After a ‘sticky’ start, the renovations are starting to show promise. Here’s what caused the delays:
The new holding tank – made from one of water tanks. Sourcing the right welder was a rather frustrating project. Having to cut the big tank up INSIDE the boat, made the boat filthy. It was too big to get out, so Noel cut it into four pieces, two were the holding tank (including lid), the other two pieces were superfluous. The plumbing parts were purchased on-line and all in French. Other bits-and-pieces from the Brico-marche, eight kilometres away, hauling all purchases by bike.
Noel drilling a hole for the vent.
There’s a hole in my hull!
A neat job – we now know what’s behind all the walls – good insulation and good wiring (now!) – we replaced all the old wiring.
Another hole, this time in the deck, for the new water tanks. These will be situated under the bed.
We’ve been lucky with the weather, Noel chooses the outside-projects in time with the better days.
“What’s the very best, top-tip you have for doing boat renovations,” I said to my hard working husband, who is grappling with two loos right now, as I type.
Without hesitation or thought he dished up these wise-words of wisdom:
“Buy a house!”
We are in a mess, cabin full of welding fumes!
And, here’s more…
When taking the toilet apart, do not consume a large mug off coffee prior to the deed!
Seek good value gear – the renovations will cost you three-times what you originally calculated. You’d better try to make some savings somewhere.
Don’t become annoyed when the welding equipment sits on top of the loo all day!
His and hers!
Really try not to get irritated when the welding equipment then sits in the shower!
Don’t walk in bare feet after the grinder has been used.
Spread the dust sheet carefully, that one bit of paint you drop will do it’s best to find the tiny gap! Wear shoes when painting – you’ll find out why!
Drink vast quantities of wine or meditate (or both) – after the day’s work is done please!
New holding tank – done!
Turn up the Radio.
Have a day off – at some point (someone gave me this tip, not sure what it means though!)
… and as with all boat work, double the time you think the work will take, triple that figure, and you’ll be about halfway to a good estimate on the time it will take to do the work! (More great boat/cruising tips here, from boat maintenance to make-up!)
Make time for fun – Noel’s birthday!
More humorous (house) renovation observations, here.
Noel has received his Carte de Sejour. What should have been a relatively easy process did become a bit of a nightmare. We learned a lot – this may help you!
Our Circumstances
I have a European passport, Noel has an Australian passport. I read so much information on this, my head was spinning, examples:
If he/she has a European passport then their partner is entitled to stay without a visa.
If he/she has a European passport the partner is entitled to stay, with a visa.
Okay, you get the idea, here’s a quick breakdown of the process we went through:
We applied for a visa within three months of arriving (as per the rules – IF the partner has a European visa).
Australians are entitled to visit France (or anywhere in Europe for three months).
We applied in Dijon, as that was our nearest Prefecture.
We were asked to stay in the area (we didn’t – read on).
We went to the Prefecture (in Dijon) and they searched my European passport for a visa – but eventually worked out that I had a European passport!
They presented us with a form and told us to fill it out and mail it back.
We filled out the form and mailed it, they mailed it all back, asking for more, we mailed it back, this went on for five months.
We could not talk to anyone in the Prefecture, by telephone, personal visit or email, they just kept telling us to mail our documents.
They eventually started asking for paperwork that was not listed on the application form, and that we had already sent.
By this time we had moved south – they didn’t comment on a new address.
We reached the end of our tether and went to Agen Prefecture (now, our nearest).
At the train station at 7 am after a refreshing bike ride in the dark!
Here’s what happened at Agen:
After initial contact via email, we were invited to attend (with no pre-arranged date/appointment), so we took that (emailed) invite with us.
We talked to a real live person, (she had enough English and I had enough French (and a dictionary), to get by.
She gave us a list of five additional bits of paper she wanted and said ‘when you return with those, I will issue your visa.’
She fined us 50 Euros for over-staying the three months (despite our process with Dijon) – we would have to pay it on the next visit.
Two weeks later we returned to Agen (we had missed our arranged appointment as we were waiting for paperwork – we tried to obtain another appointment by email but received no response, so we just turned up).
On the day we got the visa
We rolled up with all the paperwork requested.
They were miffed we didn’t have an appointment, but after we explained that we had tried to arrange one via email (and that we had no car and travelled there by bike and train) – they felt sorry for us and put us in a room.
