How can I stop nuisance calls?

What is the equivalent of telephone preference service in France? We are registered with this in the UK, and so receive no unsolicited calls. It is a rude shock to receive so many cold calls when we are in France. M.C.

The equivalent to this is being on the liste orange, if you are with the historic provider, France Télécom. You will appear in the phone book, and your number will be given out by directory inquiries, but your directory details cannot be used by firms for marketing and they risk a fine if they do.

Other operators have their own lists. Tell your provider you want to be on their liste anti-prospection (anti-cold-calling list), which should be free.

Alternatives where your number is not given out at all, or is given out by directory inquiries but is not in the phone book, are called the liste rouge and liste chamois.

A new single list that will be free and open to all has been promised by the government, and is due out in the first half of next year.

You can apply by writing to a PO box number (not yet released) to have calls stopped to landlines or mobiles from those telephone marketing firms (90 per cent of the industry) that sign up to a charter, unless you gave them your number.