With a little help from a friend – the lovely Trevor who was with us last week – we have achieved a huge amount this week. Remember the picture of the window in the kitchen we were planning to raise in last week’s blog? Well I have news for you: it’s all done! Just raising this by around 9 inches has made a massive difference, not only aesthetically but in terms of light flooding in – not to mention now being able to see the sky above the terracotta roofs of our neighbours.
Our large white ceramic sink will be sited underneath this window and of course whilst the boys were working on it, I was already planning my pots of herbs and the like to sit neatly in the sunshine on the windowsill.
Between them, Mr. Fix It and Trevor dug out the floor and laid the plates and joists in order to level it off ahead of putting down our wood floor right through this room. Before this however comes the important task of electrics. Mr. Fix It says this is very simple – but then he would as he has done all this before several times in the UK! In France there is no ring main system, everything is done on spurs. Each appliance such as cooker, oven, hob, air conditioning unit, fridge, needs its own circuit breaker on the fuse board. Further, you are limited to 8 double sockets (prises) per spur and no more than 8 lights can be put on one lighting circuit. It is vital of course to stick to the rules and we have been lucky to find an excellent electrician to oversee what Mr. Fix It has achieved so far. You are at liberty to carry out any electrical works yourself but they must be approved by a qualified French registered electrician who will then issue you with a certificate confirming that the rules have been followed.
Mr. Fix It’s lighting plan for our kitchen is truly something to behold. With soft spots on the ceiling, hidden lights under wall cupboards and space for at least a couple of table lamps, I know that this will transform this space we have, as only good lighting can do. We have shopped around over the last year for wall lights, low voltage tracks and table lamps. It is a joy to look around the many “vides greniers” (street sales) and “brocantes” (antique shops) which abound in rural France. We bought this lamp for just €20 a few months ago. And yes you guessed it: I caught Mr. Fix It on a small wine break – well he deserves it after all!
As the old saying goes “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” and living in France renovating this house makes us feel that there is a great deal of truth in this. Thus it was that we headed out at the weekend and explored around and about in both the Aude and the Herault. Our house is just over the border in the Aude. We are quite literally surrounded by vineyards and are still finding new places we have not come across before. On a beautiful day here (of which there are so many) there is really nothing nicer than having a glass of wine, a leisurely meal on a “prix fixe” menu – oh, and meeting a young friendly cat. As Trevor said to us before he left to go back to the UK, you can see for miles around you wherever you look in this stunning part of France – and no-one seems to be in a rush to get anywhere.
Alexis
The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.francebuyingguide.com/
Have a look at my website at: http://www.francebuyingguide.comAlexisThe Overseas Guides CompanyFrance@overseasguidescompany.com
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