Living & Working in Paris: Your First-Hand Introduction to This Capital City (How to)

319 Pages·2001·1.31 MB·English

by  Alan Hart

Living & Working in Paris
Books to change your life and work.
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Other titles in the How To series include:
Teaching Abroad
How and where to find opportunities and contacts
Getting a Job in Europe
The guide to finding short or long-term employment in Europe
Spending a Year Abroad
A guide to opportunities for self-development and discovery around the world
Living & Working in France
How to prepare for a successful visit, be it short, long-term, or forever
The How To series now contains
around 200 titles in the following categories:
Business & Management
Career Choices
Career Development
Computers & the Net
Creative Writing
Home & Family
Living & Working Abroad
Personal Development
Personal Finance
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Study Skills & Student Guides
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Living &
Working in
Paris
Your first-hand introduction
to this capital city
ALAN HART
How To Books
Published by How To Books Ltd,
3 Newtec Place, Magdalen Road,
Oxford OX4 1RE, United Kingdom.
Tel: [phone]. Fax: [phone].
email:
Contents
Preface 11
1 Introducing 21st Century Paris 13
Vous êtes parisien? 14
Understanding the French people 15
Discovering Paris by numbers 17
Tracing population patterns 17
Finding your niche 19
Understanding how Paris works 21
Parisian priorities 23
The changing face of Paris 25
Reclaiming the city – the new quartiers 25
Looking to the future 26
The great Parisian cover-up 27
2 Making a Successful Move 28
Preparing before your departure 29
Making the basic moves 34
Starting to really live in Paris 44
3 Travelling Around Paris 51
Introducing Parisian public transport 51
Using the underground 52
Taking local trains 55
Taking a bus 55
Choosing your travel pass 57
Travelling to and from the airports 59
Taking the tram in Paris 59
Avoiding problems in public transport 60
Taking taxis in Paris 62
Driving in Paris 63
Other forms of transport 71
4 Looking at Health and Welfare 73
Joining the social security system 73
Immunisation 77
Going to the general practitioner 78
5
6 Living & Working in Paris
Going to the chemist 79
Reimbursement 81
Additional health insurance 81
Hospital treatment 82
Dental care and eye care 83
Points to remember 83
Health in the workplace 84
Family matters 86
Sexually transmitted disease 91
Help with disability 91
Services for English-speaking patients 92
5 Enrolling for Education 95
The academic year 95
The school day 96
Elementary education (age 2 to 6) 96
Primary education (age 6 to 11) 97
Secondary education (age 11 to 15) 98
The final school years (age 15 to 18) 99
Education in English 100
Educational benefits 102
Higher education 102
Learning the language 108
6 Deciding Where to Live 111
Local considerations 111
Final considerations 113
7 Living in the City: The Right Bank 114
The 1st arrondissement 114
The 2nd arrondissement 117
The 3rd arrondissement 119
The 4th arrondissement 121
The 8th arrondissement 123
The 9th arrondissement 125
The 10th arrondissement 127
The 11th arrondissement 129
The 12th arrondissement 130
The 16th arrondissement 132
The 17th arrondissement 135
The 18th arrondissement 136
The 19th arrondissement 139
The 20th arrondissement 141
Contents 7
8 Living in the City: The Left Bank 143
The 5th arrondissement 143
The 6th arrondissement 145
The 7th arrondissement 147
The 13th arrondissement 150
The 14th arrondissement 152
The 15th arrondissement 155
9 Living in the Suburbs 158
The western suburbs 159
The northern suburbs 163
The eastern and southern suburbs 167
10 Renting Property in Paris 170
Finding the adverts 170
Understanding the adverts 172
Viewing property 174
État des lieux 176
Additional costs when renting property 177
Your responsibilities as tenant 177
The landlord’s responsibilities 178
Sharing property 179
11 Buying Property in Paris 180
Finding the adverts 181
Understanding the advertisements 182
Owning property in France 185
Signing the contracts 189
Looking at the legal issues 190
Financial considerations 194
12 Setting up your Home 198
Making connections 198
Dealing with problems 200
Looking at housing assistance 203
Renovating your property 204
Changing address 207
13 Finding Employment 210
The French economy – ‘You’ve never had it so good’? 210
Foreign workers in France 212
Looking for work 214
Replying to job advertisements 218
Preparing your French CV 220
‘Converting’ your qualifications 222
8 Living & Working in Paris
Writing your application letter 222
Going to the interview 223
Deciding who to work for 223
14 Working in France 227
Looking at employment contracts 227
Working hours 230
Holiday entitlement, leave of absence and RTT 231
Insurance and pensions 232
Collective agreements 233
Food and travel 233
Professional training 233
Worker representation to the management 233
Union membership 234
Dealing with conflicts at work 236
Cross-cultural issues 237
Paying tax in France 239
Unemployment in France 242
15 Au Pairs, Temporary and Student Workers 246
Working as an au pair 246
Working while you are studying 249
Seasonal work 252
16 Setting up your Business in France 253
Planning your business 253
Budgeting for your business 255
Finding the funds for your business 255
Taking the first steps 257
Protecting yourself if your business does not work out 259
Making the right financial choices 260
Working alone or in partnership 261
‘Multiple’ employment 262
Making the final decision 262
Useful contacts 263
17 Shopping in Paris 266
Food shopping in Paris 266
Discovering department stores 268
Shopping for the home 269
Shopping for clothes in Paris 270
Shopping for the children 270
Bargain-hunting in the sales 271
Bargain-hunting at flea markets 272
Contents 9
18 Discovering Parisian Sporting Life 273
Keeping fit in Paris 273
Swimming in Paris 274
Joining a sports club or centre 275
Cricket, rugby and soccer 275
Dance classes 276
Playing a round of golf 276
The sporting year in Paris 277
19 Catering for Children 279
Northern Paris 279
Eastern Paris 280
Southern Paris 281
Western Paris 282
Central Paris 283
Children’s workshops 283
Sport, scouting and guiding 284
Santa’s little helpers in Paris 284
20 Meeting People in Paris 285
The Anglophone communities in Paris 285
21 Partying in Paris 291
French dinner parties 291
Eating out in restaurants 292
Cafés and pubs 295
Cabarets and clubs 297
Parties 298
Births, marriages and deaths 298
The performing arts 300
Going to the cinema 302
22 Escaping from Paris 307
When should you go? 307
Where to go 307
Useful addresses and contacts 311
Index 313