-
When do you really need to clean your roof in France?
Columnist Nick Inman is in two minds about this particular job
-
‘We have 100-plus rooms to restore in our French chateau’
Felicity Selkirk fell in love with the listed French mansion while searching for a heritage property
-
Gas prices in France set to shoot up: Tips to reduce costs
A 15% rise is already expected from May 1, 2026
Early start means pool will be ready
The end of winter is the time to get your swimming pool ready and Easter is a common date, weather permitting
If the water is 12C it is ideal as it is before algae starts growing – any later and the work and cost rapidly increase.
An early start also gives time to fix problems but if the pool was properly prepared for winter the water should be blue.
A deep clean is essential, even if the water looks fine.
Clean the edges and border of the pool, skim coarse impurities, scrub sides and bottom, clean and scrub water line then vacuum the bottom before setting up the robot cleaner. Check filters do not get clogged.
Renew at least one-third of the water to reduce levels of product and cleaner residues.
