With the cold weather we have had a pretty quiet time for last few days. The oil-fired central heating is working well (although the level in the tank is falling too rapidly for my pocket’s liking!) but this is an old and rather draughty house. Ah well, on goes the jumper. I have done some insulation between the cellar roof / house floors, but we do need more insulation in the attics. We had a company come out to give us a quote – they pump a type of cotton fibre in to a depth of 200mm. €9,000 ! Even allowing that we can reclaim 40% of that against tax next year, that’s quite a lot. I’m looking at other possibilities, as I really don’t want to use fibreglass. Sheep’s wool would be perfect, but I haven’t found a supplier yet. There are a number of websites with classified ads and chat forums so I have asked if anyone knows of a supplier – so I live in hope.

We hope we have finished the Christmas shopping – just a couple of perishables to get. We had a bit of snow last night, and the road outside our house turned into a bit of an ice rink – a couple of cars were abandoned for the night at the bottom of the hill. This morning the tractors are out clearing the roads, but I don’t think we’ll be going anywhere today.

Took our tetanus jabs out of the fridge last night (before the snow) and nipped up to the doctors with them. A quick jab, and we have to have another one in a month. He also wants us to have blood tests – so we have to the laboratory in Objat and get them done. A bit of paperwork to sort out to get some of the money we have spent reimbursed, and we don’t have our Cartes Vitale (health cards) yet, but we are getting there.

Returning to UK on Tuesday – so hope that all the roads have been cleared here and there before then.

A happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year!

Joyeux Noël et une nouvelle année prospère

Quite a busy couple of days – for us at least. Tuesday we were in Objat, with two main purposes in mind. We have received a social security number, but not yet got the actual “Cartes Vitales”, which are the ones you present to doctors, chemists, hospitals etc. Judy discovered that for getting a prescription the social security number was enough – although we should get the Carte soon. Although this pays for most of your treatment, it is recommended that you get top-up insurance which pays the rest and will cost about €1,000 a year for both of us. One rather surprising element was that our new doctor had asked if we had had tetanus jabs recently. We haven’t, so the prescription included two doses for tetanus, diptheria and polio, which we were sternly told to take home and keep in a plastic bag in the veg drawer of the fridge, until we took them to the doctor to give to us.


The second thing we had to do was to change my mobile from pay a you go to a contract. PAYG is fine, but here the cards are time limited – even one for €25 may only be valid for a couple of months. The nice lady in the phone shop told me that if I did take out a basic low-cost contract, I would have to have a new mobile number. To keep my old one would involve a discussion with Orange customers services. After a bit of thought I decided that 1. Only a couple of people have my mobile number so telling them a new one wouldn’t be a problem, and 2. I hate talking to customer services in any language. So a new number it is.

We then went to look in the local wine merchants in the town. What a great place. A huge choice of wines, from the really expensive to, and I kid you not, the draught white at €1.20 per litre (or red or rosé) which comes via a baby petrol pump straight into your plastic bottle or other container. What a lot of experimenting we have to do….

Today we had a drive around looking for a couple of last Christmas presents. (By the way Christmas cards are on their way as soon as the lady in Voutezac post office gets a new supply of the relevant stamps). We first went to Donzenac, a really pretty mediaeval village about 20km away.

 Sadly, and not surprisingly, nearly all the interesting shops have shut over the winter, so we’ll have to keep on looking. On the way back we called in at the vet in Pompadour to check that they can give Bertie the jab for his pet passport the day before we hit the Chunnel for an English Christmas – all OK.

When we went into Brive on Friday we had a really good lunch at a very nice restaurant which specialises in Correzian dishes. So you will probably be a bit surprised to learn that on Sunday we decided to go for a drive into the Dordogne and had lunch in an Irish pub. It was nice, filling, food, and it was enjoyable chatting to the owner, but (aside from the fact we were the only customers), it isn’t difficult to understand why Irish and British food doesn’t have quite the same reputation as the French variety. Mind you we may go back again for the quiz night…..

A pretty quiet week – we’ve written all the Christmas cards, got most of the presents, and gloried in the fact that we are returning to UK for the actual celebration, so someone else can do all the hard work!

I am hoping to set up a small business here, doing property floorplans and photography. To help me with the setting up the local Franco-British Chamber of Commerce arranged for me to meet a very nice and helpful French lady from the Brive Chamber of Commerce, whose job it is to help small businesses start. She seemed reasonably impressed by my plans, and was able to explain the steps I have to take – although the system I want to be under is comparatively simple, there are still a few bureaucratic hurdles to overcome.

