I thought it might be useful to create a thread for any information about moving to France, post-Brexit.

We're no longer allowed to move freely across the channel with our vehicles packed to the gunwales with all our worldly goods.

I remember in the days before the Single Market in the EU that all sorts of permissions were required.
In my professional life, just about every foray into Europe required a huge document known as an ATA Carnet and cost from £750 - £2000. This had to have a cost, description, country of origin and serial number of every piece of equipment we planned to take with us. Sometimes, however, the customs officers would simply stamp the document without any questions. More often than not, they would demand to see specific items, and that could easily add 4 hours to clearing a border.

In 2021, I believe that if you are moving your personal possessions into France as a permanent place of residence, there is no import duty or TVA to pay on items older than 6 months - but you are required to have a full and detailed inventory.

If France is not your principal residence, then duty and TVA are payable.

What new regulations do we need to obey? What hints and tips can we collect?

Brian

Hi 

I am Michelle, along with my husband Craig (he's also joined this group) are just going through the process of buying a lovely little bungalow in a small village called La Gelie.
We are in the very early stages of the process just waiting on our Compromis de Vente, due to Covid we have bought the house through emails and video links, so have no idea of the area other than the views, the peace and tranquility this looks to have.
I can't wait to be able to travel over and turn this into our beautiful little holiday home for us and our family to visit.
It mat seem a little too soon to be joining this group, however I am a planner so do like to have lots of information prior to embarking on any journey, so hopefully I can pick your brains over the next few weeks (before we visit the Notaire) to find the best place to shop for groceries, and DIY materials around the area.

Have a lovely day, and nice to meet you all! 

Found out we can get 60% discount for wall insulation if we use a registered company. Has anyone had a professional do the work ?

I'm still not sure if this is the way to go so I have a few questions.

#1 Do they move the furniture and put it back or will we have to do it ?

#2 What about electrics. Will I have to pull all the cables away from the wall or will they cover over them ?

#3 Roughly how long does it take and how easy is it living in the house whilst they do the job ?

#4 What sort of cost are we looking at or is it still cheaper to do it yourself even with 60% discount ?

And if going the DIY way has anyone got any tips on what to use, how to do it etc ?

All replies welcome.

Some friends of ours have happily spent the last 15 years or so running businesses in France - mainly selling French tat (sorry shabby chic furniture etc) to the UK.

Now they tell me they are having massive problems exporting their stuff out of France and business is drying up.  They can't work out which end has the problem.  All they know is the stuff is not moving beyond France.

Anyone got any clues here?  I, and they, thought Brexit was meant to tariff free.  Or are the french being their usual protectionist bureaucratic selves?

As a footnote I read that the long-running Mouse to House delivery service has stopped trading after what seems like decades of life-saving grocery drops of lifes essentials; Marmite, peanut butter etc etc.

They say their demise has been caused by french customs and their love of forms.  

Now, here's probably an impossible question to answer but.....in your opinion when will France be safe enough to open for travel again?

I only ask because we have a house and garden outside Monty sitting there doing nothing, weeds runnng riot etc and costing us money.

I thought picking the brains of the front line troops with their boots on the ground might bring more answers than Bumbling Boris or Little Emmanuel Bonaparte as to the real situation of when we can get to France and how you see things evolving in the coming months.

From a UK point of view I can't see these so-called Vaccine Passports working if we can't travel to a high Covid rate country.  Apart from the fact they are just a back door method to a national ID card.  Which is a very bad thing.  In the words of the song; "If you tolerate this then your children will be next."


There.  That was a cheery post wasn't it.  Not.  

Be careful if you receive an email from Service-Public.fr it may be fake.

It will mention the "New Carte Vitale" DO NOT CLICK ANY LINKS

You can read all about it here: https://www.service-public.fr/particulie...or=EPR-100

Here are the basics Google translated.

Quote:

---

Have you received an email using the Service-Public.fr logo and alerting you to a new version of the vital card? This email invites you to click on a page and enter your personal data to obtain your new carte vitale? Be careful, these emails do not come from Service-Public.fr and should not be followed up under any circumstances.

These are attempted scams called phishing. These emails, often alarmist, usurp the name and logo of Service-Public.fr . They encourage you to provide personal data (identity card, passport, driving license, vital card). This data will then be collected by the phishing author who will use it for purchases or banking transactions. For example, they can offer a paid online service for updating the vital card. In truth, the update can be done free of charge in most pharmacies and on terminals in health insurance reception points.

