-
Bread, bacon and beans: British food habits on trial in France
Columnist Samantha David carefully navigates a discussion with a taxi driver on a delicate subject: the French breakfast
-
France's new foreign income rules are making our lives complicated
Readers outline their struggles in getting French nationality
-
France's DPE energy rules may leave beautiful older homes worthless
Connexion reader's 500-year old home was rated F
How not to spend much
Saving tips
Having read about the couple who decided not to buy any new household items for a year I would like to share what we do in our corner of Orne.
Local brocantes. Enormous fun and very moderately priced for everything from furniture to china and garden items.
Local websites, such as United in Normandy.
Charity sales and Emmaus which is wonderful for furniture and has moderate delivery charges for the big stuff.
My favourite: a bourse with friends. It works like this: find a friend with a large room and lots of parking. Turn up with anything you no longer need, plus a bottle and some food. Socialise for an hour having set out your stuff on tables, rails etc. And at 20.00 the bell rings and it is a free for all.
Kit Stephens, Orne