Practical

These pages are devoted to the practical side of everyday life in France with sections on Money / Health / Property / Family / Work / Your Questions / Environment / Transport and Science and Technology. The Cx symbol denotes subscriber-only articles. Please send your questions to news@connexionfrance.com

Money

Cross-border banking is a mobile app away

How much of my tax goes to fund French state schools?

How are schools funded in France? Is a portion of local property taxes spent on the local schools or are they fully funded by central government? G.K.

I earned €150 a month with my French home’s pool

It is only November but one home-owner is already thinking of next summer and her swimming pool – and how to rent it out after earning €150 a month doing just that this year.

Last chance to claim eco-friendly cash for French home

Many better-off households are likely to lose their eligibility for the long-standing system of tax credits for eco-friendly home improvements and renovations next year – so if affected you may want to undertake work while 2019 lasts.

I live in France but received a donation from the UK

If a family member in the UK wishes to give me money, would that be taxed? I would use it to pay some of my French mortgage. B.R.

Health

Emergency numbers in France and other helpful numbers

Having separate numbers aims to give a faster response - but if in doubt there is always 112

Good news on glasses, crowns and hearing aids

.... But you should still shop around for the right cover

Mental Health Foundation reveals shocking statistics

Sponsored feature: Therapist Melissa Martyn reviews the results of the Mental Health Foundation’s 2018 study which was an online poll undertaken by YouGov, and had a sample size of 4,619 respondents. This is the largest known study of stress levels in the UK.

Beware buying medicine online

Patients are risking their health by ordering medicines from foreign-based websites, experts have warned.

Your Questions

How can I watch English TV from my home in France?

Long-term car rental in France

Does the UK share driver details with France?

Damp and woodworm in French home – what rights?

I cannot vote but can I join a French political party?

How much of my tax goes to fund French state schools?

How to take action when parcel is delivered damaged?

Charged for drains service I can’t use at French home

I live in France but received a donation from the UK

Change of French home’s ownership under tontine regime

Property

Box clever and arrange for delivery of UK purchases

Watson European are expanding their current service of removals and storage to include the delivery of packing materials to your door.

Damp and woodworm in French home – what rights?

We bought a house in June. Prior to seeing it, I asked the owner and estate agent if there was damp or woodworm.

I earned €150 a month with my French home’s pool

It is only November but one home-owner is already thinking of next summer and her swimming pool – and how to rent it out after earning €150 a month doing just that this year.

Time to shut French home’s pool down for winter

Summer is well and truly over

Location, location rules in France’s viager market

The market for selling properties en viager is growing steadily – partly as a result of an increasing number of sales to viager mutualisé funds.

Family

Families tell of problems when child is being bullied

A new initiative and hotline to deal with bullying has been introduced in France.

France’s first state school with 100% organic meals

School menus are changing in France, with meat-free options now mandatory at least once a week. The Connexion heads to one school where they have taken things further still...

'France let me keep baby UK wanted to take away'

Hundreds of British parents flee the country with their children to escape ‘forced adoption’ every year. Here, one mother who came to France tells her story...

Work

Appreciating cultural differences is key at work

French and British businesses do not operate in the same way – as any Briton who has worked for a French company will tell you. It means meetings can easily turn into a minefield of misunderstandings due to cultural differences.

Financial kick-start for sole traders to be cut

Financial benefits offered to small businesses and micro-entrepreneurs for three years to help them get off the ground are to be significantly reduced.