Llantony

Lovely dog! We found a lovely B & B in nearby Prades.  Went there a couple of years ago, specifically to go on the Little Yellow Train.  There were long queues as it was August so we took the first train next day - it was still dark when we left and we were the only people on it.  Saw eagles close up. Try www.sawdays.co.uk for B & Bs.  I thought that was how we found ours but it isn't on the site now. Have a good time.

Sorry, I must be dim  but I didn't get the bit about j'ai eu. Then there is the village of Montcuq which causes great amusement when visitors don't pronounce the q.   Apparently French people photograph each other next to the roadsign, in a suitable position. I got confused with decede as in dead and des CDs as in music CDs.  

I took my E121 (and all the other documents required) to the CPAM rep at the Mairie.  He didn't give me any receipt. I do wonder how long to wait if I don't hear anythng.  Two people I know contacted them after hearing nothing for a long time.  In both cases they were told the photocopied certificates were difficult to read so they had not got into the health system - but no-one had notified them!  In one case, the excuse was that they couldn't read the marriage certificate - but had sent the Carte Vitale for the spouse....     My husband's birth certificate is faint as the ink has faded.  I asked the man if that would be a problem, saying 'well, you've seen the original' and he agreed.

A local garage said Citroen will charge about 120 euros for a Cerficate of Conformity.  Citroen UK charge £92.50.  From reading on this forum, DRIRE might be cheaper.   When I told the garage guy this he said 'oh, don't have anything to do with DRIRE, they will want to check every tiny detail, they are like the police.'   I don't understand as I assumed DRIRE just produce the appropriate paperwork and don't actually inspect the car!  Presumably what they provide is as acceptable to the Prefecture and the Controle Technique as a manufacturer's certificate? When another garage checked the VIN number on their computer, the car details came up. I will print out the DRIRE form and take it to the local office.  Is there anything I need to take that I haven't thought of:  car reg document, proof of address, passport, driving licence....    

Sumday Driver: Why assume everyone is male?  Why post just to insult people?  (Why would a large and reputable company insure many UK registered cars if it's illegal to do so?  (And in one case, have dealt with a claim with no problem.) As Cooperlola said 'Insurance first, everything else later.'  Which is why I posted the question in the first place.  Knowing how long everything takes to sort in France we need above all to make sure we are not without insurance.  Our UK insurance covers for up to 90 days and as far as they know we are on holiday but we want to change to French insurance a.s.a.p.  

Unnecessary sarcasm.  The first and only US trip - for a special occasion.  Haven't had a holiday for several years. 

Well, I had thought the same but didn't know whether you get French plates then insurance or vice-versa.  However Axa is obviously used to insuring English registered cars in France.  We have a valid MOT and UK tax at the moment.  I realise we should get local registration plates after 6 months but that and new headlights is quite an expense so the later the better.  Having said that, I know of British people who live in France and have had 2 UK registered cars for several years - in fact they only go to the UK by plane.  They found a Controle Technique that does not require them to change to French registration or change the headlights for driving on the right hand side.                                      

Thanks, that's useful.   It's just that the  AXA agency is nearby, very helpful people, and they will insure our car with its UK registration plates.  We may sort out the French registration later as it will take a while!  That will also require us to get a controle technique cert. which normally means paying out a lot to change the headlights.  We have had to spend a lot on the car recently so prefer to hang as long as poss before changing the plates. Also our UK insurance is for trips of up to 90 days which means we wouldn't be covered after March - and the insurance will be due for renewal anyway.  As we are now living in France we need French car insurance.

I know bank cards aren't free in France - that's why we haven't got one!  I meant some credit cards they give travel insurance as an incentive.

Were homes found for them? 

We have visited the local AXA agent who says we can insure our UK reg. car with them (don't need Controle Technique which surprises me). To get maximum no claims bonus, we need proof dating 13 years.  In 1998-9 we were insured by Commercial Union General Insurance.  I just have cover note from them, not suspecting I'd ever need documentation from that long ago.  I cannot find them on the Internet.  There is a mention they might have merged with General Accident but I can't find a website for them either!  Have they collapsed?  How can I get proof proof of no claims if a company no longer exists?  Would their records be kept anywhere?       

