idun

I do not know whether this will let me say this, but I always told my french friends that we english were a b as tard race, with a b as tard language. Europeans are not some single great tribe. How can you not have understood that, we were all from tribes and  in England, we were put in the blender and all mixed up especially with the industrial revolution.........and yet, we ended up white, even Francis Barbers descendants are white. And I am sure that we all have some black blood in us, and that is fine by me. I have no illusions about my place in the scheme of things. So me, I am english and England geographically in Europe, boy oh boy, this reminds me of what I wrote on the inside page of my history book when I was 11 or 12........ Idun and DOB, and the town, county, then England, the British Isles, Europe, The Northern Hemisphere, Earth, The Solar System. What the future holds and how climate changes will affect something like skin colour and even morphology, I would like to see, but helas will not be here to see such changes and yet I am sure that they will occur, otherwise, why did they happen in the first place? AND NOW I shall ask,ask as I have done endless times before and really do not get any proper answers, why can you not enjoy these too and fro discussions with everyone disagreeing. I have yet to meet anyone french who cannot do this all the time, arguing that black was white if so suited. And in my region, there were folk from all over France, and they all did it. Opinions on every last thing in great supply and once I stopped being worried about it all degenerating into some physical violence, such was the risk I considered would happen when I first got to France, that never happened and all bisous and hugs and the end of the night. It was just the richness of life in France. ALBF has been in France a long time, that he taquines and will go for things that he knows darn well will wind people up feels perfectly normal to me. I mean, normal. So why does no one ever mention this ever, I expect people to behave like him on the board, especially as so many have been in France for so long now, how has it not rubbed off? And those especially who decided that they are now french, it is one of the frenchest things I can think of, apart from tailgating, boire un canon and eating copious qualities of cheese. I am now in England and would be cautious about such discussions/happenings, because it isn't the same here, but in France, well, I have very very fond memories of being a table and the very very heated debates and so much nonsense being said[:D]

Ah the mythical creature that is a european, apart from, one could say, being white or just about

I hate it when Italy does not score. I didn't watch the match but a couple of times when passing the tv said, 'come on Italy score a trial' and they did within minutes. That they lost is quite another thing, knowing that they score points is good. Sounded like it was a better game than Scotland /England yesterday.

I knew what that meant, but if I was still sorting my things out, I would say, j'arrive and maybe ask them to wait.

The Mairies always took fingerprints for french ID, so they could have continued to do so. Ours did in a small village so I would think that they took them in all Mairies. I know this as it shocked me rigid when I saw them being taken. I was in there sorting out, probably nonsense paperwork, like a Fiche d'etat familiale, and the bloke in front of me had to give finger prints. When he went and as I was the only one there, I asked what he had been up to. Met with confused looks, I pointed out that they had taken his finger prints. Ah no, it was for his ID. I could not believe that in a country that already insisted on ID papers that they wanted finger prints too...... and yet, there was still lots of crime and the police/gendarmes were never very good at clear up rates, in spite of having everyone's bloody fingerprints. Now I wonder, what next, DNA samples, because France is like that!

Yes, as I said, each EU country is different with the payments it receives and yet, as the EU is the great Federal body, ALL british pensioners will be treat the same even if the country they move to are being paid a forfait for their health care. You know that expression, AND ANOTHER THING[Www] ...... as I have just realised how this would affect us personally. IF we moved back to France, we would not have the same entitlement as S1 Uk pensioners apparently now do, if we go back to  the UK on holiday.   We would automatically be under the french health system again  and paying into that system as the french pensioners do. In spite of having a full UK pension there would not entitlement to a UK S1. And we would have to go back with CEAM cards. No freebies for us. I am feeling actually peeved about this now. So the system is feeling just plain wrong since I have thought of this, and in the way it would affect us. Must edit with a PS I keep seeing that S1 holders are treat the same as french pensioners but they are not, not at all. Unless really really poor, french pensioners have to pay into the system and will forever do so. S1 holders do not, and the french will have paid for their life time too pre retirement. So there is great discrepancy here too.

My last card is a Titre de Sejour - Permanent. I have had Carte de Sejours, but this was 'Titre'. I cannot remember going anywhere but our Mairie to start the renewal process.

LOL ALBF, you have made me realise why the parisiennes call it the Ile de France, to differenciate between themselves and central France. There is, after all, quite a difference on so many levels. NH, queueing like that, I did say WOW when I read it. As ever, I live and learn, as I had never heard of it happening in France. My son had to queue, getting there in the very early hours in Madrid to join the health system, he had a few efforts before managing to get into the offices.

