near the car rental roundabout.

Weldon in Prades is useful (as is Super U ) and often not worth the effort of travelling beyond even if prices are higher.

Libersalle in Vernet Les Bains is an excellent and helpful electrician / electrical shop. Expert in Prades (next door to Super U) is good as well.  Wonderful customer service from both of them.

 

I am currently looking for a plumber.

 

 

Re: Social life . I know other brits who 'join in'. Le fete de belle epoque, the Catalan classes etc. I find it a friendly area.

 

Good luck

 

John

 

 

 

 

 

[Owens88]

And here is something I found....

 

Guy Fawkes Night comes to the Pyrénées Orientales

In one of the nearby villages,  Madame la Présidente of the 'Club d'Amitié'  is British,  and she had the brilliant idea of organising a Guy Fawkes Night last Friday (November the Fifth). 

 

The French were fairly bemused at first by the announcement of this "Fête British",  but we passed the story round,  and told people the old rhyme:

Remember, remember the fifth of November,
Gunpowder, treason and plot,
We see no reason,
Why gunpowder treason,
Should ever be forgot!

It's a little snippet of 'British Culture' that doesn't get taught in schools here!

The evening was a great success!  The threatened rain held off.  The bonfire was huge,  and was kept going all evening with regular stoking.  Apart from the 'official' guy,  there was a competition for other people to make their own guys, judged of course by Monsieur le Maire.  And the competition was won by a French lady!  HER Guy was even wearing glasses and carrying a copy of L'Indépendant (the local 'light' newspaper).

Apart from the traditional baked potatoes and mug of soup,  there was a real Catalan 'grillade' of local sausages,  and of course a generous amount of mulled wine.  The firework display what a lot better than we had in Vernet-les-Bains last year for the Quatorze Juillet!

 

As an extra bit of 'Brit culture' - which is appropriately seasonal - the organisers got everyone playing conkers and some of the French ended up beating us at our own game! The conkers came from - guess where? - next to the monument to the Entente Cordiale in Vernet-les-Bains. 

 

We discovered to our surprise that there is even a "Fédération Française de conkers" which has organised an annual championship for the last 13 years!  (See  http://www.ffconkers.org/  )