Dinan Bowling alley

Dinan bowling Alley “Le Belem” reopened a few months ago. It is a great place to have a birthday party or any party!

The food is simple and good value and the atmosphere is friendly. If you go between Sunday 7pm and Friday 7 pm, you can play 3 games for €10. Bargain!!

Here is the address: Z.A. Des Alleux, 22100 Taden. Look for Taden Intermarché or Bricomarché and you should find the industrial estate where Dinan bowling is.

Enjoy it!

Dinan magnolia tree

As I had an appointment in Dinan to help an English couple importing their car to France, I took some time walking round Dinan.

I visited my favorite chocolate shop – I couldn’t resist and passed the lovely magnolia tree.

As you can see from the photo it is beautiful. It was in full bloom!

Capital Gains on French properties

If you are thinking of selling your French property, you might wonder if you are liable for Capital Gains (impôt sur la plus-value).

If your house in France is your main place of residence, you will be exempt from capital gains.

However, if you are not a French resident, you will be liable unless you have owned your property for over 15 years.

Some building work may be deducted from Capital Gains (extension, conservatory, etc) but you need to be able to prove the work has been carried out by supplying your local notaire with invoices from registered builders.

Small improvement jobs like fitting a new bathroom or kitchen can not be deducted.

Check with your notaire before putting your house on the market. He or she will be able to tell you if you are liable for capital gains or not. If you are, he or she will keep the tax amount from the sale proceeds and pass it on to the tax office!

Bécherel fête du Livre

Bécherel is a tiny charming village, called the city of the books because there are 15 bookstores for around 660 inhabitants. Many events are organised during the year.

The Easter weekend is always filled with events (concerts, exhibitions, as well as a large number of stalls selling all sorts of books!).

It is on Saturday 4th , Sunday 5th and 6th April 2010.

Not far from Bécherel, you will find Trévérien and its plant sale on Sunday 5th April. Bécherel is about 20 minutes South of Dinan.

See my previous post here.

Déchetterie in France

Déchetteries in France are household waste recycling centres. You can drop off household waste items such as old televisions, fridges, cardboard, polystyrene, cartridges, oil, etc, and any rubbish you get from a renovation (old tiles, rubbles, PVC or copper pipes, cables, etc).

More or less whatever you can’t recycle in the 3 containers can be taken to the déchetteries.

Asbestos needs to be taken to a specialist. Your local déchetterie should be able to give you the address of the nearest one.

Déchetteries are free to use. Businesses (builders, gardeners, roofers, etc) however pay a fee each time they use the déchetterie.Our déchetterie in Evran (Brittany) charges €7 per m3 for gardening waste, €11 for rubble.

Staff can assist with the unloading of your car on request.

Check with your local mairie for the opening hours. Déchetteries are usually open from Monday to Saturday 10 am to 12 and 2 to 5 or 6pm.

It is advisable to take a water or EDF bill with you to prove you are a resident of the commune where the déchetterie is. Some communes give stickers to put on the windscreen.

Please note it is forbidden to recover items from the déchetterie!!

Rainbow in Brittany

As I was driving to Dinan (Brittany) a couple of days ago, I saw this wonderful rainbow. I couldn’t help stopping to take a photo. I wished I had a wide angle lenses on my camera so I could have had the whole rainbow on the same photo!

It brightened up the sky after a whole day of rain!

Fluorescent waistcoat

Driving in France

Since 1st July 2008, all vehicles in France have to carry a fluorescent waistcoat (gilet fluorescent) and a warning triangle (triangle de signalisation).

Visibility vests (it is recommended to have at least 2 or one per driver and passenger) have to be put on before getting out of the car in the event of a breakdown so they have to be kept inside the car (under the seats or in glove box) and not in the boot.

If you get stopped by the police, you will get fined if you don’t carry those items in the car.

Waistcoats and warning triangle can be bought from garages or supermarkets in France.


See my other posts about drinking driving and police checks.