mint

Never been on a long distance train on the continent but did take the night train from London to Penzance for a holiday in the Scilly Isles years ago. Does anyone remember that service? Seems incredible now that you could go from London to Penzance overnight and then get on a ferry (that rust bucket called the Scillonia) to reach your destination! Nowadays, it would be considered uneconomical and unprofitable to run such a service.  Public services more or less started declining from the time of Thatcher.

OK, guys, the very LATEST update.  Had a total of FIVE letters this morning, two of which contained cheques. As far as I could make out, none of the figures make any sense and do not relate to earlier letters.  HOWEVER, the total amount EXCEEDS that which was promised! Three of said 5 letters set out in detail how the dégrèvements were calculated and the sums were paid by virement.  The 2 containing cheques said they were for "réstitution" Can't get my head round the figures at all but then I am not known for being numerate (only a so-so O level for maths). The important thing is, I believe all the stuff is correctly done.  Fittersmate and Sue, as Wooly says, they are bound to be paying you soon.  Also, as I have explained, don't be surprised if the repayments appear to be from different offices.  I have one amount paid by the local office, 2 by the départemental office and 2 from Strasbourg. Goodness knows what sort of communications all the people involved must have had[8-)]  When they have all finished writing each other memos, they will get round to distributing the dosh and you will be paid[:D]

Wow, Eric, good job you found my post and took the trouble to explain in such detail![:)] Yup, am a happy bunny now and feel up to the job.  Nothing like some good advice to impart confidence and enthusiasm........mille mercis!

[quote user="NormanH"]But the evenings are already lengthening and mimosa has  started to bloom... [/quote] Yes, light till just after 6 pm on a fine day. Have been trying to get hold of a gardener to cut our hedges before the birds start nesting because then I'd have to wait till all the fledglings leave.

Yes, fittersmate.  I had reason to believe they would pay up on the 15th of this month as I had another email from the local office saying they would be making a payment to me for something else. Did you get a letter as well as an email in your messagerie?  I ask because the email came about a fortnight before the letter.  And now the payment is another fortnight further on.  But all done and dusted now for us. Good luck, fittersmate[:)]

Weather here is fine, sunny and cold, blue skies, just how I like it! I've given up worrying about Brexit and have succeeded in banishing it from my thought most of the time.  Need a breather until the 31st[:-))] More pressing is how to avoid eating galette des rois this evening when we have our gym's AGM.  Have managed by having gastro and being malade to avoid eating any so far.  Dodged it ducking and diving with no one suspecting....  

Just to say they have now paid me the money owed from social charges for '15, '16 and '17 and also 50% estimated for money I will spend to pay my salariés (sounds grander than it appears) on cheque d'emploie scheme based on my use of such services last year. Hope everyone else has also been repaid.

I've been thinking about this for a long time, in fact, ever since Brexit was first mooted.  I do think it right that we will not be able to vote for the municipal or European elections. It was one of the things that bothered me but now it's just a case of bowing to the inevitable.

[quote user="idun"]!I was not well pleased when my husband went away and used airbnb. He hadn't booked it, the team he was with had, but it did not stop me being very unhappy about it, as I am  anti airbnb and uber. I will not use either. [/quote] Same here, id, I won't use either either![:D] Kong, I don't mind dated decor, brings back memories of happy earlier self! I do like good food and good service, so as long as those are in place, I am happy.  Oh, and the place has to be spotlessly clean......unlike my own place, of course[:P] It was a huge surprise to me, when we visited B n Bs and were often shown our rooms first to see if we liked them.  No obligation to take them.  I have turned down rooms but, being British and congenitally apologetic, I'd say sorry and say something lame like the room is not big enough or I don't like the windows facing that way. Then, after many years, I got bolder and I'd ASK to see the room before committing.  I never came across a proprietor refusing.  Nowadays, of course, you'd look at their site, all the photos, read about them before booking.  I must say doing it the old way had that frisson of excitement and uncertainty that you don't get these days because everything has to be "as it says on the tin"!

