Renovation project - Getting an MOT in France (CT controle technique)

Renovation project - Getting an MOT in France (CT controle technique)

Picture courtesy of
http://www.motoring.co.uk/car-news/lego-claims-tyre-producing-world-record_56107#

We have had taken our car for the MOT (CT controle technique) in France your car has to have an MOT, as you do in the UK, to ensure that your insurance is valid. You also have to have the French version to register your car in France.

This is a simple procedure, you find the control technique that you want to use and make your appointment, it usually takes approximately an hour so a good tip is to find one in a town with a nice coffee bar.

You will get a certificate saying if it has passed or not (unfortunately ours did not) the CT does not complete the work required, you must find a garage (unless you can do the work yourself) and then you are given 2 months to get the work completed.

Ours failed on the handbrake, which we sort of knew, 2 tyres and another little bit.
The lights that finally arrived (one having to be sent back because it arrived broken) had been fitted correctly, well done John, they needed a slight adjustment but the CT guy did this for us.

Tyres in France are very expensive, so we looked on line and found a site that will deliver to France, they also tell you where your nearest fitter is and will deliver directly to them.

(Here is the link, it is not a paid advert, we were just very impressed with them PNEUS 123)

It is 20^th November so no problem what so ever with getting the work completed.

We have the new tyres fitted, John plans to do the brake when we get to the UK for Christmas, as we have family who work in this world.

2 days before we leave we are out working on the estate agency, trying to find a house, we cannot find it any where and end up down a track, when we feel a bump and hear a hiss, bugger that is another tyre gone!

We do not have time to order them in France before we leave so we decide to get them as soon as we arrive in the UK. This does mess our plans a little bit as we now have to stay in Plymouth so we can have the tyre replaced before driving to Manchester.

Over the Christmas break we get the brake fixed (almost, we could not get an adjuster due too the Christmas break, John picks one up from Euro parts) this was one of our funniest moments as we had my baby granddaughter with us, there was a life size cut out of Lewis Hamilton and she kept running to it and hugging it saying daddy, we had never realised how much 'daddy' looked like him before!

We head back to France. John finishes the work on the car, yes he can even fix the car! We are booked in to have it retested on the 16^th Jan, nothing like leaving it till the last minute hey?

But shock, it does not pass, I am gutted and start to freak out saying lets get it into the garage, but John thinks I'm over reacting, as it only needs a slight adjustment, he does this and luckily the CT will squeeze us in.

This is one of the most nerve racking days I have had, if it does not pass what do we do???

John as always is so laid back about it, we watch the retest as it is only the brake that is being retested and woo hoo it passed, I am sorry John that my faith in you faltered, I should know better by now!

(but then again he should now me better by now and realise I freak out when we leave things to the last minute!)

But we now have our CT, the insurance has been in place for some time it is simply a case of re registering the car and we will eventually get our French number plates.

Is it sad that I am getting so excited about this???

Renovation project - Buying new car tyres in france

Renovation project - Buying new car tyres in france

picture courtesy  of
 http://www.motoring.co.uk/car-news/lego-claims-tyre-producing-world-record_56107#

We have had taken our car for the MOT (CT controle technique) in France your car has to have an MOT, as you do in the UK, to ensure that your insurance is valid. You also have to have the French version to register your car in France.

This is a simple procedure, you find the control technique that you want to use and make your appointment, it usually takes approximately an hour so a good tip is to find one in a town with a nice coffee bar.

You will get a certificate saying if it has passed or not (unfortunately ours did not) the CT does not complete the work required, you must find a garage (unless you can do the work yourself) and then you are given 2 months to get the work completed.

Ours failed on the handbrake, which we sort of knew, 2 tyres and another little bit.
The lights that finally arrived (one having to be sent back because it arrived broken) had been fitted correctly, well done John, they needed a slight adjustment but the CT guy did this for us.

Tyres in France are very expensive, so we looked on line and found a site that will deliver to France, they also tell you where your nearest fitter is and will deliver directly to them.

(Here is the link, it is not a paid advert, we were just very impressed with them PNEUS 123)

It is 20^th November so no problem what so ever with getting the work completed.

We have the new tyres fitted, John plans to do the brake when we get to the UK for Christmas, as we have family who work in this world.

2 days before we leave we are out working on the estate agency, trying to find a house, we cannot find it any where and end up down a track, when we feel a bump and hear a hiss, bugger that is another tyre gone!

We do not have time to order them in France before we leave so we decide to get them as soon as we arrive in the UK. This does mess our plans a little bit as we now have to stay in Plymouth so we can have the tyre replaced before driving to Manchester.

Over the Christmas break we get the brake fixed (almost, we could not get an adjuster due too the Christmas break, John picks one up from Euro parts) this was one of our funniest moments as we had my baby granddaughter with us, there was a life size cut out of Lewis Hamilton and she kept running to it and hugging it saying daddy, we had never realised how much 'daddy' looked like him before!

We head back to France. John finishes the work on the car, yes he can even fix the car! We are booked in to have it retested on the 16^th Jan, nothing like leaving it till the last minute hey?

But shock, it does not pass, I am gutted and start to freak out saying lets get it into the garage, but John thinks I'm over reacting, as it only needs a slight adjustment, he does this and luckily the CT will squeeze us in.


This is one of the most nerve racking days I have had, if it does not pass what do we do???

John as always is so laid back about it, we watch the retest as it is only the brake that is being retested and woo hoo it passed, I am sorry John that my faith in you faltered, I should know better by now!

(but then again he should now me better by now and realise I freak out when we leave things to the last minute!)

