Just found this on the BBC. "French police step up watch on British drivers."

Quote:French police say many foreign drivers break the speed limit because they know they can avoid a fine. EU figures show that foreign drivers make up 5% of road traffic but account for 15% of speeding offences in the 28-nation bloc.

But new EU legislation is coming into force this year, aimed at tackling that anomaly. The deadline for implementation across the EU is 7 November.

Member states can now exchange data on motoring offences, to track down guilty drivers. So if a French camera catches a Spanish motorist speeding, that driver will still have to pay a fine in Spain - provided the driver is the owner of the vehicle.

Even before the EU directive came along, France had adopted such cross-border arrangements with Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland, which is not in the EU.

However, the UK, Republic of Ireland and Denmark have opted out of the EU directive.

So the only way motorists from those countries can be sanctioned on French roads - and there are many more from Britain than Ireland or Denmark - is if they are caught in the act by the police and made to pay on-the-spot fines.

Lt Benjamin Dupain runs the operation. "They have to pay on the spot. If they don't have any money on them and they are on their own, they will be driven to the nearest cashpoint machine. If they really have no money at all, then an on-duty judge will be called to decide what to do. But that can mean waiting around for up to three days and the car will not be allowed to move," he says.

British motoring association the RAC told the BBC that "finding you are liable for an on-the-spot fine of up to 375 euros (£323) when holidaying in France, with no option to have this transferred back to the UK, can be a very unwelcome surprise".

Anyone seen White Wine Vinegar ?

Auchan Poitiers have it in the Bio section but we forgot to stock up last time, and can't seem to find it anywhere around here.

Hello or should I say Bonjour!

Ok - you have done it. I have been secretly reading the forum for a little while and your welcome guest thread made me join!!

We have owned a place near Lathus for over a year now - holiday home. Coming over in a weeks time and can't wait. Just love it over there and wish we could be there all the time.

Planning a visit to the monkey park this time with the kids. What is the weather like at the mo?

Have managed to secretly get the 'Where am I posts' so far. Love the forum and hope to post more in the future!

Scooby

Hello there Guest thank you for having a look at our all new Around Montmorillon forum.

The idea of the forum is for English speaking people living in, near to, or visiting the Montmorillon area to have a place where they can share information. I hope you enjoyed visiting us and found some useful information about the area, but don't stop there! why not come and join us? Your input could be of use to others.

As a member of Around Montmorillon you will not only be able to start new threads or reply to existing ones, you will also gain access to the members only boards, the search facility, monthly newsletter, private messaging system (after 5 posts), your own personal notepad, and much more. You will also find a friendly bunch of people that will be happy to help you settle in.

Joining us is simple and we are self funded so you won't get asked for donations or plagued by annoying advertising. Click the register button and follow the instructions, if you get stuck use the Contact Us button.

Click To Register

YOYO.

*Existing members please take a moment to say hello to our guests in this thread.

Interesting...

Only a beta site at the moment but it looks like Google intend on launching a new comparison site specifically for auto insurance in the French market

Goodness, what next - maybe France is about to join the internet's 20th (yes I did say 20th) century.

LINK...

Only for cars at the moment, but it does provide pricing from up to seven assurers.

Haven't tried it out, can't as I don't have a vehicle in France any more - but might be something worth watching. Do however note that I expect you'll need to give away contact details which is likely to result in marketing calls from the various assurers listed.

Hello, this forum is a really nice idea... I'm planning a visit to Montmorillon in a couple of weeks to have a look round, am interested in the *possibility* of living there, at least part-time. It'll be a bit of a flying visit... Will anything be open on a Sunday? Thank you and nice to meet you electronically, Catfish

Hi, I'm on the look out for a drinking trough, usually seen in fields, round, plastic or metal, as cheap as possible, as it's for my ducks as a paddling pool. But would consider anything that could be used. Can you keep your eye's and ears open, ask friends etc. Thanks in advance

I have just added two new codes for you to play with.

The Spoiler Code will give you a Spoiler Button a handy little tool if you want to hide something. All you need to do is put your text between the codes below.

Got any good recipes to share?

They don't have to be French, just make a post with a list of ingredients and method of cooking.

I will update this post as new ones are added, if it gets to big we could look at adding a sub board for recipes.

Basic Sausage Recipe - Fred.

BBQ Chicken Satay - Jen.

Versatile tomato sauce - Admiral.

Cheats Passata - Fred.

Basic Flan Recipe - Fred.

Hello Everyone,
Please take a moment to have a look at our website https://www.avriljones.com Tel. 0549830424
If you need any help or advise, with either your permanent or holiday homes please feel free to give us a call. If we can't help, we will know good, reliable tradesmen who can.
Regards
Avril Jones

For some unknown reason I seem to be able to grow veg - and sometimes too much of it.

