TRAVEL NEWS
At the time of writing, there is still no offi cial date for the launch of the EES border control system and ETIAS travel authorisation. These will be required for non-EU citizens, including Brits, travelling to the Schengen area. EES will require your personal biometric data (fi ngerprints and facial scans will be taken by border offi cials). The information will be recorded digitally and your passport will no longer be stamped. EES will be launched fi rst. ETIAS will involve online registration, accompanied by a fee of €7 (valid for up to three years or until your passport expires). It is not a visa and only applies to stays of up to 90 days.
etias.com
British Airways have launched a new route between London Stansted and Bergerac Dordogne Périgord airport. The service will start in June and run once a week, on Saturdays.
As of February, toll rates (péage booth payments) will rise by an average of 0.92% on French autoroutes. The exact increases will vary depending on the area (as diff erent companies operate diff erent motorways). Luckily for travellers, the increases were not as high as had been expected.
EasyJet will off er a few new routes including Newcastle to Lyon (once a week, Saturdays); Manchester to Rennes (from June, twice weekly, Wednesdays and Sundays); and Southampton to Paris-Orly (from March, twice weekly, Mondays and Fridays)
Hate traffi c jams? Avoid these cities then, especially in rush hour, as they have the most bouchons ac-cording to GPS fi rm TomTom: Bordeaux, Paris, Marseille, Nice, Nantes, Lyon, Le Havre, Nancy, Rouen and Orléans. At peak times a 10km journey in Bordeaux can take over half an hour.
Ryanair is introducing a London Stansted to Clermont-Ferrand route in 2025, operating two fl ights a week on Wednesdays and Sundays.
LIVE LONG AND PROSPER F
rance is a favourite destination for retirees, who move full-time or spend a signifi cant portion of the year there, to benefi t from
the French art de vivre. To add to the attractions of the climate, landscapes and gastronomy, it has emerged that France is also a leader in quality of life expectancy, according to a recent study released by the French Ministry of Health. As of 2023, French women at age
65 can expect to live an additional 12 years without disability, while men can anticipate 10.5 years. These fi gures represent a signifi cant
improvement since 2008, with women gaining nearly two years and men almost the same in disability-free living. Rather than measuring longevity in terms of
France has emerged as a leader in a quality of life expectancy study
length of years, the concept is based on the way this time can be enjoyed, referring to disability-free life expectancy or the number of years a person can expect to live without limitations in daily activities related to health issues. France’s progress in this area has been
remarkable, with the proportion of remaining years lived without disability at age 65 increasing from about 45% to over 50% for women and from under 48% to almost 53% for men between 2008 and 2023. Within the European context, France’s performance is also quite impressive. As of 2022, French women aged 65 ranked fi fth in the EU for disability-free life expectancy, surpassing the European average by two and a half years. French men ranked seventh, exceeding the EU average by one year and four months.
NEW CHANGES TO HEALTHCARE A
mong several changes to the French healthcare system taking eff ect in 2025, benefi ciaries are now able
to consult a psychologist for free once a month without the need for a referral from their general practitioner. The ‘Mon Soutien Psy’ program, which
was launched in 2022, has undergone signifi cant changes to improve more direct access to mental healthcare. Twelve sessions per year will be reimbursed for up to €50 per appointment. To benefi t, patients can choose from a list of state- approved psychologists available on the
monsoutienpsy.ameli.fr platform. The government also aims to triple the
number of partner psychologists from 3,000 to 9,000 by the end of 2025. Among other modifi cations, a new
vaccine will be mandatory to protect infants from meningitis and, starting this year, the health record booklet
12 FRENCH PROPERTY NEWS: March/April 2025
‘carnet de santé’ will include dedicated pages addressing the issue of excessive screen time for children, aiming to help parents navigate this complex issue. One less-welcome announcement, however,
is a 5% decrease in the rate reimbursed for medications and medical consultations.
© RAWPIXEL
© WIKICOMMONS
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