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French infos and quiz

  • INFOS TO DISCOVER

    Let's focus on 3 categories of info

    1. Everyday life information about France

    - Where to find a place to sleep at when migrants arrive in France?

    -in hotels
    -in youth hostels
    -in camps
    -in guest houses

    NGOs and Charities can help newly arrived migrants to find a décent place to spend the night.

    The housing Secretary of state has organized for migrants to be welcomed by French citizens. There are problems in migrant shelters which are too full. So the government encourage the population to accomodate migrants in order to solve that problem and help them to fit in the French society.

    - At what time do we eat in France?

    For breakfast in France it is between eight o'clock and nine o'clock
    For lunch it is between twelve o'clock and two pm 
    The evening meal is between six o’clock and eight pm

    - How do we greet people?

    We hug people we know and we  shake hand when we meet someone we don’t know.

    - A French specificity: "Vous" or "Tu"?

    In general in France we tend to say “vous“  more easily to an unfamiliar person until a bond is created between both of them and the “tu“ then comes naturally.

    - Polite or impolite for French people?

    The followings are perceived as impolite (among others!): 

    - Putting your elbows on the table

    - Eating with an open mouth

    - Taking out your phone while eating in company

    - Eating before everybody

    - Asking too many questions about the privacy of people or about their political opinion or their sexual habits.

    - What's the limit of indiscretion in the French perception?

    Someone is tactless when he breaks into the intimacy of another person. When a person is indiscreet, they express excessive curiosity and do not know how to keep a secret.
    Some things may not be asked like a person's salary, or said like verbal insults, sexual remarks...

    - What's a polite behaviour when invited at someone's place?

    We can’t stay at someone house without being invited, because you are not supposed to be invited, it’s seen as rude if you stay without the person permission, it’s like you are being intrusive and you’re interrupting them .

    Also yes we have to be bring something to be polite for the people that are welcoming us into their house, like sweets, chocolat, wine …

    - How to behave at the restaurant concerning tips and bills?

    Sharing the bill in France is a sign of kindness and politeness and that’s very common in France when you invite someone. Even if  it’s not always the case: sometimes when you invite someone you have to pay for them.
    The tip in France isn’t mandatory ; if you tip a waiter that’s very positive and it’s because you liked his service, also that would please him because it’s always pleasant to receive a tip even if it’s only one euro ! It motivates him/her to keep working.

    - The "Apéritif", what about this French specificity? What about the French and alcohol?

    French people love meeting before their meals for a convivial moment around beverages and snacks to exchange views and relax.

    French people are more focused on the quality of the beverage, especially wines, than on the quantité.

    - What's the French dress code?

    In France we can dress as we want except at school and at work. The current employer can forbid or require clothes which are adapted. In school we can’t show any religious sign. For example a veil for the Muslims, a cross for the Christians…
    We can choose the length of our skirt and dress except in school where it has to be of responsable length.

    - What can we laugh about in France? What is taboo?

    Quite an issue indeed : humour in our society. And we often hear that there are topics such as religion, racism, harassment, disability
    These are the things we can’t laugh about

    - What about parents/children relationship?

    The child is considered as an adult from the age of 18. Before that age, he/she is under the parents' responsibility and is submitted to their decisions.

    - What about man/woman relationship?

    Women and men are on an equal footing both in public and private sphères, and have the same legal rights and obligations.

    - What about money matters in France?

    It is really impolite and inappropriate to ask someone how much they earn. Because if they make less than the « average » they’re going to feel uncomfortable. The question in itself is viewed as too personal.

    It is also not really appropriate to borrow some money from someone especially from someone you don’t really know. You may ask a friend but you should then pay them back really quickly.

    - What about politics, can we talk about it openly?

    With family or friends, French people enjoy talking about politics ... especially with people who think like them!

    Generally speaking, it appears to be an unappropriate and intrusive topic to deal with outside your close circle of relatives.

    - What is needed at school?

    You  need:

    -a kit
    -pens
    -a schoolbag
    -notebooks
    -books
    - small and large sheets
    - calendars 
    -eraser
    -a pencil sharpener
    -scissors
    -a slate
    -a document protector
    -a bracket 
    -a ruler 

    - Where to buy meds?

    We can buy medication from a chemist’s.

     

    2. Legal issues in France

    - What about freedom of expression?

    In France we can say nearly everything we want . It is not prohibited to talk of politics in the street, newspapers. We can express our opinions as we wish.

    • Freedom of opinion , of thinking, of expressing (in political, religious and philosophical matters)
    • Freedom of the press
    • Freedom of movement
    • Freedom of association
    • Freedom of trade-union
    • Economic Freedom 

    There are exceptions : We can’t have racist, antigay words (…) that are not considered as opinion acceptable opinions

    - What about women's Rights?

    In France, women have the same rights. In 1944, the right to vote was given to them. All in all, women can do what they want.

    - What about children's Rights?

    Children’s rights are the rights of any human beings under 18. Children have the right to be protected, they have the right to be or to have a contact with their  biological parents, to have an identity and also to be fed when they are hungry and they have different penal sentences (shorter than adults). The rights of the child take in consideration vulnerability and the necessity for development. The scope of rights of the child goes from autonomy  to potection  against  physical, psychological and emotional violence.
    Guaranteed Civil rights :
    Right to live
    Identity and nationality rights
    Private life right
    Justice right:
    Protection of disabled children
    Right of non-discrimination
    Guaranteed Economic rights :
    Protection from job abuse
    Social security right
    Political rights :
    Freedom of expression
    Protection from violence
    Right against the violation of civil laws
    Guaranteed Social rights :
    Be fed and treated by doctors
    Protection (drugs, kidnapping)
    Right of protection in the event of war
    Guaranteed  Cultural rights:
    Right to be educated 
    Right to be appropriately informed (game, culture…)
    The laws provide severe penalties for violence against children.

    - What about minorities' Rights (gay, handicapped etc.)?

    regarding the third gender : Can I summit a third gender on my civil paper ?

     The french law don’t allow to figure on the civil status certificate another gender than male or female.

    regarding the same sex mariage : Can I marry someone of the same sex ?

    With the law of the 17th May 2013 on the same sex mariage, France became the 9th country in Europe to allow it and the 14th in the whole world. This law gives new rights for wedding, adoption and succession. The law n°2013-404 allows two persons of the same sex to marry each other.

    regarding transexuals : How can I change my gender ?

    The decree of the law of the 18th november 2016 on the changing of sex for trans people was published on the 29th march 2017.

    Thanks to this law, transexual people do not need to supply any medical papers to demand a changing of gender. Which wasn’t the case with the previous law of 1992. In theory, there shouldn’t be any inequality within the french territory anymore.

    But transexual people still have to meet a judge to see their gender identity to be fully recognised. It is better to have a lawyer with you.

    - What about State and Religion?

    • The law of the 9th december 1905 has decided the separation of the church and the state(be careful this law does not really exist in Alsace and Loraine)
    • The law of the 2nd of january 1907 concerning the exercise of public cults :The then religious(catholic, protestant, jewish) buildings do not belong to religion but believers and priests are free to use them.
    • The law of the 31st of December 1959 on the link between the State and private schools : The State allows private school to give religion classes, without any distinction of the origin, opinion or believing of the students. Everyone can go. They are back by the State if they follow the national syllabuses
    • The law of the 26th January 1984, on the superior teaching, said Savary law :The public education service is completely non-religious and independent of any politic, economic, religious or ideological opinion. It respects the diversity of opinion. It is supposed to guaranty the free scientific, creative and critic development.
    • The law of the 15th March 2004, on the bearing of any signs or clothes of religious affiliations in public schools : In elementary school, middle school or high school, it is prohibited to wear any big signs or clothes of religious affiliations. For example, small jewels holding a cross are accepted The Headmaster can ask a student to hide it in order to allow the other students and teachers to talk about religion freely.

    - What about the Right to smoke?

    We can smoke in different places in France except in indoor public places, rooms hosting an audience, in public transports and in schools but zones have been created for smokers.

    - What about minimum money support by the state for the less advantaged?

    You need to be older than 25 years old to get this income.

    - What about Rights for foreigners? :

    --> how to become estate owner?

    There is no restriction for foreigners but the process will be a tougher one. The law does not provide a right to a residence permit in France when a foreigner acquires property. But the law does not provide for everything. Any foreigner can, in the respect of the national law, acquire a real estate without residing in France. It is also not prohibited for foreigners to buy real estate (property, commercial premises...). However owning a house / apartment does not give access to any particular right. French residency and territory is regulated by specific rules and remains the consulate or the administrative offices’ privilege. Finally, owning a property is a favorable element in the context of a request for a 10 - year resident card or an application for naturalization.

    --> how to obtain French citizenship?

    French nationality can be obtained in many ways.

    By the right of blood: any child is French if at least one of the two parents is French.
    By the law of the ground : a child born in France of a foreign parent himself born in France is French by birth. For a child born in France of foreign parents born abroad, the French nationality is automatically valid when he reaches his majority if he resides in France at that date, for a continuous or discontinuous period of at least 5 years since the age of 11 years. Before his majority, he can acquire the nationality at the request of his parents (between 13 to 16 years), or on personal request (between 16 to 18 years), provided he lives in France.

    According to the naturalization procedure a foreigner living on French soil for five years, may apply to be naturalized. The decision is taken only by the administration which can reject the naturalization even if the conditions are met. The period of residency may be reduced to two years if the applicant has successfully completed two years of study in a French higher education institution or if he has achieved "important services to France".

    By marriage: under the law of July 24, 2006 on immigration and integration, a foreigner married to a French spouse for four years, and justifying of a common emotional and material life, may ask to acquire the French nationality. The applicant must also have a sufficient level of knowledge of the French language. He must not have been convicted of any crime or offense or sentenced to imprisonment.

    --> how to have free healthcare?

    The health system in France allows irregular migrants to have the right for free medical care for one year, renewable. However, two conditions must be met for this, namely not having earned more than EUR 9631 the previous year, and proof of a permanent residence in France for at least three months.

     Another advantage often points to a 75% reduction in the Navigo Pass in Ile-de-France for AME (name given to health support for foreigners) beneficiaries except that it was repealed in early 2016. It should be noted that minors and persons returning to the border may have access to this AME without any conditions.

    Moreover an NGO Les medecins du monde » has been mobilizing for years to ensure that these men and women migrants with or without documents can come freely to our reception, care and guidance centres. They are cared for there, accompanied in their administrative procedures to obtain the health coverage to which they are entitled and to be directed towards health structures of common law.

    --> how to integrate children to the school system?

    The schooling of migrant children is linked to migration policy. Whatever their administrative situation, the schooling of a child from 6 to 16 is mandatory.

    More than 50 000 students from other countries are enrolled in primary, middle and high school. The French state has organized to welcome the young migrants and assess their level. If their level of French is good, they join an ordinary class (1 out of 5), otherwise they attend a specific class. However there is a very big heterogeneity of practices. 

    You can find a school thanks to your district. It depends on where you live; in order to know which school you belong to, you have to enquire at the town hall.

    --> how to obtain a driving licence?

    The conditions to be fulfilled for driving in France with a license obtained abroad depend on the State that issued it. The rules vary if it is a European license or another State, and inthis case, if that State practices reciprocal exchange of driving licenses with France.
    If you have recently settled in France and you have a driving license issued by a State not belonging to the European Economic Area (EEA), you must exchange it for a French license in order to continue driving. Depending on your nationality, you must submit your exchange request within a specified period. If you fulfill the conditions for an exchange, a French driver's license is issued.

    You have the minimum age to drive the vehicle of the equivalent category (at least 18 years old for the B license) the permit is valid.You comply with the medical prescriptions (wearing glasses mandatory, fitting the vehicle to accommodate a disability, etc.) You have not been sanctioned by a suspension, restriction or cancellation of your right to drive in the country that issued you the license You did not get your license during a period when you had the ban in France to apply for a driving license. If you meet all these conditions, you can drive in France with your license as long as it is valid. Otherwise, you do not have the right to drive in France with this European license. You must wait until you meet all the conditions (for example, wait until the required age or the end of a license suspension) or reissue your license in case of cancellation.

    --> how to get legal permission to stay in France?

    To obtain a residence permit you have first to go to the administrative office to get a residence title, then after some time the administrative office will send you letter to your house that will inform you that your residence card is in the townhall, so you have to go there to collect it.

     

    3. Daily life useful information in France

    - What are the French emergency numbers? Where to find maps?

    In France there are different very simple emergency numbers that we have to know if we live or we want to live in France.

    First of all to call the police you dial 17.

    Then for fire emergency we simply dial 18.

    For a general casualty dial 15

    For a general problem 112 is the number to call.

    In order to find their way in when arriving, migrants can rely either on the help of the inhabitants like students or on interactive map or simple maps or city plans given at the Town Hall.

    - How and where to buy transportation tickets?

    You can buy a bus ticket on the net and then print it.

    You also can buy it directly to the bus driver. Some companies propose to buy multiple tickets in their agencies for regular trips in the purpose of saving time.

    Train tickets can be bought online or at the sales counter of the trainstation.

    - What about mobile phones and phone subscription?

    To open a phone line first you need to gather all the necessary documents.

    -ID card

    -proof of address

    -bank account

    -you can subscribe on the internet or directly in an agency

    - Where to find a job?

    In order to find a job, it is necessary to get information from job agencies such as the employment centre and to create your own profile. With certain skills, one can directly send motivation letters and CV to companies.

    - What about shops opening hours?

    In France, in big cities :

    It’s open from 9h30 to 19h30 from Monday to Saturday. The department stores like the Galerie Lafayettes in Spring are open til 20h00-20h30.

    Some open their doors one day in a week until 21h00, in general on Wednesday or Thursday.

    It is possible and legal that some of the shops on the Champs Elysées and others touristic zone can be opened on Sunday from 11h to 19h.

    In little cities or villages:

    Shops are all closed on Sunday and on days-off. But some of them remain open until 13h00 and some restaurants are still opened.

    In general shops open at 8h00 and close at 19h30.

    - What about days off?

    There are 11 publics days off in France :

    • New Year's Day, first day of the year.
    • Easter Monday is not worked. Its date is not fixed, but it is the day after the first Sunday after the full moon.
    • May 1st is Labor Day, which is the day off in France that has to be paid without working.
    • May 8th, called "The victory of the Allies" is linked to the capitulation of Germany at the end of the second World War
    • The Ascension Day or Ascension Thursday is liked with Christian religion. It takes place 40 days after Easter.
    • Whit Monday is linked with Christianity.
    • July 14th is the French National Day.
    • The Assumption (August 15th) is a Christian day off.
    • All Saints' Day (November 1st) is also linked with Christianity.
    • November 11th makes us remember the end of the Great War (1914-1918)

    - What about places of worship ? Service times?

    Christian Faith:

    You can practice it in Churches that can be found mainly in the centre of small villages.  They’re usually opened all day long.

    Muslim Religion:

    It can be practised in Mosques that are mostly found in big cities and not in small villages. They are opened during prayer hours only.

    Judaism:

    It can be practiced in a Synagogue that can be found mostly in big cities. They are opened all day long.

    - What about the cost of basic needs products? Where to find associations and charities and how can they help (for hygiene etc.)? Where to find schools and hospitals?

    There are many aids and associations in France, for people in need such as migrants .. To get food there are associations such as the Food Bank or the Red Cross. For the aid there are the CCAS or the CIAS. Some associations also provide clothes (Red Cross) and for sports activities there is the CAF, a French state administration, that can finance activities under certain conditions.

    Hygiene is a key issue for the migrants. Some associations (associations, local host organization…) help them by proposing access to hospital and to medical care. Despite the standards and the laws, very few have access to care and despite the existence of special structures dedicated to “the health of migrants” (opening of rights, prevention and information concerning health, social protection, medical consultation…) their access is still too limited.

    Migrants can rely on the help of the Catholic Relief which sets up premises so that migrants have access to sanitary facilities.

    At hospitals which are usualyy located in big cities, if the patient is a European who has a European card, he will receive medical help and the cost of it will be taken in charge by the health system.

    But if he is not from the EU, he will pay every single medical help.

    Prices of first necessity goods:

    A loaf of bread :2.16 €

    Beef/kg :23.33 €

    Tangerines :2.81€

    Potatoes/kg :2.03€

    Water/l :0.49€

    Liquid soap :2.50€

    Flour :0.95€/kg

    - Where to find meeting points for foreigners?

    Meeting places for foreigners are the tourist offices. The tourist office is an information center. There are also other meeting places for foreigners like cultural buildings, cafés....

    - How to open a bank account?

    You need some papers

    -a copy of a valid proof of identity: identity card, residence permit, passport ...

    -a copy of a proof of address on behalf of the subscriber (less than 3 months old) as bills dealing with electricity, water, gas telephone, internet connection, tax notice, property tax or housing tax

    -the signature of the client: it must be written on a blank sheet and similar to the one that I son the proof of identity

    - What about administration and state services?

    - the City Hall that allows to register births, marriages and deaths. It also is in charge of town planning, housing, schools, cultural activities…

    - The regional authorities civil servants take care of car registration documents, ID cards, passeports, driving licences, visas, building permits and organize election polls.

    - tax office is a building where you can pay your taxes.

    -the social security system controls the spendings of the health system.

    These buildings are easily visible because big and are generally in the center of the city.

    - What about insurance?

    In France four insurance policies are required :

    • « the national health system  » : each French must be protected. If you are sick, this insurance refunds the majority of medication fees, the part of your wages that is lost. Each month, workers, companies and the state pay for  the social security system
    • « personal insurance » : often included in the home insurance contract, this insurance protect yourself and the other person in the case of financial compensation to would have to be paid for material, immaterial or bodily injury caused to a third party. It is mandatory in all insurance contracts.
    • « car insurances are compulsor » : It protects your car, yourself and all the people concern by the accident in case of accident
    • « House insurance » 

    French main insurance companies : MAAF, MMA AXA, MACIF, MATMUT, GROUPAMA, SWISSFILFE  

    - Where to learn the French language?

    When you arrive in France, you are eager to learn or improve your French. Several solutions are available to you. You can take courses in a language school or private lessons in EFL. But these courses are not free, so there are solutions to attend to free French lessons. Contact your local council directly for information on associations. But you can also inquire at NGO such as the International Red Cross, “le Secours Populaire”, the” restos du Coeur” or “Terre des Hommes”. You can also use language applications to practice French at any time of the day. As for example Step by step, Busuu or Frantastic. Remember that language learning involves daily practicing.

     

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