I say unknown because before we came here myself and the saintly Madam Admiral didn't even grow vegetables. Hey....we lived in London. Nuff said.

Even though this year hasn't been brilliant I seem to have a glut of carrots and beetroot. We love beetroot cubed raw -yup RAW - in salads but there is a limit.

So can I freeze carrots and beetroot? And if so how do it I do it? Some feller told me to wash the carrots and freeze them whole. Surely the enzymes will carry on working and they will rot?

Should I pre-cook them? If so for how long etc etc.

All help greatly recieved.

Hello Everyone,
My other half and I arrived in France in 2007, having sold our house in the UK unexpectedly fast, we were suddenly put in a position of 'Oh Hell now where do we go?' So we quickly packed all our belongings, put them into storage, sold our second car (very begrudgingly)got our two dogs and cat injected and passports stamped, bought a big caravan, stuck it on the back of our car, and headed off to the port. We knew we were heading for France, and that it was going to be middle somewhere............. Arrived in Azat, stayed on a farm there for a while, with two smashing people, began looking around Isle Jourdain area, but as the weeks went on, the houses got worse. The house we eventually bought, we'd passed on numerous occasions, but didn't believe it would be in our price range, and not large enough either. But to our great surprise, it was in budget and two houses for the price of one.
After two months into the renovation, my husband got employment with a French company, a rarity by all accounts, but we now know why!!!!!
But cutting a very long story short, I'd recommend moving to France, but maybe not quite in the way we did..............
Don't know if I'm allowed to do this, but, please take a look at my website, and if we can be of any service, please give us a call or Email
[url=https://www.avriljones.com]

Whilst not immediately due to take place I'm sure that this is going to have repercussions for those that use the AF/KLM organisation.

News Report

The annual Lathus producers market is back on Friday August 2. Kick-off is about 1800.

Usually a very busy affair possitively throbbing with stalls, a BBQ and the obiligatory bar.

In the past there have been indepentant producers travelling from far and wide peddling their wares ranging from smoked hams, to sausages I've never heard of, duck in all its various guises and, my favourite, a bloke who travels all the way from the Auvergne with the most glorious range of cheese.

So glorious in fact Madame Admiral had to drag me away before we took out a second mortgage.

For eats the trick is this; buy your food of choice, take it to the BBQ to be cooked, buy a box of frites, get a glass - or bottle - of your favourite slurp and retire to one of the numerous "picnic" table/benches and indulge in a little gastronomic feast whilst trying to converse in pidgin French.

Great fun. Just avoid the bloke running around with the microphone asking you questions in rapid-fire French that you didn't quite catch. Do you really want your reply broadcast to the waiting masses? Thought not.

Oh, and my neighbours tell me it won't rain this year. Ooppss...that's done it.

We are thinking of learning some French as we know very little and although we get by when on holiday it can sometimes be a little embarrassing.

Has anyone tried the Michel Thomas Total French Method and did it work?

Jen

Received an email from my insurer warning of potentially violet orages in the region. As I'm away from the house could anyone let me know if any were experienced around the area.

Location: Luchapt (86) around 30km SE of Monty

The L'Île aux serpents at La Trimouille is set to close on August 31st

The owners have told staff that they will not reopen, and put the closure down to decline in attendance and the economic situation.

With the UK warning people about the heatwave and the weather forecast for this area saying it's going to get hotter, I thought it would be a good idea to have some tips on how to survive a heatwave.

What you should do:

• Keep out of the sun from 11am – 3pm.
  
• Avoid coffee and alcohol.
  
• Avoid hot meals.
  
• Avoid protein-rich meals.
  
• Drink plenty of water.
  
• Eat plenty of fresh vegetables.
  
• Keep your shutters closed during the day.
  

• Visit public buildings with air conditioning.
  
• Downstairs is usually cooler than upstairs.
  
• Keep a spray bottle filled with cold water in the fridge.
  
• Take cool showers, and use moisturisers.
  
• Wear a sun hat.
  
• Wet towel or a bag of frozen peas can cool your head.
  

• Heat Cramps.
  
• Heat Rash/Bumps.
  
• Heat Exhaustion.
  
• Heat Stroke.
  
• If you feel sick, faint, weak, or nauseas get to a cool place, sip water and try to cool your body down.
  
• If your body stops sweating and you feel confused and lethargic, you should consider getting professional advice from a GP or Hospital.
  

• Rapid panting.
  
• Wide eyes.
  
• Lots of drooling.
  
• Hot skin.
  
• Twitching muscles.
  
• Vomiting.
  
• Dazed look.
  

If you use or want to find L'agence Pôle emploi de Montmorillon (Unemployment Office) from Monday, July 29th 2012 you will need to go to the new office at Rue Daniel-Cormier which I think is near the Funeral Directors just off Boulevard Du Terrier Blanc on the North Ring Road.