Hello all,
I have Just recently found the forum and I’m looking forward to picking a few of your brains, if you don’t mind.
I’m a mid-50s self-employed builder from England in the early stages of buying a dilapidated farm cottage to renovate/rebuild in the 86. I’m still not quite sure if that’s the right way to describe areas and locations yet. Stating numbers seems odd. I haven’t got any visas or passports organised for the moment. I’ll be using the 90-day rule until I get my head around it. I nearly took the plunge 20 years ago but it didn’t quite happen, so I thought id better go for it before another 20 years wiz by.
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Welcome, @flying.potato ! There are a few of us in Vienne, some (like us) more recently arrived than others.
I think calling it “the 86” is a facebook thing, isn’t it? We tend to call the department by its name, because that is how French people have spoken of it to us.
Whether “the Vienne” is correct - I suspect that’s what they’d call the river, rather than the department - I don’t know. @vero would certainly know. Really, it’s only pedants (like me 
) who’d care.
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Doubtless there’s no set rule… this is a big country.
but it’s the sort of thing one could ask one’s neighbour (or any local) once one has gone through the Bonjours…
most people do love to help newcomers (in my experience).
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Welcome, Monsieur Pomme de terre volante! 
Good luck with your renovation and “move to France” plans… lots of helpful people here, and a trawl through existing threads is usually a good idea I’ve found.
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I’d say in the Vienne because I’d say dans la Vienne ( or dans le 86 
). But if you live there you can skip the dans and say, j’habite la Vienne 
Bienvenue, anyway!
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Not sure what you mean by the “or passports” bit - I assume you have a UK passport?
However, welcome to the forum and I wish you the best of luck with your restoration - many of the SF members I am sure will be able to chip in with advice.
Welcome! Whereabouts are you - I live at the southern tip of the Vienne near Montmorillon.
I’ve got a UK passport sorted, but I am considering applying for an Irish passport via my grandparents to simplify things. It feels a bit odd, as if I’m trying to game the system.
If it all works out, I’ll be just up from Confolens.
If you are eligible, yes it will.
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I would have thought that was very sensible, cuts out a whole bunch of admin and future-proofs you in case a future UK Government does something silly.
I have heard it can take a while to get the little book with the harp on the front though…
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Good point.
Don’t worry about it. You’re not doing anything illegal. If you’re entitled to it, then I’d do it.
FWIW, as of next year I shall start the long process of seeking French citizenship. If I had Irish ancestory instead of only Welsh and English, then I’d have sought an Irish passport on 24th June 2016!
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Do it! I got an Irish passport via my grandparents a few years ago. It makes entering and staying in mainland Europe so much easier - and my French friends all have a great deal of affection for the Irish!
Now that the Brexit rush is over, I believe that the wait for citizenship then passport is now down to 6-12 months
I suggest that you start gathering the required paperwork as soon as possible as some documents can be tricky to track down.
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You’ll be able to get an Irish Passport card too. They last five years and are perfect as ID cards here.
@flying.potato
in the meantime, make sure you’ve plenty of time/years left on your UK passport… don’t need any panic/hassle to disrupt your comings and goings…
good luck
We didn’t know about the Irish card but is it just as acceptable as the passport say at a hospital?. The passport is a bit cumbersome to carry around
It’s as acceptable as the passport and can be used for travel throughout the EU Geoffrey.
Thanks John that sounds really useful. We’re always afraid of losing our passport!
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It even has the word “passport” on it …