The Truth Fairy

If anyone sees any Cadbury's Creme Eggs in France I'd like to know......

[quote user="You can call me Betty"]Yep, and as I think I've said here or somewhere before, I've only had food poisoning a couple of times in my life, and both of them have been in France!! Considering I've spent an extensive time in some of the least developed corners of the world and never once come down with anything, I think this must say something..........[/quote] I've only ever had food poisoning once - after eating mushrooms at my mother-in-law's. I think this must say something too! TF

[quote user="Pierre ZFP"] Saw some stuff in Boots which was a tube of waterless 'Sanitiser' for hands etc.  I meant to get some for those public-loos-no-soap occasions. [/quote] I got mine at the local Pharmacie, Pierre : no need to import it. Ditto what everyone  else has said about not touching the door knobs in public toilets (sleeve, paper towel, following closely on the heels of someone else... all good techniques). All my in-laws have had the virus this past week (shame.....) - and my youngest spent Tuesday in bed being sick on an empty stomach, poor love..... And none of them called the doctor, so it must be an epidemic when you take into account all those who just wait for it to pass through their system. Not to mention the fact that as doctors make fewer and fewer house calls, by going to the surgery you're actually exposing yourself to everyone else's germs and likely spreading  yours generously about in exchange! So far I have escaped...... As the main food preparer in the home I am obsessive about washing my hands. unlike o/h ..... What he does to himself is his problem but what really irritates is when I remind the kids to wash their hands before eating and he says "don't bother"! Stay healthy, TF

Had a good laugh at the article: thanks for posting it. I can sympathise with the writer who was told by a shop assistant that the clothes she intended to try on wouldn't fit (implication: "dream on, you fat cow") as this happens to me all the time in France as I am exceptionally tall but only a size ten (and in the present weather, well wrapped up). Although the biscuit goes to the dumpy Hungarian shop assistant who complained "you're so skinny"! Anyone for another mince pie or a chocolate truffle? TF

You could also try posting an "accommodation wanted" notice on the relevant Anglo Info forum (Languedoc-Roussillon) as they have a specific section, and peruse the accommodation offered while you're there (there seems to be plenty to choose from). The advantage of renting through an English-speakers forum will be that they will understand your references, unlike an estate agent as someone else said.

Gyn-Paul I've checked this with the  experts in Paris and there is an arrangement by which tax on inheritance is paid in the country where the inheritance is situated: so if it's in the UK, whether it be money or property, that's there. However, the minute it starts earning income: either if you let a property or simply invest the dosh, then it becomes liable for tax in your place of residence. So the answer to your original question is a resounding NO! You DO NOT need to declare it in France.

Christmas crackers: I think you can buy the cracking strips by mail order and they could make the hats and maybe little presents (jewellery if girls?) and of course but horrible jokes in either language (carembar are a good source of similarly cringe-making jokes.......

I took advice from my pet tax specialist who works in the Impots in Paris when I inherited from a UK resident (I am French resident and have been for years) and they said no need to declare or pay anything. But of course as soon as you bring the money to France if you don't spend it straight away you get social charges on the unearned income. (The value of the estate was under just IHT level and my share was about 1/3 of that).

Dear Rob, I don't think you have anything to worry about - apart from not being able to get an Oney card for the time being. My o/h was refused one the first time he applied. I pointed out to him that this was doubtless because he had sent off his bank statement showing the mortgage on the rental property and neglected to declare the rental income in addition to his salary! Three months later I did the paperwork for him and the card duly arrived. Oney have a bit of a reputation in France for being VERY picky about who they issue a card to. If you do not have a clear regular source of French income that they can check up on this may be the cause. They favour clients with plenty of disposable income... don't forget that they are the only company in France who offer an English-style credit card (unless Barclaycard France is still running but they were so incompetent in my experience that I doubt they could make a go of it) so they can afford to choose their customers. I suggest that if you really want an Oney card you spend the three months getting together a set of paperwork that shows what great shape your finances are in! Better luck next time, TF