Christmas market in Rennes

Rennes Christmas market is on until 24th December 2015, Place du Parlement de Bretagne. It is on everyday from 10am to 8pm.

Rennes is in Brittany.

More gardening done in Evran

We are trying to improve the look of our town of Evran by reviewing all flower beds and pots.

This week we planted 10 kg of daffodils, 50 tulips, muscaris, narcissus, etc in the newly planted flower beds and in 40 pots.
I will update this photo in sping to see the 'before' and 'after'. If you live nearby and wish to do some voluntary work, feel free to contact me.

French regional elections

Regional elections will be held in France on 6th and 13th December 2015 in France.
The first round is tomorrow, and I have not decided who to vote for... 

Winter sales in France

The winter sales (soldes d'hiver) start on Wednesday 6th January 2016 and finish on Tuesday 16th February 2016 all over France except in Meurthe-et-Moselle, Meuse, Moselle, Vosges and  Guadeloupe where they start on 2nd January 2016.

If you still have some money left after Christmas (Noël), then it is worth going shopping then!

The perfect holiday home for sale near Dinan

Semi-detached 2 bedroom property for sale in Trevron, near Dinan.

Ground floor: 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom with toilets

1^st floor: open plan living area and fitted kitchen which opens onto the raised terrace

For more information, please contact me  here and I will pass on the owners details to you. 

Price: 70,000 euros (about 50,000 pounds)

 

Meter reading

If you have a holiday home in France and your EDF meter is inside the property, the technician from EDF will leave you a card to fill in and send back if you are able to be there when he comes.

You can also give EDF the reading over the phone or create an account online.

EDF came and read meters twice a year. 

This photo is showing an old meter. If you have a recent one, press 'defilement' to get the reading. 

Gastronomic fair in St Malo

Saint Malo will host it Gastronomic Fair (Chef et Saveurs) on 13th, 14th and 15th November 2015. 
The fair offers a wide choice for the professional and amateur cook alike. New products in the field of food and wine as well as new trends in home and leisure will be on show. 
  

To get free invitations please follow this link here.



It is very simple : enter your name and email address and within seconds you will receive an invitation for 2 people to this Gastronomic Fair. 
 

Large workshop for rent near Dinan

Garage/workshop

150 sqm – handy for storing your furniture or anything else!

It used to be a garage.

In St Pierre de Plesguen, 10 min East of Dinan, 20 min South of St Malo in Brittany.

Rent : €200 / month.

Available now.

Improving flower beds in Evran

You live near Dinan in Brittany and you want to do a bit of voluntary work?

Please contact me! We meet on a regular basis and improve  the flower beds in Evran. See the photos, before and after, a team of 12 people transformed the flower bed in 4 hours. Plants were made from cuttings, we didn’t buy any of the 220 plants!

As you can see from the photos the sun was shining, it was 2nd November 2015, and 20 degrees! 

1 bedroom flat to rent near Dinan

Apartment to rent long term in St Pierre de Plesguen between St Malo and Rennes. 10 min from Dinan, Brittany, France. 

325 euros / month.

+ 20 euros per month for charges (cleaning and maintenance of communal areas)

Available now.

Recently renovated

More photos available.

The village has bakeries, bars, post office, GPs, chemist, hair dressers, petrol station, supermarket, and is near the St Malo Rennes motorway.

Plant exchange this Sunday in Le Quiou

If you have any plants, cuttings, seeds to exchange, please join us this Sunday 8th November 2015 in front of the church.
You will receive some plants in exchange!
It is free to take part.
This Troc aux plantes is organised twice a year by Mary.
The next one will be in spring.

Photo : Le Quiou church.
Le Quiou is a village near Evran, South of Dinan in Brittany, France.

Rubbish collection for your French house

To find out when rubbish collection day is for your French property, ask your local mairie.
Depending where you live in France, it can be everyday in big cities like Paris or if you live in the countryside like I do in Brittany, bin day is once a week!

Place the bin outside your property the night before or at the end of the road next to your neighbour’s bin if you live in the countryside.

Check with your local authorities as they might provide a plastic 'wheely' bin free of charge.

You will get charged an annual rubbish removal tax, taxe d'enlèvement or redevance des ordures ménagères. 

If you buy a property in the following communes:

Dinan, Calorguen, Evran, Plouasne, Saint Juvat, Saint Judoce, Saint André des Eaux, Les Champs Géraux, Taden, Quevert, Pleudihen sur Rance, Aucaleuc, Bobital, Brusvily, Lanvallay, La Vicomté sur Rance, Le Hinglé, Le Quiou, Léhon, Saint Carné, Saint Hélen, Saint Samson sur Rance, Tréfumel, Trélivan, Trévron, or Vildé Guingalan, the rubbish collection tax is issued by Dinan Communauté.

 
The tax is sent to you in July to be paid by mid September. 

Paper, cardboard, glass, tins etc must be recycled and not mixed with your ‘normal’ rubbish.
Check with your mairie where the recycling areas are.

If you wish to get rid of some items that still work, you can visit Emmaus, a charity in France.

See my previous posts about Emmaus in France. 

For assistance with your French house, please contact me here.