This French Life

Sommieres - Gard - 30 mins Nimes / Montpellier / beaches
Available 8 August - end August.

Newly available - water mill gite sleeping up to 9 - heated pool - stunning views over river with floor to ceiling windows - playpark for kids and mini football field - kayaks and bikes to borrow - playroom with pool and table tennis.
5 mins by foot to 3 restos and a bar
5 mins by car to Sommieres for all supermarkets etc.
Euro1850/ a week

One week available 8-15 August in time for St Cere opera festival, in 2 person gite "Font St Jean". Normally Euro370.00 - now Euro320. See http://www.francethelot.com

Indeed, i had a look at this blog and the idea seems really interesting.
It's focusing on french clean technologies and you can learn a lot.

i live with diabet, i'm African young man, i'm in china doing commerce but i would like to find a better place for my treatement , were i can live free , becouse China is not that easy country, is more dificult in Africa, so i heve to find ways , for my living, i sujest what can i do , medecine in AFRICA is not that easy , so i just need a place for good tretment i' too young 30 yaers, i have tree bayb's , i need to be helth so i can rise them , i do have my wone trading company in China and Angola.

The completely restored 13th Century Chateau of the Great Sun,situated 7 km from Castelnaudary and 35 minutes from Carcassonne has availability for the week commencing Saturday 22nd August until Saturday 5th August and again from Saturday 12th September onwards.

The main part of the chateau offering a dining room with dining table seating 14, a large salon, music room, indoor swimming pool, 7 bedrooms with 6 bathrooms or showerooms and wc, plus numerous other rooms.

There is also a separate self-contained appartment offering two bedrooms - one of which is a family room with both double and single bed plus ensuite showeroom and wc. The other bedroom offers a double bed and ensuite bathroom/shower and wc. The appartment also offers a modern well equipped kitchen and large living / dining room. The chateau and the apparment can be booked individually or together.

For further information, please call me on 07720 448511 or 01483 236647

Richard Charman

How much would the monthly cost be for 6 months from November 2009?

Also, would you take 2 well-behaved dogs?

Thanks

We are looking for a 2-4 bedroom house with large outside area for 12 months from November/December 2009.

We have two well-behaved dogs who are not allowed upstairs or on furniture.

We are looking to try the french lifestyle and potentially house hunt at the same time.

Interested in the Dordogne, Midi-Pyrenees, Limousin, Auvergne and Rhone-Alps areas - quite a selection!

Ideally furnished and with internet connection possible.

Thanks

http://www.le-tilleul.com for the La boheme offer.

OUR WEBSITE IS www.le-tilleul.com for the above post?

Saturday 11th of July our only week available this till September 12th. La Boheme now reduced from £565 to £350 or arrive this Thursday, or Friday!

Not to be outdone on this, Ryanair has ensured that booking online is impossible unless their insurance box is checked - at least that's what I found. Having rejected their insurance the site loses information and as you seek to reinstate it you are timed out. Why offer flights for nothing then pile on extra charges? A reasonable cost to reach your destination costing in appropriate services would improve Ryanair's image and its PR no end!

P.S. The website for the above did not post: http://www.riandaule.com
contact: visitriandaule@aol.com
Enjoy!

Old country house located on the Dordogne river, at the base of La Force and 12 km. to Bergerac. Special 50% off rate for those who mention "This French Life" for the month of August!

Our gites are set in a peaceful location near Blaye, north of Bordeaux. Ideal for exploring the wine region. See the vines at their best just before harvest, why not take in a tasting or two? Both gites are available from 29th August onwards. Offers invited on remaining 2009 weeks.See the website for full accommodation details. http://www.gites-blaye.co.uk

Hi Pamela, The French News website offers a few more details on the steps being taken:
http://www.french-news.com/
All the best, Craig

who is organising to try to get french news running again

I remember when I stayed at a Gite many years ago there were several black ones crawling up the kitchen wall.

