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LIVING IN FRANCE

Medical costs, taxes and name-calling: 6 essential articles for life in France

Our six latest must-reads include information on: why a visit to the doctor is getting more expensive, how to get help with your tax declaration, why the French call us ‘Anglo-Saxons’, visas for second-home owners and the right time to buy property in France.

Medical costs, taxes and name-calling: 6 essential articles for life in France
A French carte vitale (Photo by Philippe HUGUEN / AFP)

We start with a Public Service Announcement: In the final months of 2023, the price of medical appointments in France will rise. Here’s the new price structure and how reimbursement will work.

Medical appointments in France to increase in price

Doing your taxes can be pretty complicated – throw in another language, a tax system that is probably different to the one you are used to, it’s no wonder that declaration season is often a time for swearing and/or tears.

So, if you’re caught in an admin loop, suffering from IT glitches or just don’t understand what that error message about ‘box 8SG’ means – here’s how to find help with your French taxes.

How to get help with your 2023 French tax declaration

An important question. Have you ever noticed how the French refer to the English-speaking world as ‘les Anglo-Saxons’, even though historically-speaking the Anglo-Saxons haven’t been around since mediaeval times?

French academic Emile Chabal explains why it says more about the French than it does about the Anglos

Why do the French still call us ‘Les Anglo-Saxons’?

The campaign for a special visa for second-home owners has picked up since Brexit, when thousands of British second-home owners suddenly found themselves limited in how long their can visit their properties.

Now, a French Senator has submitted an amendment to the new Immigration Law, bringing in a new visa for non-EU second-home owners, proposing a five-year visa that would allow visits of up to six months at a time. But, how likely is it to become law?

Reader question: Will France bring in a visa for second-home owners?

Speaking of property, a report from Banque de France predicts that the property market in France in summer 2023 will be as flat as it was in 2020 – the pandemic year when for obvious reasons few people were moving house – due to a combination of stagnating property prices and rising interest rates.

That’s obviously not good news for everyone, but certain types of buyers are likely to find this summer a particularly good time to purchase that dream house in France. We dig deeper.

Why summer 2023 could be a good time to buy property in France

Let’s end with a Royal food fight. Britain’s Buckingham Palace unveiled a special vegetarian “quiche” to mark King Charles III’s coronation on Saturday, but France’s historic “brotherhood of the Quiche Lorraine” – who, you’d think, know a thing or two about all things quichesque – say the festive dish has been mislabelled.

‘Coronation Quiche’ is not a quiche, say French purists

We wouldn’t dream of arguing with the quiche brotherhood, but we’re pretty sure we’ve seen dozens of different types of ‘quiche’ on sale in France . . . 

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LIVING IN FRANCE

Préfectures, property and Euro 2024: Essential articles for life in France

Buying a property, préfecture problems, buying and selling concert tickets, how and where to watch Euro 2024 action - plus of course what France's snap elections mean for foreigners in France - are all this week's must-reads from The Local.

Préfectures, property and Euro 2024: Essential articles for life in France

We don’t normally do politics here – the ‘Essentials’ newsletter is supposed to be practical and we usually leave that political sort of thing to editor Emma Pearson and her election bulletins.

But there are some things we can’t ignore. And one is that there’s a snap-election coming up, and there’s a possibility that Marine Len Pen’s far-right Rassemblement National party could do well. So – from visas to cartes de séjour and French language tests – here’s a look at some RN’s policies that could affect foreigners living in France, or hoping to move here someday.

What a far-right prime minister could mean for foreigners in France

There are several things to consider before buying property in France. You may want to visit the area during different seasons to be sure that you enjoy it rain or shine, and you will want to consider how much you would end up paying in property taxes, as well as whether or not it will be a main residence or second home.

And then, there are the extra hurdles for foreigners purchasing property here. Here’s a look at some of the restrictions and challenges you will want to be aware of beforehand.

What restrictions are there on foreigners buying property in France?

Many foreigners have experienced problems with their local préfecture – from long delays in processing applications to difficulty getting appointments and problems in making contact with préfecture staff.

If you’re a non-EU citizen living in France then you will need either a visa or a carte de séjour (residency permit) – and in the early years most people will need to regularly renew their cards – this means that you will have to interact with their local préfecture, or sous-préfecture. Here are a few tips to make the process a little easier on the blood pressure…

Top tips for dealing with delays or problems at your French préfecture

A football tournament kicked off on Friday – you may have heard something about it. From TV schedules to bars, cafés and fan zones, here are your options for watching all matches of the Euro 2024 football tournament in France.

How to watch the Euro 2024 tournament on TV in France

If you are buying or selling tickets to events such as concerts, matches or festivals in France, then there are some rules to be aware of, especially as the Olympic and Paralympic Games approach.

The rules for buying and selling tickets in France

From strike action to Olympic disruption, via ‘black days’ on the roads and the €49 rail pass, here’s a look ahead to what to expect if you’re travelling to, from or within France in summer 2024.

Travel to France: What to expect on roads, rails and airports this summer

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