But we have had wonderful experiences at Logis hotels! A really lovely one in Bagnoles de l'Orne where the proprietor stayed up past midnight to make sure we were back safe and sound after an operetta that started only AFTER everyone had had dinner in the resto opposite. And a truly memorable weekend at one just outside Mayenne.  A varied menu, melt-in-the-mouth pastries and a wine menu chock full of delicious Burgundy reds (when I used to love drinking). The ones we stayed at in Brittany were, on the whole, more modest affairs and a so-so one with a manager rather than a proprietor on site. We did always feel we had good value for money so I hope the new, fancy classification does not put prices out of reach.  

Hi Les, long time no see.  Hope all well chez toi? Thanks for that suggestion.  I haven't been able to get to a DIY yet so will see what is available.  I'm going to try on a small patch near the shower tray where it isn't too noticeable to begin with.

Right, Wools, I'll get on with it tout de suite.  Bound to take less time than getting my tongue round that statement of yours?

I am introducing the exciting topic of re-grouting of showers[:D] Not been idle and have done some preliminary research.  I understand that it would need to be epoxy grout.  Is that correct?  Is it hard to put on?  Where do you buy it?  What is the French for it? Thanks, everybody.  Bon grouting to all engaged in this enthralling activity!

Like Norman, I too am surprised that this is a recent règle. My onco must have known about this as long ago as 2018.  I had to have some special mouthwash (needed mixing up at the pharmacie) and as well as the special ALD ordonnance, he wrote that there was nothing else that could be prescibed (forgotten the actual words). He gave me a 6 weeks supply but it only took 2 weeks for it to work on me.  Just as well as the cost was over 100 euros a week.

Thank you, BinB.  I hope others posting links will take note as well.

[quote user="BritinBretagne"]This is worth reading. https://www.remaininfrance.fr/cartesdesejour[/quote] I have looked at your link and there is tons and tons of information.  It is not for the faint-hearted because you need to go through everything carefully and pick out all the sections relevant to you. I must say that I do feel better informed about cartes and what is normally accepted documentation.  I do have other stuff to back up the information I have provided on line.  Our préfecture, as far as I know, is not giving rdvs (even though we are legally able to demand a cds) and haven't been giving them since towards the end of 2018.  Can't say I blame them, they would be swamped by work that might turn out to be unnecessary. BinB, I hope you don't mind the next request I have to make to you.  Next time you give a non-clickable link, could you put in a double line space (for example, after "reading") to enable easy copying and pasting.  Without clear space between the link and the previous sentence, it is quite fiddly to highlight just the link without touching the previous sentence. Thanks again, BinB, for being so helpful about this and related topics.  I'd rather plough through reams of stuff than remain ignorant.

Bonjour, fittersmate.  I beg your pardon, I have just seen your question, having been out most of the afternoon and evening yesterday. No, no money in the bank account yet but I have had 3 messages on my secure messagerie, each relating to the relevant year, the 3rd one being 2017.  The messages detail the amount of claim (totalement) together with separate amounts for "réstitution".  Strangely enough, the amount for réstitution for 2017 was actually more than the amount for repayment. The person(s) responsible has apparently been instructed; so I am hoping not much longer to wait?

OF COURSE, the automated computer generated reply is going to be the same.  Its purpose was to acknowledge that your application had been received.  But, as BinB has pointed out, it does mean that you are now registered in "the system".  Speaking for myself, I can now forget about all of this for the moment and not be anxiously looking at the préfecture site, seeking a rdv that nobody was going to give me any time soon.

