CPE - fuel monopoly

Wintertime means some freezing nights over here. And that means we have to keep our houses warm to avoid freezing the water pipes, etc. . . .
The local people here in the Vosges use wood to stay warm. There is a lot of that out here, and it is relatively cheap. Of course outside-people and tourists pay more but still it is not a bad deal for them too. You have to be home though and know how to do it.

For our renting houses we cannot depend just on wood. We have to use other means like fuel and electricity. With the oil prices going up that is quite an investment these days. To give you an idea: a winter on fuel costs 2 times what you would pay for wood. Wow, that was different when we started our business some 5 years ago.

Ok! Now, I have my personal fuel dealer here. They are called CPE, la Companie Petrolier de l’Est. My contact, Madame Joel in the Alsace, knows me when I phone her. She knows where the houses are and could always help me in 48 hours. But then CPE made a change in policy….. They split up the region in exclusive parts, a. monopoly.
I have to go to 3 different local CPE offices now to order my fuel. That is one thing. But ……! Because these local CPE offices are the ONLY ones that are allowed to deliver in a region these days, they suddenly feel their power.

The other day I had to wait more than a week for fuel. The meter said I still had some 700 liters but this proofed to be wrong. This was on a Tuesday. Of course I called Joel; she could help me in theory on Thursday but was not allowed to. Then I called the Saint Die office. They could help me too, also for (!) the weekend but were also not allowed too. (…) My new exclusive dealer could not help me before the next (!) Thursday. 9 days ...
Well then, Joel helped me a last time and it became Tuesday. But still, much too late for the weekend.

This meant I had to send a family home, because there was no heating and/or warm water over that weekend. Thank you CPE!!
I know, I know. I was probably a ‘Shitty customer’, right Egbert? (check out his book: ‘Klote Klanten’.) Anyway, I am getting in touch with fuel dealer Bollore now.

Franse cafébaas omzeilt rookverbod

LYON - Een Franse cafébaas heeft uit protest tegen het sinds dinsdag geldende nationale rookverbod zijn café tot expositieruimte verheven. In de zaak worden volle asbakken, sigarettenpeuken, foto's en posters geëxposeerd.

De eigenaar wil in zijn café, dat hij "neutrale grond" noemt, het debat over het rookverbod "op het artistieke vlak" voeren.

Bij de ingang van het café staat een bord met de waarschuwing: "Culturele en sociale experimentele zone: je wordt blootgesteld aan het gevaar van tweedehands rook."

Wie toch een sigaretje opsteekt in een Franse horecagelegenheid kan een boete tegemoet zien van tussen de 68 en 450 euro.

Bron: nu.nl