NormanH

Unfortunately it's only wishful thinking: A 'hit the nail on the head' list here

One of the effects of the drop in the pound has been to put up prices for those on a sterling based income. For example if the pound drops from being worth 1,50 to being near parity that is a drop of 30% (50/150)   but the effect is that prices rise by 50% (150/100) A pension of £100 a week now brings only 100 euros instead of 150. I would suggest that that is more than a 'reasonably' (sic I quote JMB's error) margin. Whether a pension is 'adequate' depends on the lifestyle one chooses to lead. Poor comfort is that the rise in prices will effect people living in the UK a bit later. For the moment the same UK  pension pays the same UK  bills, but as the cost of European imports rise by 50% price rises are inevitable

I notice that in their 'tick box' people living abroad can choose 'expat' but not 'emigrant'. I am an emigrant from the UK and an immigrant in France. I also have British nationality having been born in England I am not an Ex-patriot, since I have established my permanent residence here. I have not been sent on a foreign placement by a company for example. Not that it matters as I wouldn't be signing, but it shows the imprecision of their thinking

[quote user="pachapapa"]. Los Reyes Magos is probably more important to a spanish speaking child than christmas eve. Well worth looking at it next Monday Evening.[/quote] From Spanish friends here I can confirm that this is the big one for Spaniards...more celebrated than Christmas as you say. It seems that Christmas is more important in Northern Europe, Epiphany in Spain, and the New Year in France. If I were in better shape I'd consider visiting Catalunya, which is only a couple of hours from here.

I buy eggs from my 'volailleur' which have nothing at all stamped on them. Isn't this natural if they come from a small backyard?

[quote user="Owens88"]Many thanks BJSLIV.   If a non french lender was giving the mortgage would the 2.0% fee/tax still apply - i.e. is it like a stamp duty (except that there is no sale involved).   John [/quote] I believe much of the cost is that of setting up the new 'hypothèque' which has nothing to do with who is lending. It is an internal French charge. I could be wrong, but have had to pay once before for the 'mainlevée' when I paid off a credit early, and twice for the two mortgages I have on my present property.

Thanks I've bookmarked that site. Two that I find interesting (in French) are: http://assiste.com.free.fr/ http://www.framasoft.net/

Thanks for that. I use the 'Tea timer' option on Spybot also, and a little programme called Scotty.

I have often heard these spoken of, but I had no idea of the scale of the swindle. This article claims that "Clawing back just one year's tax would have been enough to pay for the government's £20bn fiscal stimulus package" and that "Britain's top companies avoid paying £25bn in tax a year". If this is the case why are they tolerated?

[quote user="tasng4"]I wrote in French, my best present tense interspersed with some passe compose, I think. Ma femme et moi avons habite en France depuis Juillet 2007.  Nous avons lu dans la journal Connexion France (http://www.connexionfrance.com/expatriate-news-article.php?art=246) c'est possible pour les personnes etranger etudier Francais gratuit pour 200 heures.  Maintenant nous chercherons pour la liste d'organisation quel participant dans le plan.  Si cette exact s'il vous plait repondre a moi avec l'information pour appliquer.   Je desole par-ce-que ma Francais est mauvais.   AsI said my French isn't that good but I do feel I use the right words though the tense may be wrong.[/quote] There are probably a few mistakes in that that Clair or one of the other French native speakers on the site could help you with, but it seems to me a perfectly good and understandable attempt, certainly as good as could be expected of someone looking for a course, and better than most!

Gomorra alternative English site About the Mafia in Naples. Entre-Les-Murs About a tough collège in the Paris suburbs A site here about the post-Cannes success The Fall  a weird fantasy film about a meeting in a 1915 LA hospital between a stuntman and a young Romanian girl. It veers between the everyday hospital life and a vividly and spectacularly shot fantasy world. I am not sure I like it, but worth seeing for the stunning cinamatography Links lead to sites with trailers

[quote user="tasng4"] in France you need some French even to apply for these lessons which are geared towards non-French speakers. At least it forces one to get the dictionary out and apply oneself. thanks again.   [/quote] I always regret that EU regulations prevent the application to British people of the requirements  'le ressortissant étranger  est sollicité bénéficie, dans son pays de résidence, d'une évaluation de son degré de connaissance de la langue et des valeurs de la République. Si cette évaluation en établit le besoin, l'autorité administrative organise à l'intention de l'étranger, dans son pays de résidence, une formation dont la durée ne peut excéder deux mois, au terme de laquelle il fait l'objet d'une nouvelle évaluation de sa connaissance de la langue et des valeurs de la République. La délivrance du visa est subordonnée à la production d'une attestation de suivi de cette formation. That is to say that  (very roughly)someone coming from another country is expected to take a test in the home country of the language and Republican values, and if necessary follow a training course. The right of entry depends on a certificate that the course has been taken. It is perfectly reasonable to demand a minimum knowledge of the language before even setting foot here. I see no reason why anybody who has freely chosen to live in France  should expect France to pay to remedy avoidable ignorance

