NormanH

True, though whether the metaphor would be understood in France is a different matter😄

I don't know of any totally private "cliniques" around here, but there are several cliniques in and around the town that are run as private businesses, but whose fees are re-imbursed by the Social Security and Mutuelles. The big difference is that in the public Hospital there are teams of salaried staff, with a senior consultant, and a couple of assistants, so there is always somebody on duty. In the private cliniques a surgeon for example will be present for the operation, and perhaps do some rounds in the evening, but the rest of the time will be a way doing private consultations, perhaps in a "cabinet" in town. The consultants are not salaried, and are paid for each medical "act" , so this can lead to abuse by which relatively unnecessary procedures are done and then billed to the Social Security. There are staff in the office who are trained to look through your medical history, and see if they can find anything that they could do which can be charger for under the pretext it was necessary. This happens because they know that these acts will be paid for by the Social Security. For example I was in for an examination of the state of my heart arteries, which was to be done by my own consultant the next morning. In the evening another consultant came to give me an ECG, which wasn't needed, and again the next day before I was discharged. In the public Hospital which is not there to make a profit, just to treat you, incentive for this wasteful and costly behaviour.

I emailed the other moderator ... the efficient one 😈

"Get" as in 'get a coffee' 'get a shower' where will they get them FROM? Why not just have one? Or in this headline "US authorities say more Boeing 737 planes should get checks after door plug blowout" "be checked" or 'Have a check-up'...

Yet the best butcher in the village in the Ariège where I had a second place for a while was in the Carréfour shop. They had a policy of having a % of local produce, and in this case it went as far as letting a local butcher source and run the meat counter. The fruit was also from local orchards, so at that period I did venture in to a supermarket.

Not only pounds to grammes etc, but also those mysterious (to me) American cups https://www.cookingconversions.org

Just a tiny point which doesn't take away the main thrust of menthe's point. "audio-visuel tax (radio and TV)" has been abolished

Perhaps they think it is your résidence principale? https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F752

Thanks for the clarification Gardian. Now I understand what you meant about the range of food in Supermarkets.

Turnip carrot cabbage and potato with gherkins and horseradish sauce....last Wednesday

I haven't been there for about 15 years so I can't comment on what you saw, but in any case I I don't buy food in supermarkets, but in the excellent specialist shops in the indoor market where the stall holders chat to you and give advice ; and as you can see from another thread I have a choice of really good restaurants. Perhaps it depends on whether you are comparing similar places? I suspect that many here live in small towns or villages where those thing are not so easily available.

Back on topic:) Mine went up by 16% but as I changed last year to the one offered by the town who can negotiate a better price the monthly cost is still lower than it was with the old one. In figures the old one was 240€ a month before any increase, and the town one AFTER this year's rise is 150€

There has been a lot about this in the UK press recently. To know the situation in France one can consult this site: https://ansm.sante.fr/disponibilites-des-produits-de-sante/medicaments tension de stock = in short supply.... rupture= out of stock... remise à disposition = available again

Don't shoot the messenger. I was simpy giving a copy of the letter I received 😇

I have just received this from county council where I was last registered to vote: Your vote matters. Don’t lose it. I’m writing to let you know that your recent application to be added to the electoral register has been successful. You are on the register as an overseas voter. You will be added to the register on 01 March 2024 unless there is an election called before then, in which case you will be added to the register in time to be able to vote at that election. Currently, your vote method is registered as: in person. As you are an Overseas elector, we suggest that you make arrangements to vote by post or proxy. If you have supplied us with your previous address and informed us that you are no longer resident there for electoral purposes, your entry on the electoral register for that address will be removed. Your registration as an Overseas Elector expires on the 28 February 2025. Overseas declarations must be renewed every twelve months. You should let us know if you do not intend to be resident at this address, or if you move house.

A screenshot of the photo shows better than the original.... No idea why!!

Experiment to see if this works better

For those who have FaceBook this is a good group with recipes that give an impression of French home cooking https://www.facebook.com/groups/283463419554192/?hoisted_section_header_type=recently_seen&multi_permalinks=1054579545775905

no idea why that photo looks so dark. It is bright and clear in the original

Here you go...

And the American use of "momentarily" to mean 'IN a moment' rather than "FOR a moment"... as is "your Firefox is updating and will be available momentarily" I would have preferred that it stayed around for a while..

I have always disliked this, since I have had one of my cancers return after two years, and then metastases on the liver 5 years later from the same one. The other cancer has remained in remission but one knows that nothing is certain, so this empty celebration is more wishful thinking than anything else.

Here is the 19.50€ menu from one of my haunts..

"Not much on the menu for a 80% vegetarian like me. " How about this then? Another place where I can watch the preparation through the window into the kitchen