I keep hearing rumours of a new supermarket in the shape of a Lidl due to open in Monty?

Anyone know if these scurrilous whispers are true?

By good if they are because the over-priced SuperU and appallingly limited Leclerc need competition.

This is a bit off our patch but the World Sheep Shearing Championships are being held in Le Dorat next July (2019)  starting on July 4 for several days.

The reason I mention it here is because I can see a massive business opportunity for B&B/gite and bar/restaurant owners as the organisors are expecting 30,000 visitors (you read that right) on top of the 300 professional shearers.  Oh....and 5,000 sheep play a key part.  But they won't need beer or overnight rooms.

Details are all over the interweb for those interested in following this through.....which translates as I can't be bothered to put a link in.

Anyone know what the rough price is to set up a table at a brocante? Does anyone on here trade at markets or brocantes by any chance? Just wondering what the rules are, thanks.

Please see our main website for full details, prices and to book
https://www.wisdom-gites.co.uk/
Wisdom Gites is a small complex of 2 fully self-contained Gites made up of a 1 bedroom Gite that sleeps 2 and a 2 bedroom Gite that sleeps 4 Games room, solar heated swimming pool and a fishing lake.
 
Orchard view is a well equipped one bedroom holiday cottage with Kitchen / Diner, Lounge, Double Bedroom and Shower Room. The Kitchen is well equipped. There is ample room for four people to dine in comfort. The Lounge has two comfortable tub chairs and a two seater sofa, cosy wood burner for those winter evenings and a LCD TV with DVD and satellite receiver for free to air English TV channels. The light and airy double bedroom, has plenty of storage and pretty views over the countryside to wake up to. The Shower Room has a large fitted shower cubicle with mains pressure hot water.

Meadow view is a well equipped two bedroom holiday cottage with Kitchen / Diner, Lounge, Double Bedroom, Twin Bedroom and Shower Room. The Kitchen is well equipped. There is ample room for six people to dine in comfort. The Lounge has two comfortable two seater sofas, cosy wood burner for those winter evenings and a LCD TV with DVD and satellite receiver for free to air English TV channels. The light and airy double bedroom, has plenty of storage and pretty views over the countryside to wake up to. The Twin Bedroom has ample storage as well of pretty views out to the garden. All beds are made up before your arrival. The Shower Room has a large fitted shower cubicle with mains pressure hot water. Outside each cottage there is an enclosed garden as well as a patio area for sitting out or dining out while enjoying the countryside views.

Is it just me or is the CPAM office in Poitiers a total shambles?

One hand doesn't know what the other is doing to the point of sending me a letter in July telling me we no longer have health cover in France.

The English speaking helpline eventually sorted it out.  One department had'nt registered documents we sent from England in February.

In the meantime, we are still waiting on our Carte Vitales - applied for in December 2016.

I keep being told we'll get them.  Eventually.  Except no-one knows when.

A shambles or just French bureaurocracy at it's finest?

My view is that if we don't get them before Brexit happens (if it happens at all) we'll never get them and therefore have to sell up and be off-ski to somewhere where people actually know what they're doing.

Impossible question:  how do I circumvent the pen-pushers and bean-counters and get solid and meaningful results?

Hello!

My parents have a house in Thollet that we stay at for the month of August. 
We LOVE a brocante, and aside from the Montmorillon one and the La Trimouille one (just been and gone), does anyone have any other listings of upcoming brocantes? Small village ones, big town ones, any!... realistically within a half an hour radius. 


Many thanks in advance. 
L

The Vienne is now on an Orange alert on water usage.

This means farmers must cut usage by at least 50% and we are not meant to wash our cars, specific restrictions on garden watering and no topping-up of swimming pools etc.

I suspect the farmers will pay no attention to this whilst we may get caught out by a random drone whilst watering the begonias.

Jet wash the motor at Leclerc anyone...?

Quite how you find out what the specific restrictions on gardening watering might be I have no idea but I'm not going into the Mairie to find out.

It might look like I want to play by the rule book.

Blimey, don't time fly?

Annual prods market August 3 behind the church.

