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Accidents     Bank Accounts    Dentists    Doctors    Documents    Driving    Electricity/EDF    Entry to France as a new resident   Finance    Health    Holidays    Hospitals     Insurance    Internet    Opticians    Osteopaths    Passport    Tax    Telephone    Tips about houses    Vets

 

FRENCH FIXED PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

 

1 January - New Year 1 May - Labour day  8 May - Victory day 
14 July - Bastille day 15 August - Assumption of Virgin Mary 1 November - All Saints day
11 November - Armistice day 25 December - Christmas Day

TIPS ABOUT HOUSES

If you can get a survey done on the property you are thinking of buying, DO IT!

 

Notaires sell houses.

 

Notaire - Madame Martine Bondoux, 27 Avenue François Mitterand, BP7-87230 Chalus 

Tel: (0033) 05 55 78 41 17 Fax: (0033) 05 55 78 73 54 English speaker works here.

 

The local Marie will have details of the property you might be thinking of buying and in particular will be able to confirm the size of the plot.

 

Land is always measured in square metres. 4000 sq mtrs is approx. 1 acre

 

Distance in kilometres - to convert quickly to miles multiply by ·6 ie 10k=6m 

 

Certificate of Urbanism ( outline planning) is only valid for 1 year.

 

Planning permission will be needed to turn a barn into a house and not all barns are suitable, check that out before you buy.

 

Chimneys  need to be officially cleaned once a year to meet insurance requirements. To clean your chimney yourself you can buy a 'bûche de ramonage' which comes with an assurance certificate. 

 

Swimming pools New laws came into effect 01/01/2004. 

DOCUMENTS

Did you know that there are strict rules on how long certain documents should be kept? If you would like a list just e mail carol@dordogne-on-line.info and a "word" document will be sent by return e mail, just mark your e mail DOCUMENTS


ENTRY TO FRANCE AS A RESIDENT

 

This information has been taken from The Complete France Forum (16 September 2007 - with the moderators and forum members permission) and is high priority information to ALL new residents to France. Please click through to the forum for more information if you wish.

New regulations concerning the Right of Entry and Residence for EU Citizens intending to move to France.

There have been some important changes to the French immigration regulations that will effect all those intending to relocate to France in the future. The purpose of this note is to provide a brief overview of the situation as published on the Service-Public website.

The government is introducing a new obligatory registration system for EU citizens which is due to come into force soon. Under the new regulations, you will be obliged to register with your mairie within three months of arrival and obtain a residence certificate.

In order to obtain the certificate, you must comply with the code de l'entrée et du sejour des étrangers et du droit d'asile (articles L121-1, L 121-2 and L122-1 to L122-3) which sets out the following conditions:

  • You must be in possession of an current valid passport
  • You must not be considered to be a threat to public order,
  • You must provide evidence that you have sufficient resources so as not to become a burden on the French social security system and have made adequate provision for healthcare and maternity insurance.

In terms of the latter condition, the criteria for registration may be fulfilled as follows:

You are currently employed or have an offer of employment in France

You will be making obligatory contributions towards social security/pension/healthcare in the same way as any other French employee. You must produce evidence of employment in order to obtain your residence certificate.

You are not employed, but intending to start your own business in France

Provided you have registered the business within the three months and arranged the obligatory social security/pension/heathcare provisions applicable to your trade or profession, then you may obtain your residence certificate.

You are retired or you have not obtained employment or established a business in France

As a ‘non-actif’, you must provide evidence of resources (such as pension and/or investment income) at least to the level of RMI (currently 440,86€ per month for a single person without child), or if you are over 65, then at least to the level of the old person’s allowance (currently 621,27€ per month maximum for a single person).

The additional entry requirement for heathcare insurance will be satisfied if you hold a current valid E-form entitling you to affilliate to the state heathcare insurance system, otherwise you will have to purchase a private health insurance policy offering an approved level of cover. If you hold a temporary E106, then once it expires, your affiliation will also expire and you will have to obtain private insurance cover. Holders of the E121 automatically receive entitlement to state healthcare insurance cover for life, so they are not affected by this.

The new registration requirement will only apply to persons entering France once the decree setting out the modalities of the process has been published. After that, the right of stay will be dependent upon fulfilling these criteria and obtaining the necessary residence certificate.

