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LIVING IN FRANCE

Taxis, medical costs and useful acronyms: 6 essential articles for life in France

From picking an affordable (and delicious) French restaurant to taking taxis in Paris and rising medical costs via common tax traps Americans in France should avoid, these are The Local's six essential reads this week.

Published: 3 March 2024 06:53 CET
Taxis, medical costs and useful acronyms: 6 essential articles for life in France
A taxi sign is illuminated in green to signify it is available for hire in Paris on April 1, 2019. (Photo by KENZO TRIBOUILLARD / AFP)

France is home to plenty of wonderful restaurants with fresh, delicious food. For fine-dining experiences, you might be recommended to consult the Michelin guide or the Gault & Millau Guide.

These restaurants tend to be quite expensive, but there is a way to enjoy high-quality French food: the ‘Bib Gourmand’ list – which is the best restaurants that offer a menu for €40 or less.

‘Bib Gourmand’: Where can you find France’s bargain Michelin-grade restaurants?

From helping to keep track of packages to deterring burglars, doorbell cameras are becoming more popular across the world. In France, however, there are strict laws when it comes to privacy.

These rules affect many aspects of life in France, including installing a doorbell camera on your French property. 

Reader question: Can I set up a doorbell camera on my French property?

Taxis can be a great way to get from one side of Paris to another quickly. They are also handy for travelling to and from the airport, but many foreigners are unaware of the fare-related regulations official taxi drivers are bound to.

While most taxi drivers in Paris are perfectly friendly and honest, there are unfortunately some rogue operators who might take advantage of tourists. 

What you need to know about taking a taxi in Paris

Tax season can be especially complicated for Americans resident in France, as they have to file yearly returns to both the US and France. Many Americans opt for professional help because the process can be quite daunting. For others, once you have lived outside of the US for a while, it can be easy to forget to file in the US.

The Local has narrowed down the most common tax issues that Americans in France to run into – as well as how to avoid them.

9 tax traps for Americans in France to avoid

Prices have continued to rise in several aspects of life in France this year. As for healthcare, costs are going up in two specific areas in March 2024.

The French government announced plans to double two medical expenses – the franchise médicale and the participation forfaitaire – both of which are deducted from the reimbursement of medical costs, such as prescription charges and appointment fees.

Why medical costs are rising in France in 2024

If you spend any time in France, you’ll likely come across some acronyms that make no sense.

Some of them may resemble English-language acronyms, like IVG, which may look like ‘IVF’. In reality, it is the French term for abortion – a subject that has been in the news lately, as lawmakers vote on whether or not the right to abortion should be enshrined in the country’s constitution. The Local came up with a list of terms you might want to know for life in France.

SIDA to IRM to RIB: Everyday French initials and acronyms to know

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TRAVEL NEWS

Can I use my French carte de séjour for travel?

The carte de séjour is an official document attesting to your right to live in France - but can it be used as a travel document?

Published: 14 May 2024 16:09 CEST
Can I use my French carte de séjour for travel?

Travel within the EU’s Schengen zone is usually a fairly slick business with reduced or no checks as you cross borders – but that doesn’t mean that you can leave your passport at home.

So integrated is the Schengen Area that if you’re travelling by car or train you may not even notice that you’ve crossed a border and entered another country until you start to see signs in a different language – and that’s the intention of the zone of free movement, created in 1995.

But while EU/EEA citizens can move freely within the zone, it’s a different story for non-EU/EEA citizens.

The rules

Borders between countries in the EU/Schengen area still exist and in order to cross an international border you will need a valid travel document – for EU citizens this can be a national ID card, but for non-EU citizens that means a passport.

France’s carte de séjour residency permit is neither of these – it is not a valid travel document and nor is it an ID card (although it can function as proof of ID in non-travel scenarios such as picking up a parcel from the post office). Technically the card is a ‘titre’ – title – which acts as proof of your status as a resident. 

If you try to cross a border without a valid passport you can be turned back.

The carte de séjour acts as proof of your right to live in France and your right to re-enter the country if you have left, so it’s a good idea to have this with you. If you travel without it, you may have your passport stamped as a visitor when you re-enter France. 

If your passport is stamped in error this may cause delays and questions when you next cross a border, but you cannot be penalised or denied entry provided you can show a valid carte de séjour.

On the ground 

As is often the case, there’s a difference between what the rule book says and what happens on the ground, and this is particularly apparent for travel within the Schengen area.

In practice, it’s common to cross a border with no checks at all – although things tend to be stricter if you are travelling by plane.

Cars and trains often pass through with no checks, or with checks when guards will happily accept a carte de séjour.

However checks do happen – sometimes this is in response to a security alert, for example after a terror attack, but sometimes it’s random or when the border police are training their new recruits. We regret to say that there is often an element of racial profiling, so travellers of colour are more likely to be asked to produce their travel documents.

Cars can be pulled over at border checkpoints while if you’re travelling by train, police will often board the train close to the border and check passengers.

If you are asked, you will need to show your passport – so don’t forget to take it within you when travelling within the EU and Schengen zone. 

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