Service-Public.fr does not ask for money, does not reimburse it and never seeks to collect bank details. Service-Public.fr can nevertheless send you an email (subscription to alerts, follow-up of a process ...).

In general, be careful when you receive an email inviting you to fill out a form in order to change your health card where the sender:

   asks you for money or offers to reimburse you for a sum of money;
   seeks to collect personal information (bank details, marital status, etc.).

What to do with the message?

Do not reply to the email or click on the link contained in the message but destroy the message.

If you have already replied to a fraudulent message by giving your bank details, you must first of all make opposition to your bank.
How to report these fraudulent emails?

You can report these phishing attempts:

On the Phishing Initiative website: https://www.service-public.fr/particulie...its/R47282 This report will feed the reference databases of the main browsers to block access to these sites;
 
The police services on the reporting website (Pharos ); https://www.service-public.fr/particulie...its/R17674
   
At Info Escroqueries by telephone on 0 805 805 817 toll-free number (free call from France) from Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.

Where to get information?

   Info Scams

   By telephone

   0 805 805 817

   Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.

   Toll free number (free call from France).

Brian was asking in the newsletter what we thought about Macron's speech last night, so I thought I would get you all started.

First off the restrictions haven't bothered us a lot as we tend to keep ourselves to ourselves, so I doubt this one will be any different for us apart from a few things I think are just stupid.

#1 You can't go into a neighbouring department, I find this so annoying as we are close to the border of 87 and Mrs Fred sometimes pops down to Bellac for a change to stock up but now she has no choice but to go to Montmorillon.

#2 We can't go more than 10 Km without filling out an attestation and having a good reason, whilst this does make it easier going out for a walk without a stupid form in your pocket I can't help thinking the people that came up with 10Km live in a city.

#3 The damned annoying attestations: It may be easy for those of you with a modern phone, but for us it's filling in a piece of paper to go shopping or pick up a prescription. Why can't I just show my prescription or till receipt.  

#4 Curfew: Why the hell is it 19:00 ? Am I going to get fined for walking across the road to water our vegetables, and does it really make any difference what time it is if nothing is open anyway.

Apart from that it's no big deal to us, but I don't know why he has chosen to apply the rules to the whole of France especially around this area where you are probably more likely to bump into a Wolf Wolf in Lathus than another person.

What about you, how do you feel about Lockdown #3 ?

I don't think it is possible, but we may have some knowledgable people amongst us.

We received a phone call and unusually they left a message instead of trying the mobile. We have a rough idea what the person is saying as we were expecting a phone call, but she has spoken so fast it's not possible to keep up. Well after a few plays we managed to get what she was saying, but it got me thinking how good it would be if you could translate a message left on your phone.

So far I have tried using Google translate using the laptop microphone to do text to speech, but it didn't pick it up.

I then tried a couple of apps on Mrs Fred's android tablet, but again no joy as it wouldn't pick up the recording.

Both worked if you speak, but they don't seem to recognise an answerphone message.

Just in case this happens again, does anyone know if it is possible to translate a message left on an answerphone ?

Has anyone noticed that Soregies has not debited their bank account since January? We have had a prelevement with them for about 15 years and until recently they have been swift with their debiting; the debits showed up immediately after receiving the emailed facture, if not before. Now - nothing noted in the bank account. 

Just wondering if it's just us or is it a more general problem. Whatever, it looks like the beginning of yet more letter-writing to a faceless org. 


Thanks if you can enlighten.

I need some sphagnum moss to help nurse a bonsai tree back to life. I've discovered it's called mousse de sphaigne but can't find any local stockists.

It seems to be easily available on Amazon - as long as you don't mind that it's shipped from China. I'd rather buy locally if possible.

Any suggestions, please?

Hi all, does anyone please have an English speaking phone number for the dept of Finance in Montmorillon please? 

Thanks

There has been talk for a while now that there is Wolf around this area. A few farmers have reported sheep killed by wolf, but it has often been dismissed.

Now though it has been confirmed that a canine found dead near the railway line at Lathus on Wednesday Is a Wolf

L’Office français de la biodiversité confirmed after examination that the animal was very probably a gray wolf and probably hit by a train. Further analysis will be carried out, but it does like the farmers were right.