I’ll keep you posted.

For those of you who are not quite sure whereabouts in France we are (and it is a very big place):

I'ts been a very quiet week, but I suppose that's why we came here..

Set up a Skype account - we are now able to make free calls over the internet all over the world. I think that's a great idea.

The prices here are no longer cheaper than in UK - in fact some things are a fair bit dearer. However part of this is obviously the exchange rate, and as we came here when the rate was virtually parity, we hope that if it climbs we will be better off. The people to feel sorry for are those who came to France or Spain when the rate was 1.60, or have their money invested in funds paying hardly any interest. Fuel, especially diesel, is cheaper even now, and costs such as local taxes are lower too. We still keep an eye on the shopping bill, and there is even a Lidl nearby for when we are feeling particularly mean.

The weather has been pretty good for the last few days - mostly sunny and temperatures around 15c - rather better than UK we hear. We have had a few exploratory drives while going shopping, and the countryside and views around here are really wonderful - come and see!

I have discovered that there is a branch of the Franco-British Chamber of commerce in Brive, and they are happy, in fact very keen, to help me through the bureaucratic hurdles of setting up a small business. We have a meeting tomorrow week, and I am really looking forward to it.

A very quiet week - though after a weekend with Rachel, most weeks would seem fairly peaceful....

We are still getting builders around to give us quotes for the building work we want - I know that a good builder should be a  busy builder, but it can be quite hard work actually getting the quotes - so no change from England there.

On Wednesday we drove up to the North of Limousin to visit David Brown, who runs a business doing floorplans over here. We have met once before, and he was keen to see my elevated camera gear at work. He'll put in his ads that he can provide this service, and I can also help out if he has any floorplan work down our way. I need to formally set up a small business - not as easy as in UK, so I am seeking advice.

On Sunday we tried another Church for Judy - this time in the village of Limeuil in the Dordogne. Rather a distance away (over an hour and a half drive), but they hold Protestant services every Sunday. Jude enjoyed the service (which had far more worshippers than the church in Filkins ever seemed to have), while Bertie and I wandered around the village, along the banks of the river (it's in a spectacular location where the Dordogne and Vezere rivers join) and I had a coffee. After the service there was a "bring it yourself" lunch with wine and bread provided - very enjoyable. We'll go again but perhaps not every week. While there is a well-established Anglican church set up in the Dordogne, there seems to be nothing formal yet anywhere near us. We have found out about a group that meets in someone's home on Wednesdays in Pompadour near us, so Judy will be contacting them.

Phew - a busy few days in which we have covered a large number of, admittedley very pretty, French kilometres.

Rachel arrived at Brive Railway station on Thursday afternoon and we brought her straight back to Voutezac so she could look around the house and village while it was still light...she seems to have approved.

On Friday we took her to Brive, the centre of which is very attractive. It was warm enough to sit outside and have a coffee. From there we went South to Collonges la Rouge, officially one of the prettiest villages in France.

After a very nice lunch we went to two other officially pretty villages - Curemonte, and then Turenne, the village we almost bought a gite complex in a couple of years ago.

Saturday was even busier. First stop was Arnac Pompadour, a town about 20 minutes from us which has a Chateau which is used as one of the French National Studs for Arab horses, and also has a race course right in its centre.

                                       

Then we went to Segur le Chateau  and St Jean de Cole (two more prettiest villages and well earned). Lunch was in Brantome, "the Venice of the Perigord - that is it has a river running through it. However it is well worth a visit as it's Abbey is particularly photogenic.

                                              

At this point it would have been wise to have gently worked our way home, but we decided to go the medieval town of Sarlat, which was a further hour and a half away to the South. However Sarlat is always worth it, and we had a very enjoyable walk around and coffee in the main square.

                                      

I think I can say it was tired but satsfied trio (plus the dog whose opinions were not canvassed) who eventually made it home.

Sunday was busy again. After a trip to the Sunday Market in Objat (where we saw a basket of black truffles at only €50 per 100gm - surely the perfect thank you present?) we had to take Rachel to catch her train home from Bordeaux, as she wasn't able to get a ticket back from Brive. Bordeaux is over 200 km from here, but luckily its motorway all the way, and we hardly saw another car all the way - French motorways are quiet (and they ban HGVs on Sundays!). After lunch in the station buffet (not BR curly sandwiches) we saw Rachel off. On the way back we dropped in to someone I contacted out here who has Peregrine and Saker falcons - a very interesting meeting. She just breeds them, and doesn't hunt. It's much more complex here, but I hope I might get another hawk one day.