Thanks for advice.  We don't have a bank card with our Credit Agricole account but I've heard these 'free' policies don't cover everything, e.g. delays.  I assumed our UK policy won't cover us even tho we still have a UK address as we live in France and want to insure against e.g. missing the flight from Gatwick if the EasyJet from Toulouse was cancelled.

We still have a UK travel insurance policy as moved here in August.  Will be going to USA soon and need to have insurance cover from France via UK.  Can anyone recommend a good value policy? 

I don't see what an item about offshore accounts has to do with it.  I thought they were accounts held outside the UK?  I posted about savings accounts etc. in the UK

Yes, they have found a controle technique that accepts that they have UK cars and doesn't require them to change the headlights.  Axa still insured them.  As they don't take the cars back, I can't see the point except they save the cost of new headlights - a few hundred euros, so a consideration.  We may well use our car to go to the UK some time but I don't know if the UK police care if we have right hand drive headlights. 

Me again!  I know that as a French resident I could fill in a form from the Inland Revenue so as not to pay interest on my UK building society account.  Would it be better to do this and pay tax in France on the interest, or pay UK tax? 

Thanks Cerise - it was probably you that made me think twice about the SPA!  But Trevor must be well settled now.  I think we'll give them a try after the trip abroad. 

We are going to both cities (not my choice really) and wonder if anyone has any advice/recommendations of what to see? Also, I've never done a 10 hour flight before - any tips?  

Yes, I've seen the Phoenix website.  There was dog I really fancied but we were going to UK for Christmas and, understandably they want to home dogs asap to make space for more.  Just as well: he was a little dog with a withered front paw, his name was Louis.  It was several weeks later that my husband said 'just as well we didn't have that dog'.  It had just dawned on him that our French neighbour is a lovely little guy with a withered arm - and he's called Louis!

We are hoping to find a rescue dog this year.  There is a lovely English woman not ever so far away who does a good job running a pet rescue.  If she doesn't have a dog that seems right for us, I wonder about the SPA.  I've been told they are depressing to visit and probably have lots of hunting type dogs.  Also, our dog will need to be OK with cats.  The SPA may not have enough time to get to know their dogs and not know their history.   Any thoughts?

Is MAAF a French company?  We need to get French insurance for our car now we are living here.  Friends have managed to keep 2 UK cars (that they never take back) without changing the headlights but with controle technique and AXA French insurance.

So easy, when posting, to give the wrong impression.  I meant I was upset by the friend (he of course has completely forgotten that he shouted at me and has no idea he made me feel upset and depressed) who said it was idiotic to declare everything - in his case to his French accountant.  He will probably get away with it because he is cleverer than me - at arranging finances, putting money into bonds or whatever.  Never having had spare money before and now living on a small pension with a bit of money in UK accounts, I' ve not had the practice. 

I'm not a he and I don't knowingly break laws and never park on double yellows!  I was quite upset to be shouted at and told I know nothing about money if I declare everything. Just posted hoping to confirm that not mentioning any income was a bad idea.

We have yet to complete our first tax return in France.  An English acquaintance (who certainly has a lot more money) says we'd be stupid to declare UK savings accounts as 'They'll never find out'.  Just declare bank account interest and don't mention building society account, bonds etc. (if we get some).  He reckons ISAs don't need to be mentioned anyway but I'd have thought the interest is income and if we aren't in the British tax system they aren't tax free. Of course we don't enjoy paying tax on our already dwindling funds, but we have never had the choice before, our earnings were taxed at source - as is OH's pension now we are retired. I'm a bit of a wuss about doing something potentially illegal. The way the exchange rate has gone, I wish we'd put money into a Livret A in France but it doesn't seem a great idea now and the pound has been going down ever since we arrived last summer!  

Well, this is what I got: Caractéristiques générales de la ligne : Code Commutateur Local : 82094LZE [Fiche détaillée] Nom Commutateur Local : LAUZERTE Longueur de ligne : 894 mètres : 5/10 sur 362m, 4/10 sur 532m Affaiblissement théorique : 12.4688 dB [Estimation] Débit descendant ADSL : 8161 kbps (1020 ko/s) [Estimation] Débit descendant ADSL 2+ : 24842 kbps (3105 ko/s) Not sure what that means.  When OH phoned one of the companies advertising cheaper internet access (via Italy, I believe) they said we had good reception.