NormanH

From what I know of Béziers there are plenty of people ready to take your money..whatever the denomination of the notes [:D]

Thanks everybody. I just wanted to highlight the fact that in France such services aren't free at the point of delivery and if you can't pay you can be refused. I am in the fortunate position that it is a small bill, but I feel for someone with a large bill and a small income.

Well I hope nobody needs a biopsy because if you do they might refuse to do it! see the other thread (which I note has had almst no replies)

Looking back at my post I apologize first of all if it seemed to be over negative. Other people since have expressed what I wanted to say more sensitively: that you may be excited now, but one day you may feel differently, so your solution, keeping a place back in the UK is very wise. Cat  I have seen a survey on this, but can't find the reference just now. I bet there are very few people on this forum pre 2000 that could be the start of a survey? so anybody who says 'we came over two years ago and it's great' are really just still on holiday [:)] there is also a point after that at which people who were convinced they were settled in France go back. It's often tied to lack of work, or the failure of their business idea ( around 5 years) The only really long-term residents of British origin I know here personally are those who have married a French partner and had children here. And of those I know two couple who have left France because of the poor employment prospects for their children or themselves.

I fill it out on line If it is to send with a paper declaration you could just phone or email your centre d'impôts and they will send you one..

At least it wasn't a fatal accident, which is what had crossed my mind but I didn't want to post it in case it came true..

One of the differences between the UK and French systems is that in the UK the service is 'free at the point of delivery' In France if you can't pay, or don't have some form of cover, it can be refused, which seems incredible to British people used to the NHS I have Cancer, and have a 100% cover from the Sécurité Sociale, as it is counted as an ALD. Ir seems that some where along the line ( in June 2007) the analysis of one of my biopsy samples by the Pathologist wasn't paid for, because today, after having another sample sent to the same lab, I received a letter refusing to do the analysis of the most recent sample ( to see if I also have a cancer elsewhere) : I quote the last paragraph: "Nous vous rappelons l'importance des examens d'anatomie cytologie pathologiques qui ont pour but principal le dépistage du cancer. C'est pourquoi, si vous n'envisagez pas de régulariser votre situation vis à vis de notre Cabinet, nous vous demandons de venir récupérer votre prélèvement afin de faire réaliser cet examen chez un de nos Confrères pathologiste." My (very free) translation: We remind you of the importance of the pathological analysis of these samples, which is intended principally to detect the presence of Cancer. This is why if you don't intend to pay what you owe us from before, we ask you to come and collect the samples from us and take them to analysed at one of our colleagues' laboratories. Remember that this is paid for by the Sécurité Sociale They are sure of the payment as I am on 100% I didn't choose this lab, the sample was sent by my Cancer specialist, and I have never and any direct contact with them so it is not as if I had contracted anything with them I have no other outstanding Heathcare bills. The one they are quibbling about is for  [blink] 64,06 euros Of course I will go in and see them on Monday (give them cash if I have to) but I found the tone of the letter very misplaced; a sort of blackmail. "The Sécu haven't paid one of our bills so we won't do your samples, even though we know you have cancer...that will make you get of your backside and sort  it out" What I would like to do is make a lot of fuss about it. Has anyone any good ideas about who I can approach for maximum publicity? I can write good French..

It's a good idea to keep the house though in case you decide to go back. Very few people last more than 7 years, and those who have to earn a living, much less. We are also beginning to see the sad bewildered halves of  a couple whose French-speaking partner or able-bodied chaffeur has died, and who are now completely disorientated in a place where they don't speak the language, and have no friends. Hope for you it works out as you wish, but as I said, it's sensible to keep the bolt-hole.

[quote user="tegwini"]Declaration Prealable Can anyone give me some advice based on their experience of submitting one of these (not a link to a French Gov'ment site please!) &nyone out there who has managed to get some velux installed/ or coped with these forms? Many thanks tegwini [/quote] I understand that you want first habd experience rather than paperwork, and I  agree with you that this is the best way to go. I have been in France a very long time and am often amused by the sterile debates between who quote from different Internet sources (often English ones that quote old errors without checking) On the other hand it's important to undersand that everything in France has a 'texte' associated, and if you have it to hand to quote you can sometimes win your case in a disagreement. Equally, if you haven't consulted it, you can be hoodwinked. So I, for one,  try to give a link to th appropriate French site In any case it's a good idea to try to master the French terms.. You can do this by comparing the original with a translated version via one of the translation sites such as http://www.reverso.net/text_translation.asp?lang=EN or for web sites http://www.online-translator.com/srvurl.asp?lang=en (be careful to choose the right pair of languges on the pop-down menu) I have fitted velux and other windows, but it was before the mass influx of the English, so in those days it was just a question of having a word with the neighbours!  Now everything has become much tighter.

