THE social security system in France is a complex beast with often two or more different organisations handling the simplest of operations.
It can be a challenge to understand the way that unemployment benefit is administered, or how hospital visits are arranged and the basics of the pension system.
My name is Coral Luke, I was born in Brighton Sussex in 19**! I am married to George and we are both retired.
Well there is nothing new in retired people being in France, is there? But for me retirement means being busier than ever; just one thing that makes it a bit more difficult is that I am disabled.
Take a quiet afternoon, you are talking as you tidy away the washing in the bedroom, when suddenly you hear a dripping noise.
You check the bathroom, the toilet nothing then you reaslise it is coming from the spare bedroom. You open the door and – water is pouring through the ceiling!
MANY people head to France with a business idea or two in an attempt to ensure they can enjoy life in their new home.
But few will look to start a truffle farm deep in the countryside of the Gers but that is what Dick Pyle has done.
ALTHOUGH it is possible to visit many of the chateaux found across France, both their restoration and day-to-day upkeep can be a real challenge.
But that is what Marnie de Vanssay has taken on by bringing the family home of her husband, which dates from the 14th Century, back to life.
I HIGHLIGHTED a website a few months ago that allowed you to set up an availability calendar for your holiday home.
A friend recently emailed me to say that they were having problems updating it and wondered if I knew of any others.
THE French government has created a website that allows you to compare petrol prices between supermarkets.
The prix-carburants site collects data from around 8,000 shops across France, narrowing down your search via communes – unfortunately the popularity of the site means it is struggling to work at the moment.
WHEN most people start a restoration project in France they don’t usually have to learn ancient building techniques or deal with the discovery of human skeletons.
But for Harry Atterton and his wife Jacqueline these challenges are all part and parcel of bringing back to life one of the oldest castles in France.
HERE’S to a very merry Christmas and I’ll wish you all the best for the New Year.
Many thanks for continuing to drop in on This French Life and to those who have left helpful comments, posted a photo on Flickr and passed on advice in the forum.
So I’ll say Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année!!!
Regards, Craig
THE number of older Britons living abroad is expected to hit 3,325,000 – or one in five – by 2020, a new study reveals.
Figures from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) claims that currently one million pensioners, or one in 12 of Britons over 65, already live overseas.