When I returned to the UK I told the gite owner that I thought he had cockroaches :)

Hi
As an auto-entrepreneur who is about to declare the first financial statement, can anyone help with a basic outline of what is needed to be recorded. Just the headings would be great.

Hi Craig,

a little correction there, the service is opened from 9am to 5pm, on both commercial and technical lines, not 8:30am to 8pm.

Best advice I can give people is to get some french lessons and use the French service. Combined with a good dose of babelfish and a little preparation its amazing what you can achieve...

With regards the comments about the quality of service, can't say its been any worst than the UK. Obviously we lived in the sticks in the UK. For newcomers to rural life (living a good 10 miles from a town) then obviously you may notice a difference in service as lines get chopped accidentally by farmers each year etc... best advice is to expect it.

I appreciate comments from people wish to help however I have tried to contact FT on several numbers over several days. The 0800 number does not work. Their French number does not work. I think the best way will be to fly down and sort it out. It will be quicker.

Word of warning for anyone who has kept their UK Pay-as-you-go mobile but are living in France - make sure that you use it occasionally (recommended: one text per month minimum). Vodafone have just cut ours off for "lack of use" with no warning (their customer services said we should have received a text or email - but we got neither). The £40+ credit on the phone has also been conveniently "lost" with the termination of the account. As a mobile customer for over 20 years, needless to say there is a letter winging its way to Vodafone HQ as I type!

Just a quick word of thanks to Craig for opening up another avenue of potential leads for us all in what has proved to be a most difficult year§ Big thanks Craig, hope we can return the favour someday!

Hi Lesley,
Mobile to mobile calls are always going to be the most expensive option, especially if you are calling 'foreign' phones.
Ringing, or calling from, the FT landline is likely to be the best option.
But also make sure you are registered online with your mobile operator as this will enable you to keep track of charges.
Hope this helps, Craig

Hi there,
Many thanks for replying, I'm sure Steve is pleased to find out what it was. I know I am.
All the best, Craig

Hello,
Adiussiatz,

Caganer are from "Principat de Catalunya", Principat Of Catalonia is not Perpinyà !

Spanish write 'Cataluña' ... spanish imperialism speak so, and forget Perpinyà.

Regards,

Godilhaire

Hi Victoria and Tommy, this should help you : the 0800 number is a French number
from abroad you'll need to dial 0033 800 364 775 (always remove the 1st "0" if you dial from abroad)

O Font of all Knowledge!
We have a SFR mobile and a Vodaphone pay as you go mobile that we use in the UK. We live in France and have a France Telecom land line.
When our friends come to France should we communicate to their UK mobiles using FT, SFR or Vodaphone ? Which number should they use for us as I think that all of our calls will have to get routed to the UK and back and charged accordingly. Is this a daft question and the difference only measured in centimes or pennies ?

We're also having trouble getting through; I think it's a UK 0800 number (so no need for 0033) but either way it give unobtainable. As the French number now just redirects to the 0800 I'm at a loss to know how to contact them.

We have a residence secondaire in France, but live in the UK for 300-plus days each year.
Our first demand for Taxes d'habitation and Fonciere became due Jan 09, but was at the rate for full-time occupancy.(530 euros Fonciere, 460 euros d'Habitation)
We were expecting a significant rebate, (50%-ish, as in UK)
The French tax officer told us that there is no reduction for our circumstances.
An English friend living full-time in france also thought there was a rebate for limited occupancy. Has the rule changed recently, or have we picked up incorrect information somewhere?
(For info, we are both senior citizens)
Thanks, John

Not a nymph but indeed a female cricket: Ephippigère des vignes (Ephippiger ephippiger). It is a type of bush cricket which bears wing atrophy. Well, I have spent way too much time in the countryside as a child ...

