French Deal

Time to start fixing the place up. There’s a central beamed corridor in the house 15m long and 3.5m wide. That’s sounds like a bit of a feature. I could stick a balcony on the back as it’s south facing and in the distance is Pic d’Anie (2504m) in the French Pyrenees. Mind you with substantial fog in winter and steaming haze in summer – it’s like a rainbow when it appears, a transient party moment.

So now it’s time to get a devis. That’s the estimate for works. I’ve got a plan as to where bedrooms and such would look good. I decided to skip a utilities room in favour of a bigger kitchen. I can’t get building permission for the moment because the Mayor of Oraas never seems to be anywhere except in ‘reunions’ which sounds like an excuse for all hours chatting.

Monsieur Larressat is the builder extraordinaire – 24 years in the renovation trade and Monsieur Gain is the equivalent for electricity and plumbing. So having fully briefed the local artisans who grin madly at my plans and raise eyebrows to each other in that French manner so loved by English people and captured by Sacha Distel and that bloke off Eurotrash which basically means – ‘I think we’ve got one here’ – Guillhaume has been instructed to put the devis together.

The only trouble is that Guillhaume plays pelote all the time, and it’s the height of the pelote season. He’s doesn’t just play pelote with a wicker scoop – he goes for the full business of ‘main nue’ which is the real handball performance. Makes Federer at Wimbledon look like a right sissy with his carbon racquet and international branding. As a result of this, Guillhaume’s right hand is twice its normal size and purple from internal bleeding due to ball impact. But no complaints from him and by golly he has the girls swooning.

So the devis will have to wait until Guillhaume gets his season done. For more about pelote go to: http://www.touradour.com/towns/pelote.htm

posted by French Deal @ 1:45 pm