“This is either very good, or very bad!” we said!
The interviewer understood we had been trying to obtain the visa since we arrived, and ‘deleted’ the 50 Euro fine!
She checked through our paperwork, nodded, made positive comments and GAVE US THE VISA!
It is a temporary visa until the card (like a credit card) is processed at another location, they will write to us when they have received the card and we can collect it.
We have to collect it within three months, it will be ready in January sometime.
The paperwork
Dijon gave us one form: ‘Premiere Demande ou Renouvellement – ressortissant de l’union europeene – MEMBRE DE FAMILLE -.
Agen gave us another: Carte de Sejour.
Dijon wanted (all copies):
Copies of passports.
Birth certificate (translated to English – I did this on Google, but they do ask it is done by an official translator).
Proof of where you stayed (and why) in France, for first three months.
‘Family’ proof (marriage certificate for us).
Proof of funds (bank statements).
Health Insurance.
4 x photos (like passport photos).
SSAEs
This was for the applicant – they then asked for health insurance for me also, but at this point we had given up with Dijon.
Agen wanted (they also wanted to view originals and keep a copy)
A different form requiring the names of Noel’s parents, DOB and any children.
All of the above Dijon requirements, plus Noel’s entire passport photocopied.
BUT, they wanted the health insurance and bank statements translated to English too.
We have a French bank account, which seemed to help. They wanted to see a minimum of 1,000 Euros in there.
By this time I had my European Health card (EHIC), which helped (they wanted to see some kind of insurance for me too).
Rumour/Fact
You MUST apply before going to France – Not true – if one of you has a EU passport
You will need a medical – Nope
You have to leave the country straight away, as we had been here five months! (advice from Australian Embassy) -Nope
Fine for over-staying three months – Nope – If you have been trying to gain your visa already and have dated correspondence.
It was a good day – Noel found his very own beer!
Our Advice & Top 10 tips on the French Visa process
Do not go to Dijon Prefecture or any large city’s Prefecture.
Find a smaller Prefecture, somewhere where you can actually talk to someone.
Take the research with a pinch of salt – different websites (that looked official) all had conflicting information.
If someone says “this is how you do it” be aware that:
everyone’s circumstances are different.
each Prefecture is like dealing with a different country, they all have different agendas.
nothing is set in stone, it depends who you deal with on the day too!
If you need to translate Health Insurance documents, ask your insurer, ours gave us a French translation within
twenty-four hours (not google translated either!).
Try and arrange a French bank account – this helped! If not, ensure your statements are translated to English.
If one of you is a UK citizen, ensure you have your EHIC (European Health Insurance Card).
Research & learn some questions/answers in French before you go, to make the interview easier.
Create a ‘contents’ page at the top of your application, so everything can be found quickly.
If you disagree with what is happening (as we did with the initial fine), ask to see someone more senior. We were just lucky, and on our second appointment we were seen by a senior employee, who ‘let us off’ the fine as she deemed it unnecessary in our circumstances.
The visa is FREE, we had to pay for a lot of postage (our application became quite ‘thick’ and heavy).
More help/contacts
Solutions to problems with your EU rights here. This is a great European Visa Resource. They had already told us they would take on our case if we were fined. Health insurance at a very good price (and they translated our docs into French!).
UK Citizens applying for your EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) here.
In Summary
If we had gone to a Prefecture, such as Agen, first, the whole thing would have been done and dusted in two visits, and with little pain.
We’re almost naked… well, that’s to say the interior of the boat is almost naked! We’ve taken down nearly all the walls and are now trying to figure out how to put them back.
Cupboard about to be ‘stripped’
Cupboard gone – designing new ‘bathroom’
We have a few neat ideas that should produce enough space for an island-bed and another full double (with walk-around space on two sides – that’s plenty for guests!).
We will put in another toilet, so the master cabin will have its very own, private, loo. And we’ve even found some wardrobe space and we can leave the main part of the hallway/corridor where it is.
Our ‘cabins’ are gone!
We had great fun when a copper pipe for the central heating split this week. Remember watching those comedy skits on TV, where the comedian is sliding around the floor, trying to hold back the force of water from a broken pipe, and letting go, so a great geyser of water sprays everywhere? We’ve found that those scenes ARE NOT exaggerated. Our central heating system is under pressure, so the water and greasy/oily anti-foul produced a wonderful fountain up the wall, windows, on the ceiling, carpet…. how lovely.
