David,
From a political point of view, I am completely opposed to topping up the French health service with a company that needs to generate profits just as I am opposed to the part privatisation of the NHS in England – we should not waste money on profits that could be used for health. However, in my opinion, the French health system delivers a far better service, in spite of the Mutual company involvement and the UK system has its fair share of problems.
Quite John. Not being able to readily access Marmite doesn’t make it akin to downtown Bagdad. However much it might feel like it at times 
I have always assumed the name is a play on vive, as in "Vive la France!" and not implying one has to fight for survival here :-) After all, I presume that everyone is, like me, here because we want to be. The daily trials and tribulations are no more or less than in any other country I've lived in.
It was two years and the wager was a "good " lunch. As it is now 2016 I feel it ought to become an “excellent” lunch. If you are too far from Dax, we are happy to accept payment in wine, flowers or cash…!
I agree Jonathan and I also think one of the tricks to a happy life in France is not getting worked up about things things that one cannot change. When I first worked in France in '81 I think there were three levels of reimbursement. The State, the Mutuel and CAPICAF which all added up to 100%. I never questioned it, I was just happy that I had excellent health care at a very reasonable cost.
@Catherine the bet
Well maybe it feels like it might be. I can find a message dated Oct 2012 which refers to it but I cannot find the discussion. When and what were the stakes? And are you promising you won't do the sensible thing any time soon?
What a "foreign" little rant. One wonders why you bother Tony?
As an immigrant to this beautiful country (why are foreigners who come to "our " country, referred to as immigrants, while we who go to another country as foreigners are "ex-pats"?), I am surrounded by a culture that is, literally, alien to me; all of my neighbours speak a language that I am only learning; the currency is different and, especially with coinage, I have to check the number to know the value.
I have a choice. I can "go under"; or I can survive. I am grateful to SFN for helping me to do the latter. I would hope that if, DV, I survive long enough, I may be in a position to return the favour(s) by helping future English-speaking immigrants to survive in their turn!
That's what I like to see, very sharp Catharine.
Plus I like the name SFN, I never took it as a negative comment on the country. Although obviously many people, Catharine and James too, will comment here when things are tough or go wrong.
The Survive bit is relevant to coping with those problems, the French bit is obvious and the Network is the excellent, totally random group of people with different backgrounds and upbringings who can help. It isn't a faceless "helpline" of an institution, nor is it designed to achieve anything except to help others. More power to your elbow.
Is that '1800 € per year' for you only David ?
@ David - if Bourdin on national radio can ‘get’ the irony in the name, I’m sure most of our readers can too!
Isn’t it time you paid up Steve?
Thanks David. I've been wanting to say that since I discovered the site. 'Survive France Network' is very negative indeed - and very nearly put me off joining altogether - and it actually has for several of my expat friends. I've lived here for 25 years now, and yes, I love this country rather the way you love an old friend - for all their faults and differences - or as a French business friend of mine once said to me when I was ranting about some legislative absurdity or other, 'Look David it's like the two sides of a coin. You can't have one side of a coin without the other. You can't have the perfect world - you can't have the wonderful little bistro - without the awful French bureaucracy. It's just impossible. Anyway, if there were a paradise on earth somewhere, it'd be so overcrowded that it would become awful in no time'. He was right.
So, dear fellow members of SFN, you chose to come and live here presumably ? Please let go of the French-bashing. Yes, they do things differently here. Yes, it takes some getting used to. Yes, some of it is plainly absurd (I'm thinking particularly the bureaucracy here). Yes, the French are not as aware of it as we 'foreigners' are - how could they be, they grew up in it. I'm not saying that one doesn't have the right to criticise at all - of course one does - be it amongst foreigners or with our hosts. But please give it a rest on the constant criticism and carping ... about everything. At the end of the day if you really don't like it you have a simple choice. SFN ? I think a name change would be wonderful - and great for your business too.
How about 'Enjoy France Network' ? Get's my vote ...
I had a bet going with Higginson Towers that they would change the name. It looks like I am going to lose hey ho.
In our household we actually refer to it as I-hate-france.com - it carries a bad vibe with it which is not merited by (most of) the content - I would never ever refer it to a neighbour.
Spot- on Paul! Well said.
I couldn't agree with you more!
And as for SFN.......even after living here for almost 17 years and speaking fairly good French, there have been questions I have needed to ask, to which other members, especially French nationals, have been able to provide very quick answers which has been an enormous help.
I believe it was Shakespeare who wrote.....a rose by any other name would smell as sweet....SFN by whatever name, its a very useful service!
Thank you.
I agree 100%
But once money goes to the government you never know how it will be spent. Compared to the fully taxpayer funded NHS, the French system gives the individuals more flexibility and more choice, and, for many things, its outcomes are better.
I like the name, the healthcare service, the shops closing for lunch and on Sunday's, ignoring parking signs, and rules of the road in general.
I like France.
I chose to live in France, France did not as far as I'm aware ask me to move here.
Lest we forget many of the things people comment about in a negative way here are the same things that drove us crazy back in many a home country - it's the same just in a different language. We get through, we get medical attention when needed, promptly, cheaply (paying in France is very often much cheaper than the cost of items that are "free" on the NHS).
Have a laugh, draw comparisons, but if people really don't like it here then go back to where you came from. Isn't that what most countries say to their immigrant population? Not so funny is it when the boot is on the other foot?
Spare a thought next time you encounter someone who's English isn't quite what you expect it to be, the French do that for many of us every day.
I love it here, far better quality of life, sense of community.