bibouli

I should have thought about Expats.com way before now. I scanned the site but didn't find anybody else searching for gardeners, which surprised me. Any suggestions for finding one in Saumur area, please? Au secours!

Tweedpipe

Welcome to the forum.
Google is your friend. This throws up several hits for Saumur. There is even info there on 'devis pour mon jardin' etc.
Otherwise check out the yellow pages. That never fails to give us numerous possibilities when we are searching for a plumber, electricien etc.

dmu

+1
The Pages Jaunes gave 41 results for Saumur and surrounding areas. Another way is to ask neighbours who they use and recommend.
On the other hand, I couldn't get into the "Expats.com" site...

Tweedpipe

Just as well too, otherwise you would have been excommunicated from this forum for treason. We need you HERE.

dmu

Thank you, kind sir! I confess to lurking in a couple of other forums, but obviously not the above one....

bibouli

Thanks, Tweedpipe and DMU. I'll give 'devis pour mon jardin' a shot then. Will anybody there be offended if I specify 'I prefer my gardeners British and Expat', I wonder. Re novice expats.com user, I have just realised how 'nervous' is spelt, hence the typo.

dmu

Ummmm, a British gardener would be Expat unless they were born in France to at least one British parent, so you can use just one adjective.
If such a gardener exists in Saumur and is properly registered, then why not, if your French isn't up to communicating with a French one. But if you intend to live forevermore in France, it would help integration by choosing French artisans. Your neighbours might be offended if they've got a relative who's a gardener and see you employing a competitor, esp. a foreign one. Whoever you use, make sure their SIRET number and Insurance are mentioned on the Devis and don't employ any one on the black (in which case you'll almost certainly be denounced by any one, not just a jealous neighbour).
HTH

Tweedpipe

As DMU states, checking on their SIRET number is important. If any worker has an accident whilst working for an individual, if it turned out to be serious (and accidents often are from what I've heard and read), and he had no pucker SIRET# and no insurance, it could turn out nasty for the person who hired him. So just be vigilant.

dmu

Not only that, which is bad enough, but the URSSAF inspectors who have been tipped off will come along and levy a fine, if not worse nowadays, not to mention the Fisc which doesn't appreciate fraud.... It might be possible to hire cleaning ladies on the black, if they're discreet, but a gardener is visible to all and sundry.

bibouli

Thanks Tweedpipe. I'll post when I find joy.... (quand je trouverai mon bonheur).

bibouli

Thanks.