Anyone spotting what they think is a wolf or find any damage to their own animals should contact (Service départemental de Vienne : 05.49.52.01.50 – [email protected]).

https://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/vien...t-confirme

hi , I’m Lesley, my husband and Down syndrome daughter moved permanently to Montmorillon in October 2019. We moved from Burton Upon Trent which is in Staffordshire. Once we can explore again we are looking forward to exploring the rest of Europe. 

If I could ask a question, does anybody know where I can get iron balcony railings?  
Thankyou

Help needed on work on a roof in Montmorillon at the beginning of April.    Please contact if you are interested in 2 or 3 weeks work.

Hello there, can anyone recommend a carpenter for a small job on our stairs.
Had a local company out and had a quote but they have now gone awol 

Does anyone on here know where to hire a Roof Tile Conveyor  around 4 1/2 metres long.    Thank you.

Hello

When exchanging a English driving license for a French one did you keep all your entitlement ?

I was talking to someone about the social rights French residents have, I thought I would post this here in case it helps some of you too.

This is an official website where you can run a simulation and get an idea of what you can claim: https://www.mesdroitssociaux.gouv.fr/dd1...simu-foyer

It's fairly easy to run, you just answer a few questions about yourself and your situation and at the end you will see your result with links on how to claim.

You have nothing to loose as you don't have to register, so give it a try as you could be missing out.

If you want to know roughly when you will be offered the Covid vaccine in France if you have not had it yet, there is a website where you can get an estimation.

Page 1 Put your age and tick any relevant box. (If none apply leave blank)

Page 2 Tick any relevant box or leave blank,

Page 3 You will see an approximate time when you will be offered the jab. *The result is based on 100% take up and you can change the % at the bottom.

I'm not sure of the exact take up, but I think it's around 50%

https://covidtracker.fr/vaccinplanner/

La Deuxième Chance 
Official stockists of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™, Fusion Mineral Paint and Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint.

Situated in Le Bois de Messé, 79120,our shop can be found very close to the borders of Vienne and the Charentes. 10 mins from N10.
La Deuxième Chance is a one stop shop for Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™ decorative paint in the Deux Sevres. We are proud to have been stockists in France since 2011.
We pride ourselves on personal friendly service. Our showroom boasts many "one off" hand painted pieces of furniture.
There is also a carefully chosen range of country style themed house wares and vintage accessories. Everything to make your French home one to be proud of.
 We hold regular Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Workshops as well as Milk Paint Workshops.
 Chalk Paint™ is not just for furniture. It can be used to transform walls, floors, wood, concrete, metal...…almost anything! With little
or no prep required you will save time as well as money. As well as Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™ we carry a range of books, brushes
and complementary products.
  We also offer Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint. Ideal for use on natural wood and a must have to achieve
an authentic chippy look. Easy to apply and self-levelling this paint is ideal for both novices and those with more experience.
 Fusion™ paint is a high quality range of paints from Homestead House. This paint not only has a built in primer it also has a built 
top coat. This means that there is no need to wax! It is also suitable for interior and exterior use.

As well as our bricks and mortar shop you can also order from us on line. We deliver throughout France. (nb products are supplied from us here in France so no additional TVA or duties are applicable within France.)
 
So many people are now enjoying painting furniture combining the thrill of reinventing something with the satisfaction of not having
to pay a small fortune to replace existing furniture. In order to make this even easier for you we sell what is considered the best paint for
painted furniture. Namely Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™.
We like to spend time with our customers discussing their painting projects, advising on colour choices and finishes. Painted
samples can be viewed too.
For those of you who don't have time, or heaven forbid, don't want to paint, we offer a selection of carefully chosen painted pieces.
Our stock changes regularly so please make regular visits if you don't find something first time.
We try to stock interesting pieces, using paint, colour and texture to bring out shape and design, thereby creating 'one-off' designed
to inspire and please.

                      
Opening Hours:  Tues - Fri 10:00 - 17:30. Sat 10:00 - 13:00. Closed Mondays.
                                                            
La Deuxième Chance, 7 rue de la Croix Cholette, 79120, Bois de Messé

Tel: 05 49 27 12 62
http://www.ladeuxiemechance.com