Usual drill; kick off 1800, beer/wine tent, rock hard leather " steaks" on a grill and expensive ham and cheese, hideous accordion music over the PA system    etc etc.

Having said that, quite a good laugh especially if you choose to have a sit-down tucker jobbie and eat with our French chums.

But...beware getting drawn into a converstation on Brexit: a lot of them think it a good idea and wish France would do the same.  A minefield.

Beware also of the danger of tottering home with that €25 lump of cheese that seemed a jolly good idea at the time.

Hi I received a new password from you yesterday, a mixture of letters, capitals and a number, BUT, when I tried to change it, it would not recognise these letters and number. Help please. I also could not find your "contact us" bit!

Does anyone know if the lake at Bourg Archambault is open for fishing this year?
It was closed last year....

Hi everyone, has anyone got any info on events going on around Montmorillon this August please? We shall be over again to work on the houses, but we have to have a break too. I do like a brocante, although I manage to miss them every time I'm over. We arrive the 4th and leave on the 19th, so preferably in between those dates, thank you.

I hope most of you are aware of this but if not, please read!

On 1st July 2018, speed limits on many roads have changed.

ANY road that used to have a 90km/h limit, and that does not have a central reservation to divide the road into two separated carriageways will now carry a limit of 80km/h.

It is yet to be confirmed what the limit will be when it is wet. It is widely anticipated that a 70km/h limit will be in force whenit's raining. Apparently signs "will make this clear"...

I noticed on a drive today that all of the 'Rappel - 90km/h' signs seem to have been replaced with 'Rappel- 90km/h so at least we are being warned!

I have read in the French press that speed cameras have been reprogrammed centrally, and the traffic police have been told to be especially vigilant in the early days.

If you are caught doing between 80km/h and 90km/h the penalty will be a fine of (I think) €68 plus 1 demerit point.

Keep those eyes peeled!
Brian

Two months earlier this year folks although why I have no idea.

July 7 with kick off from 0800 although stallholders can set up from 0600.

Usual drill; rock-hard unknown cuts of meat from the grill, frites, biere, vins etc etc.  Laser games &etc for the enfants and includes someone called Elodie warbling her way through her latest hit.

Goes on until late evening ending with a fireworks display.

Hi
Any suggestions on where we can get a trailer load or two or three of bark chippings please? I know Gamm Vert will sell them in 20l bags but I am going to need a reasonable amount.

Thanks in advance for the helpful replies.

Chris

Good morning,

we're hoping to get a few quotes for building work, does anyone have someone they can recommend in the Montmorillon area?
Thank in advance

After reading about Nigel Lawson a leave campaigner for Brexit applying for a Carte de séjour in France I wondered if anyone else is thinking of doing the same ?

I have read some saying you don't need to apply yet and some saying you want to get it before March as it will save hassle after that date.

If you have applied or are going to could you post your experiences as it may help.

Good morning,

I'm trying to get organised before we head out in a few weeks & was wondering if anyone had recommendations on where to buy white goods, sofas, beds, garden furniture & also if the local DIY shop is good value.

Many thanks in advance

I have lost my contact that used to let us help ourselves to some straw as and when we need it.

Does anyone know where I can get a couple of small straw bales ? Not the huge round things, just normal straw bales.

Thank you.

Can anyone recommend a company who can supply small quantities of ready mixed concrete for a floor at a reasonable price including delivery? In this case, I deem 'reasonable'to be about 100€. I need about 2 cubic metres.
Thanks in advance,
Brian

I know Brian touched on this is a previous thread but.......I've just fallen foul of the dreaded interweb version of getting a carte grise.

Got the Quitus Fiscal at the Monty tax office without too much trouble having presented myself with a mountain of paperwork.  The woman there told me to take the form to the Prefecture which I duly did.  Only to be turned away in double quick time.

The woman in there - again very helpful and somewhat shame-faced - told me everything was done via the interweb but had run out leaflets to give me such is the demand.  She repeatedly told me to log into my "French account" and take it from there.

What French account?  I don't have a French account other than the bank and I refuse to use that online.

What was she going on about?  I'm only trying to make the car legal and never had this problem with a previous motor in France.