[quote user="Benjamin"]I just love it when these articles say the State pays for this or the State pays for that. [:P] It's the tax payer who funds the State coffers so that's actually you and me. If the proposal is to move the cost of healthcare from the general tax payer [/quote] In France the cost of health care is more closely earmarked from contributions to Social Security than in the UK, so it's not "the general tax payer" who pays

Wouldn't be a totally bad thing for the environment...[:D]

[quote user="JayJay"]BFB! [blink] Best of both worlds is just perfect, give it time & they'll have video too. Carole did ask about the phones though.[/quote] True[:)]

I certainly never did! You can see average salaries here: http://www.insee.fr/fr/ffc/chifcle_fiche.asp?ref_id=NATSEF04143&tab_id=617

There are loads of French sites with   " immobilier -location".and it helps with te vocabulary you will need  later for example http://www.fnaim.fr/ http://location.binioo.com/ You can also search the small ads all over France (a bit more complicated) on http://www.paruvendu.fr/immobilier/

As I said..Depends what you want to do...[:D]..but I suppose there is no harm in saying it twice  

One reason why I pasted the article, ( removed and replaced with a link by a moderator) by a but I suppose there might by copywright issues with doing that...

but no video..

That site opens fine, but why would anybody want to use a phone with skype? The great advantage is that I can walk around the room hands free and just talk at my microphone (which I use for other things as well) all the dialling etc is done on screen

It was said on the news the the paper versions will be sent out next week

I haven't got a Mac, but SKYPE can be downloaded here http://skype.com/intl/en-gb/download/skype/macosx/ and then you just plug in a cheap micro or camera with micro included, and away you go

Depends what you want to do. The first time I went many years ago I just went to pick up the forms, but usually if you need to do anything more (like asking for help filling in the forms) you could take your Passport Social security no.etc  and something like your electricity bill to prove your address.. I'd also take along bills for Taxe D'habitation and Taxe foncières as they will have your fiscal number on

I wouldn't argue with the total price. The doctor is 22 euros and the lab could be 60+ for a full test. I am not sure how much the nurse costs, but it's not a lot.  1 euro  is not given back for each of the Doctor, Nurse, and Lab You should then get back eventually 65%  of what you paid from the Sécu, and if you have a Mutuelle they should pay you the rest, so in the end you would get back what you paid less 3 euros. If you haven't got a Mutuelle you should still get back 65% minus 3 euros. Sometimes the statements from the Sécu are not easy to follow. For example I might be paid the cost of the presciption but later the 50 centimes per box is taken of a different re-imbursement

Of course none of these places are just tourist towns. It's not like the sea-side out of season[:)] They are active lively places where people live and work all year round. I know all three, and they all have good points, but my favorite, and one of the most sought-after places in France to live is Aix. You can have a wonderful time: the climate can be bright and cold in November, but if you keep out of the wind and in the sun you can easily sit out on a café terrace. I second the fact that Arles is a nice place, and not too big to look around if you are with elderly people.

There isn't a huge difference between "applying for indefinite leave to remain in the UK " and " British people settling in France".. Many people on this board say they are permanently settled. Isn't that "indefinite leave" ? Of course with the old system the 'Carte de Séjour'  was for a limited period 5 or 10 years usually, and so there was a clear distinction between staying here for a while , and settling here, but that it now blurred. This is why I think that it would be a good idea for people who intend to settle in France to take these two tests at the French Embassy before coming. It could never be made compulsory, because of the freedom of movement in Europe, but it could avoid the sort of mistakes and unhappiness that sometimes occur when people don't research properly.

There should be something like this, as well as a compulsory language test,  for British people coming to live in France.