This French Forum - All Discussions

Closure of website

2010-06-09T08:34:40-05:00

I have decided to close the This French Forum website and concentrate on my main website This French Life http://www.thisfrenchlife.com/

No additional comments will be able to be added to the site, but I will leave the website up and running for a short time.

Eventually it will be closed down and I will forward the domain.

Kind regards,
Craig

My experience with Vietnam visa in French

2010-06-09T06:05:10-05:00

Are you considering Vietnam holidays as your next getaway adventure? I am going to assume the answer is yes and also let you know few important details regarding your visa application. Chances are you will require one yourself.

You will require a Visa to enter Vietnam if you are not from Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Laos, Japan, South Korea, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland. However if you are a citizen of any of the above mentioned countries and are staying for more than 15 days you will require a VISA.

Application for an entry VISA to Vietnam can be made in person or by post to the Consular Section of the Embassy of Vietnam or online through a third party. Obtaining the VISA can take up to 5 working days depending on whether you apply in person, by post or online.

If you apply in person or by post you will be required to present the original passport(s), a completed application form which you can download from the Vietnamese Embassy's website in your country, one passport photograph and a VISA fee (usually from 50 USD to 80 USD).

For Application by post: payment should be in guaranteed cheque, postal order or bankers draft only. Your full name, passport number, contact address and telephone number must be provided at the back of the payment. Please DO NOT SEND CASH by post, the Embassy does not accept responsibility for any loss as a result of you sending cash.

There are two types of VISA processing schedules: The Normal Processing and the Express processing. The first one can take up to 5 working days and the second one only 2 working days however at a slightly more expensive VISA fee.

Also note that there are some websites out there such as [URL=http://vietnamvisaonline.net/Vietnam-visa-online.html]Vietnam Visa online[/URL] offering the service of VISA applications online for VISAS to be issued on arrival to any of the international airports in Vietnam. However please note that all you will be paying for is the right to get a stamp at a Vietnam airport. You will be required to pay locally for the stamp in Vietnam.

------------------------------------
Contact:
Mail to: vietnamrushvisa@gmail.com
Hotline: 84.904.712.081
Website: www.vietnamvisaonline.net

Meeting Up

2010-06-07T03:20:52-05:00

I own a house near the village of Montpon-Menesterol and do not know many French or English. I will be in France for a few months from July to possibly the end of September and wondered if there is anyone who might like to meet up for a coffee etc..

I look forward to hearing from you.

Elle

Garbled song lyrics

2010-06-06T20:30:58-05:00

There was a snipper in a pop song that sounded like "bergenau, bergenau." This makes no sense! I'm exploring other possiblities like "vers gens a / aie / aura" etc Another possiblity is something about [Michel] Bergeron. Any thoughts?

Good Reading

2010-06-04T12:29:57-05:00

http://www.french-property.com/news/french_health/expats_cmu_access/

French Job

2010-06-02T06:05:53-05:00

Nous somme une agence de marketing sur Internet, fondée dans le but d'aider les
entreprise a ameliorer leur activités en leur offrant une gamme complete de services basés sur le marketing Internet.

Notre Service de marketing en ligne a pour objectif de generer un nouveau traffic ( nouveaux debouchés) et
d'augmenter les profits de nos clients au travers de leur site internet.
Nous vous offrons l'opportunité de rejoindre notre toute nouvelle equipe afin de participer a la construction du futur.
Nous sommes a la recherche d'individus ambitieux et tenaces ayant des competences en informatique et marketing sur internet.

Joignez notre equipe et acquerissez les connaissances et les competences afin de developper une carriere dans le marketing,
avec la possibilité d'evoluer au sein de l'entreprise

+ Vos fonctions :

-Travailler avec les clients et leur associes par telephone
-Negocier avec les dirigeants afin de conclure vos affaires
-Atteindre des objectifs hebdomadaires.

+ Nous recherchons une personne:

-Ayant des bases dans la vente
-Des facilité au telephone et a rediger des rapports
-D'excellentes aptitudes en communication
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-Enthousiaste et energique
-Ambitieuse et confiante avec un bon esprit d'equipe.

0161-239-1013 ou 0785-771-3085

Internet offer

2010-06-01T06:06:28-05:00

Cheap Internet Offer from Orange

Tuesday 01 June 2010

Orange have introduced a new cheap French Internet offer, but some expats seem to be having difficulty in signing up to it.

Their new ‘Découverte’ offer is a broadband connection up to 8Mbps for a monthly charge of €19.90.

This is currently €10 lower than their regular offer of €29.90 per month, which includes other services such as VoIP and television.

This deal is Internet only and you are obliged to subscribe to a fixed line telephone with France Télécom (of whom Orange is their Internet arm). This costs an additional €16 per month.

If you want WiFi, you will also pay €3 per month for a Livebox router, unless you have one of your own. This charge applies whether or not you take up the new offer, assuming you want their Livebox for your WiFi.

Cynics are claiming that the reason for the offer is to try and stop the rot on the number of households deciding to end their fixed line connection. In recent years, hundreds of thousands of households have ended their fixed line with France Télécom and now only use VoIP or a mobile phone.

However, the offer is an attractive one for those users who prefer the greater security and quality of a fixed telephone line.

It is particularly so if you also sign up with a secondary telecoms ('switch') provider to route your calls.

As calls to fixed lines in the UK (plus others) and within France can often be obtained free of charge through a secondary provider, you get the double advantage of a cheap broadband line, with almost next to nothing to pay for telephone calls on the fixed line!

The other great advantage of the new offer is that you do not need to subscribe for a minimum period. The subscription is stated by Orange to be ‘sans engagement’.

In some areas you may be able to obtain even a cheaper offer, but these are not widely available in rural areas.

Thus, probably the cheapest offer on the market is from SFR/Neuf, who offer a monthly Internet connection for €14.90, but to obtain it you need to be in an area which is 'dégroupée', a process which allows other telecoms providers to use the France Télécom network to provide you with your broadband connection.
Transfer Difficulties

Many expats are reporting difficulties in transferring from their existing Orange offer to the cheaper subscription.

Joanne Sexton from Limousin reports that she tried to change to the new offer on-line, but got the message that it was not available to her.

Similarly, Michael Chivers in Brittany contacted us to say that he rang Orange to transfer to the new offer and was told he needed to end his existing contract before he could do so. 'As I was fearful of being without an Internet connection I was reluctant to terminate my existing arrangements' he stated.

It is certainly true to say that Orange are not pushing the offer very hard, as their site gives much higher prominence to their other more expensive offers. You have to click on 'Autres Offres Internet' to find their Découverte offer.

We have spoken to Orange, who have advised that existing customers need to go into their 'espace client' and click on 'modifier ma formule'. If they find it does not work, they should ring 3900, and then follow the instructions of the automated answering service.

Alternatively, visit your local Orange/France Telecom office, or try their English speaking helpline on 0969363900 from France, or 0033 969363900 from the UK.

There is no charge for transferring to the new offer, which would commence on the first day of the following month of your application.

However, do not assume you will be able to obtain the maximum speeds of 8Mbps, as many rural broadband connections offer a maximum of 2Mbps.

Indeed, although many households are within a commune where 2Mbps is available, just how much you will actually be able to obtain in your own home will depend on the distance from the local exchange.

The type of connection you use (WiFi, USB, or ethernet) will also influence the speed of your connection.

You can test the speed of your existing line at Speedtest

Room for thought

2010-06-01T06:00:08-05:00

Builder Ordered to Pay €85,000 in Damages

Tuesday 01 June 2010

A builder has been ordered to pay compensation for unauthorised building works, despite having only implemented the plans prepared by their client!

This was the outcome of a recent case heard in the French Cour de Cassation, in which the builder was found not to have provided proper advice to their client.

In the case, a French couple awarded a contract for the construction of their house to the building company SARL Jolivet.

The couple had received planning permission for the house, based on drawings that had been prepared by their own surveyor.

Subsequent to the planning permission having been received the couple asked their surveyor to make a minor change to the position of the property on the site, and these plans were given to the builder to execute.

During progress of the construction works, and following a complaint by a neighbour, the couple were served with a formal notice by the planning authority advising them that they were in breach of the planning consent. They were instructed to halt construction.

Their misdemeanour was to have constructed part of the dwelling on land that was not zoned for construction.

The error arose from the modification to the plans drawn up by their surveyor who did not check whether the new location of the property would still comply with the planning permission.

Despite the clear responsibility of the client and the surveyor in the changes that were made, the court concluded that the builder owed a due of care to their client, which they failed to properly exercise.

As a result they were ordered to pay compensation of €85,000 to the couple.

One factor that seems to have led the judges to this conclusion was the nature of the project and the experience and status of the builder.

The court decided to re-qualify the status of the contractual arrangements between the builder and the client, imposing a far higher degree of responsibility upon the builder.

The builder had undertaken the works on the basis of a minor works contract, despite the fact that there exists in France a specific contract for the construction of an individual dwelling, called the Contrat de construction de maison individuelle (CCMI).

This contract offers far stronger protection to the client, and it seems that this was precisely why the builder had been unwilling to use it.

The court decided that, despite appearances to the contrary, a CCMI contract existed between the builder and the client. The judgement they delivered was based on a reading of the builder’s liability under this contract.

The court took the view that the builder should have verified whether the change in the position of the property on the site still complied with the planning consent, and that if they found it did not, they should have alerted their client.

newbie comes from Viet nam

2010-05-30T23:03:22-05:00

hello everyone I 'm newbie here. I come from Viet Nam. I love animals and antifan of hunting works. Hope that I can make friend with all of you here

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http://www.softwareoutsourcing.biz

JOBS JOBS JOBS

2010-05-27T09:56:50-05:00

Sales staff wanted for a buzzing office in manchester upto £20K basic + comms best job in manchester 9.00am - 5.30pm no weekends lots of money to make, if interested in a new job or careers in the online market please contact marcel on 01612391080 or on my email marcel.manai@keyworldmedia.co.uk

Summer School in Nice, Côte d'Azur

2010-05-21T04:27:56-05:00

Hello!

Teachers of French eager to invigorate their teaching methods whilst acquiring new linquistic and cultural perspectives are most welcome to the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis Summer School! Two sessions will be set up this summer: one in July and one in August.

Nice and the French Riviera draw many tourists every year and are rich in geographical and cultural attractions that guarantee this summer school to be an unforgettable experience.

This is the link for the Summer School website:
http://www.unice.fr/UIE

See you this summer!

Annick

French inheritance laws - again!

2010-05-20T09:54:20-05:00

A friend is selling his property, and negotiations have been underway for several months, due to complete mid June. The notaire has now found out that his estranged son has a 50% share in the property, as a result of his wifes death 4 years ago. He has been told that he must have his sons permission to sell it, and this, he knows, would be refused. He does not even know the sons whereabouts, anyway. Firstly, can this actually be true, that he owns a 50% share and my friend was unaware of it, and if the son cannot be found, how could he proceed with the sale? Any factual assistance would be most appreciated.

My French Blog

2010-03-16T20:52:51-05:00

Hey all,

after years of attempting to learn french through school/books/cassettes/cd's/podcasts, I am not really off the starting blocks.

To regulate my enthusiasm, I have created a blog, which I will update everyday with different french translations/grammar/pronunciations/tales/phrases in order to keep on track.

I am 10 days in, so far have spent a bit of time every day learning and feel very positive about it!

I mostly have been using library books, a lot from the BBC french site and forums.

This blog idea I think is a bit more of an original approach to immersing yourself in the language without moving and if you have any pointers/advice I would appreciate it!

alternatively/also follow the blog if you would like!

Cheers

Laurie

BLOG :

www.FrenchLaurie.blogspot.com

Luxury self-catering in France

2010-04-29T18:20:56-05:00

Hi

I've left it late (I know, I know..!) trying to find somewhere good in France for the summer holidays. Here's what we're after...

- something at the luxury end of the market
- self-catering preferably
- in a nice location with plenty to see/do, nice places to eat, markets... that kind of thing
- somewhere that's not tooooooo far a drive (ie. not South of France) because we'll be driving from the north of England
- somewhere that has good facilities for children/families - our boys will be 6 and 4 at the time of travel (a swimming pool or nearby beach essential!)

We've previously holidayed in Brittany in the last few years - once at La Foret Fousenant (where the accommodation was a bit of a disaster) and once at Morgat (where the accommodation was OK, but still nothing special)

As far as dates are concerned, we would be looking at either end of August (probably little chance of finding somewhere good for then) or right at the beginning of July (hopefully a bit more chance, before most schools break up and hopefully when prices are fractionally lower, too).

Any suggestions, please?

Thanks a lot.

Ferrybridge No3

2010-05-11T05:55:41-05:00

A LOCOMOTIVE restored by Derbyshire rail enthusiasts is set to be officially unveiled later this month.

The Ferrybridge No.3 was rescued from a haulier's yard in Sheffield after Ecclesbourne Valley Railway Association bought its long-term lease.

The volunteers spent 18 months restoring the loco thanks to a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of almost £50,000.

They stripped and rebuilt it with the help of local firms who manufactured new components. The work was carried out at Ecclesbourne Valley's Wirksworth station.

Neil Ferguson-Lee is director of Wyvern Rail, which owns Ecclesbourne Valley Railway's eight-and-a-half-mile stretch of private track between Wirksworth and Duffield.

He said: "Ferrybridge No.3 is the first loco to be restored at Wirksworth. It is a genuine 'hidden gem' having languished in a yard for nearly four decades.The volunteers have done an incredible job."

Ferrybridge No.3 spent its working life at the Central Electricity Generating Board's Power Station at Ferrybridge, near Knottingley, Yorkshire. It was in operation for about 16 years before being replaced in about 1970 by diesel locos. It was taken to a yard in Sheffield where it remained until it was rescued.

Mr Ferguson-Lee said: "Our line was once used to transport stone from the local quarries.

"This engine is similar to the ones that used to serve those quarries until the mid-1970s."

The association also received £9,200 from Derbyshire Environment Trust's Derbyshire Aggregate Levy Fund. The money has been used to build an ash pit.

Mr Ferguson-Lee said: "This means we will not only be able to run this locomotive on our line, but any other steam engine. We have a number of engines and rolling stock. The launch will mark the return of the line as a steam railway."

The volunteers plan an unveiling ceremony for Ferrybridge No.3, at Wirksworth Station on Tuesday, May 25.

Guests will be transported up and down the line to Idridgehay by the engine. They will be joined by Bob Gibbens, Howard Jones and Stanislaw Szczecinski of Wolsztyn Experience, a mutual trust society set up by British steam enthusiasts which offers scheduled steam services in Poland.

Ecclesbourne Valley Railway is pushing on with plans to reopen the line as far as Duffield and offer passenger services from next year.

.

2010-05-10T08:21:47-05:00

Corrections on homework?

2010-05-09T21:58:01-05:00

Con. Lab.Lib. The war games

2010-05-07T11:37:10-05:00

Nice to sit here in France,and watch all that trouble in the U.K.

setting up business in France

2010-05-06T09:23:50-05:00

Hi,
Investors and corporations, you will find in this very original video all the elements of the attractiveness of one territory.
A must see, a marvelous and emotional masterpiece.
You will find here an interesting link : the link toward the - Val de Marne economical development Agency (France) 165 seconds, just enough to convince you of Paris economical destination – Val de Marne.
This video really emphasizes the attractiveness of the territory.
http://www.thefutureisaplace.com/future/
I wanted to share this video with you because I found this presentation very moving,
The future is a place

Help with your French!

2010-05-06T08:00:03-05:00

Hi!
My name is Catherine Annette, I am a French national and live in Wales.

If you wish to improve your French please contact me through my web site
http://www.soundfrench.co.uk/
where I offer on line lessons and French language services
Salut!