The above procedure applies to EU citizens only. Non EU citizens are subject to other arrrangements.

FINANCE

If you live in France permanently and your home is your main residence you must register with your local tax office and receive a tax number, even if you have nil income. If you don't do this and then sell your house you will be subject to capital gains tax.

BANK ACCOUNTS

To open a bank account you will need, passports, usually 3 months bank statements and some UK utility bills with your address on. Lots of banks now have someone who speaks English. 

 

Click here to go to our Links Page for French Banks

 

TAX

 

Winter Fuel Allowance 2007

 

In 2005 a Winter Fuel Allowance (Prime a la Cuve) was paid at 75 euro. This year due to the high price of fuel the allowance will be 150 euro.

 

To claim this allowance you must be tax resident in France, on a low income, provide a copy of your Tax Notification (Impot sur les Revenus 2006) and receipt for fuel purchase.

 

The form to claim this allowance is available from you local Impot office or may be downloaded in .pdf format here http://www.minefe.gouv.fr/directions_services/Tresor_public/aide_cuve/formulaire_2007.pdf

 

INSURANCE

 

House Insurance must be in place before you finally sign for a property. Take a copy of the insurance/cover note with you to the Notaire on signing day.

Changing Insurance companies - you must give at least 2 months notice to change your insurance company.

 

INTERNET

 

Wanadoo is now Orange - for those of you using Wanadoo/Orange as your internet connection and also having a Live box as a router for ADSL/Broadband connection - it is sometimes a problem trying to understand all the French for installation and trouble shooting. Go to www.orange.co.uk and click on the Help button - there you can type in a question for example "install livebox" and a list of different help pages will appear, in some instances identical to the French but if not the principles are the same. Found this a great help at times and there is also a full list of the problem codes.

 

PASSPORTS

 

To renew an English Passport in France go to www.amb-grandebretagne.fr and click on the English Flag. Then click on Services for Britons in France and then Passports and you can follow the link from there by clicking on B.R.I.T. "click here" which opens a page with forms to download and costs etc.

 

ELECTRICITY/EDF

 

Phone line and email address set up for English residents in France.

 

The phone number is 05 62 16 49 08.

The email is simpleenergywithedf@edf.fr

 

TELEPHONE

 

France Telecom Paris has opened an 0800 364 775 number (toll-free call) intended to cater for the needs of the English-speaking community all over France. This new service is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 AM to 8:00 PM. 

For more info: www.francetelecom.com

 


HEALTH - (health professionals listed below have been recommended)

 

Emergency phone numbers

 

Police            17

 

Fire                18

 

Ambulance    15


Affections Longue Duree (ALDs) - we have a list of these medical conditions in English. If you would like a copy please email carol@dordogne-on-line.info with "ALD LIST" in the subject box and we will forward a copy to you.

Affections Longue Durée (ALDs) as presently defined by the French Government.  ALDs are medical conditions for which 100% re-imbursement is available through the French State Healthcare scheme.


Carte Europeene d'Assurance Maladie - if you are a resident in France and travel to the UK or any other country for a holiday you must have this card. It is necessary to renew it every year. Either apply at your local CPAM or you can apply on line here http://www.ameli.fr/assures/vos-services-en-ligne/demande-de-carte-europeenne-d-assurance-maladie_dordogne.php if you are in the Dordogne. You need a card for each person travelling.


MEDICATION AND MEDICAL PROBLEMS - whether you are just travelling France, renting, house hunting or coming to live for the first time carry with you details of any medical conditions you may have and a list of your medication, preferably prepared by a doctor in the UK. If your stay in France is extended for any reason and you are not carrying enough medication it would make it easier for a French doctor to prescribe for you.


www.expathealthdirect.co.uk

Forward Planning your Healthcare in France - Article by  Peter Owen  Click here to read


www.cpam-dordogne.fr/anglais/index.htm - web site for the Dordogne CPAM (medical/social security) in english.

Telephone 05 53 35 60 00    from 8.30 am to 17:30 pm If you go to this web site there is now a downloadable 80 page document in English explaining the French health system, it is excellent.

