In France wood is usually bought by the cord which is a unit of volume used to measure firewood, a cord should be a neat stack of logs 3m x 1m x 1m. Some suppliers will sell by the stere a smaller measurement of equating to 1/3rd of a cord. If you want to use the firewood immediately make sure you are buying seasoned wood - that is wood that has been cut and stored in a dry place for at least one year, preferably 3 - 5 years depending on the type of wood.

Economy

If you are able to store and cut the wood yourself it is much cheaper to buy 'green' unseasoned wood in 1 metre lengths. Most suppliers will sell a mix of Oak & Beech, avoid using any kind of Pine or Cypress as it will inevitably leave sticky deposits of soot and tar in your chimney which is not only a fire risk but may also block the chimney.

Safety

For your safety always make sure that your chimney (or flue liner) is swept and checked at least once a year by a professional chimney sweep ramoneur who will on completion issue you with a certificate and advise you if there are any problems or safety issues, without this you may find that your insurance company will refuse to compensate you if there was a fire.

Finding a Supplier

Your local Mairie will usually have a list of firewood suppliers in the area or if your neighbours burn wood ask them. If you live in a rural area your local farm or bar tobac is a good place to ask and your local farmer may even have wood for sale. In your local newspaper's classified section there are normally ads for firewood listed under bois de chauffage.

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