Noel fixed the pipe and then continued demolishing the boat!
All is fixed now – so it’s back to demolishing the walls.
The wheelhouse – once upon a time we could sit here!
The second ‘cabin’!
The construction is magnificent and exhausting – every piece of timber has been held in with excessive nails!
Of Foreign Build is for sale for just 1.99 cents for 24 hours! At Amazon.com (your location must be USA – you can set it there temporarily – wherever you are!)
Van Morrison sang about it and I could relate to those words today.
“When you don’t need an answer there’ll be days like this When you don’t meet a chancer there’ll be days like this When all the parts of the puzzle start to look like they fit Then I must remember there’ll be days like this”
Noel and I have been quite anti-social lately, what with trying to get the outside of Rouge Corsair painted prior to winter setting in.
So, a shopping day with our friends, Kim and Lorna from MV Sunflower, was just what we needed to re-connect with civilisation again.
Aiguillon is a little over seven kilometres away. So, after a shaky start, (bike tyres….grrrr), we set off on four bikes of differing vintage, wrapped in hats and scarves, blowing fogging breaths.
On arrival, to get our bearings we sipped a delicious coffee watching the French-way unfold around us. The barman serving wine at 10 am with a cigarette in his hand. The impassioned shouting was just part of everyday conversation, and welcoming smiles.
Smart shopping
Noel and I had several items to find, which of course, meant the hardware. But, this time was different. I’ve never had so much fun in a hardware shop.
The ‘hooks’
We needed some L-shaped doohdads. Basically, metal hooks to hold up timber rods. Our curtains are going to tuck into these rods, at the bottom.
We could buy four in a packet for 5.55 (Euros) per packet. As we needed twenty-four we started to think of other solutions.
With Kim, Noel and I, scratching our heads, things started to improve. We found a packet with more hooks in them. They were a different metal, but useable, for 3.55 Euros. But then we spotted the pick ‘n’ mix.
The items were in baskets, loose, individual. I found a guy to help, as there were no visible prices, and he explained. There were three sized bags and each bag had its own price – the smallest bag was 2.55 Euros. We could put anything we liked in the bag, as long as it seals, all contents would be 2.55.
At this point we all grinned, rubbed our hands together, and said, ‘They have no idea what we are capable of!’
“As long as the bag shuts – it will cost 2.55 (Euros)”
We packed the bag with enough hooks and spares, to do several boats.
What was going to cost us around 35 Euros, ended up costing 2.55 Euros! (Plus extras!)
Rewards
With fresh baguettes, ham and cheese we lunched in the town square. The smoking cafe owner offered us a table and chairs; everyone who passed-by smiled, ‘Bon Appetite.’
Loaded up! Great fun!
With a cheap supermarket, a charity shop and a hardware, all visited (some twice!) with loaded bikes, and big grins we cycled back to our boats. The cooling afternoon and falling winter leaves accompanied us home. The sweet smell from the apple orchards and the sounds of humming tractors was carried along the breeze to round off a perfect day.
When it’s not always raining there’ll be days like this
When there’s no one complaining there’ll be days like this
When everything falls into place like the flick of a switch
Well my mama told me there’ll be days like this
When you don’t need to worry there’ll be days like this
When no one’s in a hurry there’ll be days like this
When you don’t get betrayed by that old Judas kiss
Oh my mama told me there’ll be days like thisWhen you don’t need an answer there’ll be days like this
When you don’t meet a chancer there’ll be days like this
When all the parts of the puzzle start to look like they f it
Then I must remember there’ll be days like thisWhen everyone is up front and they’re not playing tricks
When you don’t have no freeloaders out to get their kicks
When it’s nobody’s business the way that you want to live
I just have to remember there’ll be days like thisWhen no one steps on my dreams there’ll be days like this
When people understand what I mean there’ll be days like this
When you ring out the changes of how everything is
Well my mama told me there’ll be days like this
Oh my mama told me
There’ll be days like this
Oh my mama told me
There’ll be days like this
Oh my mama told me
There’ll be days like this
Oh my mama told me
There’ll be days like this
My body has been hinting, quite heavily, at the kinds of food I should and should not be eating. I’ve decided to try and listen to what my tummy is telling me and eat less meat; certainly less red meat.
