Katieb

Hello, I have recently started working in the local library as benevolé staff - they are most grateful for my help  -although i don't feel very helpful at the moment  -still struggling with the language but hoping my efforts in the community will help - i am very good at tidying books and putting them in alphabetical order now. It's a very nice job but it would be even more enjoyable if it paid a little bit.   Good luck Kate

Hello, I wonder if anybody has or can recommend a gite in the Sarthe/Mayenne area to sleep 8-9 people in August? Friends from the UK have asked to find one for them, so any info would be gratefully received. Thanks Kate

Deimos, I am interested in the info you have just given. Are you able to tell us which supplier you use? You say that you don't need to have an account with the supplier (we have an account with FT but i'm sure we could do better if we tried), am i right in thinking that we would have to prefix the UK number we are dialling with some other digits? Sorry to appear dim - but setting up the phones and PC is the "man's" department in our household.   Thanks Kate

Hi Jazzer, we moved last year from the UK and gave our 2 removal chaps £60.00 (i think) - seems a large amount for a tip but they were very very helpful, efficiant and we even enjoyed a couple of beers with them in our (new) local bar after our worldy goods had been unloaded  -saying that though i suppose £60.00 was a very small percentage to the actual removal fees. Kate

Thank you to those who furnished me with helpful replies regarding my post for tax Declarations. Perhaps i can ask for some more advise now..............? We have several  (small) accounts in the UK with Banks and  Building Societies, we have not yet informed them of our permenant move to France - our post is still being redirected to a family member in the UK. Am i right in thinking that generally most banks won't mind that we are not UK residents, obviously we will need to send them confirmation and proof of our new french address or will some banks insist that the accounts are closed? Also, what is the situation regarding cash ISA's / PEPS / premium bonds  /endowment policies / life assurance / savings bonds and personal pensions  -all of which we are still paying a small amount into each month from our UK bank accounts  -crumbs - it sound's like we are loaded!! if only!!!! I'd be grateful if anyone has any advise on these accounts or can point me in the right direction before i start reading all the small print and documentation. Many thanks as always Kate

I think we must have our "financial heads" on today as we are trying to do research and homework for the forthcoming Déclaration (our first one). Having read previous threads on this forum i understand that we will need to complete a 2042/2047 and 3916, i also note that we need a 2047k and a 2047c - are these latter forms included in the 2042 complet (as opposed to the 2042 simple - which i believe is for french salaried and pensioners?) Is there a complete  list of the forms available on line? if not, how do i know which forms we are required to complete? We have printed off last year's form in an attempt to have a "trial run" - hoping it is going to be reasonably straight forward as we have received no income since moving here last July, are not in receipt of any pensions, do not have property in the UK and only have interest from UK accounts/ ISA's etc (which may lead to another question very soon!). If any kind soul has any useful advice or can suggest further web sites to help us, we'd be extremely grateful. Many thanks Kate  

Rob, I'm not sure if this info comes a little too late but we have just opened a professional bank account with Credit Mutuel (we already 2 accounts with them) for my husband's recently registered web site/programming business (Enterprise Individuelle) and we have been advised that the charges will be 9 euros per trimestre (with cheque book and internet access). Not bad at all!! Kate

Hi Don,   Have you tried La Trocante in Alencon - they also have a branch in Le Mans which is a larger store. Where abouts do you live? We are about 20mins from Alencon in Frensay sur Sarthe.   Good luck with your search Kate

I know it is probably too early, but does anybody know where seasonal jobs would be advertised? We have been looking at ANPE and Manpower sites - although there is a few jobs there - mostly hotel work in our area, we were more interested in some sort of agricultural/fruit/vegetable temporary work. Thanks Kate

In the Uk i made handmade cards and sold to families and work colleagues, i also managed to have a small supply in a local cafe and shop, however, since moving to France, i have been unable to sell any cards - i love making them but there are only so many you can send to friends and family. The choice of cards here in the shops is appalling - i can't bear to pay 3-4 euros on a tacky card. Does anybody have any useful tips on marketing your cards? i imagine you would have to registered to sell them - you'd have to sell several hundred cards though to make it worthwhile! I pondered over the idea of having a market stall from which to sell them - but it's hard to "test the water" without the legal requirements. I have also found it impossible to approach small shops to see if they are willing to sell some cards - language is the major barrier.   I have ordered supplies from a UK company - something like Handy hippo - cheap and very efficiant postage rates. Kate

Thanks - very prompt reply! When you say you update your catre regularly - is that by swiping it at the pharmacies/Caisse office? - sorry to be dim! The printed wording on our attestation - does that say that we must update our cards before that date shown? My husband's new new carte is with a different Caisse - RAM, mine is with the original caisse CPAM. I think you are right - it does sound that we need to query my replacement card with them.   Kate

I am just reading this thread re Carte Vitale. I am grateful that Will has reminded us to get a  new EHI. We were in the UK last week without our old E1-11 and my daughter required emergency hospital treatment. Although we gave our french address to the staff, they didn't seem to query anything and to date we haven't received a bill from the NHS - are we likely to? Anyway, i was just wondering how we can obtain a new European Health Card - are they called the same in France? - could we apply on line or do we need to visit the Caisee where our Carte Vitales are issued? Thankyou Kate

