Quite frankly the easiest thing to do is to fill it in for the Mairie and just point to where they sign and in the case of our Mairie they use a lovely official looking stamp. Do you think some jobs-worth in the UK is going to care? It’s almost never the mayor himself who does it, but the commune secretary. Life is too short. Between us we have half a dozen small pension pots and they are forever asking us to confirm we are still alive - our Mairie finds it very amusing! But then we’re a small commune, been here 12 years and they all know us.
It’s really useful Angela to get to know your local mayor and the people in the office. Over the years they’ve been a great help to us.
3 Likes
Angela - don’t worry. Go to the DWP website - and it is possible to download the UK ‘I’m still here’ form - in French. Download and print out the form. Then bookmark the site for next year as well. First go check the DWP website.
If you have problems let me know - and I can give you correct form number (I’ve got copy tucked away somewhere - well somewhere !!).
French Mairies are well used to signing such forms, and seem to enjoy rubber stamping everything; it’s not just the Brits who have such forms to be signed, I believe the Belgian and Germans have similar needs.
We live in a teeny, weeny little village of less than 200 inhabitants; the Mairie’s office is only open twice a week for a few hours, and she has a young assistant, who is fluent in English. In this tiny village !!
If you have problems with form let me know. But don’t worry - this is not the same level of ‘certified translation’ needed for legal docs - it’s much simpler.
1 Like
This is lovely - thank you so much everyone! I have tried over the years to get to know the people at the Mairie but there’s a rather hostile “dragon” you have to get past first. I have no idea why she doesn’t like me, but she doesn’t. Things improved a bit earlier this year because I joined the local choir and half its members seemed to work at the Mairie - however, because of that dratted virus, I haven’t been able to maintain contact. Sigh…
Once covid is “under control” and you can get back to the choir… and possibly other things too… I’m sure you’ll find folk more than welcoming and (perhaps) even the dragon… 
Thanks for the encouragement Stella. My partner and I loved the choir - I had no idea he could sing as well as that! My goodness it was challenging but excellent for the “little grey cells”…
1 Like
The more you join in… the more you enjoy yourselves.
With most things, it’s your enthusiasm which will be much appreciated… and if you can do something “well”… that’s a bonus… 
There are no other foreigners anywhere near here, our then Maire doesn’t speak English and doesn’t have extensive life experience (he’s never even been to Paris). However he had no problem signing my OH’s for…and excuse to get his official stamp out.
Amazed that notaires charge…the number of times we’ve had to get the notaire to certify a copy of our passport or photo or similar and never once charged us. I will look on him more favourably now!
1 Like
That’s also very encouraging, Jane - thank you! I shall report back…
Glad I’m not the only one! I have the same impression at our local Mairie where there is a dragon and a dragonnette whose responsibility seems to be that or receptionist and gate-keeper but both seem to possessed of a terminal eye-rolling ennuie, and never smile at one, or even say bonjour without a grimace of distaste.
But they do exercise their function in a slightly grudging manner: it’s perhaps the nature of the work that grinds them down somehow. And the obligation to smile is not a feature of Liberté, Fraternité, Égalité.
Our first visit was to announce ourselves as new residents five years ago, and I politely asked whether it would be correct to seek to introduce ourselves to the Maire. “Non!” was the brisk reply.
“Le maire ne tient pas de réunions avec les nouveaux résidents pour faire leur connaissance”.
My position was made clear enough!
Damn shame Peter… thankfully not all Mairies and their staff are like that…
Over the years I have visited Mairies all over SW France… some are as you describe… but, in my experience, far more are manned by “humans” …
More than once I have been waiting to see some official… and found myself engaged in conversation by someone who turns out to be the Maire… 
so they don’t all hide themselves away…
Yes but you live in Sourdeval !!!
For sure, but that request was made just after our arrival (as every guide-book suggested was a vital first step to good relations) and the Maire in person is courtesy and kindness itself, he always used to shake my hand when we met and was most gracious and supportive when I asked to lay a poppy wreath at the memorial to the Fallen Dead last November.
He retired after 37 years service to the commune this year. He was replaced by his 1ere adjoint who is a woman and IMO very capable of succeeding him.
Are you in Manche by any chance, Peter? Seems a wee bit nore difficult sometimes than further south…
Yes, Angela @railang, very much in the toe (or heel) of the sock (or sleeve), on the borders of Calvados and Orne. A delightful bit of geography! 
Ah… so I’m guessing probably on a level-ish with Avranches but further east. I’m a bit further north than you but not a great deal. Good area isn’t it?! I’m so glad I’m not too much furthersouth as, being light-skinned, the increase in temperatures might prove a bit much!
1 Like
Our front door is 1 metre from the departmental road D911 to Avranche/Granville which is fortunately not heavily used by coastal traffic as it is rather twisty, but wonderfully scenic. It’s less than 45 minutes to the seaside. 
We find the temperate/clement climate just as we like it too.
1 Like
Our doctor signs our certificate’s.
And super close to Tinchebray and the battlefield, is it marked or explained?
That is very interesting - thank you - I am embarassed to discover that I had never heard of the battle of Tinchebray but have now been reading about it. Isn’t this website useful? 
3 Likes
Very belatedly, I am reporting back as promised on my visit to the mairie to get my Certificat de Vie signed. As you can tell from the elapsed time, it has taken me rather a long time to pluck up courage to actually turn up - mainly because of my dread of the “dragon” in the front line.
However, I went along today and - joy oh joy - the dragon wasn’t there and her place was taken by an exceedingly charming and helpful lady who was amused by having to verify that I was still alive.
I should have taken more notice of Stella’s comments about the possible over-enthusiastic filling in of forms where the details end up in the wrong place but if DWP decided to reject it that’s too bad - I’ll have another go!
Thank you so much, everyone, for your encouragement!
(I was so bucked up by my encounter at the mairie, I braved making a rendezvous with the notaire - something I have also been puttingoff for months…)
2 Likes