tetley

You could give him a head start and practice the tables with him.  I have a daughter in cm1 and she is now doing long multiplication, and they use a different method to how I learnt.....so I have to suss out what the method is before I can help with homework.  (This was long numbers like 856x357).

I had a baby 2 weeks ago, and we have to apply for a british passport for her before we can go to England.

If you are in the micro bic, and not registered for TVA, you don't charge the customer TVA......just charge for labour only.

If you charge for service only, you don't charge TVA

don't forget if you have to take out decannale insurance and public liability, they are very costly.......we pay around 3500 euros per year.  We are led to believe that these can't be offset as we are in the micro bic regime, so it is an extra cost, we are also led to believe that it is a legal requirement to have these insurances....so for  a start up 'brickie' that is alot of outgoings to cover.

I have posted this under artisans rather than finances, as I would like advice from other people in the building trade. My husband is registered as a macon, and as such has the decannale, and liability insurance as well as all the usual cotisations etc.  Also, we have the usual other insurances, health,  house, vehicles blah blah blah. My husband is the sole earner in our family, and I worry sometimes what we would do if something happened to him.  Anyway, the other day during a chat with our friendly insurance guy (I'm sure his eyes light up when he sees us coming!!) he recommended taking out an accident insurance, in case hubby injurs himself and can't work for any length of time.  Has anyone else out there got this type of insurance?  Is it worth paying out....you don't get anything for your first month out of work, and I am confused about whether you continue to pay all your insurances if you aren't earning.  Seems a bit mad to pay out in case you can't work, and then if you do end up ill or hurt for any time, you get a tiny income but still have to cover your costs (if that makes sense). Any words of wisdom would be gratefully received, thanks

I just read your post, and we have just waved off some friends who bought with them of all things, some haggis (first time for us). They bought it from a friend of theirs(John Sole Butchers) he has different types apparently, I think ours was a mcsweeney. He doesn't seem to have a website, but he may be worth a try? http://www.alresford.org/food.htm If you are interested, you can email me, I can pass on personal details such as names of the friends of ours, so you can tell him who recommended him.  

Actually, it looks like our best bet would be to go with brittany ferries...caen- portsmouth,and avoid overnight crossings.  Just have a slightly longer drive to caen.  still be interested to know how families of more than 4, with children, travel on the ferries?

We usually travel with Ld lines when we make trips back to UK, and always use the cabins, and have been very happy with them.  Currently there are 4 of us, 2 adults and 2 children.....next year there will be another little 'tetley'........do you think they will let 5 sleep in a 4 berth cabin? there is room in the cabin to make a travel cot up......are there any others of you out there with a family of more than 4, what do you do?  I don't want to have to take pillows and blankets up and sleep on the floor....I am not a nice person if I don't get my 7/8 hours kip!!!  

are the treads big enough to maybe, paint the concrete and fix on a wooden tread?

You need to explore the areas you are interested in, the dordogne is a large department and varies a great deal.  If you are considering buying a property in France, you will find expats everywhere, but some areas are more condensed than others.....that again is the same for all of France.  Where there are lowcost airlines flying to UK, you will find a high Brit population. 

Everyone's entitled to their opinion.  And until one christmas eve a few years ago, was something I hadn't given alot of thought to, to be honest.  But, received a call to say that my sister in law had been rushed to hospital (we were both 21 at the time)....found out that she had complete liver failure and had to have police escort to Birmingham, and be put on the waiting list for a transplant....she was given a couple of days to 'live'.  She had been ill with a virus, but no one saw that coming.  Boxing day she received a new liver, and we were very aware that somewhere, someone had died, and another family would be sat in a hospital in desparation.  We were obviously very grateful that my sil got a 'second' chance, and she obviously had alot of recovering to do........along with it acceptance of what had happened to her, and what had been done to her.  Christmas is a very poignant time for our family, and we think of the donors' family each year too.  If they hadn't agreed to let their son or daughters liver be donated,  then there would have been two deaths that day. But, I do undestand where you are coming from when you say you can't or don't agree with it.

[;-)]   she is fine....even went on to have a baby.  Amazing how much things in the world of transplants has changed over the years though. You are right.....awareness and having a little fun is the key!

My sister in law had to have a liver transplant 16 years ago, after liver failure (she was only 21 at the time).  And trust me, when you are in that situation, you become very selfish and desperate ........ although it enables a loved one of yours to live, you are very, very aware that another family's loved one has died.   PS: I can appreciate the humour in the jokes.....I am not preaching!!!