I have always wanted to adopt a healthier way of living and have managed to find excuses. Now, when I seem to be busier than ever, I’ve delved into cooking vegetarian (mostly) meals and I am amazed at the fantastic results.
So, after finding the wonderful farm/vegetable shop four kilometres up the road, I rubbed my hands together, googled vegetarian recipes and off I went – here’s the first week. (I spent 20 Euros on three huge bags of vegetables.)
I used the vegetables I had purchased that day and I used plain old flour instead of cornstarch. I never have all the correct ingredients. This worked a treat.
I cook great rice, even if I say so myself. I cover the rice by about an inch of water (maybe a fraction less), boil until the water goes milky, then put the lid on and turn off the heat. Ten to fifteen minutes later, perfect rice.
This is a fantastic recipe, so easy and so fulfilling.
I stirred in some Tandoori paste instead of ghee. I used olive oil instead of butter, I didn’t use mustard seeds or ground cumin and I used the vegetables I had purchased. Definitely use pumpkin and potato for the top – fabulous!
This fed us for three nights! And I have made it again since, I can’t get enough of this and it fills me up easily.
Curried Lentil Pie – when dished out, add a spoon-full of natural yoghurt – delicious
Fourth & Fifth nights: Left over curried pie.
Sixth night: Chicken stew
Noel bought some chicken. I find it hard to completely cut meat out of our diet. I enjoy it, but I haven’t eaten red meat for a few months now and I certainly feel the benefits.
This was just plain old chicken stew, with all those great ‘in season’ veges, swedes, parsnips, carrots, also onions, leeks, and whatever you have to hand.
I braised the chicken separately first. In the big pot I used vege stock, cup of wine, a few herbs (whatever is to hand – basil, parsley), a bit of sweet chilli and soy sauce. A half a cup of French lentils is a good idea to help fill you up. Perfect!
So easy, tasty and filling.
Seventh & eighth night: Left over chicken stew
Healthy wallet
My 20 Euro shop lasted a week-and-a-half (and I still have a whole cabbage left). I did another shop this week, and that cost 13 Euros – for two enormous bags of veges. This week I tackled:
We’d worked hard that day – so I added pumpkin and potato mash and a delicious salad of spinnach, fresh parsley, carrot, zuchinni, peppers, onion – yum!
We were given some walnuts and did I have fun cracking them – then I made this wonderful, truly fantastic cake – with a healthy twist!
I didn’t want to use double cream and I had only ‘normal’ yoghurt. So I spooned out two pots of yoghurt (small pots) into coffee filters (one pot per filter), then, I stood the filters in a colander, and let all the liquid drain away. Voila! Thick (Greek style) yoghurt – thick enough to use as a cream substitute!
Draining the yoghurt – for 1-2 hours.
It worked perfecting – the icing is so sweet that the yoghurt balances out the sweetness and in all honestly, tasted just like cream!
Not as pretty as the recipe picture – but absolutely delicious!
I was so proud of my efforts – I had to include two pics!
Healthy living
I am loving the ‘zone-out’ time cooking is giving me. My body is enjoying the benefits and so is our bank balance! The big plus is finding recipes that are fulfilling, I am a big eater. Now, I can eat as much as I want and I’m not piling on the pounds!
I;d love to hear from anyone who has great recipes to share.
The new holding tank – made from one of water tanks. Sourcing the right welder was a rather frustrating project. Having to cut the big tank up INSIDE the boat, made the boat filthy. It was too big to get out, so Noel cut it into four pieces, two were the holding tank (including lid), the other two pieces were superfluous. The plumbing parts were purchased on-line and all in French. Other bits-and-pieces from the Brico-marche, eight kilometres away, hauling all purchases by bike.
Noel drilling a hole for the vent.
There’s a hole in my hull!
A neat job – we now know what’s behind all the walls – good insulation and good wiring (now!) – we replaced all the old wiring.
Another hole, this time in the deck, for the new water tanks. These will be situated under the bed.
We’ve been lucky with the weather, Noel chooses the outside-projects in time with the better days.
And cake… we like cake!
Jackie Parry - author 