Hello, My name is Joyce Jones, Utopia was the name of our villa, situated in the Tarn of SW France in a small village called Roumegoux. We currently live in Bangor Northern Ireland. I originally started this blog when we had our house in France, now we have our house sold, we have moved back to our home town in Northern Ireland. Utopia is now here and we have settled and are more then happy
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| Cycling round the lake |
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| Albi |
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| Lake on our walk |
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| This was just after we signed for the house |
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| Garden starting to bloom |
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| Spring has arrived |
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| With our dogs pebbles & bailey and our new french car |
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| Our first experience of French Cuisine |
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| Our cocker spaniel Buttons |
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| Our 1st christmas - 2007 |
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| Fruit trees blooming |
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| A walk in the forest |
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| Forest |
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| Some signs on our walk |
2 comments:
Any comments about the rise in Health costs over there in France ? I hear they are crazy ?? what about the price of gas?
At present mutuelles tax are at 3.5% and from the 1 Oct 2011 it is going up another 3.5% which will make it 7%. Although this increase is repeated annually. On average a top-up insurance cost €90. However, if the state continues cut backs at the same rate the cost of health care could be 10% of income. The UFC que choisir ( a French consumers group) has said, The decline in state reimbursements must stop. The benefit for those on low incomes should increase & top-up healthcare should be made more competitive. But then you get what you pay for, if you were to take PMI in the UK it certainly isn't cheap The rising cost massively outstrips inflation. Annual hikes of up 15% aren't unusual.
To answer your question on the gas, the French power group GDF SUEZ are asking for a 5% increase from 1 Oct. 2011, but are suggesting an increase in the number of people who would be exempt from the rise on income grounds. The number would increase from 400,000 to 4 million, on the understanding prices can rise for the rest.
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