[quote=“Misty36140, post:62, topic:23312”]
too !
[/quote] I guess these rebates are only if you live in France? I have my holiday home in the Aude and have to decide if I should spend €7k to update my oil boiler or not?
As I understand it Art the rebates are for your main home.
I live here permantely and after asking for quotes chose the best option of 4 estimates .
The chap I used wasn’t on the accredited list so I didn’t benefit from the rebate. However I do believe that the others did hike their prices to benefit from the rebate, I didn’t like this or their quotes, so I decided to go for the chap that ‘felt right’ for me.
I am still with fuel as any alternative was way above my budget. I don’t think that the French can change these systems ‘overnight’ so really it’s up to you to ask for quotes for various systems and make your choice depending on budget and what you are advised !
Electrical storage heaters are a product of last century and best left there. Spend €3500 on a couple of air source heat pumps and the other€3500 on insulation to reduce the amount of heat you need.
How big is your holiday home… how well insulated… how often are you there… and in what season… oh… and do you have a log burner/fireplace
Answers to the above … will direct our thoughts towards the best system for your situation… (hopefully) 
I’m inclined to agree with John, especially on the insulation front.
However if you do go down the route of an air sourced heat pump make sure that it is adequately specified - and don’t just look at the “headline” heat output - look at the average winter temperature in your area and make sure the unit has adequate heat output with intake air at that temp.
Alternatively, if you have the space look at a ground sourced heat pump - they are more expensive but their heat output is not so affected by the outside temperature.
Hello Stella, thanks for your email. Answers to you questions, it’s a 3 bedroom house 125m2 living space with the same number of room inc a garage below. Single glazed built in the 1960’s. I get there 5 times a year for about 2 weeks at a time due to looking after a parent back in the UK. I do have a small wood burner in the lounge.
Regards Art Mather
Hi again Stella, now looking to sort out the heating system. I’ve asked for a couple of quotes for a Pompe à Chaleur. I’ll keep you posted.
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Art… as has been suggested…IMO insulation is the key… all the heating in the world will only do so much good… and the rest will heat the great outdoors… 
Double glazing/loft insulation/wall insulation (if appropriate) and even floor insulation if you have a chilly cave under the living area…
I would concentrate on those areas before paying out much for a heating system…
Pity it is not your main Residence… as there are all sorts of “offers” regarding Insulation/double glazing…
Hi Stella, doesn’t seam fair that we can’t take advantage of the offers. We pay the full property taxes yet don’t get the full benefits as we are not in France full time. Surely making the house more energy efficient is still good for the country even though the house isn’t occupied full time. I bought in 2003 and feel things have gone against us Brits ever since, friends are selling up as they have had enough of rising prices and too much red tape.
Regards Art Mather
The money used to subsidise these “specials” comes from the Income Tax Payers themselves… Companies/Workers and Residents… (not Property Tax Payers).
Property Taxes go towards maintaining all the local amenities etc… and some goes higher up the chain to be used further afield…
If you were Resident… you would declare your worldwide Income, Pay Income Tax and Social Charges (if applicable) and thus be eligible for these offers (according to income levels/rules)…
That is the rough explanation… hope it helps you understand…
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some folk may feel like that… but it should be noted that Brits are not the only people who have 2nd homes in France…
French, Dutch, Belgian, American, Swiss, Italian, Russian, German, Irish, Australian… and the list goes on…
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Why do you feel " things have gone against us Brits" in particularl? It is the same for any second-home owner. If it was your main home, you would get the benefits. Nobody cares what your nationality may be.
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Anyone put in one of the hot water cylinders that have an air source heat pump on top? Our main electricity use is probably hot water. We’re on the standard tariff and main heating is wood stove. I’ve just had to replace our old ballon in a hurry with a 200 euro special from bricomarche but I’m still wondering long term, payback time etc for one of these new tanks.
sounds interesting.
We’re looking at putting in a hot-water cylinder as we are so impressed with how long they keep the water hot nowadays… (once they are hot, of course…)
Interesting reading… 
An air source heat pump could be used as a preheat for the hot water storage tank but you’ll require an electric element to take the temperature of the water above 60c. Might be worth considering an evacuated tube solar heating for hot water as this can easily reach the higher temperature. The electric element for backup.
The Willis solar siphon is an interesting addition to a standard tank rather than buying an expensive twin coiled tank .
Solasyphon Solar Water Heater Heat Exchanger https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005HAQVK6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_uGqRCbGNNP72P
Yes very effective, used something similar with a solar panel in a pressurised system back in the UK. This is the sort of thing I was thinking of–
https://www.leroymerlin.fr/v3/p/produits/chauffe-eau-thermodynamique-all-green-nf200-180-l-e1500155887
Simple to fit and I have space in a big garage that would suit. I would go for solar but living in the bottom of a steep valley our exposure to sun is limited plus fitting costs had me looking at payback times.
Looks very interesting…is it as “easy” as it appears ?
I think that there may be a problem with wood stoves in the future.
They also are a source of particulates and there is a move in UK to restrict their use.
Since we have stopped using our stove, I have not had a chest infection in the winter.
No one smokes in a car with children anymore, but they happily light their woodburners.
There is a bit of a mis-conception regarding wood burners these days. It is true that the older varieties are not as efficient at clean-burning, but the modern ones from the likes of Jotul are way out in front on the environmental stakes.
An efficient wood burner relies on burning good wood - properly seasoned and dried. Anything less than this will give off particulates because it is not burning properly and at the optimum temperature. Properly seasoned and dried wood burns hot - damp wood never can. If you burn damp or wet wood, you are not getting the heat you have paid for and all you are doing is producing smoke.
If your wood burner is causing you irritation, then look closely at how you are using it, storing your wood (keep it dry!) and how the logs are split (if they are small and still have the bark on then they will never dry properly).
There are quite a few good books on the subject - most produced in Norway where wood burners and logs are a national obsession.
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