What's new on Useful Links

Where can I find a translator?


Can I get family allowances in France?


What is CMU? URSSAF? RSI? CPAM? ALD?


You need help with the French accident report form, information on vaccinations for your children, advice on whether you can cut branches off the neighbour’s tree if they overhang your property, on registering a birth in France, getting a child's passport or advice on consumer rights.


All these issues pop up on SFN and there’s one simple place to find the help you need – the Useful Links page. You can find it here: http://www.survivefrance.com/page/useful-links or simply by running the cursor over the “Social” tab at the top of the main page and clicking on Useful Links. It contains a huge amount of information gleaned almost entirely from SFNers.


The latest additions include an extremely useful link to the official booklet in English on French family allowances; who qualifies, how to get them and so on. You’ll find this under Childcare.


There’s also another very useful new link in the Cars section to the French car accident report form complete with an English translation. You should all have this form in your car and if you don’t you can get it from your insurance company.


There’s also an extended section on translators with new links, and in the Health section you’ll find out that the French government will, under certain conditions, give you financial help with the cost of a “mutuelle” (private health insurance to cover what the Sécurité Sociale doesn't refund). Now who knew that? I certainly didn't until I came across it by accident on the Sécu’s site (www.ameli.fr)


I try to update the page regularly with any useful information that crops up in one of the many discussions on the forum but it’s almost impossible to read everything. So this is an appeal for help. If you have information you think would be useful to other SFNers, be it a telephone number, a web page, something you’ve learned because you had to solve a particular problem or something you’ve spotted in a discussion or blog on SFN, please let me know.


The easiest way is to post a comment on the Useful Links page. I will see this straight away.


I also try to make sure the links and telephone numbers I’ve posted on the page are still accurate. But there again, I don’t always have the time to do this as often as I would like. So if you try a phone number or a link and it doesn’t work, please tell me.


Among plans for the page is a section headed “Where can I get…?” which will bring together recommendations on where to buy paint, batteries, tyres, spices or the things you miss from the UK like brown sauce! Some of these links are already on the page but they are scattered among various headings and need to be brought together. So if you have any suggestions on where to get things, put a comment on the Useful Links page.


I would also welcome suggestions on anything you think is missing on the page.




Thanks, Bernadette. Looks very useful.

I know Suzanne who can be found at www.ollyg.com

French 1st language English 2nd and knows French bureaucracy inside out. Mention Berni and Martin.

Just put a comment on the Useful Links page, Shirley, saying such and such a link doesn't seem to work and I'll check it out. Or you can email me on terry.mkali.williams@gmail.com

Hi Terry - just to say many thanks for getting all the info together and continuing to do so, finally having moved to la belle Provence only 2 weeks ago, I know it will be very useful...all the best to you and your 'helpers'... :)