I heard it on the radio the other day. Someone introducing a colleague as “professeurrrre,” the final r purred out a beat too long. Just enough to make sure everyone clocks that yes, they are talking about a woman, yes, this is the feminized form, and yes, they’re using it on purpose. It’s not…
Details
Why it matters Once you’re registered with French social security, you’re expected to nominate a “médecin traitant,” the equivalent of a GP in the UK. It sounds like a formality. It isn’t. Skip this step and every consultation with a specialist gets reimbursed at a much lower rate — typically 30% instead of 70%. Most…
Details
p Same consultation, different fees? If you’ve looked for a specialist in France, you may have noticed that consultation fees aren’t always the same. One reason is that doctors practise under different fee arrangements called Secteur 1 and Secteur 2. Understanding the difference A Secteur 1 doctor has agreed to charge the official consultation fees…
Details
“I’ve heard I can spend up to nine months a year at my French home without moving to France permanently.” It may sound too good to be true, but in many cases the answer is yes. Most people know about the Schengen rule that limits visa-free stays to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period.…
Details
For most people in France, the Carte Vitale is simply part of everyday life. You hand it over at the doctor’s surgery, pharmacy or hospital, and your healthcare reimbursements are processed automatically. For most of us, there are no annual forms and no annual renewal. . So, do “inactive” foreigners really have to renew it…
Details
When English is your first language, deciding whether to use tu or vous can be a bit of a minefield. It’s not just a question of grammar or usage. It’s about culture, politeness and everyday relationships. Because English doesn’t force the choice, it’s easy to fall into one of two traps if you’re relatively new to…
Details
There you are, standing at the desk, rummaging through your dossier while a small queue forms behind you. You know the document they’re asking for is in the folder you submitted last month. It’s just that it’s refusing to surface the moment you need to produce it – again. It’s tempting to take this personally,…
Details
If you’ve started the process of settling in France, you’ve probably already heard the word “préfecture” said with a certain tone — somewhere between resignation and dread. The reality is the staff are generally helpful and often the biggest headache is find a place to park. The préfecture is the office that handles your carte…
Details
One of my British clients was quite put out recently when their Carte Vitale was refused as a justificatif de domicile (proof of address). “But it’s an official government health card!” he said. “Obviously that proves where I live!” Well, actually, no. It proves that you’re entitled to healthcare under the French system, whatever your…
Details
One of the biggest surprises for many newcomers is that French healthcare isn’t entirely free. While the state health system (Assurance Maladie) reimburses a significant proportion of medical costs and prescriptions, it doesn’t usually cover everything. That’s why most French people choose to have a mutuelle (complementary health insurance). It isn’t obligatory for everyone —…
Details