'I moved to France and became an estate agent for luxury homes' Former probation officier and mum-of-three Leila Bodross, 44, now sells premium properties on the Bretagne coast
Career change in France: from plastics to creative recycling Bob Hope explains his decision to leave a job in the chemicals industry to breathe new life into everyday objects
'I found my voice when I joined a French choir' Hannah Pickup from Vendôme (Loir-et-Cher) got involved in 2013 and is now its secretary and treasurer
magazine 'We moved from the US to France to restore a château' Mark Goff and Phillip Engel swapped the California wine country of Napa Valley for a new life at Château d’Avensac
How I became a beautician after moving to France When Teri Fox, 55, relocated in 2007, she mastered lots of new skills including fitness and aesthetics courses, as well as managing beauty salons – before going on to open her own
Experiences: Why I love where I live in Brittany Connexion reader recounts how she found her haven in Saint-Servan, Ille-et-Vilaine
I volunteered as a firefighter in France - and you can too Along with running a gîte in Charente, Chloe Elliston, 47, also helps out at her caserne
Career change in France: Lawyer to musician Connexion reader Martine Soukal, 54, tells how she returned to her first love of music while juggling her family and settling into life France
Experiences: Why I love living on the Côte d’Azur Connexion reader highlights the community spirit of his home in Alpes-Maritimes and the surprising lack of crowds
How I became a hat designer after retiring to France A village festival inspired this former business director to train as a milliner
Letters: France wrong to stop some people working after retirement age Connexion reader says training schemes are unavailable at age 67
Career change in France: from credit controler to running a food truck Mel Jones, 50, tells how she came to set up a mobile catering business
Letters: Vaccination campaigns are not straightforward in rural France Connexion reader says that local GP needed to convince enough patients before setting a date
Letters: I'm American but my English is more British since move to France Connexion reader says being around so many Britons while trying to speak more clearly to Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³» is having an effect
Letters: 'France's aggressive drivers make me shudder' Connexion reader says French drivers are 'more reckless' than those in Germany
Letters: Britons in France wrestle with bank account closures Connexion readers say letter from Crédit Agricole was 'alarming'
Letters: high death toll on French roads is no surprise 'France is a wonderful country to live in except for the drivers!' says Connexion reader
Letters: postal vote delays could deny France residents UK vote Connexion reader says service limits voting rights
Letters: pensioners in rural France fight digital life certificates Connexion reader says providers presume that everyone has access to online services
Letters: patients face six-month wait to see doctor in parts of France Connexion reader says that nobody seems to be tackling the problem of medical deserts
Letters: check your receipt at supermarket till in France Connexion reader says overcharging is commonplace and staff rarely apologise for mistakes
Letters: French visa application complicated by inferior software Connexion reader says applicants must pay more for insurance due to limitations of embassy computer
'Lacking’ ‘nice’ 'pointless': your view on no-alcohol wine in France Updated: mixed responses from readers, who believe industry still has a way to go
How I moved to France and turned my craft hobbies into income Karen Corbridge, 58, talks about her journey from project management to arts and drafts
Is French cuisine really the best in the world? A Connexion reader challenges the country’s gastronomic credentials
Beware of bulk-buy ‘deals’ in French supermarkets A Connexion reader advises that you should always check the price per kilogram
Homemade garden fire protection system in France A Connexion reader shares their solution to the threat of wildfires to their garden this summer
Reader’s experience of France’s DPE energy rating: ‘nonsense’ They believe their low rating is inaccurate and devaluing their stone property
All in favour of EU flag-flying in France Connexion readers give their feedback on mairies being made to fly the EU flag
‘Therapy’ dogs long overdue in France A Connexion reader shares her experience of therapy dogs in the UK
How to access the British gov.uk website as a French resident A British Connexion reader shares how he was able to create a Government Gateway account
Do non-EU six-month visitors have to undergo a medical in France? And, if so, what happens if you fail?