I doubt we could change banks now as we live in the UK and have no french residence. I might have a look at it. We do use our french account quite a lot what with the pensions going into it, so we need a french bank account and french cards. But these payments should just go through quickly, always if done on line. Charging, they are simply being greedy.

Yes, planned treatment well, not exactly treatment, but seeing a specific specialist not available in France. And the other time was because I was in the middle of treatment post surgery and had to go back because my mother was very ill, so a type of E form which is now the S2, on both occasions. Well my email went well, asking if the information was up to date......... the email address was not up to date, so we shall see what they say, now I have found, I hope, the correct email address.

Interesting as this is not what Newcastle NHS business people are saying this week. I have written to the authority for up to date confirmation. The reason I wrote, is that a government department I have had dealings with in the last year have not kept their web page up to date at all. Ended up being costly for us. So unforgettable. And things may currently be as stated and I have been misinformed, but I think that this is something that needs keeping an eye on in case there are changes anyway. IF it seems to still be the rules, it feels a bit off if that is the case. As Judith said, who would want to go back to the UK from France, ***but the EU isn't just France, it is as I have forever heard, a multitude of countries many whom are simply takers. So say someone moves to Romania, for what ever reason and hands in their S1. The UK pays the romanians for this persons health care, and then that person goes back to the UK for treatment they don't consider up to scratch in Romania. Depending on how Romania was paid, it could mean that the UK goverment was 'funding' twice and that does not feel as if it would be right.  And saying anything about pensioners rights, well, UK S1 holders in France don't pay into the system, but french pensioners do, so it isn't quite being treat as the locals are is it. A rather unequal arrangement, and it isn't as if french pensioners have not paid into the system for a lifetime already. And no one is made to move anywhere, it is a choice. ***Twice I have had to have treatment in the UK, once,  simply as it was not available in France and needed what is now I believe an S2 to hand in.

I am pretty sure that most reasons have occurred to me to be honest. And antecedents was certainly one, sure I have already used that word about this.

Oh NH I knew you were doing this, but I shall never understand why people do this, so there you go. I am pm'ing you.

And that is how I feel about it. Even now I have spent over half my adult life in France, and stuff just rubbed off on me, which all too often puts me at odds with my friends and family here. Even if we had changed our minds and decided to stay, then I still could not have applied for french nationality, I am not french and never ever will be. ALBF I am just going to PM you

I think that ALBF 's name says it all, 'a little bit french', which is like me, not french. just some things get integrated into 'my' life at least over the years, I suspect never to leave me now. As I said I couldn't do it, and unless someone feels completely french I cannot get my head around why they would do it. But 'my' not getting my head around things is nothing new to me......... I do not understand lots of things in this life either.

Each to their own ALBF. I know that I could never have applied because I am simply 'not' french. By some sort of osmosis or some such thing, I have some frenchified views of the world and things in general, but still not french. If that is what you wanted NH, so be it, and will you have to do your 'days' national service[Www]

We still have to pay our french banks for our privilege of having an account with them...... so they are, well, choose your adjective, something suitably bad. HOW dare they charge extra for just getting on with their jobs. So yes, I too am surprised, just not pleasantly.

https://www.ca-norddefrance.fr/Vitrine/ObjCommun/Fic/NordDeFrance/modulePj/images/LettreDeRenonciationPJ.pdf If this will help?

https://www.lesfurets.com/assurance/guide/le-droit-de-retractation#quest-ce-que-le-droit-de-retractation-dune-assurance That link should be live and it should reflect the laws. I hope that you did this by telephone, as you may be able to do something about it.

Pray tell me where on earth I used the word 'fool'. I think that standing up for one's rights in France is important, as my goodness, it can be hard to do. And this was a right, if one qualified to get one ofcourse, and I imagine that I would have always mentioned that little fact too. And you don't bang fists on tables when dealing with  fonctionnaires, I never said that I did that, there are many ways to get things done and complete confrontation, who would do that? Not me!

And having said that, when we first moved back to the UK, we had to have a french S1 to have UK health care. In spite of the general notion that people have, that the NHS is free to all residents, IT IS NOT. We HAD TO HAVE  french S1 and what a battle that was getting it, in spite of still paying cotisations in France, took about a year if memory serves, AND we had Newcastle calling us every week and then me calling France, until in the end, we got it. When the UK pension kicked in, then it was OK we didn't need it any more.