 

DOCTORS

Doctor - M Georges MILLET-LACOMBE 1 Rue Sainte Marie, 24450 MIALLET Tel 0553628709


Doctor - M Ossard, av Mar de Lattre de Tassignet, Eymet Tel 05 53 28 82 33


Doctor - Dr Dominique Montfrond, 50 rue Andre-Faure, 24000 Perigueux. Tel 05 53 53 10 81 Mon - Thurs 2pm -4pm Saturday 9am-11am. Some English spoken.


Doctor - Dr Evelyne Blancan (medicine generale) 12 Rue Louis Pasteur,24450 La Coquille. Some english spoken.

 

DENTISTS

 

DentistDr Thanh Nguyen, Station de Bussiere Galant, 87230 Haute Vienne. English spoken. Tel 05 55 78 82 78


Dentist - Dr Leon Lombard, Chirurgien-Dentiste, Route du Buisson,24170 Siorac en Perigord. Dental Assistant is called Tina Tel 05 53 28 94 52


Dentist - M Lafond Tel 05 53 23 89 03


Dentist - Dr Demaret, Av Angouleme, Port St Foy Tel 05 53 58 79 85 or 05 53 24 76 42


Dentist - English speaking lady dentist in PiegutFrancoise Sourgen - 05 53 56 41 57

 

OSTEOPATHS

 

Osteopath - Laurent and Gillian, Le Solieu, 16 Bvde Salingrad, Perigueux. Both speak English. Also practice in Sarlat. Tel 05 53 08 65 67

 

OPTICIANS

 

Optician - English speaking Christophe Dufraisse, Optometrie et sciences de la vision

Thiviers 05 53 55 02 30 Nontron 05 53 56 06 51

Open Monday 2 pm to 7 pm, Tuesday to Saturday 8.30 am to 12.30 pm and 2 pm to 7 pm

Very good and very thorough.


HOSPITALS

 

Centre Hospitalier de Perigueux,  80 av Georges Pompidou, 24000 Perigueux

Tel: 05 53 45 25 25 www.hopitalperigueux.com


Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU Dupuytren), 2 av Martin Luther King, 87000 Limoges Tel: 05 55 05 61 23


Centre Hospitalier Jacques Boutard, Place du 4 Septembre - BP 5187500 Saint Yrieix La Perche Tel: 05 55 75 75 75

 

VETS

 

JL Doussaud and W Wolff
2 Rue de Bois
19230 Pompadour
telephone 05 55 73 97 00
fax 05 55 73 97 05
The vets do speak some English.

Cabinet Veterinaire de Chalus

Dr Chr COUARTOU  & Dr H DEROM

Docteurs Veterinaires

6 Rue Nationale

87230 CHALUS          05 55 78 41 64 

Walk in consultations are Monday - Saturday 08:30 - 09:30 & 13:30 - 14.30 hrs

With evenings being for pre-arranged appointments. 

English spoken.


Cabinet Veterinaire Ventetz

Saint Marie 24450

La Coquille

By appointment 05 53 52 80 58

English spoken


Cabinet Veterinaire
Route de Nontron
24800 THIVIERS

 

DRIVING

 

Drivers who take up residence in another EC/EEA country no longer have to exchange their driving licence, but may continue to drive using their own national licence for as long as is remains valid. You should however check with the appropriate driving licensing authorities where you will be residing for information on any conditions that the host member state may stipulate.

National licenses may only carry an address from the country which issued that licence. We are therefore unable to re-issue your British licence with a foreign address. It is accepted that drivers who move to another part of the EC/EEA could be holding driving licenses showing an incorrect address. This is permissible under the terms of the EC Directive on Driving Licences.

www.direct.gov.uk

 

ACCIDENTS - you should have a form in your car (available from your insurance company) and called in French "Constat Amiable d'accident Automobile". If you are unfortunate enough to have an accident this form MUST be completed in conjunction with the driver of the other car and each of you have a copy and then you MUST report to your insurance company as soon as possible. We have a bilingual copy of this form (in French and English) in PDF format. If you would like a copy please email carol@france-on-line.info and put ACCIDENT FORM in the subject box and we will be pleased to forward a copy to you.

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Last updated: 08 May 2008

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