But we now have our CT, the insurance has been in place for some time it is simply a case of re registering the car and we will eventually get our French number plates.


Is it sad that I am getting so excited about this???

Bayeaux, France - more than just a tapestry

Bayeaux, France - more than just a tapestry

Christmas seems so long ago already and I realise how little I have written, it doesn't seem to take long for me to fall out of the habit, I must be much stricter with myself!

Christmas was spent with the family in the UK which was as lovely and as hectic as ever! The bad weather in the UK did not make for a promising journey back to France so we cheated and decided to do the smallest crossing possible, this is the Dover to Calais crossing, lots more driving but lots less sea sickness. It also means we actually get to have a mini holiday on our way home.

This trip we decide to visit Bayeaux in Normandy, now everybody has heard of the Bayeaux tapestry, but what we never realised is that this is such a small part of this beautiful town.

It really is amazing, the town centre is so pretty with its Norman style architecture and the river Aure running through the centre.

Stroll along the narrow cobbled streets lined with cafés and shops, admire the Norman style timbered houses that are set around the cathedral, stop for a while to gaze along the river and wonder how these houses do not get flooded!

Even in January we were able to sit at a pavement café to enjoy a coffee and a bite to eat, just watching the world go by.

Its at moments like these I remember exactly why we moved to France.

There is a tourist office in the centre of the town and we call in to see what else there is close by and this is when we learn that the largest Common wealth cemetery of the 2^nd world war is located at the edge of the town.

We have never been too one of the war cemeteries before and drive over.

It is a strange feeling as you walk along the rows and rows of perfectly kept gravestones, are we horror tourists or ghoulish for wanting to see a grave yard? Are we glorifying some dreadful event for a means of entertainment?

But as you walk past and see the amount of graves with no names, but a simple message stating a soldier of the war, and just the age, we realise we are not glorifying anything, people need to visit and pay respect to these men and often just boys (so many were only 18 years old), these people who had no choice but to go to war and die should not be forgotten.

What was surprising was that this was a mixed cemetery, there are a total of 4,144 commonwealth burials, 338 unidentified and over 500 of other nationalities, the majority being German. (the facts above came from CWGC Common wealth War Graves Commission click on for a link to the site).

After a sobering time we paid out final respect and moved on.

We next visit Port En Bessin, this completely astounded us as we saw the remains of Mulberry Harbour, this was a giant mobile harbour that had been designed and built by the British and taken over to France to ensure that the D Day landings were a success. We had never heard of this before.

There is a fantastic museum there, unfortunately we didn't have time to visit.

But we were really glad to that we made the effort to visit Bayeaux, we never got to see the tapestry, but as the title of this post suggests, Bayeaux is so much more than just a tapestry

B&B for sale in Huelgoat, Finistere, Brittany, France - 125,000 euros

B&B for sale in Huelgoat, Finistere, Brittany, France - 125,000 euros

If you are interested please contact me directly via the blog, e-mail or via the B&B website Huelgoat B&B

This property is a rare find, a traditional 3 storey town house situated in the beautiful tourist town of Huelgoat. Recently renovated to a high standard whilst retaining many original features such as exposed stone walls, wooden beams, stone fire place, wood floors and turned wooden stairs. The property is light and spacious and has operated successfully as a B&B (accounts available to serious viewers) or is a great family/holiday home with 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.

Huelgoat is a thriving market town situated in the Monts D'Arree. A large leisure lake for beautiful walks with one aspect lined with creperies and restaurants, or follow the river into the mystical forest where you will find the 'Roche Tremblante' 'Grotte du Diable' or 'The Chaos' 

Or stroll into the town square with it's beautiful church spire and selection of restaurants and shops, and pavement cafés. Huelgoat has something for everybody including school, English speaking doctor and social groups for English and French residents, 2 supermarkets (one with 24 hour petrol)

Based in the Monts Dd'Arree, Huelgoat is the perfect base for exploring all that Finistere, Brittany has to offer and what better place to live, than one of the roads that is within walking distance of all the attractions but with the added benefit of a large garden with established fruit trees and seating areas.

The house in detail:

~ Enter the main front door into a porch area

~ From the porch enter the living/dining room with exposed stone wall, double aspect windows, log burner and open turned wooden staircase.

~ Continue to large family kitchen with space for table and chairs

~ Door to small kitchen patio with utility room

~ Continue to stone workshop with decked terrace above and large open garden with a sun deck. The garden is laid to lawn with flower area and established fruit trees

~ From the living room the stairs lead to the first floor with large landing area with exposed beam and wood floors

~ Bedroom room 1 is a large bright and spacious room with built in wardrobe, seating area and en suite shower room.

~ From the landing there is a full bathroom with shower and separate bath, with exposed stone wall.

~ Bedroom 2 is a double room with views over the garden (there is a sliding door to make bedroom 2, bathroom and small hall way the 2nd letting suite)

~ Stairs lead to the 2nd floor which is a large bedroom with walk-in wardrobe and en suite shower room with glass basin. Built in storage and desk line one wall.

Majority double glazed, (the top floor has retained the original windows as these are too nice to be replaced) insulated, electric heating and on mains drains this property gives you everything you could wish for in a family or holiday home or maybe you would like to earn an income in your new property. It would be easy to continue as a B&B as there is a website in place with excellent reviews and the option to buy fully furnished

Roscoff ferry port ~ approx 60 km
Morlaix with direct TGV link to Paris ~ approx 29 km
selection of Coastline ~ approx 40km

There is the option to buy fully furnished with the website

Only 125,000 Euros

Huelgoat area