Judith,  we used GP's and A&E on our holidays to the UK, when we lived in France. That is fine, never a problem. However, S1 pensioners are not automatically treat as UK residents are, there is no automatic right to health care when one is a UK pensioner living in another country.  For example, one could not 'plan' say a knee replacement etc, in the UK, a sort of health holiday to save money. The S1 would mean that the person concerned would be in the french system and not the UK's. Emergencies, yes, that is fine, but not planned health care. I believe that there is talk of the french having to issue CEAM's again to S1 residents, so that would need to be taken to the UK with you for health care. Thought I would mention it and if anyone wants to check on that call Newcastle's NHS S1 help line: 0191 218 1999 (option 5) if you are calling from the UK. And 0044 191 218 1999 (option 5) if you are calling from outside of the UK And that would be the number that you should call Nick P about an S1 if you are moving to France permanently.

Cathar Tours, understand this. French fonctionnaires often talk out of their backsides. They will not check up, they just repeat parrot fashion what someone has told them and swear blind that what they say is right. It is how french schools work and that is how they things too. I replaced my carte de sejour in 2007! I did not have any problems. And now, you are saying that they must have been wrong to issue ours! Well, mon grand, what you are saying is  WRONG,  that is exactly what YOU are doing.... the very implication  that they shouldn't have  issued ours  because they are no longer required means that I would have been told the same  and that is  absurd. No one on here is lying apart from the people they saw. AND the cards were NEVER done away with, if you did not understand the word 'abolished'. Now get your head around this from the french government web site : https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F1036 And would you believe it, well obviously you may chose not too, but the carte de sejour is actually mentioned as a FORM OF OFFICIAL ID IN FRANCE..... amazing isn't it. This is for a foreigner in France, rough translation below La personne contrôlée doit justifier de son identité et prouver qu'il est en séjour légal en France. Elle peut présenter un titre d'identité (titre de séjour, carte d'identité, passeport). Elle peut aussi présenter une autre pièce voire un témoignage. Si la personne contrôlée ne peut pas présenter de documents ou s'ils paraissent insuffisants pour établir l'identité (document sans photo), une vérification d'identité peut être demandée. L'officier de police judiciaire peut retenir, sur place ou dans ses locaux, une personne dont il cherche à établir l'identité. La vérification ne doit pas excéder 4 heures (8 heures à Mayotte) depuis le début du contrôle. Pendant cette période, la personne contrôlée peut présenter de nouveaux papiers, faire appel à des témoignages, faire prévenir le procureur de la République ou toute personne de son choix. S'il s'agit d'un mineur, son représentant légal doit être averti préalablement, et l'assister lors de la vérification (sauf impossibilité). Le procureur de la République doit également être informé. Lorsque la vérification révèle que la personne peut être liée à des activités à caractère terroriste, elle peut être retenue sur place ou dans le local de police où elle est conduite pour une vérification de sa situation par un officier de police judiciaire permettant de consulter les traitements automatisés de données à caractère personnel. La personne retenue doit être immédiatement informée : du fondement légal de son placement en retenue et la durée maximale de la mesure (4 heures),du fait que sa retenue ne peut pas donner lieu à audition et qu'elle a le droit de garder le silence,du fait qu'elle peut faire prévenir par l'officier de police judiciaire toute personne de son choix, ainsi que son employeur.S'il n'y a pas d'autre moyen d'établir l'identité, le procureur (ou le juge d'instruction) peut autoriser la prise d'empreintes digitales et de photos seulement. La vérification d'identité donne lieu à un procès-verbal. If an official stops you, and you have not got ID on you, you have FOUR HOURS to furnish it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I will add it would depend on how dogmatic the official is and believe me, some are. Hence the practicality of actually having ID on me at all times, for me at least, far outweighed having to mess around getting hold of it later. Also the gendarmes in our area often had controls and I was stopped several times in the car. Do not call me a liar, I do not know everything about France, never have, never will, (incidentally french people don't either)  but I know an awful lot even now, and I know how to find out if I don't.

  I would say get your S1 NickP. Call Newcastle and ask them when they say you should get one as I am not sure of time frames with this. I say this as one of the things surely that would be important was having health care cover in order to get a card of some sort. Well CT, I remember your father's posts well. And I know I repeatedly said that  there was an entitlement to have one. Taking my comments with other than a pinch of salt was his usual way, in spite of the fact that when I found this board had been in France about 20 years and was, if I say it myself, good at sorting things french out. edit, just read what you have written CT. WELL the Prefecture had no right to do that. But, hey ho,rights are rights and what on earth has rocking a boat got to do with it??? absolutely nothing. A right is a right. mint, yes, I did know how hard it was to do anything. It ALWAYS was, really, but that was part of moving to France, getting things done and insisting on one's rights. Imagine, we had no internet and we moved with next to no french  and had to get all these things sorted and were told all sorts of nonsense by officious fonctionnaires. My french improved at a great rate of knots gathering proper official information and that meant getting on the phone, being passed from pillar to post and hassling officials to get the right information..... and then insisting that the fontionnaires did their jobs, which they always did... in the end.