Today we took another giant leap into Frenchness - the Disco is now on French plates.

                                  

Thanks to Jean at the local garage for all his help. As well as fixing the problems I had with the car, and getting the car a Controle Technique (French MOT valid for 2 years),today he came with me and another English couple to the relevant office in Brive, where we handed in a number of forms and supporting evidence and a cheque for €180. On the way back Jean called the local car spares place on his mobile, and the plates were ready when we got back to Objat. He then fitted them for us - that's what I call service..

We've had a very quiet few days - the weather has been chilly so we snuggled up around the TV!

Judy had her hair done at the village hairdressers - and it looks very nice. She is happy to keep on going there as, despite the language problem, they seem to know what she wants.

I have been thinking about getting back into falconry, but I know it's rather more complicated here. The people who hunt and shoot are very well organised, and certainly to shoot you are supposed to take a theoretical and practical exam. I am in touch with a lady in the Dordogne who has a small collection of falcons, and we are seeing her on Sunday, so I should get some idea of what it all involves.

We have just got back from the Rememberance Day ceremony in the village. It was held outside the local church, and there was a good turnout. The Mayor spoke, and then several of the village children read out their set speeches. Although I couldn't follow all of it, they were talking about what they owed the many men from the Commune who died in the two World Wars (particularly the First), Algeria and Indo China. They also spoke of the folly of war, and hoped for peace, and who wouldn't agree with that?

Tomorrow Rachel is coming to visit for a few days, so more news later!

Really settling in now. Judy has booked a hair appointment - the village may only be small, have a post office and bakers, but it also has a hairdressers!

Went to the vets to get Bertie some more tablets - he wrote out a prescription for no charge, and the chemist charged €4.80 for 90 tablets, it was over £17 in UK!

We are now getting builder's quotes for the work that needs doing - probably won't happen until well into next year.

Judy says we have come to France to relax a bit - we are certainly learning to do that.

On Sunday I was going to take Judy to an English speaking Protestant church service in the Dordogne. It's about the nearest one to us and it's a good hour's drive. Unfortunately there was thick fog in the morning, so we had to give it a miss and just sit around and watch sport on TV - curses.

On Monday we made a double tactical mistake. We drove to the departmental capital of Tulle - about an hour from us. The two mistakes were that Tulle is not a very exciting place - although it is the administrative capital Brive is 3 times larger and rather more interesting. We should have taken notice of an acquaintance who runs a hotel we have stayed in - she says they really don't like Tulle, partly because there is not much there but mostly because the only reason they have to go there is to pay their taxes. The other mistake was going on a Monday - round here almost everything is closed on a Monday, and Tulle was no exception.

Today was a lot better. The weather is still grotty - grey and rainy, but we drove to Perigeux, the largest town in the Dordogne. It's a lovely town, with lots of interesting shops and back streets. We even found a good restaurant and had an excellent lunch.

For a view more views of our village click on this link:

http://pagesperso-orange.fr/brive/voutezac

there are several glimpses of our house.

Our first guest should be with us next week - Rachel our daughter is coming by train. We are really looking forward to showing her our house and the local area.

Took a drive out to the Eastern side of the Correze - the countryside there gets progressively hillier as it climbs towards the serious mountains of the Massif Central in the Auvergne. We just drove to a well known view point at Suc-au-May at 908m - and the views were amazing. The leaves are just starting to turn - they will probably be amazing in a week or two, but no guarantee that the weather will be as nice as it was today.

Last Sunday we ventured down to the market in Objat. This is obviously an important social occasion as well as a retail opportunity - everyone seemed to be meeting their friends as well as going from stall to stall.

 

A successful day - we braved French bureaucracy and survived. To re-register the car I had to see someone in the tax office in Brive and fill out a form, which she then stamped in about nine places. Now all I have to do is get a CT (French MOT), and take that and all the other paperwork to another office. Of course first I have to have new headlamps fitted.....Thank goodness for finding my English speaking, Land Rover keen garage owner.

I even did some actual work this afternoon - fitting insulation between the joists in the basements, as there was nothing between the floorboards in the sitting room and study and the cold basement below. Looking quite good so far.

Weather has perked up a bit - we have a nice sunny and quite warm day. If you want to see how much better the weather is here:

http://france.meteofrance.com/france/meteo?PREVISIONS_PORTLET.path=previsionsville/192880

We are getting the house together now - our new curtains are up and we have most of our new furniture in place - just the bunk beds to come. A few photos:

We leave the Old Country........

3rd September 2009.  After many vicissitudes we have finally sold our house in Filkins. The movers pack everything up to take it into storage. The couple buying the house are so keen to move in, they are happy to take the keys off us as soon as the removals van is loaded. This means that we have to find somewhere to stay until our ferry - we stay in the Five Alls our local pub for 3 nights, so not really a chore. The only family member a bit puzzled is Bertie, our Clumber Spaniel, who has to sleep in the back of the Discovery, but he gets lots of walks to compensate.

4th September. A gratifying number of our friends turn up for our leaving party in the pub. Lots of good wishes, cards and presents. Also lots of people who promise to come and visit us!

6th September.  We catch the ferry from Portsmouth to Cherbourg. It's a very reasonable 3 hours, although Bertie's comments from the back of a car that is now moving up and down are not recorded. A couple of hours from the ferry port we spend the night in a nice little hotel, which, much to Bertie's relief, has a small park right next door.

We decided not to start the formal buying procedure in France until we were absolutely sure of our UK sale. This meant, according to our French estate agent, that the legal process overseen by the Notaire would take some 2 months. We were lucky enough to be able to rent a house in the Dordogne from a friend of a friend, so thats where were headed.

7th September.  St Julien de Lampon, midway between Sarlat and Souillac. Not bad place to see out our wait. The weather for our stay was excellent - it hardly even rained, and the temperature was around the mid 20s most of the time.  Bertie appreciated the back garden, and we appreciated the views........

We kept in touch with agents, and met up at the Notaire to sign some preliminary paperwork. To our surprise the Notaire announced that we could complete on Saturday 19th September, much earlier than we thought!

19th September. We all meet up at the Notaires, Judy and I, the vendors M and Mme Morant, the Notaire and our estate agent Peter van den Berg, who translated for us. After signing our names to what seemed like a huge number of pieces of paper, we had a house! We had transferred the money from our UK account to our French one, and I was a bit disappointed that we had seemed to hit a low in the rate. In fact it kept on falling, so if we had had to wait a few more weeks we would have lost a fair bit on the exchange.

We accompanied M and Mme Morant to the house where they gave us all the keys, and showed us what everything did. Madame had spent 4 days cleaning and polishing the house, and it was spotless. The only snag delaying our move was that the removals firm couldn't slot us in until the 30th... so it was back to the Dordogne to wait.

30th September.  Our big day. The removals men turn up on time, and get everything in pretty quickly - helped by the fact that we have 3 front doors! They are gone by lunch time, and all we have to do is unpack a huge number of boxes. At first we thought a couple of things were missing, but one turned up in the bottom of a packing case a few days later, and the last item about 3 weeks after that.

One little problem showed itself as we drew up outside the door that morning. Judy pointed out a slowly spreading pool of water under the car, which turned out to be a leak from the heater matrix. Luckily I had taken out breakdown cover, so the nice man from Green Flag came and winched me onto his low loader and asked where I wanted to go. The nearest town to Voutezac is Objat, some 10 minutes away. As we had driven through, I had noticed a small garage which always seeme to have Land Rovers and Discoveries outside, so I said we would try there first. The owner is not only a Land Rover expert, but he also speaks excellent English. He made a temporary repair so we could keep going, and said he could repair the car, fit left hand headlights and otherwise prepare it so I can register it in France. Result!

The house and outside:

.

20th October.  Lets get up to date. We have settled in very well ! We have bought some new furniture, some of which is in and the rest should be delivered tomorrow. We also have new curtains on order. We have begun the registration with the French health service, and found an English speaking doctor.

The nearest town is Objat, a very pleasant place with a good selection of shops including several supermarkets.  Each Sunday a large market takes over the whole town centre. The large town of Brive is about 20 minutes away, with all the shops you could want, with a particularly attractive town centre with cafes etc. We are off there later this afternoon, looking for rugs.

The house still needs some work - it probably always will. The house is dated from 1689, while the cellars are the remains of the village's fortified walls, and apparently date from the 13th century:

                                       

We plan to have two bedrooms and a shower room in the attic, with a few other improvements. As you can see from the floorplan we have lots of scope.