IAN_S

Can someone please clear this up for me. Is it possible to have analogue satellite signals on a Pal/Ntsc tv via an analogue box bought in France?

I'm not sure that this is Swissbarry at all. I know that he could have left the planet during the software changeover and re-emerged in a new body with no prior postings as this happened to me. But, I do know that all his postings used to be at least two feet long and this one is far too short, although mildly amusing. Perhaps he will let us know?

Whale The E106 is a form provided by DWP at Newcastle for those who have not yet reached the UK retirement age but need to be covered by the French system in the meantime. As previously mentioned, it is only available to those who have made the required NI payments in the UK in the last two years of residency but that if only one spouse has made these payments the the other should be covered on the same form. As you are *only* 54 this is the form you need. It can take some time for this to be sent by DWP so it pays to start applying early. When you or your spouse reach UK retirement age an E 121 comes into effect and I'm not 100% sure what this entails as I'm not there yet either!  

I knew that French heating oil was different from the UK but not until this week when I had a delivery did I find out that it is in fact untaxed (or less taxed) diesel/gasoil. Anybody know how to turn the pink dye colourless??

We were in roughly the same postion as you. We are still finding things out but this is how we see it now. Taxes You are expected to complete a French tax return for all worldwide income. If this is all from the UK as ours is then any tax taken here that has already been paid in the UK should be refunded from the UK, quite how I'm yet to find out! I do not know about income from other areas in the world, I think it would depend on whether that country(s) has a double taxation agreement with France or not. Health I assume you are coming with an E106 each which will entitle you to be in the French system for up to two years depending on NI payments that have been made by you or your spouse in the last 2(I think) years before leaving the UK. If one of you has not made the required payments then there will be only one E106 which will be in the name of the person who has and will cover both spouses.( the other spouses name should be on it) This allows a rebate of up to 70% of fees, drugs etc and the balance can be insured for with a mutuel if needed. After the E106 has run out you will be still in the system but will not get a repayment until you have declared your income and have been assessed for any payment. We are at this stage now and do not know what this will be. I have seen other postings that state that the amount is based on 8% of any income over about €6-7000 unless that amount is so low that the payment threshold has not been reached . This is broadly what we believe to be the case, if there are others who are aware of other specific details I'm sure we would all appreciate them.                          

Check out the Ax site at http://www.ax-ski.com Today this shows 50% open when it had been 100% so there must be plenty happening there! We live across the mountain from Ax and it has been snowing for 3 days here so as we have son and friend arriving Wednesday for snowboarding I hope that Ax will be very good then.      

Why not look at www.laposte.fr who offer a free access, you pay a local telephone call.  

I don't know how you got your news about the launch but British news on Sky showed all the national leaders in the consortium with Blair grinning like a Cheshire cat as usual who did just about mention that it was a European collaboration. The UK is making the wings and the engines so one assumes that the other parts are made elsewhere in Europe! Where I live in 11 (Aude) I do see Airbuses of one sort or another cruising about at low altitude that are probably  on test from Toulouse and I hope to see this new one in March or thereabouts. If you think there will be problems with the standard configuration of 550 on arrival at an airport, just think if an airline turns it all into economy with more than 800 people!            

Aren't some people miserable gits? There are not a lot of forums around entitled " Jokes for Brits living in France". I for one miss Swiss Barry's stories and the like, where has he gone I wonder? Keep it up Joh, I need a chuckle now and again.

My eldest son is an easyJet captain and tells some very dodgy stories about this outfit. Unfortunately they are the only operator out of my nearest airport so I have to use them, but I will be looking at the cabin crew with a lot more sympathy from now on. They must need the money desparately.    

If you are driving in the UK on a French licence how can they possibly apply British driving licence rules to you?

TU/Lesbatees   Thanks for the info, I stand corrected! All I can say really is that as far as we are concerned, in our part of 11(Aude), the overall taxes, water, Fonciere etc do seem to be lower than our situation in the UK was where we had a far smaller property and only two in the house both at work during the day.  

TU   Unless they do things differently up north to down south in the UK I'm not sure you are quite correct. There are no rates now but a council tax that is based on a band in which your type of house fits.(maybe!) My last house was in band C thank God, therefore the council tax 3 years ago was "only" £922.00 say €1309 @1.42. Last years Taxe Fonciere here was €637. The water was billed by Thames Water and bore no relation to the council tax. I can't find an old bill but it was a lot more than €180 for last year here, including watering the garden and 2 horses. I realise there are people here with gites or large families etc and will therefore have larger water bills, but like for like I'm sure it's cheaper here than in the UK.

