Replacing 206 1.6hdi Air Con condensor; any tips ?

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Established that mine has the integral receiver dryer and am due to pick up a new one today. Be aware if shopping for this version that a number of people on Ebay with '10 or more' don't actually have any stock and some quoted a wait of a week. Don't get the impression this pattern is falling off peoples' shelves.
Anyway, main point of the post is to ask for any tips or tricks regarding fitting. Does the bumper have to come off, or is it possible to remove into the engine bay ? Is the coolant radiator separate, or are they both mounted on the same carrier. I've read more than once that the lower pipe connection can be a sod -- if it is fast in, is it worth the effort of trying to save it or do I give it the chop. ?

Thanks, Mike.
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[RichardW]

I've done it on a 307 1.6 HDi - I removed the radiator to improve access to the connectors; and yes, the bottom one was seized in. I eventually got it to let go with a lot of wiggling - check the pipe before you commit to chopping it - pretty sure on the 307 it's all one piece from the condenser to the expansion valve round the back of the engine, and includes both sides - I guess it will be £££ and not easy to replace. The stud has a spline fitting on the end of it; if you get the teardrop on the pipe freed off from the stud; then you might be able to wind the stud out to pull the connector out; ir it may just mash the spline! Not sure on the recommended procedure - I looked it up for the C4 Picasso and they reckon on doing it without removing the rad - but that would limit access to the connector. It comes out the back - undo the 2 bolts / clamps at the top of the rad (which might technically need the bumper off, but I found enough flex in the top of the grill to get a tool in); lift / tilt them back together if you haven't removed the rad and then slide the condenser out.

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Richard -- thank you for the detail. Fingers crossed on the bottom pipe fixing.

Mike.