Moving country to be self sufficient

[123sologne]

Yeah, I think you got it spot on... I feel a tad inadequate at the moment and I know I will have to explain to every single pen-pusher down there that I have not lived in France for 20 years so they need to explain to me how it works.... Otherwise they will probably think I am taking the mickey....
At least my English husband will be with me, but that is another problem as he is called Robert Martin, which is soooooooo French!!!

[Millymollymandy]

But they'll know the moment he opens his mouth - your problem (and mine when I don't understand something in England) is that the 'natives' look at you as if you have been on Mars because you speak like them so you do have to keep on muttering about "I've been out of the country.......".

A few years back I was too embarassed to ask in M&S if they now accepted credit cards - they didn't use to but I could see pin machine paying thingies on the counter but didn't know if it was for debit or credit cards. I paid by cash!

[Mrs Moustoir]

Some insurance companies will accept your UK no claims. I reregistered a car in December myself and recently helped a friend sort out her insurance as well. Allianz accepted her no claims - no problem.

She had to get evidence of her no claims from her UK insurance company and Allianz gave her one month to sort out the reregistration.

We went to a French speaking agency rather than one dealing with just ex pats and they were very helpful.

[The Riff-Raff Element]

Some insurance companies will accept your UK no claims. I reregistered a car in December myself and recently helped a friend sort out her insurance as well. Allianz accepted her no claims - no problem.

There you are then - It's almost a decade since I did this and things have moved on. Mind you, even without my no claims, I was still paying less, so it didn't really matter.

[Mrs Moustoir]

It is a mindfield though Jon. As you mentioned above, how these Brit registered cars with green ins tickets get away with it, I'll never know!

All well and good until there is a claim...

[oldjerry]

OK,re your car,if you can register it to a UK address (relative etc) Some insurance companies will give you a long,long green card for free.If your under 55 the best at present is LV,who will give you 6 months continous ,then come back for a weekend then you get another 6 months.If you're over 55 you can go with Saga who, I'm told,do 12 months.Personally I stick with LV cos they're nice people to deal with,we've always come back at least once a year,and even if you never leave the UK they're pretty cheap.

Many ex pats I know in Italy do this,(Italian motor insurance is horrendous,you insure the car ,not the driver) and save £600 plus per year.

[123sologne]

But they'll know the moment he opens his mouth - your problem (and mine when I don't understand something in England) is that the 'natives' look at you as if you have been on Mars because you speak like them so you do have to keep on muttering about "I've been out of the country.......".

A few years back I was too embarassed to ask in M&S if they now accepted credit cards - they didn't use to but I could see pin machine paying thingies on the counter but didn't know if it was for debit or credit cards. I paid by cash!

Ho yes, this will be me very soon....

[123sologne]

Many thanks everybody for the various solutions for the car insurance. I will discuss this with Mr hubby and we will see what is our best option for now and for later. At least it looks like there are a few solutions. We will have to see which one is the cheapest and the most practical for us.

[clanpowell]

HOORAY
We finally have a day for signing to get our house!! Next Thursday. Plenty of notice then!! We've spent nearly a month now bugging the immoblier for a date and out of the blue-Next Thursday please. So much for the 3-4 weeks notice. So panic stations it is. Buy car. (Made the mistake of selling the car thinking we'd have longer notice before moving, cheers France!)Hire van. Book ferries. Reasure 3yr old. Flea, tick and worm dogs (Not compulsary any more but hoping that if you give them lots of bits of paper they will move us through customs quicker!!) Pack van. Drive through France. Unpack van. Drive back. Pick up dogs and son from Grandma and Grandad. Tunnel crossing. Drive through France. Fix house. Dig garden. Buy animals. Eat animals. Keep blog up to date. Get guests to B&B and tipee. Grow old and happy. Become wise and sage like.
Doesn't seem alot when you put it like that.

[contadina]

Whatever treatment you give your pets make sure it protects against sandflies too, as leishmaniasis is very prevalent in the Med and parts of France.

[clanpowell]

Whatever treatment you give your pets make sure it protects against sandflies too, as leishmaniasis is very prevalent in the Med and parts of France.

Good advice, I'll look into it.

[clanpowell]

Hey it's been a while as we've been sans internet since we got here. Rather than bore everyone here with our exploits it's already on our blog. (Shameless plug I know but it seems pointless writing it down twice) So if you want to see what we've been up to just click on the bottom link. The ish bible has been well thumbed and now has some stains as well. A worth while investment!! Now, how to get those chickens to go broody!

[Pumpkin&Piglet]

Congratulations guys on it all coming together for you

Hope it all goes well and can't wait to come and see your successful little smallholding (right word?!)

xxxxx

[gdb]

Whereabout in the Correze are you?

I hope you bought near to Brive if you are going self sufficient there! It'll get pretty cold in the rest of it during the winter months.....

[MyLovelyHorse2]

And... after a gap of over 18 months, I'm back! (Only now I'm MyLovelyHorse2, as I couldn't remember my old login...)

Glad you're here in the Corrèze, Clanpowell. Us too, and it's brilliant. I'm off to go and read your blog, to find out what you've been up to!
MLH x