Thanks TU. Would the tax office be the same one we pay taxe fonciere to? If not can you tell me the full name so I can contact them.

I have only just noticed this thread but would appreciate advice on our situation which is more or less the same as Anton. We have rental income and bank interest from the UK and declare this to the Inland Revenue but as everything is split between us we do not pay any UK tax. We have never completed a French tax return as we (mistakenly perhaps) thought that only income earned in France had to be declared and we do not earn any here. We are now at the end of our E106 and have been to CPAM to continue in the health system and were asked about a tax return and told them that we had never completed one, or been asked to. I think that this fact will have been advised to the tax office and I'm sure that it will be followed up in due course, but my question is: If some tax is payable on the rental and interest income in France, how is this repaid by the Inland Revenue? Does one have to tell them or is this notified to them by the French tax office or what? Any advice appreciated.

With the weather as it has been, we have postponed hibernation for the time being which has fooled me a bit with DIY. I tend to have "inside and outside jobs" that depend on the weather, the result being that no inside jobs are being done and that means a few moans from a certain quarter. My definition of a bad day now is a few clouds about. My neighbour says we are going to pay for it any time now! We even have lizards out sunbathing. In January???

You can buy these at any number of outlets such as Weldom, and the Brico sheds, also specialist garden stores. We bought a small 3 blades a side with a Honda 4.5 engine for somewhere around 450 Euros and it has been very reliable. They appear to be assembled at a number of places in France so don't expect a well known name neccessarily, it's the engine what does the work! If you can, get one with reverse as this can save a lot of pulling about in the mud.

The signs saying "fit snow chains now" also usually say special tyres are excepted and I take this to mean the all terrain tyres we have on our 4x4, plus studded ones I assume. In any event, we have never been stopped or had comments made and other 4X4s with these tyres never seem to have chains fitted.  

What you are describing is similar to what we have. The two outer hot air pipes go to side ducts on the chimney breast and there is one on the actual chimney itself. The turbofans only work really when the fire has been going about an hour, before that the heat comes out of the top of the insert itself. When I first got this fire, about 3 years ago, I fiddled about with paper, twigs etc to light it and ended up with proper oak logs and this worked very well although time consuming. Now, I use 3 small logs about 5/10cms wide and one firelighter and the thing is alight in minutes. I keep the vent to the chimney fully open and the slider on the bottom tray about half open. I do find the the fire is affected by the weather and sometimes there is no draw so I usually pull out the tray a little and this cures that problem. Unless there is something wrong with the installation, no chimney liner for instance, I think it's a matter of practice and patience to find out how your particular insert works. Best of luck!      

I watched the final of this programme last night and was amazed by these kids. Over 100,000 took part all over the country mostly organised by their schools, who will get a load of IT stuff if their entry wins. I think that this is the sort of programme that will encourage children, and their parents, to want to spell better than they do after years of the "don't worry that you may not spell it correctly, as long as people understand you" claptrap. I'd rather watch this than things like the obnoxious Big Brother ,Who wants to be a Millionaire etc. Both prime time rubbish that should be on in the middle of the night.

We have two lakes near us , one large, one small, and both are part of the general water supply system and usually lose all their water about this time of the year, where to who knows! This year the smaller one is still full despite a very dry summer. I do wonder where the fish go, I suppose down the plug hole with the water?

I think all the French pheasants have been sent to the UK as the brit ones all got too fat to fly, and you know how honourable the shooters are, they won't shoot anything on the ground.

As I understand it the law is exactly the same as in the UK. IE if you own a TV that is able to receive a transmitted signal you need a licence. It is irrelevant whether you do or do not choose to look at French TV programs. This rubbish about " I only look at Sky and videos" is just that.

We are near the Aude /Ariege border and got the winds as forecast, also the first snow of the year. about 4/5 cms. I do hope this is not a sign of a bad winter?

If you have a TV that works of course you need a licence. Do you think you would get away with it in the UK? I doubt that you would for long. If you have a new sat dish somebody, usually La Poste I think, will see it and report it. I did nothing about a licence for a year and then a questionaire arrived in the mail just like UK! You can either lie and take a chance or buy a licence.