Right, folk, here is the automatic reply to my application: Madame/ Monsieur, Vous venez de valider une demande de carte de séjour. Le dépôt de cette demande au nom de (my name) a été enregistré sous le numéro (123456). Votre dossier va être transféré pour instruction vers la préfecture de votre lieu de résidence. Vous serez informé(e) par message électronique des suites de votre demande. Si votre dossier est complet, vous serez contacté(e) par mail pour convenir d'un rendez-vous auprès de votre préfecture afin de finaliser vos démarches (présentation de votre passeport / prise d'empreintes / fourniture d'une photographie d'identité récente (format 35 mm x 45 mm) / justification du paiement de la taxe sur le titre de séjour de 119 euros). Si une pièce est manquante ou inadaptée, vous recevrez un mail sollicitant un complément d'information. Nous vous conseillons de conserver la présente attestation pour vos prochaines démarches en préfecture. Ceci est un message automatique, merci de ne pas y répondre.

OK, firstly many thanks to Jazzer for providing the live link.  Just filled in 2 forms, one for OH and one for me. Only 4 documents to upload; indeed there is no room for any more. 1)passport 2) proof of date moved to France 3)proof of resource 4) health insurance attestation Only bit that I had a problem with was working out what format the dates needed to be.  To save anyone else encountering my problem, you need to do it EXACTLY like this 00/00/0000. One final astuce:  make sure you have all your 4 documents ready to upload onto the site because once you start filling in the form on line, you need to finish in one go or start again if you do not have all your things ready. For Norman, a friend I spoke to recently said her application for citizenship took over 4 years.  Also whilst she was waiting her eldest child reached the age of majority and had to fill in a separate application for himself.

Wools, as explained, the préfecture in Périgueux has been refusing to issue any rdvs since about November of 2018 for requests for first cds. So, this is the online application for post brexit that I am talking about and yes, there IS a requirement for date of arrival in France.

[quote user="idun"]Have you never had to have a Carte or Titre de Sejour mint and ofcourse many other posters too??? What I found very very strange was when they said that they were no longer required, was that so many things in France are so dependant on the ID card as one basically has to have ID at all times in France, or is it four hours to produce it. I suppose a UK driving licence would do, but  would it, but I would not want to be carrying my passport at all times, that is for sure.  I liked having french ID, everyone understood it. [/quote] Id, I made extensive enquiries as to what we needed before we moved (2007) and we were told by various bodies that a cds was NOT necessary.  In subsequent years, I did check from time to time but the answer was always that, as a UK citizen, you do not need this carte. There used to be some discussions (when the forum had many more contributors) about this very issue and some people did say that, although not necessary, you could still apply for it.  However, many people also said that when they tried to apply, they were told don't bother. The last time I tried to get one was in 2018.  I wanted to do it in 2017 once Theresa May said we were leaving.  But, as you now, I was ill and undergoing intensive medical treatment at that time and I simply failed to get my head around the paperwork, travelling to the préfecture, etc.  By about November of 2018, the prefecture in Périgueux had stopped all rdvs for people wanting to apply for the first time.  We have a conseiller in our village who knew someone in the préfecture who deals with these things and she contacted the person on our behalf and the answer she came back to us was to wait to see whether Brexit was definitely going ahead.  So that leaves us where we are today....[:(] As for identification, we use our French driving license which we have both had for several years.  It's good for most things but I take my passport when going into hospital because the hospital told me that in instances of hospital admission, I would need my passport. 

Well pomme, it's no wonder then that the winters are mild and indeed today it's like spring here. Mind you, I don't suppose we'll get a proper spring, going by the past few years.  Seems to go from winter to summer and summer to winter without nary a pause for spring or autumn[8-)]

Got an email from Super U today (I have a carte fidélité) offering promos for chandeleur.  Yikes, just as bad as UK shops offering Easter eggs in January or whenever! I remember a time when you only got seasonal stuff in the shops and mostly only stuff from your own region. The retail eagerness to encourage spending is getting a bit tedious, imo.  Mind you, when I first arrived, I missed all the "unseasonal" stuff that I could buy in the UK.  There's no pleasing some folk, is there?[:P]

Cajal, yes, I remember a document like the one you have described.  I also remember doing a UK tax return for the year until 31 March and then the French one for the rest of that year. In fact we chose to move on 1 April to start, as we thought, the new tax year, not knowing at the time that the French tax year starts on 1 January!  Goes to show how much we knew about anything French at the time[:-))]