Flying Visit - the Results

Hmm -how write this and paint it in a positive light?

In May this year, we organised internet access through SFR.  This was set up with the help from a former colleague in Paris, as the number you have to use for this can only be dialled from France.....  Anyway, it all went smoothly: the kit arrived in the post, I was able to set that up, change the password etc, the engineers arrived and set the line up.  It was working well, as evidenced by blogs on this site posted from there.  However, when our daughter visited in mid-July, she reported that, whilst they could access the wifi, but there was no internet access.

After contacting SFR, it turned out that they had cancelled the contract for a "technical reason", but with no notice.  We then had to go through the process of setting it up again: why didn't I walk away then?

Anyway, we had to have new kit and return the old stuff (no chance!), and then an engineer had to come to set the line up - why that had to happen when there was no need for an engineer to turn it off, beats me!  The visit was organised for 25 July, when some visitors were already staying there.  I decided that it would be better for me to pop out for 24hours to meet the engineer, and set up the wifi box.  I took the advantage or sorting other stuff out as well (below).

Engineers were due to arrive between 13h and 15h; however, at noon, I received a call saying there were no engineers available, and therefore, the visit was cancelled........  Numerous calls to attempt to resolve it failed.

On my return to the UK, I called on daily basis to find out when the engineer was going to visit, with no success - I kept on being told that they would let me know. After a week, I gave up, and decided to go with another provider, France Telecom, and cancel SFR.  When I contacted SFR, I was told that the contract had been cancelled!  They had done it again, without telling me!!!

OK - France Telecom have given us a good contract: slightly more a month, but it can be turned off when we're not there.  Engineers have already been, and internet access has returned!

The other little things to sort out were electrics and the boiler.  This year we noticed that whenever we turned the oven on, the power would cut out.  It turned out that the heat pump and pool filter kit were on the same electric phase as the oven, which meant it was over-loaded when the oven was turned on.  The electrician arrived and simply moved the pool stuff onto a different phase of the power supply - problem sorted.

The heating engineer needed to come as the hot water was either too cold or too hot - the boiler didn't start until the water was less than 40c and only cut out over 80c.  A new thermostat and control has now been installed.

Finally, I have to say it was very strange being in the house when guests were there - a bit like being a stranger in your own home!  The visitors were charming and very kind to me - I had to hang around all day, waiting for the heating engineer to arrive, and he didn't turn up until 18h.

All in all it was frustrating.  I managed to get a couple of niggles sorted out, but the lack of the internet, the whole reason for the trip, was very annoying.  That has now been resolved, which is why I feel I can share this with you!

La Terrasse

As mentioned below, a few days ago I stayed at La Terrasse during my flying visit, and am happy to report back my findings.  The restaurant and rooms (difficult to call it a hotel!) have been taken over by a husband and wife from Belgium, and their son.  In the morning, I had a good chat with Eric, the husband, who was charming.

My room was fine, although when I was let into the room, the windows were closed and the shutters open.  It had been a very hot day, well over 30c, which meant that the room was like a furnace.  The temperature did not abate until the early hours of the morning - I did not manage to sleep very well.

Now for the restaurant.  What we liked about La Terrasse was that the menu was quirky - a little bit different, and not traditional french cuisine.  Unfortunately, that has changed.  There are now a series of menus, starting with the "Menu Touristique" at €19.50.  This now implies that it is just like all the other French Restaurants.  That said, the food was good and interesting.  I was a bit disappointed by my faux-fillet, which was tough.  Other diners had what looked good main courses, for instance, an interesting mixed grill, served on a wooden model wheelbarrow.

I did enjoy my meal, but not as much as I used to there.  As a result, I am disappointed - we will eat there again, but not as regularly as we used to.

Les Coquelicots, Landerrouat

I think that I've mentioned this before, but an old bar in a near-by village, Landerrouat, has had a make-over.  New owners took over 6 months ago, and have created a bar/café, an épicerie, and a crêperie.  These are all linked, although if you go into the épicerie entrance in the middle, you will be hemmed in by the shelving.  That section has some basic supplies - useful if you need something urgently say at lunchtime when the supermarket in Pellegrue is closed.

The café has a weekday set lunch menu for €11.50.  I went there yesterday, and had vegetable soup, tomato tart (which was delicious!), lamb steak with garlic served with kidney beans, cheese and a creme caramel.  Oh yes, the price also included a demi picher of red wine (50cl) and a coffee at the end.

The Crêperie as a wide menu of savoury and sweet pancakes.  This is open up to 10pm - it may be good for desert after a bbq at the house!

The food from the café was good, honest stuff, and well worth a visit if you are happy to take the risk on the set menu.  Of course that risk is off-set by using the Crêperie menu!

Flying Visit

About to fly out tomorrow morning, coming back the following day.  Need to sort out a couple of things.  Main point of this post though, is to report that I will be staying and dining at La Terrasse in Duras.  As blogged earlier, Millie and Arnaud have sold up, so it will be interesting to see what it is like now.

One interesting point to note - if you put "La Terrasse Duras" in Google, our website comes second in the search results - it certainly does in the UK.  It will be interesting if it is the same in google.fr!  Watch this space......

Successful Trip!

I'm now back and rested after my two weeks at La Matha.  Virtually everything that I wanted to get done was done, and more.  Improvements carried out:

• Swimming Pool heated, and working very well
• Wi-fi up and running
• Kitchen "extended", by building new units, a large worksurface
• Kitchen tiled
• Wine Fridge installed, which will take the strain off the normal fridge, and ensure that your white and rosé wines are chilled correctly
• New oven installed
• New lighting in the living room
• Small shower room made larger and lighter, with new sanitary ware - looking cool now!
• New door on the pool-house.  Whilst this is aesthetic, it will ensure the pool house is clean, but also has the benefit of keeping the noise of the pump/filtering down
• Sorting out the thermostats on the boiler

 In addition to all this, there was the usual start of season clean-up - washing the terrace floor, clearing out the "utility room" and so on.

Here are some photos of the completed work

La Terrasse

There is a restaurant in Duras that we like to frequent - we have got to know the owners, Millie & Arnaud quite well.  We were there last night for dinner when Millie told us that they have sold the restaurant!  That is a real shame, as their food was french, but a bit different, and we really enjoyed going there every time we visit.

They have been there for five years, and have decided, for the sake of their children to give up the restaurant business, so they can enjoy holidays etc!

They have sold to a Belgian couple who have been running a restaurant in Luxembourg.  The chef is relatively young and trained in traditional French cooking.  Will it be moules-frites from now on?

A sad day!

I've been Swimming!

Whilst I am a strong swimmer, I do not like swimming in cold water.  The med in the summer is fine, but an un-heated swimming pool in May, even in the south-west of France, nah!

The heater said the temperature of the water should be 24.5c - that was about the same as the air temperature, so I gave it a go.  I dived in, and: it did not take my breath away, like it normally does!  Whilst I would not have described it as warm, it certainly wasn't cold.  Big, big improvement, then.  I think the temp should probably be set a bit higher (the pool has been getting warmer by the day).