Mark

Well thank you all for what I'm sure is going to prove to be invaluable advice.  I bought Frontpage a while ago in anticipation (although shamefully I think the box may still be shrink-wrapped!),  so I'll try to get to grips with it in order to heed Quillan's 'three-month-before-going-live' web presence advice.  I have no particular interest in or aptitude for anything IT-related, but the fact that simplicity of content and presentation seems to be the key is encouraging.  The tips for enhancing one's search engine rating seemed fairly straightforward too. Thanks again all.  I'm really grateful.  [:)]

I am employed in the public sector in England.  I will be leaving to become resident full time in France in October on a self-employed basis.  I've applied for an E106, which I'll arrange to kick in next January, I've got the CA3916 application for an E104, I've got my P85 ready to fill out just before leaving, and I've considered whether I need  an E101, E121, E301 et al, decided that I don't, and dismissed them from my considerations.  The only other form I think I need is the French version of the P85, the number of which escapes me, which the French tax authorities stamp upon receipt of the E104, then send to Nottingham or Bootle (I think, although I'm not sure about this bit). Can I now move on to something else or have I not finished yet?!  [:-))] Thanks, Mark.

LesLauriers, thanks, I actually edited my original posting (possibly at the same time you posted your response) after realising that I'd be eligible for two years on the E106, so I think I'll slip under radar as far as 2006 earnings are concerned.  Quite a relief. Thank you for your clarity and reassurance.

LesLauriers wrote: "Debra, 2006 is correct. Zeb, read the previous posts, CPAM payments are not connected to fiscal residency in France in the way that you imply, they are based upon income from the year two years before. In the worst case scenario you could end up paying 8% after the first 6965€ based upon a year when you received redundancy, pension lump sum, Isa or Tessa income and a maturing endowment policy. All of which are tax free in UK but could add towards the CPAM charge if you manage to get your timing wrong." Could I just check something regarding my own circumstances?  I am probably moving to France in October of this year, and would therefore aim to start my E106 from January 2007 to maximise its period of validity.  When the E106 expires in December 2009 (?), I would therefore avoid paying 8% tax on any income from 2006, as well as on any redundancy payment, AND avoid incurring higher cotisation costs as a result of this measurement against my 2006 income, as the measure would be against my 2007 income in France, which I suspect will be pretty negligible!  Correct?  If so, when are the cotisation costs reassessed to reflect actual income?  Annually?  Scary!  [:'(] Thanks in advance.  Mark.    

I'm in the process of developing a (very basic!) website advertising my B&B business.  The business is many months from getting off the ground, but I thought I'd get as much of the prep done as possible beforehand.  I was wondering whether anyone in the know could offer advice on the best ISP to use in France, costs associated specifically with getting the website up live, which suffix to use (.fr, .uk, .com, .eu) etc.... Thanks, Mark

I'm in the process of developing a (very basic!) website advertising my B&B business.  The business is many months from getting off the ground, but I thought I'd get as much of the prep done as possible beforehand.  I was wondering whether anyone in the know could offer advice on the best ISP to use in France, costs associated specifically with getting the website up live, which suffix to use (.fr, .uk, .com, .eu) etc.... Thanks, Mark   

With regard to social charges?  Yes.  If you're resident in France, you pay cotisations.

Under that paysan exterior they're really Gallic Brad Pitts?  Nah, the profits wouldn't cover the cost of the make-up.

Oh, and I nicked the hot bunny from another thread, reportedly meaning sex maniac.  I hope Clair isn't just on a huge wind-up with some of the more gullible among us Anglos.  'Re-bonjour' surely isn't right, is it? [8-)]

Wonderful, thanks Cathy.  Has this not come up before then?  It's been troubling me for ages![8-)]

Why is it 'chaud lapin' but 'lanterne rouge'?  Very, very basic question I'm sure, but I've never worked out what, if anything, determines the order of the noun and adjective.  (sorry about the rather odd examples!).  Actually, a better example may be chaud lapin and plat chaud.

Erm, I, at least, was joking.

What, and get anaesthetic gas shoved into my car by Eastern European gangsters whilst sleeping?  Nope, much safer to prop my eyes open with matchsticks and do the whole run from 85 to 65 in one go!  [;-)]

I have the brushes, but I've yet to use them.  Is it just a case of poking them up and down for half an hour, so to speak, or are there hidden subtleties to the chimney sweeping art that I should employ?  

Having just gone through the most recent few pages of this section, I can't find anything on market trading, so.............. As a sideline summer revenue stream, I intend to sell my partner's oil paintings and pottery at local markets.  On a very superficial level, I'm assuming microbic, and registering under the correct category from the list issued by the Chambre de Commerce - correct?  And once registered, does anyone have any experience in getting pitches at the local markets?  Is it a matter of visiting each Mairie beforehand, and if so do they issue a season-long permit or similar? Hope someone can help. Thanks, Mark      

Looks delightful, Mary, and just in the right spot.  Maybe when I've made MY fortune out of biking hols and art in the Pyrénées I can come and stay and we can swap stories!

Good grief, that's a bit worrying!  Any safer to pop off the main road and stop in a simple 'Parking' on a D road?  I'm about to enter a phase of having no income whatsoever so even F1's are going to be stretching the finances!

Does anyone know of an on-line map of all sizeable overnight lay-by stops in France?  You know, the ones that leave the main road, have picnic areas, toilets etc.  I've tried Google but can't find anything.  Failing that, does anyone know of a stop on the A20/N20 around Souillac? Thanks, Mark. 

Thanks Will, I'll check the local broadband situation in 65 then.

Cheap cheese could safely be consigned to the French Myths section too.  What I like most is crossing the Limoges Rubicon, where suddenly everything seems to become southern.  That and Brittany Ferries competitive pricing policy.

Not quite TV, Internet or telephone, but kind of related: can anyone tell me if digital signals can be picked up anywhere, ie will my digital radio pick up Radio 4 and 5 Live, as well as French stations, in France? Apologies if this is an incredibly dumb question!  

Thank you all so much for your advice.  House hunting is scheduled to start in October, and I'll make sure I don't creep above 400 metres when looking!

Great, thank you SD, very reassuring.

I will soon need to register my Land Rover as a French vehicle.  In England I didn't pay VAT on it as it was imported from Germany, where VAT was originally paid.  I don't think there was any confirmation of this in the documentation I received with the vehicle, but I'm rather hoping that the very fact that it has already been exported/imported once is proof enough that VAT has been paid, since if it hadn't been it wouldn't have been allowed into England.  Is this a reasonable assumption?

I need to move a van load of possessions from Gloucestershire to the Vendée next month, and before embarking on the shopping around process, I thought it might be prudent to post here first.  Has there emerged, over the last few years, one company among the national van hirers which tends to offer the best deals on a five day rental to France and back?   Thanks, Mark