Manon

I agree, I’d never risk something like that. I was just astonished that this can happen with all the fuss about only being able to travel if you meet certain conditions including that crucial negative Covid test.

The British Embassy helps holders of British passports and as it’s only an email what’s to lose ? Yes it, is the people on the ground who have the ultimate say. English friends who are French residents came back from the U.K. via Eurotunnel two days ago with their attestations and their negative Covid test certificates and nobody, on either side, asked to see their documents !!!! They were asked if they had their travel papers but that was all.

Just to clarify matters, I have been resident in France for over 10 years now. Also, last year the passport office was inundated with online and postal applications and there was no guarantee when you would get your new passport. This has now changed for the better and I understand that renewals online ( incredibly simple to do ) are now taking 2-3 weeks, and that is my experience. Fill in the online form, get your reference number and then send off your old passport - I sent it requiring a signature and it cost me about 8 euros. I got an acknowledgement a couple of days later, and then updates every few days which amazed me. I filled in the form towards the end of December, sent off my passport a week later and my new one is apparently on its way to me already. Why not just email the British Embassy in Paris and ask them to confirm the passport validity requirements ?

My understanding is different - that if you are a French resident then there is no minimum period required - just that it’s in date. I’m resident in France and came back from the UK on December 27th with only 51 days still to run on my British passport. The border control pointed this out but I had checked this before we left. Since then I have applied online for a new passport which is now winging its way to me. I think I found the info on a French government website or via the British Embassy in Paris website.

Thank you - looks like hot takeaway food is available .

We are driving up to Calais over two days at the end of this week and wondered if the restaurants in the Aires will be open or not ? Does anyone know ?

My OH is reasonably competent with most small DIY jobs but it is wonderful, just once in a while , to employ someone for the day to get all those outstanding jobs done in a fraction of the time and, more importantly, he doesn’t argue and he just does whatever I ask !!!!

We are only staying near the airport the night before and the main problem is the length of time it takes to get the test results. We’re obviously happy to pay but making an appointment locally is proving very difficult and most places specify results between 24 and 48 hours after the test. The period allowed for the test has now been extended to 96 hours before the flight which gives us a little bit more flexibility. We were hoping it might be possible to book a test at the airport the day before - I think you can do this at Heathrow and get the results in 12 hours.

We have had a holiday booked for a year now and have managed to overcome all the obstacles except one ! We have to have a negative result from a Covid test taken within 72 hours of the flight which is at 15.00 on a Sunday afternoon. We live a long way from the airport and plan to stay nearby the night before the flight. Does anyone know what the test situation is at the airport as I am finding it impossible to book a test at an appropriate time near where we live? Very, very grateful if anyone can help !

Thank you both for your help. We have been taxed here for the ten years so I am used to the forms and will make a note of those particular boxes to tick !

Please forgive me if this is very obvious to most of you ! We have been resident in France for 10 years as early retirees and I will finally receive my state pension this month. All our income is UK based including rental from a flat we own and some share income. I know I need to take the S1 to the local health office but do I need to register it with the tax authorities as well in order to stop the charges ( hope springs eternal ! ) Thank you for any advice.

I queried this charge some years ago as we take all our rubbish to either local recycling points or to a bin at the end of our lane some 2-300m away and was told it was to pay for the recycling centres and not for a personal collection service like in the UK.

In reply to Russetthouse’s post - did you read her other two books about her move to Provence - I found them fascinating - especially the unconscious ( is that the right word ? ) class ‘references’ ! Haven’t come across Trampled Lilies so I will look out for it.

The strange thing is - it’s beginning to feel normal ! We are very, very lucky in that we live in the middle of stunningly beautiful countryside and we have a huge garden which is my hobby, and we have each other for company. The glorious weather has helped - we might feel very differently if it had rained every day ! My husband is a wargamer ( minutely detailed lead soldiers which he paints ) so although he has had a lot of games here and in the U.K. cancelled he can easily keep himself occupied. We heard a plane the other day and almost took a photo of the vapour trail ! Our local market is operating and I bought vegetable plants and geraniums yesterday, and there are few shortages in the shops. Yes, we really miss seeing all our friends and all the socialising - apéros, walks, lunches at home and at several local restaurants with excellent menus du jour, but, we email, we WhatsApp, we FaceTime and spend ages on the phone. It would be very different without the internet and all the technology. Luckily we spent a week in the U.K. seeing our two children just before the lockdown, and we had a day out with our local friends when we got back here. Our diet has actually been very good - I got all the tins out of the store cupboards and did a freezer audit and we’ve been using all those out of date and nearly out of date items - makes for interesting meals ! I’ve been making cakes as a treat ! Still - looking forward to several months of social celebrations and get-togethers when all this is over !

