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LIVING IN FRANCE

Admin, acronyms, wine and books: 6 essential articles for life in France

In this week’s must-reads from The Local we reveal how long administrative tasks actually take, discuss wine awards with an expert, demystify French acronyms and point you in the direction of bookshops in France with decent English-language sections

Published: 15 October 2023 08:09 CEST
Admin, acronyms, wine and books: 6 essential articles for life in France
Many bookshops in France have an English-language section. AFP PHOTO / DOMINIQUE FAGET (Photo by DOMINIQUE FAGET / AFP)

For more than a decade, France has classified certain towns and cities as ‘zones tendues’ – literally translated as ‘tense zones’. 

These areas are subject to additional rules and regulations when it comes to taxation, short-term rentals and rent controls. But what, exactly, are they?

French property: What is a ‘zone tendue’ in France?

Ask anyone how long a certain French admin task will take and they will likely shrug and say, “how long’s a piece of string?”.

While it’s true there are variations, there are also some guidelines on how long you can expect to wait to get vital documents such as a visa, carte de séjour, carte vitale or driving licence.

How long do French admin tasks take?

When you’re choosing a bottle of wine, you might be swayed by the gold medal label proudly displayed on the bottle – but do these awards really mean anything? We asked a French wine expert.

Ask the expert: Do gold medals really mean a French wine is good?

France is estimated to have more than 3,500 independent bookstores – more than the UK and the US combined. A new law, designed to protect the sector from competition from the likes of Amazon and Ebay, means that online retailers must now charge at least €3 for book deliveries valued at less than €35. This rule is designed to encourage readers to visit bookstores in person. 

The best places to buy English-language books in France

It has become a French online institution since it was founded in 2006. Here’s how to get the most out of classified sales website Le Bon Coin.

Leboncoin: Everything you need to know about France’s biggest sales website

Like many languages, French is addicted to initials and acronyms, which can be confusing for foreigners when used in everyday speech. Here are some of the most common.

SIDA to IRM to RIB: Everyday French initials and acronyms to know

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LIVING IN FRANCE

How to prove to French authorities that you are alive

If you live in France you'll be used to official requests for all sorts of documents, but one that may come as a surprise is being asked to prove that you're still alive. Here's how to do that.

Published: 19 September 2024 15:57 CEST
How to prove to French authorities that you are alive

Official processes in France usually involve collecting together a big dossier of documents, and requests for certain type of certificate are common (the one for ‘a birth certificate issued within the last three months’ regularly baffles foreigners).

A request that is less common – but still vital – is the request for a Certificat de Vie – a certificate of life, which is basically a piece of paper asserting that you remain within the mortal realm.

Here’s how to get it and why you might need one.

Who needs it?

You only need to provide this certificate if it is requested from you.

The people most likely to get a request for a Certificat de Vie are pensioners. Pensioner providers regularly ask for proof that you are still alive, and if you don’t provide it it’s highly likely that they will stop paying out your pension.

The people most commonly asked to provide this are people living in a different country to the one paying out the pension (so for example people who have worked in France but then moved to another country, or pensioners who have moved to France) but they are fairly widespread for all types of pension.

The other people most likely to ask for it is the benefits office, especially if you are receiving a French Assurance invalidité (disability benefit) or Allocation de solidarité (top-up benefits) – as with pensions, failing to send the certificate can result in your payments being stopped.

Some people may instead be asked for an Attestation sur l’honneur de non-décès (sworn declaration of non-death). This is simpler to provide because it’s not a specific form it’s just something that you write out in formal French declaring that you remain alive, and then sign and date.

You can find templates for creating an attestation in the correct format and legal French here.

How to get it

There are two ways to obtain the Certificat de Vie – in person or online.

If you live in France, you go along in person to your local mairie and ask them to complete the form for you – it’s form Cerfa n° 11753*02, but the mairie staff will know that. Be sure to take with you official ID (ie passport or French ID card), and depending on your circumstances mairie staff may ask for extra paperwork such as proof of address.

Once you have the form, you can send it to whoever has requested it, either by registered mail or a scanned copy uploaded to an online portal.

You can find a sample copy here to show you what the form looks like.

If you live outside France, you can request the certificate at the French consulate, while some police stations will also provide it (depending on the country).

But for those living outside France there is also an online option, which now includes the option to verify your continuing life via your biometric details, meaning that you don’t even need to leave the house.

This would be useful to people who have worked in France for part of their career, meaning they get a partial French pension, but have then either returned to their home country or moved to another country.

In order to use this, you need to download the app ‘Mon Certificat de Vie’ – find full instructions on using it here.

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