I think it is a female cricket nymph s it has no wings, and possibly a variety of house cricket

Relax, restore & de-stress at our charming restored watermill with waterfalls and pool. 5 double / twin all with ensuite bathrooms. Sleeps 10+. Great for groups where the organiser goes free. Ideal for art lovers/ sun worshippers, golfers/ bridge groups/ celebrations. Join one of our art courses maybe. Continental breakfast included & Table d'hôte available. Check out our website. http://www.moulinannepont.com/

Hi Graham, great to see the site, will subscribe to the RSS feed for updates. And you are right about writing regularly making it easier.
All the best, Craig

Come and relax in our cottages for adults exclusively, and benefit from 10% discount on remaining weeks of calender.
Extremely well equipped, towels, gowns, bedlinen and welcome pack included in the price (bring own pool towels)
Why not visit our website for further details http://www.serendipityfrance.com
See you soon!!

Hi Craig - couldn't agree more.

I've been blogging since March and it's both therapeutic & good for business.

I have found it actually gets easier as you go along.

Your readers can see my blog at http://www.cognacproperty.blogspot.com/ and I'd urge everyone to give it a whirl.

Any one have the number which you can ring from the UK to get the english speaking service as I keep getting a dead line on the 0033 0800 364 775

OK, will do (but might be a while before we go anywhere for a whole week!)

Stylish newly renovated apartment situated in a quiet street of a bastide village. The apartment has two large bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms and a sofa bed in the lounge and has WiFI.
We currently have availability the last week in July and for most weeks in August.
Http://www.maison20.com

Thanks - the wonders of Animoto.
Craig

great slideshow - better than the usual cross fade

Although July and August are now full we have availability from the 14th September - my favourite month here, still hot and less crowded see http://www.lescygnes.net for details

Hi Susan, sorry to hear that you have had some plants stolen. Would be interested to hear of your experiences of using the Operation Tranquillite Vacances service in a comment if you decide to use it.
All the best, Craig

Hi Mike, yes you are right LD Lines has dropped its Dover to Dieppe service, more here:

http://www.thisfrenchlife.com/thisfrenchlife/2009/06/ld-lines-dover-dieppe.html

All the best, Craig

Sounds good!

Maybe I should have a look at Google Calendar then!

Sorry retract last post evidently its the Dover Dieppe service only, at the moment?

Having just had some potted plants stolen from our front courtyard, when we were here, but had the car parked out of sight, I will be certain to use this scheme if we go away.

Now we know why they have not replied, gone pop I am told or some of it has.

I'd be pretty stunned if everyone was to send in lists of events close to them!!!

But one thing that could be done is if What's On information is provided in a common format, for example updated through Google Calendar, that would be much more efficient as I can do some 'heavy lifting' automatically.

Dates and event details in such a format can be very easily displayed and promoted with little if any reformatting necessary by me.

Always willing to help people explore many of the new publishing tools out there.

All the best, Craig

I don't follow the logic! If all your members sent you emails of their local activities, you'd be completely snowed under!

I know I'm just a Grumpy Old man (!) but seeing the recent stories on Eymet, Beaumont-de-Périgord, Sauveterre-La-Lémance, Bastides of the Périgord, Périgord Life je t'Adore24, Choral Concert In The Dordogne, a boules competition in Limeuil (all from June), First Days Back In The Dordogne (29 May) all published since you returned to the Dordogne does make it seem that the site is becoming a publicity vehicle for your home area.

Let's hear about major events, of course, but a boules competition??? Ther's one in most villages, most days!!! And certainly in the summer, there is one at each village's Fête du Village.

Anyway, I sincerely hope that you're now settled in and enjoying life under this beautiful sunshine!! And I do fully understand any new feelings of needing to support your area. Just remember that the rest of us also have those feelings, and would like to see our areas mentioned, too, from time to time. (And yes, I do realise that we have to let you know of things for them to appear! But if we followed your example for each area of each region, imagine how many stories you'd have to type!!)

I don't want this to seem out of proportion ... I enjoy the site and don't post in other forums. Thanks for the work that you do and the entertainment and information you bring your readers.