Clé France

After figuring out how les numéros de téléphones français (French phone numbers) work and when things are open (Pharmacies even on Sundays!), there is a big thing some people don’t release when they’re going abroad.

Qui est-ce qu’on appelle en cas d’urgence ?

Who do you call in an emergency?

The UK 999 number used to be easy to remember but now there are alternatives in the UK, if that is not confusing enough, we all seem to remember the American number, 911, but  that does not work everywhere in the world!

Knowing the appropriate number is an important part of being à l’étranger (abroad).

Photo by Napafloma-Photographe on Flickr

In France, there are several numbers you should know en cas d’urgence:

15 – Le SAMU (Le Service d’aide médical urgente) – Medical emergencies

17 – La police

18 – Les pompiers (firemen) – fire emergencies

112 – SOS – all services

If you have trouble remembering all of them, the most important one is cent douze – 112. Having more emergency numbers means “Call 911!” has a few translations in French:

Appellez le quinze ou appellez les urgences !

Appellez le dix-sept ou appellez la police !

Appellez le dix-huit ou appellez les pompiers !

Appellez le cent douze !

La raison pour tous ces numéros (the reason for all these numbers) is that le 112 is a relatively new pan-european emergency number. Traditionally you would call a specific number for a specific emergency, et beaucoup de gens (and many people) continue to do so today.

Entre parenthèses (a quick side note, litterally between parenthesis), au Canada francophone (in French speaking Canada) it’s slightly different. The emergency number is the same as in the US, 911, but it’s not read as one number. Instead, each digit is read out – neuf un un (nine one one).

No matter the number, there are a few important questions you need to be able to answer after l’opérateur (the operator) picks up the phone.

Qui je suis ?

Où je suis ?

Pourquoi j’appelle ?

Who am I?

Where am I?

Why am I calling?

You have to let them know whether you’re victime ou témoin (a victim or a witness) and give them un numéro de téléphone so they can call you back. You also need to give them l’adresse précise (the exact address) for where they need to go. Lastly, you have to tell them why you’re calling.

You might be able to speak to l’opérateur in English, but chances are you’ll have to flex your French speaking muscles and try to explain the situation in French! Heureusement (fortunately), answering the above questions is easy:

Je suis victime/témoin.

Je suis à….

J’habite….

C’est un cas d’urgence !

I am a victim/witness.

I am at/on….

I live at/on….

It’s an emergency!

Blog submitted by: Alex at The French Property Network - Cle France.

For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk

Hi David,

I am not sure if Julie responded, following the sale of our French house, as we have been a bit behind on e-mails having just moved ourselves from Singapore to the UK.

My comments would be that Cle France have provided an exceptional level of service and support to enable us to complete the sale of our French home. The simple fact is that we couldn’t have done it without Cle France and we would like to give you a big Thank You for providing the wherewithal to "make it happen".

Kind regards, 

Andrew.

It should come as no surprise that Cle France help as many people to sell their house in France as we help people buy a property in France. We sold Andrew and Julie's house in Brittany recently with help from our enhanced marketing so not only do we have a happy vendor, we also have a happy buyer.

Getting used to French working hours is pretty easy. You just need to plan ahead a little bit, and you can always find small things that are still ouvert (open) to hold you over if you’re caught in a long holiday or even a viewing trip.

So when planning a viewing trip to France to see many of the fine properties for sale with Cle France you will notice that we rarely book you in for a viewing between 12pm and 2pm!

It is also worth noting that "the French" rarely work Sundays and Saturdays are not always supported either, although most of Cle France agents work Saturday mornings [I guess protecting le weekend for family duties is not a bad thing] and it is what we "British" may have lost over the years with Sunday Trading and 24 hour opening! what do you think?

You maybe fine with all of that and working with the French schedule, until you need des médicaments (medicine) on a Sunday.

Waking up one Sunday morning not sure how you will be able to get des médicaments is not a fun way to start the day.

It happended to me one Sundsy... I was already sick, but I knew I could get over it with the right médicaments.

