I've got it!!!!!

[Albert the InfoGipsy]

'It' being my Carte Vitale.

Having moved permanently to France just before the AE regime got started I never registered an E106. I was one of the earliest wave of professions liberales and registered as AE with effect from 1 Jan 2009. By the middle of the year I had my social security number and an attestation so that I could get my costs reimbursed.

Then everything went quiet, although every so often I phoned to see what was happening about my CV.

About a month or so ago I received a form to apply for my CV and today it finally arrived, complete with a new (presumably definitive) social security number.

I don't know how many other Brits have got fully into the French system purely on the basis of being an AE, but it shows that it is possible.

Presumably now I need to make sure that I tell anybody who needs to know about my new SS number. For instance I have a 'dossier' at the chemist and then there's my top-up.