Posted by: MikeP in Uncategorised on
Jun 27, 2009
According to Jean-Paul Sartre, 'Hell is other people', and whilst I would go along with that to a large extent, there are some people whose company I enjoy, although whether they enjoy mine is another story.
I may be destined to go to Hell for many reasons, but as yet have no first hand experience of it, despite often wondering what it might be
Posted by: MikeP in Uncategorised on
Jun 26, 2009
It has long been a contention of mine, much to the annoyance of those who have wanted to preserve the illusion of France as the bastion of good taste in all things, especially food, that the French are amongst the world's greatest consumers of junk food, more politely known as fast food.
The proliferation of MacDonalds, Quick, and so on,
Posted by: RichardWood in Uncategorised on
Jun 16, 2009
I am a wheelchair user who wants to move with partner and daughters family to France but I am totally confused about the health care system and whether I will qualify for entry. Basic position is as follows:
I want to live in France as a resident but work in the UK where I do consultancy work. I am 60 years old and my plan was to work for 2 more
Posted by: Mike Meade in Uncategorised on
Jun 14, 2009
In a comment to another post (EHIC/CEAM Play the right card!), MikeP voices scepticism about my suggestion in the title of this post.
I maintain that French health cover is cheap for the price. I have no doubts whatever about this -- which is a total ideological about turn for me and the conclusion of many years observation which have proved my
Posted by: Shortia in Uncategorised on
Jun 07, 2009
grr...what a nightmare.
I came to work in France to work on a contract around 2007.
I was assured that using a management company(Tresag) was the best thing to do as they would sort out my local taxes etc etc.
So, May 2008 I contact them to ask about my tax returns - no response, so I figured that I'd leave it, assuming that they were taking care
Posted by: Mike Meade in Uncategorised on
May 30, 2009
The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about. So said Oscar Wilde. But we’d say it all depends on who’s doing the talking and where.
We’ve just seen a recent issue of The Independent on Sunday in which a Dom Joly writes that on a visit to the South of France he picked up “a curious little magazine called The Riviera
Posted by: MikeP in Uncategorised on
May 19, 2009
There are many urban legends circulating about 'a friend who' ..... and I've just received yet another one about 'A friend who went to the local gym and placed his belongings in the locker ..... he still had his credit card in his possession ..... a few weeks later his credit card bill came - a bill of £14,000 of which he had no prior knowledge!'
Posted by: MikeP in Uncategorised on
May 12, 2009
There have been many articles in the UK press recently extolling the virtues of the French life style, and presenting the usual statistics about how the French work less hours, but do more work, sleep more, have more fun (there may be a correlation there), eat unhealthy food but don't get fat, and so on. I suppose from the perspective of Gordon
Posted by: Letters to Editor in Uncategorised on
May 10, 2009
Because it could save someone’s life – maybe yours! With reference to Jill Penton-Browne’s article in your June/July Issue 127, I totally agree with her comments and would like to draw your readers’ attention to the far more serious implications of not speaking French.
Many of us move here during our middle to later years, more or less at the same
Posted by: Letters to Editor in Uncategorised on
May 08, 2009
Coincidences can be strange. As I mull over my French income tax declaration I coincidentally have Larry King on the CNN satellite channel in the background. And what was his guest, the buffoon Michael Moore - I'm not his greatest fan - going on about? Comparing French taxes to American ones. According to Moore, Americans pay more tax than the
Posted by: Letters to Editor in Uncategorised on
May 06, 2009
When you buy something for €7 and hand over a €20 note you expect €13 change. Not, however, in Cannes during MIPTV. One brasserie-tabac this morning calculated my change as €3. Thankfully I only gave them a €20 and not a €100 note.
The lesson, I suppose, is to go to the till with the money and ask for a bill, hand it over while looking into the
Posted by: Letters to Editor in Uncategorised on
May 06, 2009
Having read your 'Travellers Tips' article in issue no 131 I feel I must respond to the article regarding Emirates.
We regularly use Emirates on our frequent trips to Australia and have nothing but praise for the company. A couple of years ago we were 'marooned' in Dubai airport as an accident caused the airport to be closed for 36 hrs. On our
Posted by: Letters to Editor in Uncategorised on
May 06, 2009
The Riviera Reporter has been critical of the Nice carnival in the past.
The first time I saw the Nice carnival seven years ago with some guests, we had great expectations based on Nice's reputation and that of the Côte d'Azur. Well, it was quite ordinary, even dowdy, and a let down for us all. I quite understand why you offered a similar opinion
Posted by: Letters to Editor in Uncategorised on
May 04, 2009
Your interview with Christian Estrosi and the taxis in Nice was interesting reading and prompted me to the keyboard.
I live in Nice but work now and then in Stockholm so I often go by taxi between the airport and my home in Cimiez. Daytime, with an honest driver, the fare should be 18 – 20 euros. But if I am not watchful, the meter most of the
Posted by: Mike Meade in Uncategorised on
Mar 19, 2009
It's March 2009 and 25 British cities have been added to the list of places visible on Google Street View. This prompted me to have a closer look at the benefits -- and potential dangers -- of GSV.
If Google Street View doesn't mean anything to you, here's how it works. Using your internet browser at www.maps.google.com key in a city then drag the
Talking Points 