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‘It is my right to work beyond retirement age - but France says no’
Age discrimination in the workplace is real but hidden, says (soon to be forcibly retired) English teacher Nick Inman
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‘Ponds in rural France are beautifully maintained but no longer used’
Columnist Peter Wyeth laments that these large, impressive sites, once the fresh-aired setting for family picnics, barbecues and fun, now fail to attract people
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‘New French speeding rule encourages aggressive drivers’
The change has enabled reckless motorists to drive even more wildly without fear of losing points, argues columnist Samantha David
Papers piling up
It would be easier to accept the French government’s professed concern for the environment if there were evidence that it designed its administrative procedures with the health of the planet in mind.
I make this observation because I am currently involved in the process of assembling the paperwork for an application for a carte de séjour and so far have amassed around half a kilogramme of paper – I accept some of this paper mountain is “just in case”, but even so!
Additionally, it seems I must make at least two trips to the prefecture, which is more than 100km from where I live. Overall, not exactly an environmentally friendly process.
Accepting the conditions that one must have lived in France for at least five years and have sufficient income not to be a burden on the French state, surely all the evidence required to prove these facts is contained in one’s French income tax returns for those five years: a communication between the Fisc and the prefecture could verify this.
And all the bills etc said to prove residence in France without periods of absence of more than two weeks or so at a time in fact do nothing of the sort! As for the fingerprint requirement, that could be done at a local gendarmerie.
Just my pennyworth to help save the planet, reduce the workload at the prefecture and last, but not least, save me a lot of time and expense.
Malcolm EVANS, Haute-Garonne