How to avoid the wait for a driving test in France France first-hand: Learning to drive - we speak to Libby Abel, who moved to Brittany as a toddler, about her learning to drive experience
Connexion reader gives his views on the Paris e-scooter ban Self-confessed ‘lifelong motorcyclist’ Chris Levings is in total agreement with the ban
Newcomers must not put off swap to French driving licence Reader issues warning to others as he faces sitting French test due to delay
Connexion reader overcharged by TLS Contact for French visa Here they share their experience of getting a refund
‘Preparing to put house up for sale’: Readers blast French visa woes Delays are putting people’s plans for a longer-term stay in France over the summer in peril
Five reader tips on how to avoid French visa delays Advice and tricks on how best to deal with TLScontact, the firm that manages the French visa application process in the UK
Will UK pension increases apply to state pensioners in France? The Brexit deals safeguarded certain entitlements for Britons abroad
French renovation rule over children having to OK work is insulting Firm told readers they needed to have their children sign-off on a payment they need to make to it
Visits to second home in France: be prepared for visa wait A Connexion reader shares his experiences of the French visa application process
What are moves to change 90-day visitor rule in France for Britons? Some UK nationals who bought a holiday home before 2021 believe they should be allowed more flexibility when visiting
Dry January in France: how our readers are changing drinking habits Readers have been sharing observations about how their alcohol consumption has evolved since they moved to France and whether they are trying out Dry January this year
Drivers from France shocked by London low emission zone penalties The ULEZ does not automatically detect if foreign-registered vehicles are exempt. ‘Perhaps TfL should reconsider how it communicates with visitors from abroad,’ said one driver
Solution to bug hindering online French work permit applications A reader who runs a bar in the Alps told of frustration completing the website form for non-EU workers; an official has explained what to do
Eurostar says response times improving after customers report issues Connexion readers reported being unable to speak to staff by phone, contact form or social media, but the operator says the backlog will be cleared by Christmas
Updated: Is France in a ‘spiral of chaos and decline’? Your feedback An article on the website of the UK Telegraph claims France has lost control of its borders and French cities are often sites of ‘lawless anarchy.’ Our readers do not generally agree
Stress at the border as UK pet passport is rejected on leaving France The Connexion checked out the rules on use of UK pet passports issued before 2021 after a reader reported difficulties
Reader's tip on pet passport after cat issues boarding UK-France ferry The animal’s documentation was correct but ferry worker had a problem with its wording. We explain the rules for pet travel between the UK and EU
Three month wait, 50km away: Your experiences finding a French dentist Some rural Connexion readers say they have no problem securing an appointment, but others have had to travel over an hour, even in an emergency
‘Surprised, touched’: our French neighbours’ kindness at Queen’s death Connexion readers tell of emails received from French friends and ‘a more gentle approach’ by shop staff after the news broke
Planes, trains, cost, carbon - how do you travel to and from France? Travel can throw up questions of price, convenience and climate change - readers share what is important to them
‘Enchanted’, ‘amazing’: Your memories of the Perseids shooting stars The meteor shower will be visible on clear nights above France until August 25, so stargazing is still possible
Ask a French person: why would bakery not swap my ‘soggy’ pastry? We look at why a reader’s request to swap a pastry resulted in the baker threatening to call the police
Excess red tape and bureaucracy in France is a myth Helpful tax office staff and easy online forms - one Connexion reader shares his experience of completing his tax declaration in 13 minutes
Banking in France without a mobile phone is near impossible Crédit Agricole insist on a mobile phone to receive SMS and security codes for online banking - otherwise ‘tant pis’ says reader
Bottled or tap: How do you take your water in France? Some drink bottled water to avoid the chlorinated taste of its tap counterpart, while another sees buying from supermarkets as a ‘con’
‘How I went about applying for French citizenship’ The process can take 18 months to three years, involves several different stages and a lot of waiting
Hebrew, Spanish, Esperanto: readers speak more than English and French We asked what languages you know and how you learned them following the story of the American who can speak 24
UK nationals may only have one six-month French visa per year Connexion readers report being told a new rule means people can only obtain a second visa from six months after the expiry of their first
‘New bins only make recycling in France more difficult’ The Connexion reader shares frustration at waste and recycling bins which are so impractical they may discourage not encourage recycling
‘Reason €10bn in French state aid is unclaimed is simple - paperwork’ A Connexion reader shares his tiring experience of trying to getting government support
French dental service is ‘fundamentally flawed’, says ex NHS dentist The retired practitioner writes that the system is ‘badly organised, poorly regulated, understaffed and not based on continuous patient care’
Is Amazon France censoring my bad reviews? Amazon customers in France have reported that their feedback on certain products is not getting published, but they have not had the same experience in the UK or Germany
French couple’s detective work reunites stolen bag with Scottish owner A Scottish sweet and tartan facemask in the bag, which also contained important medical equipment and a Valentine’s Day card, led to an international appeal for help
Aperos, choirs, cars, cards: Readers’ French integration successes We asked how you define and measure ‘cultural integration’ and how important language skills are - here we share some of the replies we received
No refund from BA for woman barred from flight over maiden name issue UK national Valerie Young was turned away despite showing her marriage certificate. She and her husband lost over £1,250 in flight costs for the trip to family in Canada
UK-France move: Reader feedback on French visas for early retirees A €200 charge to ‘validate’ each of our long-stay visas and the requirement to undergo a medical came as a surprise but we’re pleased to be here, say couple
Brilliant, effective, unfair: Your views on France's health pass The requirement has been praised by some as a way to go about day-to-day activities more safely but others say it unfairly limits personal freedoms
Reader experiences: What is it like to use the health pass in France? The most straightforward way to show the pass is to scan one’s vaccination certificates onto the TousAntiCovid app. While easy for documents from certain countries, this has posed problems for others
