Friday 20 January 2012

Renault Laguna II Estate 1.8 16v petrol for sale


Dark metallic grey, first registered November 2004. English RHD car but registered in France, with French plates. Has full service history, 74,000 miles, half leather interior, cd player, alloy wheels.

Recent service (not due again for 14,000 miles), new cambelt, wheel bearings and 2 new tyres.
Will be sold with new CT. In excellent condition throughout. 3500 euros. We are based in France, Brittany, near Dinan.

Sold with UK lights.

If you are interested, please email us here.

06.02.2012
The car is now sold!!

Free Dance Classes near Dinan



Every Tuesday afternoon from 3pm, June and Philip, an English couple will teach you how to dance for free!

Ballroom and Latin American dance.

You will find them in Evran at La Salle Communale, 17 rue de la Liberation.
Anyone welcome!
Beginners to experienced dancers.
Tel: 00332 96 82 29 78.

Panto - The Three Musketeers


Les Rosbifs et Crêpes are presenting their annual pantomime at the Salle des Fetes, Pluduno, Cotes d'Armor on
Friday 20th, Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd January 2012.

This year we have moved a little from tradition with our choice, 'The Three Musketeers',by Hilary Mackelden. However be assured that there will still be a dame, a principal boy and girl and plenty of booing and hissing an in addition some swashing and buckling. The format does allow us to make it a bit shorter than previous years.

Pluduno is just to the West of Plancoet and their will be 'Theatre' signs from the main road to show the way to the Salle des Fetes.

There will be performances Friday and Saturday evenings at 8pm and matinées on Saturday and Sunday at 3pm.

Despite the lavish costumes and sets prices stay at the reasonable 8€ for adults, 5€ for students up to 16 years and under 5s free.

Tickets from Bob on 0699199575 / robert.houghton@orange.fr …or from the door on the night if any are left.

How to keep tulips longer in a vase


I tried our local florist’s trick and it worked!

Only put 1 cm of water in the vase and keep adding water every morning and your tulips will stay fresh longer. I managed to keep mine over a week.

Try it and let me know!

Tuesday 10 January 2012

Ryanair new route Dinard to Leeds/Bradford

From 27th March 2012, the low cost airline Ryanair will operate 2 flights a week between Leeds-Bradford and Dinard/Pleurtuit (Brittany, France).

Hopefully the flights will be on Saturdays making it easier for tourists to hire a gîte in Brittany form Saturday to Saturday.

More information about Ryanair here.


The day of the operation

If you are about to have an operation in a French hospital, you will need to fill in a few forms. Here is what the forms will say:

You agree to follow the surgeon and anaesthetist’s advise:

Follow a diet a few days before the operation

Don’t eat, drink or smoke before the operation

Remove all earrings (boucles d'oreilles), jewellery (bijoux), piercing.

Don’t wear nail varnish (vernis à ongles), nor make up (maquillage)

You will need to have a shower at home the night before the operation and the morning of the operation using a special shower gel prescribed by your surgeon (Hibiscrub for example). Sleep in clean sheets and wear clean cloths the day of the operation.

If you follow a treatment, your anaesthetist will tell you if you can take your tablets or not.

After the operation:

You can’t eat, drink or smoke without the nurse’s authorisation.

On departure as you won’t be able to drive for 24 hours, ensure someone is picking you up or arrange for a taxi to take you home.

If you live alone, ask someone to stay over night with you once you get home.

By signing the forms you will also agree to say you are fully aware of the risks of the anaesthetics.


See my previous post about the appointment with the anaesthetist here.

Appointment with the anaesthetist


If you are about to have an operation under local or general anaesthetics (anesthésie locale ou générale) in France, the surgeon will ask you to organise a meeting with an anaesthetist a week prior the operation.

A file with be given to you and will have all sorts of information regarding the operation:

The special diet you may have to follow before the operation, a prescription of tablets you may need to take, etc. You will also have to fill in some forms. We like forms and paperwork in France!!

One is about the existing treatment(s) you may have. The surgeon needs to know what tablets you are taking. You will also have to list the previous operations you have had – if any.

Take this file with you when you meet the anaesthetist (anesthésiste). She or he will go through the list of previous operations or / and tablets with you and will answer any questions you may have regarding the operation. Another file (livret d'accueil) will be given to you to read and bring back the day of the operation. Some more reading!

You then have to book your bedroom for the day of the operation, visit the 'pré-admission'. Even if you are only there for a small operation, you will have to book a bedroom. You can ask for a phone line or a TV.

The sea view option is not available at Dinan hospital!

Don’t forget to bring your passport, Carte Vitale and if you have top up insurance (Mutuelle), bring the “attestation’ with you.

The anaesthetist’s fee is €28 (January 2012). It may vary according to the area.

If you require help with filling forms and paperwork, please contact me here.

See my post about the day of the operation.

Monday 9 January 2012

Looking for a Damp-Proof Course membrane in France!


Although I am French, I do not know ALL the DIY terms in French!

A few days ago Chris was looking for some DPC which I found out means ‘damp-proof course’!

Thankfully we had a bit of it that our friend gave us so it helped going round some DIY shops in Dinan (Brtittany, France). At least we could show what we were looking for!

Most of them looked at the stuff in a funny way and asked us what it was for, then said ‘NON’!

After visiting several DIY shops, at last we found some damp-proof course membrane at Point P in Dinan and found out it was called ‘bande d’arase’ in French. They sell 10m-rolls, either 20 or 25cm wide, at just under €20 per roll.


See my future post to see what we will do with it!