I have 2 queries regarding our Carte Vitale and hope somebody could shed some light on the matter; 1. Although we received our cartes in October, i have just noticed on the paper work a comment saying..."carte a mettre a jour de preference a partir du 31.7.06 ou en cas de changement de situation" and in the information booklet received with the carte there is a statement saying " vous pourrez alors mettre a jour votre CV dans les points de mise a jour etc " Are we supposed to validate our cards in the special points in pharmacies/CAM or is this an expiry date? 2 My second query is, that my husband has just set up a micro enterprise (for web development and PC troubleshooting) and has received a replacement CV which does not include myself and our 5 yrs daughter as beneficiaries - would our previous CV still be valid for myself or should we query it with the issuing Caisse as we were under the impression we would all be covered on his new CV (in this case - would we each receive our own CV again?)   Thanks for any info Kate

We are in a similar situation, my husband has received his siret for creating websites and computer trouble shooter and we are already receiving bills from retraite, maladie etc but as yet haven't managed to pull any work in. We have done some leaflet drops and are contempleting advertising in a magasin or Pages Jaune but again this is more expense. Any advise or leads would be very useful. Kate

John - or anyone else who has underfloor heating - did you install it yourself, was it fairly easy and is it reasonably efficiant to use? We are thinking of installing such heating in our bathroom when we move to our new home as the bathroom suiote will need replacing so we thought we'd do it at the same time - i relish the thought of stepping out of a bath onto a warm floor. Kate

Hi Debbie, We too brought over several large plants from our garden including 4 large acers and a couple of spikey tropical plants in July this year. Apparently customs looked in the van and were not in the least bit interested in the plants - or any of our other belongings i hasten to add.   Good luck with your move Kate

I think it is something we will just have to put up with. We too have the washing machine and dishwasher on a timer to come on during HC (only used approx 3 times a week) and we have bought a parafin heater, we really can't understand why the consumption is so high. The good thing is it makes us go out for long walks and appreciate the lvely countrysiode around us. Kate

We are just wondering what people are paying EDF for their elctricity bills? We think ours is quite high but maybe it's the norm? Our last bill (sept/.oct) was 158 euros, without using any heating. We are now concerned that as were are using minimal heating (elec rads) that we will have a massive bill in January. We have started taking weekly readings and it seems we are using nearly 300 units of Hors Plein per week. We are living in a rented property - 3 storey, not insulated and no double glazing, we have the rads on downstairs all day very low and occasionally use the others when we are in the rooms for any length of time, this house is by no means warm enough and we resort to wearing 3-4 layers of clothing. Fortunatley we are moving to a modern pavillion next year with double glazing, insulation and log fire - luxury! It would be good to know other people's electricity costs and wonder if our bills will be reduced when we move as we are paying significantly more than in the UK. Kate

We moved to dept 72 in July 2005 - renting at the mo but in the process of buying a property locally, living in Fresnay sur Sarthe which is fairly near to Alencon and Le Mans. We, being Reuben, Kate and our 5 yr old daughter  -all loving it here and enjoying french life.

Hi, Can anyone recommend a Digital Satellite Receiver to receive Free To Air UK channels (Astra 2 Sat) ?  We are currently subscribed to SKY but only really need the BBC / ITV channels, so I would still use our existing Dish which is already pointed at the Astra 2 Dish. Thanks, Kate

This may seem a daft and mad question but.................. does anybody know of a "snow resort" in Auvergne that we could visit for a couple of days later this week or next? We have no family commitments over Christmas and have decided we would like to make a spontaneous trip to Auvergne/Massif Central to see some "proper snow". We live in Dept 72 and understand it may take approx 4 hrs to get there. We do not know any part of this area at all and would be grateful for any info, we do not want skiing but just looking or maybe some other snow activity ie skating,sleigh rides etc, perhaps a suggestion of web sites to view? Thanks as always Kate

Thanks for your concern Mrs O - you are right in thinking we have not contacted the Doctor re my daughter's condition, but i haven't completely ran out of inhalers yet - i am down to one new one of each type, i always like to have one spare one in the cabinet plus emergency ones in the car/bag etc. I am concerned though how her progress and condition is monitored here but i think Quillan has given me some helpful advise. I will be consulting the doctor (who's surgery is opposite our house fortunately) for a prescription this week.

I too was wondering how to make truffles as double cream seems non-existant in France. I have made a Delia Smith recipe for truffles which was fab but alas i am unable to locate it now - you may be able to find in on the web if you are really interested, i do remeber it used double cream and grated chocolate and obviously a taster of something warming if required. Kate

My 5 year old daughter suffers from chronic asthma and i am now running low on her inhalers (3 types) issued in the UK. Obviously we will visit our doctor for a repeat but i am just wondering how asthma is treated/monitored in France? In the UK she had regular check ups (every 9 months) at hospital to monitor her general health, weight,height and asthma attacks - would these checks occur in France in hospital or with the doctor or is it down to us to arrange a check up appointment? Do doctors here issue repeat prescriptions for such illensses or again do we make an appointment as when the inhalers are required? I have just read on previous posts that asthma inhalers are available over the counter at pharmacies - would it not be more suitable to consult the GP and ensure she is receiving the correct dose etc? Finally,  i am right in thinking prescriptions for under16yrs olds are to be paid for unlike UK? Thanks you for any helpful info. Kate

Hi, We moved to dept 72 (Frensnay sur Sarthe) in July of this year - we being myself, my husband and our 4 year old daughter and are very happy here. We are initially renting a property but have recently put a deposit down on a house not far from this town. We have found neighbours very very helpful and friendly and have felt very welcome here. We are desperate to arrange some french lessons as we fell this is "holding us back" somewhat. Haven't contacted AVF in Le Mans as yet - inquired with the company in Alencon as this is nearer to us but it sounds like the Le Mans office may be a good idea.   Please send me a PM and perhaps we can keep in contact? Interesting to see you are from West Sussex too - just where we have also moved from! Kate