I did try to process things via ANTS myself but found it extremely difficult so used a local garage who , for a small fee, do it for you. However, my understanding is that the request is then dealt with by the French equivalent of the DVLA in Nantes who also process driving licences - hence my concern ! The garage were also pessimistic. We still have all the original papers but I will ask the garage for proof that the request has been made as that seems very sensible . Thank you.

Having got all the necessary paperwork we went along to a local garage who will complete the registration / request for a carte grise process for you and were horrified to find that it could take three months or maybe more as this process is now being dealt with in Nantes ! I think we have temporary insurance cover for one month and the Quittus fiscal allows us one month on foreign plates - what are we supposed to do after that ? Has anyone else been through this ?

Did you send everything by registered post and requiring a signature ? I know it costs but I send everything official that way now -I didn’t the first time and never had a reply. Other friends who applied in October have received their licenses and my husbands application is now being dealt with. However, a friend who applied last Spring received his interim permit so long ago that it has now expired so has no license and no valid letter !

I applied to change our licenses last spring and never got a reply from Nantes. I applied again in January and sent everything registered post and requiring a signature on receipt. To help save other people time and money, in addition to the documents you are told to send you need to send a copy of your birth and marriage certificates if you are a married woman, and in any case, if you only want to drive cars and not HGVs , add a signed letter to say that you ‘renonce ‘ categories C and D. I sent off the copies of the certificates today but obviously, in spite of asking for them yesterday, they aren’t bothered about them as today I received an email saying my license is on its way to me !!!! Sorry if all this has been covered in earlier posts but I couldn’t face reading through 15 pages of posts and replies.

Thank you Pomme - yes, this does explain the figure on last year’s return, and yes, I am paying into PUMA. Very helpful thank you !

Dear Pomme, Your post is very clear and very helpful so I’m hoping you might be able to answer an extra query for me. Last year I also had to enter a pension figure on form 2047 in section 9 box 8tv and I can’t remember / work out how that figure was arrived at - the lady at our tax office worked it out last year. We have mainly private pensions but one public one - we are both early retirees. Can you help ? Thank you.

Thank you Théière !

I have posted before concerning our Sterilor Sel system which had a blip a while ago and then righted itself. We are about to replace the electrodes but wondered about the possibility of just using the chlorine tablets manually instead. Are they suitable for a 65 cubic metre pool which is in use all year round or are we better to continue with the system we have ? Any advice gratefully received. We don't have anyone independent we can ask and wouldn't trust the installers anywhere near the pool unfortunately ! Thank you.

We have received an invitation to the wedding of the son of French friends. I am delighted but somewhat puzzled as we have only met the parents a few times and the son once and the invitation says ' Cocktail and Diner Placé ' . That sounds quite formal to me and the invitation looks very formal.. Please could someone clarify the situation for me and advise concerning 1. The level of gift expected and 2. The dress code . I presume the equivalent of morning dress would be specified on the invite so just lounge suits for men ? What about hats for ladies ? Any help gratefully received - thank you.

Thank you suein56 - interesting to read . Our Sterilor unit has worked perfectly until now and I may be worrying unnecessarily but I was hoping perhaps Théière might reply or someone who has the same system. If I need to order a new electrode part and get it fitted I'd like to do it ASAP before the water goes green If at all possible !

Hoping one of the experts on here can help. We have a 12m x 4m x 1.5m pool which has a full height cover and the pool is heated so we use it all year round. It has been in for about 4.5 years. I seem to remember being told that the Sterilor Sel system would last for about 4 years. Both the electrode indicators went to zero and are now increasing when the filter system is turned on ( both at 0120 the last time I looked ) but the chlorine level ( which we set to 30 in the winter ) is showing zero. what exactly does this mean please ? Do we need to replace the electrode cartridge or something. I went onto the company website but couldn't find any explanation or guidance. Our pool company were a nightmare and I don't want to have anything to do with them and I don't know who to ask ? Any help greatly appreciated , thank you.