J’étais convaincu que (I was convinced that) I’d need to suffer through the day and just wait for lundi matin (Monday morning). After some research, I learned about les pharmacies de garde (emergency pharmacies).

Understanding the importance of l’accès aux médicaments (the access to medicine), des pharmacies take turns being open le dimanche (on Sundays). De cette manière (in this way) there is always une pharmacie ouverte nearby.

I knew “24 hour culture” didn’t exist in France, but was happy to learn la pharmacie de garde includes night services for emergencies. Even though you wont find a supermarket on every corner ouvert 24 sur 24 (open 24 hours), there’s always something open for an emergency.

I also found the useful website,at PharmaciedeGarde.com, for finding the closest pharmacie de garde.

Choose your département et ville (department and city), and it will show you which pharmacies sont ouvertes.

On that fateful dimanche, once I found la pharmacie de garde, I was able to get des médicaments and was feeling better by the afternoon!

Blog submitted by: Alex at The French Property Network - Cle France.

For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk

Before Brussels IV

The general rule was that French property would pass under French succession rules irrespective of your nationality, residence or domicile. An English will dealing with a French property would have been accepted, provided that it does not override the legal reserve of the heirs. Under French Law, the children cannot be deprived of a legal reserve (a defined proportion of the estate) of your French estate when you die.

One child receives 50% of your French estate, two children take two-third and three or more children take three-quarter equally between them. In the absence of children, the surviving spouse cannot be excluded from the French estate.

In practice British owners could either have a French will drafted to cover the French property or adding a codicil to their UK will.

Read on to lean about After Brussels IV...

After Brussels IV:

Regarding the right of succession, the European Regulation No. 650/2012 (Brussels IV) will enter into force on 17 August 2015 and will apply to the estates of individuals dying after that date. Its purpose is to simplify succession planning with an international dimension. Cross-border successions can be sometimes complicated as there might be conflicts of laws.

Should UK nationals be concerned due to UK opting out from Brussels IV?

This EU regulation is universal (article 20 of Brussels IV) which means that it applies even if the designated law is not that of a EU Member State or from a state who opted out. Therefore, even through the UK has opted out, Brussels IV will still affect UK nationals residing in the UK or abroad.

In accordance with Brussels IV, UK nationals are now able to choose in their will the succession laws of their nationality or the laws of their habitual residence to their assets situated in the Brussels IV zone. As The UK opted out, the English succession laws will still apply to the estate located in England & Wales for UK expats. The choice of law must be done in a will, which must be drafted according to the rules of the country of habitual residence or the country of nationality or the country where real estate is located.

What now?

UK nationals living in France or in the UK can make a will designating English law to settle their French estate.

So it is probably good news since French law differs starkly to English Law where, subject to limited statutory control, an individual is free to dispose of his/her assets as he/she wishes. This would provide freedom for UK nationals to decide how their French assets should be passed on.

Limits

It must be reminded that Brussels IV will not change the taxation status of French estates. French inheritance tax rules will still apply to the devolution of any French estate. Therefore any devolution under English law to non-married partners, step-children or any non-relatives will attract an inheritance tax rate of 60%. France, inheritance tax is calculated on the basis of the amount that each individual beneficiary receives and how he or she is related to the deceased owner.

Furthermore, another issue remains unresolved: as Brussels IV just came out of the “legal factory” (in force in August 2015): the legal reserve of the children. In its article 35, Brussels IV provides that the application of the chosen law in the will must not be incompatible with public policies of the country where it will apply. French succession laws are very protective towards the children and the designation of English law in a will depriving the children of any successions could be found incompatible with the legal reserve of the children. It is therefore possible that the French courts could consider an English will invalid, as it excludes the children from the French estate. Given the novelty of Brussels IV, this issue remains unanswered until a challenge is being brought before a French court.

Conclusions:

UK nationals can elect in their will English law to apply to their French assets. Although Brussels 4 appears to be good news for UK nationals owning properties In France, it still remains the uncertainty over an English Will being challenged before the French court if it deprives the children of their right to inherit.

