velcorin

The difference is that in other European cities the rich areas are within touching distance with the poor areas. They share common transport links, facilities, and access to jobs. Satellite cites like Clichy-sur-Bois is 10-12km out, no railway station, no buses, no police station, no Jobcentre. It's a dumping ground. Out of sight, out mind, until it explodes.

I was sent here by my employer. My wife (French) is stopped from working here as a langauge teacher, though she is qualified (in France......and UK, Spain and Germany)

As we've moved around, the missus has bought loads of properties. Industrial towns and cities in Spain/France for us, rent to locals. Stick to languages, legal systems and areas we know. 11% return in Spain. 8% in France. No capital growth (you'd get hammered by the taxes anyway.)

Good to he's got himself a new shiney bit of Bling.................SARKO ONE LANDS!! http://www.leparisien.fr/politique/video-le-nouvel-avion-presidentiel-fait-escale-en-nouvelle-caledonie-27-10-2010-1126114.php  

[quote user="idun"]( a french pay slip is truly a thing to behold, his is an A4 page and a half long). [/quote] Agreed, nearly 2 pages for me. Designed to totally defuddle the reader. I lose the will to live reading mine, and neither I, or the missus understand half of it, and I really don't care. It's not like it's optional. TH/TF. Meaux v. Creuse. 8 times greater in Meaux, but there again we actually have some facilities in Meaux.

Check BODACC with the business name. I need you to more specific about about the type of insolvency (Sauvegarde/redressement judicaire/liquidation judicaire) On the positive salarys and some employment related items are ranked highest, if it is an LJ. However, you need to find the court which is dealing with the matter, and contact the appointed officer ASAP, as there is a time bar.

[quote user="Panda"] But when you do your tax return in France place of birth is requested isn't it, or have I dreamt that?  I know I was always being asked to fill out my place of birth. [/quote] That could be it. My MiL's Accountant does all that. I wouldn't know.

Don't disagree with you, it's all part of the mix. France could with a good bit of Brit navel-gazing..........and actually doing something about it's problems. Recent history does not bode well on that point.

[quote user="Sprogster"]velcorin, the tax and social security authorities have of course this information, if you are legal![/quote] Nope. I still don't get it. I must be thick. I earn in France, I pay tax in France. How do they know my nationality? Previously we were in Barcelona. Same company. Before that Germany. Same company. Surely at some point my link to the UK breaks?

[quote user="Will"] The only thing I might disagree with is the weight given to government sleaze. In this respect, the Sarkozy administration is no different from its predecessors, so that's not a reason on its own for it to be so disliked. But taken in combination with the confrontational, nanny-knows-best style, it is certainly a good reason to mistrust the French government.[/quote] I think the big difference this time, is that it was discussed openly in the press. (Like it would in Britain.) Previously, with Mitterand's parallel family, and Chirac's fictional employees (etc, etc, etc......), the media did a good impression of the 3 Monkeys. The dawn of the internet?

Not sure how these figures are collated. I've never been asked directly. I'm not registered at the Consulate. HR don't record my nationality. How does EuroStat know I exist? Conversely the missus registered at the Consulate in London when we lived in the UK, so she could vote. Past that, again, I don't know how Eurostat would know about her. To HR, she was "Other White European".

Best European paper by a million miles for sensible, well-researched, well written, non-political information. Followed by the Economist.......in my humble opinion. And Le Parisien** for all the murders, kidnappings, etc. Real France[:D] (**Oppps can't spell. My French teacher won't be happy, and I'll be sleeping in the spare room again)

Unlike some of the fluffy, unresearched articles I've seen in British newspapers, covering the current social unrest in France, I thought this was excellent. Hopefully non-French speakers better insight into what is happening here in France. Please read carefully, it will explain the anger and frustration people have towards Sarkozy (big effort not to call him anything else) and his Govn.  http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,725250,00.html

The French will be probably interested. At least it can go to sea..................unlike the CdG[:D]

[quote user="Chancer"] I dont know about more likely to be topped up but given the extortinate price of the fuel there plus one has to pay to go on the péage to fill up there then they will be the last to run dry. The supermarkets will be the first to run dry, Esso stations will be one of the last as they also charge silly money. [/quote] Try to find company owned sites. They will get priority. The Hypers and owner-managed sites buy spot, and won't get supplied when fuel goes on allocation. Try to find which depots/remote terminals are not being bloque, they will be able to make deliveries. (5 years of working supply-chain logistics for an oil major.) When all else fails, ring the sales order centres, they will be able to tell from their Vectis systems the schedules for deliveries that day, and where the hauliers are on the road. On another note. The Govn isn't being entirely honest with the public when they are making statements about the availability of stocks. The intervention stocks are being inflated by the crude stocks at the refineries. And they are on strike! The strategic stocks are being inflated by the demurraged ships in the Med. At best there is about 7-10 days of fuel, plus if the Govn released the military stocks that might be another 1-2 days. Currently, we are on shutdown, as we cannot deliver. That is having a knck on effect with other industrial plants. The GDP figures will be completely shot. Hopefully, the Hypers can find fuel, or stuff will be disappearing off the shelves. No panic though, it's Toussaints. That'll get the fuel sorted.