Discussions

Today we have received a Titre Executoire from the local 'Assainissement', a bill for 'Controles concept & technique'. Does anyone know what it is? I didn't receive one last year. The village has had mains drainage put in this year, but we are too far from the village to have it here, and have just had a new Fosse installed. - Could this bill be anything to do with any of this? A friend up the road has also had this bill, and they have no idea what it is either. Any suggestions will be gratefully received.

We need to know where you would recommend to buy fence posts, fencing and a large gate please? Best recommendations, if taken up, get a nice bottle of vin rouge! thanks  The countdown is ON !!17 days........Skype Name.pachypach

We would like to have some sort of flooring in our kitchen that looks like the old flags or Yorkstones.  I like the paler creamy colour rather than darker 'slate' types. We've seen some that are quite nice but they're too smooth & regular!  I like the irregular shaped ones, the smaller squares set among the larger oblong ones. Has anyone seen anything like this around Pontivy area?  I would drive anywhere in Brittany though if something came up! Thanks in advance.**************Fleur

I am in the process of buying an old moulin d'eau in the Lannion area and it has never had an EDF electrical supply.  The nearest 'pole' is 300 m away.  To connect to this it will be necessary to run the cable down a fairly steep slope and through a wood so that going underground seems the best option.  I will need a temporary supply whilst renovation is in progress and I intend to use a registered electrician to carry out all the wiring. I would be interested to hear of anyone's experiences of similar undertakings (eg the procedure to follow from scratch and dealing withe regulations), costings (just for getting the supply to the property) and recommendations for electricians (English-speaking preferred and who will allow me to assist with running the conduit etc.) Also, there is scope to generate our own electricity by installing a hydro-turbine!  Has anyone actually done this? I am right at the start of my researches for information and I have plenty of time so any ideas will be most welcome. THanks Chris v V

Could anyone help, over a week we have spent a lot of time pointing a small part an old stone cottage.  When I say pointing, some of the gaps between stones, when we have taken out the mud that seems to hold it all together, are 3 and 4 inches deep.  We have used 1 part St. Astier to 4 parts sand and after a week my husband has tested the strength by scraping it with his thumb nail and it seems to crumble easily.  We think it may be better to add some cement?  Can anyone shed some light on this and advise us please?M & D

Can anyone tell whats wrong with my tomatoes, they are going black at the leaf and stem, the fruit is rotting out from the bottom, I realise it's probably a common tomato problem, but whats it called, and what can I do next year to avoid it.  Also can any of the higher stems be saved if I stripped it all back, would the fruit be okay to eat. Lots of questions I know, but I'm sure you gardeners out there will have the answers, thanks Tomatoless in 22  aka Divaling.

MY slow cooker has died and I am looking for a new one. Has any one seen a slow cooker for sale anywhere in 22 ? I know they are called "mijoteuses electriques" in French, but have not seen any here and my french friends have never seen them either.  

Can anyone tell me if we need any sort of permission to put a 4-5 ft fence round our property? We are down a lane, only 2 nearish neighbours, and it's just to keep the dog in!! (He's naughty!) If needs be we can put a fence just around the garden part, but would ideally like to fence about half the land off thanks  

Sorry to bore all those regulars that have properbly seen this question before but here goes. We have only just recently purchased a house in Brittany and although I seem to be paying bills okay I am a bit unsure of the Water one. The reason being is that my meter appears to be  just outside the kitchen under a concrete lid. This is no probs but the agent who sold us the house wouldnt read the meter as it was underwater and had a dead mouse floating in it. The meter was read in the end by the company but my question is why is the meter under dirty water that appears to be attached to an outflow pipe not an inflow. How does it all work Help Marie and ALAl & Marie

Where is the best place to buy a washing machine, and a tv and video ? We are near Guiscriff, 56 ?? I need the washing machine, and my 5 year old tells me she needs the telly !!

Dear colleagues,The prior owner of our house was quite a bricoleur. He added a veranda / sun porch with east-side sliders and no room for a tree outside. There's no ceiling vent either. Basically, the room is a good place to let bread rise for 6 months of the year.However, the sliding window frames are equipped with fabric shades that roll up and down (how to you say "shades" in French? Heck, it might not even be "shades" in British English). Unfortunately, the shades are translucent and thus ineffective.I have thought as hard about this as my pickled brain can and the only solution I can think of is Mylar shades. So my second question, is where could I buy or have made Mylar shades (the first was how to say "shades" in French).-- David Clarke, Guidel David Clarke

Hi, can anyone help with the info for a plumber and electrician near Guiscriff ( Gourin area), French or english, we cant get the pressure in the radiators for the gas boiler to work , and the electrics are like spaghetti !!

I'm looking for a firm, deep foam suitable for doing the top of a poufe/footstool.  I can't find anything in the Pontivy/Lorient area, has anyone seen it elsewhere? Or does anyone know of a good website maybe?**************Fleur

Does anyone know of a good chimney sweep near Callac. An english friend recommended one but said it would cost around 65 euros to sweep one chimney - I thought that was a little too expensive. Am I wrong?Claire_lou

Does anybody know of a shop that stocks built in ovens that run on Buta Gaz?

Hi can anyone recommend an electrician to do some work in our house near Lizio

Hi, Can anyone suggest a good place to buy reasonably priced light fitiings - especially ceiling lights and wall lights, preferably traditional french style to suit an old farmhouse. Thanks in advance      jackie

I am looking for the old-English tearoom style pinny.  The sort that goes over each shoulder, ties at the back & is frilly rather than the type that loops over the head, if that makes sense. I've tried googling for pinnies, aprons, frills, waitressing etc & it's not coming up with anything except for tearoom websites showing waitresses wearing them!! If anyone knows where I can find these, please could you let me know?**************Fleur

I am looking for a supplier of coloured glass and other materials for making stained glass , anybody know of any French suppliers?

We are due to move out to Finistere very soon and cannot remeber seeing garden centrees/nurserys like we have in England.  We will be in between Morlaix and Lannion.  Do the big Hyper markets stock plants etc or do they have grden centres ie Wyevale etc. Any info many thanks.