The food, the culture, the beautiful towns and villages, the wine...
But how do you make that move, and how does it all work once you get there? This book shows you how.
Patricia Mansfield-Devine has lived in France for over ten years and brings her wealth of personal experience to this hands-on, practical guide for Britons who have bought a house in France, either for holiday use or as a permanent new home. From the practicalities of the move, to considerations such as tax, work, marriage, children and the healthcare system, through to the simple savoir-faire of local life and tips for ensuring a happy relationship with the locals (including the rules on how many times you should kiss your new neighbours on the cheek!). Patricia is your expert guide to all of this and more.
Living in France is packed with useful information, plus anecdotes from the author and case studies from other Britons who have already made the move. This book will help you to avoid the pitfalls and enjoy the many wonderful benefits that living in France has to offer.
1. INTRODUCTION TO FRANCE
Climate
Landscape
Temperament
Body language
Assimilation and acceptance
2. MOVING TO FRANCE
Permits
- Carte de Sejour
- Permanent residency
Removals
- At the UK end
- At the French end
- Removals firms
Pets
- Current legislation for dogs, cats and ferrets (domestic carnivores)
- Dangerous dogs
- Going back
- Pets other than dogs, cats and ferrets
- Travelling with animals
- Veterinary medicine
Health and retirement issues
The journey
3. LANGUAGE
Getting by
Before you move over
- Classroom learning
- Private tuition
- Courses for the committed
- Self-study
After you move over
- Classroom learning. Residential
- Classroom learning. Non-residential
- Learning as you go along
Reference books
4. DAILY LIFE IN FRANCE
Shopping
- Internet shopping
- Markets
- Bargains
- Second-hand goods
- Buying at small shops
- Supermarkets and grandes surfaces
- Fair Trade in France
- Pharmacies - a source for toiletries
- DIY shops
- Electrical goods
- Catalogue shopping
- Antiques and collectibles
Hiring tradesmen
- Plumbers and electricians
- Cleaners and domestic help
5. POST
- Stamps
- Postboxes and letterboxes
6. UTILITIES
Electricity
- Connecting to the grid
- Dodgy supply
- Plugs and sockets
- Bulbs
Wood
- Woodburners
Water
Sewage
Rubbish collection
Gas
Coal
Renewable energy
Phones
- Installing a new line
- Taking over an existing line
- Market deregulation
- The FT office
- Bills
- Directories
- Mobile phones
7. INTERNET
Buying goods online
Other items, other vendors
8. MEDIA
What do the French read?
Books
- English-language books
Public libraries
Television
Radio
Cinema
9. PETS AND LIVESTOCK
French attitude to pets
Identification of animals
- Dogs
- Cats
- Ferrets
Buying and selling pets
Travelling with pets
Where to obtain pets
Visiting the vet
Pet food and other goods
What to do if you lose your pet
Abandoned and abused pets
Dangerous dogs
Rescue centres
Livestock
- Sheep and goats
- Horses and donkeys
- Cattle
- Fowl
- Rabbits
10. GARDENS
Importing plants
Buying plants in France
- Plant nurseries
- Garden centres
- Supermarkets
- Other outlets
French savvy
UK mail order
Tools and equipment
A rewarding opportunity
Part-time living
11. CAR TRAVEL
Car travel in France
- French roads
- French drivers
- Driving
- Navigation
Rules and regulations
- Driving a UK vehicle
- Breakdown
- Speed
- French road signs
- Picture signs unfamiliar to UK drivers
- Destination signs
- Two-wheeled vehicles
Garages
Buying a car
Importing a vehicle
The driving licence
Learning to drive in France
Traffic lights and pedestrian crossings
Renting a car
Parking
12. PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Trains
- Stations
- Trains
- Buying a ticket
Planes
Underground
- Metro
- RER
Buses
Cross-Channel services
- Ferries
- Eurotunnel
14. HEALTHCARE
The social security system
Healthcare in France
- Mutuelle
- The Carte Vitale
Emergency services
- What to do in an emergency
- What to expect
- Ambulance services
Hospitals
Doctors
Prescriptions
Pharmacies
Complementary medicine
Dentists
Medical examinations
Long-term illnesses
Not in the system?
15. TAX
Who is liable?
- Domiciled
- Not domiciled
Pensioners
Double taxation
How is income tax paid in France?
Your tax return
Your tax demand
Reducing your income tax liability - employees
Reducing your income tax liability - self-employed
Income tax reductions and credits
Self-employment and compliance
Leaving France
Other taxes
- Wealth tax
- VAT
- Corporation tax
- Other taxes paid by businesses
16. CIVIL MATTERS
French citizenship
Marriage and divorce in France
- Getting divorced
- Divorce bits and bobs
Dying in France
- Repatriating a body to the UK
- Differences from the UK
17. CHILDREN
Having a baby in France
- Registration
- Nationality
- Postnatal care
- Child benefit
- Childcare
18. EDUCATION
Differences of approach
State schooling
French school or international?
Montessori and Steiner
Special-needs education
- Dyslexia
School availability
The curriculum
Year by year
- Nursery school
- Primary school
- Secondary school
Apprenticeship
Lycee
- General and technology lycees
- Vocational lycees
The bac
Prepa
University
Grandes ecoles
19. WORK
Where is the work?
Before you go
Job hunting online
Other places to look for jobs
- Newspapers
- Other sources
Self-employment
- First steps
- General criteria
Working from home
Starting your own business - whats involved?
- One-man bands
- Multi-person companies
- Hiring staff
- Buying an existing business
20. RETIREMENT
Rules and regulations
If youre in the UK and receiving state pension
If youre in France when you reach retirement age
Private UK-based pensions
State pension and company schemes in France
Top-up pensions
Private pensions in France
Claiming your French state pension
Living on a low income
What is retirement like in France?
French public holidays
Useful resources
About Patricia Mansfield-Devine
Patricia Mansfield-Devine is a professional writer and journalist. She and her husband, writer and photographer Steve Mansfield-Devine, bought a property in France in 1996 and moved there permanently in 1999, where they now live with a menagerie of animals. When not writing, they can be found restoring their medieval property and trying to create a garden out of a hectare of neglected orchard.
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