Well....from our point of view..welcome to France! I believe the French are more inclined to use their property for their living needs...and requirements...and to enjoy their space...regardless of the visual aspect for the neighbours. We live at the top of a hill..and we have a smashing French couple at the bottom of the hill...who are hippies...they are building reed toilets...they collect all sorts of 'rubbish' that they re-use....we also have Brit friends who are building next to them.. both couples get on famously...but the Brit friends asked their neighbours if they would be upset if they put a hedge betwixt the two...one looks like Steptoes yard...the other is immaculate....I do feel that the French tend to use their homes/plots to get the most from them and that is part and parcel of living here...I am assuming they are French... now if they are Brits..you could probably tip off the local Flics and am sure they are contravening some law or another...
Very similar to something that happened here. A local Brit started a car scrap yard in our commune (in a national park) without consent. It took years but he eventually left and the field was cleared. There were lots of complaints from ex pats but also from locals including the Maire. The rumour was that the Fisc were instrumental in him leaving. Another local Brit was living under severely restricted means in a caravan without running water, drainage etc. He eventually became so ill I understood he was taken to a hospital and hasn't been seen since. My recommendation is that you go very easily indeed as people become pretty exciteable in such situations. ( I dealt with neighbour disputes in the UK professionally).
Who has said that you need "permission?"
Why don't you just paint them the same colour?
Depends - if you are French, then round here you can do what you like, but if your are 'anglais' then ...
I have to get 'permission' to repaint my railings, door, windows etc in the same (approved) colour they have always been (450m from listed monumnet). French residents, closer to said artefact, use any colour, PVC shutters etc, and the powers that be turn a blind eye.
Last time it took me three months to get the 'permission' - by which time it was mid-winter and not the time to do the work. This time (since my wife now has citizenship, I am going ahead and doing it anyway.
woops missed the "ou non". there it is in black and white, odd how many people openly flout it and nothing's done... usual problem of mairie not then wanting to home the people they've just dislodged! Just hope in Anna's case that they get bored and up sticks for some where new
I notice that in the past you have made quite pointed comments about people bending the regulations concerning taxi permits and others trying to live a self-sufficient life-style!
Anna has a genuine worry and she has not been bad-tempered.
Anna, I still think it would not be a bad idea to talk to the Mairie regarding your concerns.
Good luck, and the vast majority of us are very glad that we do not have to deal with this very unpleasant situation and hope you achieve a good outcome.
I have at no stage been bad tempered and I am sorry if I appeared so. As I said enough now and for the others who have replied positively a massive thank you and I am most grateful. I love living in France, I have had horrendous problems to overcome since I came here eleven years ago and I have nothing but positive things to say about the French.
problem is they drive off sight before the three months are up, spend a night or two elswhere then come back again :-(
Christa, to be fair, Anna was not being bad tempered. Her original question was stated in a reasonable manner, in my opinion.
didn't see the comment but ignore it what ever it was, as the others are saying, and make the most of the community here ;-)
Agreed! SFN is a great network, and yes, since I joined (about 18 months ago), I have seen some negative comments, but mostly SFN works well as a "community", helping each other out. Look at all the advice and help given to people like me who needed information re AE for example. Less of the negativity please.
Anna, don't let one comment put you off. Just about everyone here is civil and polite. We all have differences of opinion but generally things run very well.
Please don't do that! and ALWAYS get in touch with me or James - we can't be everywhere and see everything - I was busy mopping floors on a rare morning off and he was in the barn. That goes for everyone else too - feel free to contact us.
The golden rule is that dinner party standard conversation is allowed - personal comments aren't! x
Catherine thank you. Nearly came off what is the most informative and supportive site. If you are ever in Gers please please ring me and come and stay both of you.
@ Anna - I agree with your last comment and have removed the comment that was made by Chris. Cx
I am not making assumptions. But I take your point. We are not in the village and I said they have started renovating .... the house is not yet finished ......by a long way and they have been living in a caravan. Nothing at all wrong with that. However, I cannot describe the filth. And yet I must be fair, they are charming and lovely people and all was well until the slow onslaught of white vans and coaches. The english red double decker bus is arriving now later on in the year. I went for my usual walk with Molly my dog this morning and for some reason there only remains one coach, vans a few cars and some bikes. Looking good for the moment. Perhaps they are all here for the melon picking.
Not sure about the fosse, and I have no idea about drugs. Not sure why we assume only hippies use drugs but anyway enough, its there and yes a massive eyesore. There is nothing I can do about it and indeed I am a stranger here in their beautiful country, so thank you everyone but no more posts, I have decided to go and see them. Will keep you informed.
To be honest I'm having a hard job seeing what the problem is here. These so-called hippies have bought and renovated a house in your village, they've lived down your lane for a few years and you're not even on first name terms with them? They've created an eyesore that can't be seen by anyone (except those walking on all fours) and they have lots of friends. They sound like a lot of fun to me, maybe I'm a hippy too.
If they were so undesirable as neighbours then surely the other neighbours and the maire would already have reacted.
As for the fosse septique, then surely that's their problem: if it fills up too quick then it's them that have to call Malezieux (or the local equivalent) to get it emptied. I hardly think they are going to flood the village with raw sewage.
And as for the drugs issue... well we won't even go there.
I'm not taking sides here, they could well be the toe-rag neighbours from hell, but that is not clear from your post and i get the impression that a lot of assumptions are being made.
Brian you are right I shallhave to let it go and hope that its just a summer sojourn.
Our maire stopped to chat a few minutes ago. I threw in a question about if this was to happen to us and his view is there is nothing that can be done. There is a group of Roma who bought some land, erected a hut but have several caravans and run a taxi service out of their little camp. It is immediately in front of the road leading to the village proper and can be seen from upstairs at the mairie. They keep their place clean and anyway it is private land, the couple of children go to school and no actual rules or laws are broken so there is nothing to enforce.
I know that is not very helpful, but unless they are trashing the place then there is nothing you can do. If they have chemical toilets in their buses Jane's otherwise good question is a non-starter. On the denunciation one, unless you are certain then do not go down that road, it can turn into a 'boy who cried wolf' situation.
Thank you all, I live in such a rural area that the eyesore would only be seen by totally disinterested farmers and the wildlife. My house is listed but not as I would wish.....just a few lines in something or other describing it. Yes I am thinking where are they going to put all their waste.....and not the edible kind. I am going to the Marie. So far only two couches are there. According to the farmer, more will be arriving.