Other people will have more expert knowledge than I have about the self-employed part, but if he is considering retirement in France all previous pension contributions in the UK  can be taken into account to see if he has enough 'qualifying years'

[quote user="BIG MAC"]One thing I haven't explored is looking at a sub-contract situation with a French builder employing foreign labour (If it was a very appealing commercial proposition) [/quote] This is quite common. I know one French-registered (Siret no and all) Romanian who sub-contracts to a Romanian firm he owns. The workers are paid under Romanian contracts (and for 3 months) The icing on the cake is that they are recruited by an temp agency in Romania, to whom they pay a fee...and guess who owns the agency? His wife...

Do you find this better than Spybot / AVG / Spyware Blaster? Genuine question...

[quote user="baypond"]The only reason I started to use 1st class after 25 years is because I could no longer guarantee a 2nd class seat. [/quote] In most of the Téoz services you have to reserve anyway ( as obviously on TGVs) Only the TERs are reservation free in this region.

There is an article in le Figaro here on choosing a Mutuelle for senior citizens (in French)

No I hadn't. I am ashamed to say I didn't realise what a lot of good things there are there. On fact your post galvanised me to search there, and when I couldn't find what I wanted to re-try with Aspell. It seems to be only when you have a answer box open that the option "Check Spelling' is available. But at least it works then..[:)] Thanks very much for your helpful stimulus

This one looks fun "At the start of 2008, Anna Sam “hôtesse de caisse” began to write about her experiences, first in a blog, then in a book. She told of life behind the till and the conveyor belt - “one of the most desirable vantage points from which to enjoy the full panoply of human idiocy”. Her blog is here

In Sweden there are 'no talking' or silent coaches.

I use Firefox most of the time, and have dictionaries in both French and English with the useful Dictionary switcher (thanks to Claire for that one) I am having a problem finding anything equivalent for Opera I have downloaded Aspell and the two dictionaries, but Opera doesn't recognise them . Has anybody any tips? NOT use IE 8! please...

As I have previously posted on other threads there is another reason to get a good Mutuelle, as well as the ones already mentioned. There is an increasing tendency towards 'privatisation' in French medicine with 'dépassement des horaires' becoming more common, and many things become non-reimbursable. So not only do you need a Mutelle for the 30% not covered  by the E121, but also for the future as more and more costs are pushed their way.

My "vœux" for those of you who enjoy reading in French: ENIVREZ-VOUS Il faut être toujours ivre, tout est là ; c'est l'unique question. Pour ne pas sentir l'horrible fardeau du temps qui brise vos épaules et vous penche vers la terre, il faut vous enivrer sans trêve. Mais de quoi? De vin, de poésie, ou de vertu à votre guise, mais enivrez-vous! Et si quelquefois, sur les marches d'un palais, sur l'herbe verte d'un fossé, vous vous réveillez, l'ivresse déjà diminuée ou disparue, demandez au vent, à la vague, à l'étoile, à l'oiseau, à l'horloge; à tout ce qui fuit, à tout ce qui gémit, à tout ce qui roule, à tout ce qui chante, à tout ce qui parle, demandez quelle heure il est. Et le vent, la vague, l'étoile, l'oiseau, l'horloge, vous répondront, il est l'heure de s'enivrer ; pour ne pas être les esclaves martyrisés du temps, enivrez-vous, enivrez-vous sans cesse de vin, de poésie, de vertu, à votre guise. Charles Baudelaire(In Les petits poèmes en prose)  

[quote user="krusty"][quote user="suein56"] Not quite the same as a French pensioner as they still have to pay the French equivalent of UK NI - I cannot remember the actual percentage - so we, incomers, do rather better than them as our E121s mean that we are not asked to make a further contribution to the French system, other than paying the franchises on drugs et al. Sue [/quote] Your statement makes it sound like us Brits pay nothing in , but the UK gov pays something like 3000 for each E121 every year. [/quote] And what does the recipient of a E121 pay towards it?

[quote user="suein56"][quote user="flunch"] Callie, hopefully I can make you understand how it works.  When you come here with your E121 you are placed in the same position as a French pensioner, ie you have 70% cover, for the remaining 30% you must take out a top-up insurance (its known as a mutuelle). [/quote] Not quite the same as a French pensioner as they still have to pay the French equivalent of UK NI - I cannot remember the actual percentage - so we, incomers, do rather better than them as our E121s mean that we are not asked to make a further contribution to the French system, other than paying the franchises on drugs et al. Sue [/quote] A person with a French pension doesn't actually pay direct Social Security charges, but pays La CSG : 6,6 % La CRDS : 0,5% unless the tax level is very low. But you are right that they pay are still paying into the system after a lifetime of contributions, whereas a UK pensioner no longer pays NI contribitions.