Hi again Sandy sorry no one else has given you any more info, I thought there would be a few others out there with a bit more knowledge of the maternity process than me. I have been in France for just over 2 years, and have two children, boy and girl, aged 11+9.  They have just finished their second school year, and have progressed really well this year.  They make you proud!!

Hi Sandy, I can answer some of your questions, but I am still working through the process myself.  Firstly, if your sons' girlfriend is going to be living in France, she will need to get into the french health system....I am covered on my husbands carte vitale, and was also on his E106....will depend on your sons/his partners' circumstances.  I don't have a health top up insurance, so I have to pay 30% or so of all the costs so far......these charges range  about 70 euros (total) gynaecologist consultation, 40 (total) euros for a scan, I paid 18 euros for the first blood test, but have only had to pay that one.  I believe that from the end of the fifth month, all maternity costs are covered 100%, including my hospital stay (apparently, you stay in hospital for 4 days after giving birth). I first of all went along to my doctor, you will find you will need to register with a doctor.......fill out a form called a medecin traitent (something like that).  The doctor referred me to a gynae at a local clinic.  I visit him once a month for a scan.  I also have to go to a separate laboratory for a blood test, once a month....the results are sent to you and your gynae. So far, it has been pretty straightforward.  I can't give you any more info about midwives, as I haven't yet met one.  My gynaecologist can speak very good English, but he prefers not to. This is fine, he checks I have understood everything at the end of the consultation. If the baby is born in France, he/she will have a french birth certificate.  You can apply at the british embassy for a british one, but it is quite expensive.  Also, the child will have a British passport, not French.....unless one of the parents has french nationality. I don't know what sort of area you are moving to, but I would guess that you will come across professionals who speak pretty good English.  It is pretty daunting having a baby in another country, but based on my experience so far, it is ok.  I have yet to do the giving birth bit here though!!!! This is my 3rd child, so I am probably not so anxious about things as maybe a first time mum? Hope I have helped a bit, hopefully someone else with a bit more experience of the system will post some more information for you.

Don't fret, it is all pretty relaxed.  You can go to any insurance agent for the assurance scolaire, and can arrange it at the same time as contents insurarance.  I think from memory I pay about 16 euros a year for 2 children. With regards to the school bus.  You fill out the form, and give it back at the town hall.  We had to attach a photo at home. At the end of each day, the children who go home on the bus line up first, and walk up in 2s, and are supervised getting on the bus by a member of staff......they aren't checked on as such with a register. If I am outside the school gates, I make a point of saying hello to the driver, but it is never a problem to take the children home myself.  In the morning, I wait with the children until they are safely on the bus.  This is how it works in our village, and it is free.

nope, eymet and sarlat are both 2 hrs away.  I think we(I) will have to go and watch the french version.  Thankyou all anyway.

I am trying to find a screening of Harry Potter in VO in or near north Dordogne.  There are showings in Bordeaux and Parthenay...but both of these places are nearly 3 hrs drive from here.  I thought Dordogne was supposed to be full of englishness??  We will of course go to see it at our local cinema in French (just been to see shrek), but we would (I do mean the royal we of course) find it a lot easier to follow in English.  My son won't mind how he watches it.....but my grey matter won't cope very well with French.  I have looked at Perigueux, Thiviers and Nontron sites...and can't see anything VO...but if anyone knows anything different I would be grateful....cheers

I have been here http://www.chateaudelacouronne.com/ it isn't what you would call 'authentic'....but it is different.  Don't know if it is an area you are looking at?

Has she made firm friends with the children going on up to college this year?  Giving her an extra year at primaire, may help her make more friends and serve her well when she does move up.  My son is redoubling this year, his class are moving up to college, but luckily he has more friends in cm1 so is staying/ moving with them to cm2 , and he is very happy about that.  And he is going to get a little extra help this year  too.  So, for us, redoubling is a good option.

We bought through a french agency, but with a very helpful 'able to speak good english' agent.  I can pm details if you are interested.

Basically, because it isn't regulated, you have to prove your trade and it is expensive, people don't seem to bother.  And alot of clients have no idea what a decanalle is, so they don't bother asking to see such documentation.......so easypeasy for registered builders to work without paying out for insurance and appear above board, I bet alot of people in the building trade don't even know it is obligatory...or say they don't.... some trades don't need it...i believe such as gardeners, painter decorators. 

yes it is obligatory, and as Val 2 wrote, the customer has no comeback if they aren't happy with the work if they choose an artisan not holding the decannale, or if the artisan damages anything etc.

no, but sounds interesting, so am looking forward to finding out!!