The move is finally here - and now of course I'm panicking how to manage by myself with only two arms.
If anyone knows of a taxi / transport / man with a van service who would be able to 'ferry' us (1 woman, 1 kid, 1 dog + 2 cats in dog/cat carriers plus probably 2 suitcases) from either Paris (Orly or CDG) or Lyon one way to Haute Vienne (Dept 87) please could they let me know. Air Malta flies to all 3 airports so I can be flexible if it fits better location-wise with a particular transport service. I was going to hire a Berlingo or similar but the logistics are starting to freak me out so it would greatly reduce my stress levels just to be collected and then dumped at the new house.
The date is to be confirmed - it very much depends how long I have to wait before EDF/water can make an appointment to reconnect all the services as presently there are none - but maybe in about 2 weeks?
So, please, if anyone has any ideas? Would be very much appreciated.
I saw Valerie this afternoon. She says HELLO to all and is very sorry she has not been able to visit SFN. In fact she's very frustrated about not having been able to get Internet access or phone access at all yet and being totally incommunicado. She says when she does get online again (hopefully very soon), she'll be back annoying us all!!
News just in. I spoke to Vanessa Lees earlier. She drove up to Valerie's hameau, did a bit of detective work and found her house. Unfortunately, Valerie was not in. However, the builder across the road was able to tell Vanessa that Valerie had arrived safely. He took contact details from Vanessa and promised to pass them on to Valerie. Just another great example of SFN members helping and supporting. Well done Vanessa.
Valerie....Hope your move went just the way you wanted. Several of us here at SFN are concerned that you have given us no news. Please pop in anyway you want and say " hello " !!!
@ Valerie, good idea to remind the guy that you're not a tourist, a local girl had the arse fall out of a second hand car with rust, and she took it back to the dealership, and got no help at all.
@ Steve, I'm looking for .... oh, I dunno, I want to replace a VW polo, in that I want something fuel efficient, and small enough to park on a 50 cent coin... but I'm looking at mini-vans now, because we have a LOT of beekeeping equipment to carry around, and sometimes the hilux just drinks too much fuel, so we prefer a smaller car. I was looking at a VW caddy. To be honest, I also have a thing against French made cars. i get a lot of stick for that, lol.
Ha ha ha, intimidation. I love it. There's a garage in the nearby town that sells new Fords and also 2nd hand cars. I think I'll just see what he has on the forecourt. I'll let him know I live locally and that if anything goes wrong with it I'll know exactly where to find him.... bwaa ha ha (evil laugh). Right off to the postbox then box, box, box.
For buying cars, and odds and ends, I use www.leboncoin.com I'm currently looking for a car, because one of ours went on fire about a month ago; so I feel your pain.
To be honest,though, driving something big helps around the peripherique of paris, because most people just stay out of your way, when we go up to visit in-laws, we take either a heavy rigid truck, or a really muddy hilux, and everyone just gets out of our way!
Thanks Zoe. I hate the thought of driving something 'big' around which is what I definitely wanted to avoid, especially with the idiot drivers hurtling round the airport but tough basically. Can't wait to be rid of the thing down at Limoges and see if I can find a little 2nd hand car. Won't mind so much if I prang something old on the gate post! It's complete mayhem here, trying to box everything today because shippers arrive early tomorrow morning, at the same time as the vet, and I can't even get on today because been arguing with the cable company and sorting other cr*p out. Aaaaaghh. The day's half gone and I need Valium.
Glad you booked something, takes a lot of weight off, even though it's just a case of making a phone call,or booking something online. We have a hard time with flights too, because my nearest Airport is Geneva, and most of the flights home are diring the ski season, and when I'm actually finished working, the lfights are over.
Well, congrats on the move, welcome "home", and hope everything goes well!!
I thought they were year round but apprently don't start until mid-March. That was a shock to the system!! No worries, I've hired a Scenic and hopefully will make it down in one piece - probably very slowly, much to the annoyance of the boy racers around Paris airport.
Thanks Zoe. I would absolutely go by train if it wasn't for the 3 animals because Shaun adores the TGV. I think it's going to be a Berlingo hire from Paris. Air Malta aren't even flying to Lyon now (checked their timetable and was horrified at the lack of flights).
I'd say get train too, otherwise, super U do rentals where you could rent the vanette or similar in Lyon, and drop it off near Limoges. Super U are cheap, in my experience, we rented a 12 tonne truck, and a few pick-ups from them, and they're quite reasonable.
Aha! You see Steve? I KNEW I'd get some ideas from you wonderful people. That's exactly the sort of thing that might work. Been checking train timetables and it's just too long a day for the zoo. Will PM.
I had a thought. There is a guy advertising on the AngloInfo forum for drivers to take people to/from Lyon airport to the skiing areas. If you were arriving at a time when they weren't busy, he might have a driver/van available. Send me a PM and I'll give you his address (or look on the Lyon AngloInfo site ) You could also post your request on there as I know there a couple of man/van type ads
Ooooh you! Yes, I absolutely would - it's what we did last time we were over - but there's a 3.5 hour wait, I think it was, from Paris, then 3 hours on the train. I can't do that to the animals. They'll be locked in carriers from about 5am ready for the airport here and we land about 12.30. A 3 hour wait, 3 hour train then 2 hours in the car from Angouleme will be too much. If I can sedate them, or give them a large G&T each, I might end up doing something along those lines, then simply get a hire car from Angouleme.