To avoid these uncertainties and taking into account that French taxation rules still apply, people intending to purchase properties in France should still consider the French estate planning structures and take advice on the appropriate purchase structure and wills to ascertain that they will be in a position to transfer their French property in the way they wish and in a tax efficient manner.

This article was written by Loic Raboteau, French Legal Advisor and director of French Legal Consulting.

Francophile legal Consulting can assist you with international property matters. For more information on this topic, please do not hesitate to contact Loic Raboteau, managing director by completing the form below. 

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The company was created in response to the need of legal experts for international private clients and businesses. People are no longer confined within their own country boundaries to work, create a business or purchase assets. National, international laws and new technology have enabled people and businesses to move and expand internationally, creating a demand to resolve cross-border issues.

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For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk

Living and working in France can be a delight but it can also be frustrating if you have deadlines to meet.

I remember a neighbour of ours (when we lived in the Mayenne in Pays de la Loire) who worked as an electrician and he often worked more than the maximum 35 hours allowed each week, he could not take this as an overtime payment [generally not available to French workers] so he had to take it off as 'time in lieu' which is why he was always not at work from January to April; he would store up the hours and take 3 months off a year! not bad eh?

Similarly shops and business opening hours can be seen as either calming and relaxing or a darned frustration when you need to buy something! most large supermarkets are opening from 9am to 6pm BUT village and town shops & business often close between 12:00 midday and 14:00 (2pm), this includes all DIY stores, banks, post offices and even fuel stations but not restaurants you will be pleased to know, and that is where you will find all the workers enjoying their 2 hour lunch break.

Photo by Alan Levine on Flickr.

So when planning a viewing trip to France to see many of the fine properties for sale with Cle France you will notice that we rarely book you in for a viewing between 12pm and 2pm!

It is also worth noting that "the French" rarely work Sundays and Saturdays are not always supported either, although most of Cle France agents work Saturday mornings [I guess protecting le weekend for family duties is not a bad thing] and it is what we "British" may have lost over the years with Sunday Trading and 24 hour opening! what do you think?

The French Pace of Life

But don't fret you will get used to it, learn to love it and when you live in France it has an almost calming effect on one's mindset and your pace of day to day living slows to a more natural and healthy rythmn.

People quickly notice the difference in les horaires de travail (working hours) between the UK and France. Even being aware of the holidays does not always mean you will know how to faire le pont (make the bridge). Knowing when things will be ouvert (open) and fermé (closed) is important no longer how long your stay.

A mistake I made going into my first long weekend: faire les courses (grocery shopping) many years ago. It was a tough few days finding whatever food I had leftover! De plus (what’s more), things being open 24 (vingt-quatre) sur 24 (24 hours a day) doesn’t happen as often in France as in the UK. I have wanted to faire les courses many times when it was too late and tout est fermé (everything is closed).

Par ailleurs (beyond that), being able to work on Sundays is a recent development. Until very recently c’était illégal (it was illegal)!

Even though la change (the change) already happened, le polémique (the controversy) remains. I learned about it during an exchange a few years ago, and hearing something that strange made me blurt out:

-Pourquoi c’était illégal de travailler le dimanche ?

Why was it illegal to work on Sundays?

The answer was all the more surprising:

-Vous êtes trop anglais, vous ne pouvez pas comprendre.

You are too English, you cannot understand.

Shocked at such a response, I didn’t press the issue. Au début (at first), I could not believe someone had said something so ridiculous to me. Years later I realise what they said was true. The idea of having such strict laws on when to work was too foreign to me.

Maintenant (now) I can appreciate the special care given to les travailleurs (workers) and I quickly got used to shorter working hours and longer holidays.

Ne vous inquiétez pas (Don’t worry) ! En pratique (in practice), Even during the long holidays, restaurants will still be open and des petits épiceries aussi (little supermarkets too). Il y a (there are) more things open, bien sûr, in the big cities, but even in the smaller towns you’re sure to find a kebab shop or two!

Just be sure to check le calendrier (the calender) and look for les horaires (the [working] hours) online if you can!

Blog submitted by: Alex at The French Property Network - Cle France.

For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk