French Women live longer why?

French women like to feel 'bien dans sa peau' (feel good in her body). I have lived in France now for 5 years and I have observed that the French eat a lot more vegetables and fruit as a starter, and consider wine to be part of their meal, no need to drink a whole bottle or binge.  They stick to three meals per day and rarely snack between meals.  The life style of the French reminds me so much of what it was like when I was growing up, in the 1950's (well except for the wine). I remember we had simple meals with lots of vegetables, we never had things like crisps and chocolate for snacking on.  Some of the longest living French women live in southwest's midi-pyrenees region famous for its fatty fois gras and rustic red wines. So what is the key to indulging in these fatty foods, it's all a matter of Moderation and variety.  In France life expectancy currently is increasing at an average of three months per year. French officials project, the average life span for women will be 95 and 91 for men.  I have also noticed a lot of elderly French cycle and walk a lot more. The French also tend to prepare their meals from scratch they shop every day for fresh vegetables and fruit, they have structured meal times and eating is an important time of the day. If you go out into a village or town between 12pm and 2pm the streets will be empty, everyone is sitting down to the main meal of the day, and it is defiantly not rushed. Yogurt seems to be another food eaten daily mainly for breakfast, and a lot of French buy natural yogurt and add fresh fruit.

In France 76 % of French people eat their meals, they have prepared, at home, with 75% eating at the family table. They spend typically two hours over lunch eating slowly,  never eat in front of the television and eat three times per day at regular intervals. In other words eating in France is a social activity, with several small courses, wine and there's alway water on the table.

The French women's guide to eating
French women never eat while walking or standing.
French women never snack, especially on fast food.
In France, every neighborhood has its own market.
French women do not belong to a gym, they swim, walk or cycle to keep fit.
French women drink very moderately.
So that is why French women rate second in the world for longevity. Japan coming first.

Madame Jeanne Calment the oldest person who ever lived. This photo was taken when she was 112 years old. She lived another decade and died at the age of 122 years old.

1875-1997

Social Benefits in France

Unemployment Benefits and Job Seeking in France


The Pôle-Emploi (Employment Centre) operates the employment centre, assisting job seekers to find placement and ensures benefits are paid. It also works with employers, assisting companies in their recruitment and collects contributions for unemployment insurance.

The conditions for received unemployment benefits are very complex, and depend on an individual's circumstances. However one criteria is that an employee must have worked 4 months out of the previous 28 months and not have left their employment of their own free will. The job seeker must pre-register either by email, or telephone, then they received a notice of appointment.

During the interview an advisor will write up a plan of action (called projet Personnalisé d'Accès à l'Emploi) to find a job. Job seekers eligible for benefit payments will immediately be registered as an employment seeker. Once the file (dossier)  is complete, and the form allowing unemployment benefit is signed, the dossier will be examined and the unemployed person will be notified of their rights.

The duration of the benefit is then directly proportional to the period of employment. So a minimum of 4 months employment grants you 4 months unemployment benefit, although if you had at least 2 months employment in the last 28 months you are eligible to a one-off payment of €500.00.

The duration of the benefit then rises on a scale directly related to your period of coverage, to a maximum of 2 years unemployment benefit for those less than 50 years of age.

For those 50+ years of age, the maximum duration of cover is 36 months, provided you have been in employment for at least 3 years. So if your salary was €20,000. in the previous 12 months, you would be entitled to €20,000/365 days = €55, per day.

Housing Benefit and Income support


Revenue Minimum d'Insertion (RMI) is the French equivalent of the British Income Support.

If a family has fewer than 3 children it will usually receive financial aid in the form of APL personalised accommodation help, which is calculated according to the global revenue of the household  and can account for a third or even half of the rent amount. If the family has three or more children, it is not eligible for APL, but receives family allowance, the amount depends on both the revenue of the household and the number of children. The money is paid to the household and not individually.  The housing projects are not rent free, but are relatively inexpensive.

If the unemployment benefit runs out before you get a job, and have worked 5 years out of the previous 10 years, then you may be paid income support. If you qualify then it is paid automatically. The amount of payment depends on your work history, average salary etc. This is called specific solidarity allowance, (ASS) and is set at €15.37 / day according to the resources of the beneficiary, it is paid at full or reduced rate. It is paid monthly for six months, after six months it is reviewed and may be paid for another six months.

A strong offer

It was 29th December 2011, we had a viewing from a French couple, living in Crepy-En-Valois, in the Department of Oise, it is about 35 Km north of Paris.  This couple contacted me through Le boncoin, which is a French property website.  I immediately passed the information to Century 21 the estate agent acting on our behalf, and they arranged a viewing date for 29th December. The couple were so keen on buying the house they asked if it was possible to arrange a date for the signing of 'The Compromis de Ventre'. (this translates to: (Promise to sell agreement).

The Compromis de Ventre must be drawn up by a Notaire, which is equivalent to a solicitor in the UK, although an estate agent can draw this up, but must satisfy the Notaire.   The Compromis de Ventre is essentially adapted for the seller, who wants the purchaser to be committed to buy. Once a Compromis de Ventre is signed by both parties, there is a cooling off period of 7 days, were the purchaser can rescind the transaction for any reason. But once the contract is signed the seller does not have the right to rescind.

After the couple came to view the house, along with 6 members of his family, they agreed on the asking price for the house. Now, as we are not fluent in French we were very dependent on our estate agent, who can speak fluent English. So the couple told our estate agent he had approval for a bank loan, (something like a bridging load), until he sold his house. So a date was arranged to sign the Compromis de Ventre around 12th January 2012, which the estate agent would arrange with a Notaire.  Meantime it is necessary to have Termite and natural & environmental hazard inspections done to the house before this signing. This was arranged and completed on 6th January and is valid for 6 months. So all was going along well, and then the bomb shell dropped............ Century 21 telephoned a week before the signing to say the couple had been refused a bank loan.  Although they were still very keen on buying the house, they would have to wait to sell their own house So the appointment to sign The Compromis de Ventre was cancelled and we went back to square one.

One good think about all this is, the couple let us know they hadn't the finance before The Compromis de Ventre was signed. But it is also a lesson for us, have the proof of finance before signing. If The Compromis de Ventre had been signed, and we didn't know the finance was not available, we would not have the right to rescind. Therefore our house would have been taken off the market, and we would have been waiting for the prospective couple to sell their house, before completion.

Todays quote"
'Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier'