Learning the French Doctor Office Procedures

Week 20 in France 12/15-12/21/2025. We are officially into our fifth month of full time living in France.

Welcome to the 48th weekly post of our Baby Boomers Move to France blog.

Things on the agenda this week:

We are in for another busy week:

• Meet our GP doctor and get prescriptions
• Some furniture (dining table and chairs and bed for the master bedroom) is to be delivered on Tuesday. It will be nice to have that set up.
• Once the dining room table is in place I will hang the light fixture, so it is oriented just right.
• Get back on track with the pellet stove research. With the heater working very well we don’t need a pellet stove in the living room, but the dining room definitely needs the benefit of a pellet stove (poele a granules).
• Follow up Solar power issues
• Follow up driver’s license application paperwork

The weather forecast for Chabanais this week is looking pretty good again with highs in the upper 50s most days and lows in the 40s with partly cloudy days and only a couple of days with a slight chance of rain towards the end of the week.

Why this Blog?

Long story short, we are “Baby Boomers” that have moved from beautiful Venice, Florida to the beautiful French countryside as retirees. After a little over a year of planning and fretting we sold everything and made the move on 1 August 2025.

We publish a brief update of our adventures every Sunday to share our experiences, tips and mistakes.

For starters, we have decided that the French countryside is where we will make our home. Although we enjoyed our visit to Paris, our life is not in Paris. We like the peace and calm of village life that includes amenities of course. We will explain over the course of our blog posts.

If this is your first visit to our blog, WELCOME!

To all of our regulars, thanks for being here and welcome back. It means a lot.

If you are thinking about a move to France? We are happy to share our thoughts and answer questions. Just drop a question in the comment section below and we will get back to you.

If you are wondering what got into our head and inspired us to make the move check out some of our earlier posts. Again, if you have questions about our adventure, drop your questions in the comment section below.

We are learning a lot about the French culture and lifestyle as we make our life here and each week, we include some thoughts on what we learn. If you have a specific question about France, let me know and I will be glad to get you an answer. Other folks probably have the same question.

This Week in General

Sunday afternoon we went to Chabanais for the Marche de Noel. (Christmas Market)

It was a small market, but we found some really cool wine glasses for sale at one of the booths. They look great. EB spoke with the older gentleman as his wife very nicely packaged our wine glasses for us. He said Elizabeth’s French was good.

Another gorgeous Monday with a bright blue sky and chill in the air.

We took a test drive to Chasseneuil-sur-Bonnieure to make sure we knew our way to the doctor’s office for our appointments scheduled for Thursday. We need to meet with a doctor to renew our prescriptions. We signed up for 15 minute appointments and to establish a relationship with a GP.

Then we headed to Intermarche in Confolens where a photo kiosk is located that we used for the official ANT photos. These photos are needed for the driver’s license application. EB picked up a baguette and a couple of croissants too. Then back to the gite to complete the online application.

As soon as we got back to the gite I uploaded all of the docs and just like that the application was on its way to Annabelle at French Connections HCB. She will review it and forward it to the authorities.

Annabelle will also work with the authorities to update our car registration with our permanent address. I forgot all about that. I’m sure glad she didn’t forget.

It is sooo nice to have a central place to go for help with the many administrative tasks that are required when jumping through all of the French immigration legal hoops. Dear friends, there are a lot of hoops. I have said it many times, but it should be said, French Connections HCB has been worth the expense for us.

If you know anyone that is planning a move to France, I suggest they check out French Connections HCB online. This is not a paid endorsement; I just think they have done and continue to do a good job for us. It is not cheap, but it takes some of the stress off.

Rejections are rare but they happen.

We just saw a video about an American couple from Colorado that want to move to France. They did all of the Visa paperwork on their own, set up an appointment and flew to California for their immigration contractor interview and flew back to Colorado to wait for the visas. Two weeks later their passports were returned to them with a rejection letter. They were very disappointed of course as they did not get the visa. So, they went to an immigration lawyer for advice so they could reapply with better organized paperwork. They paid the attorney who advised them to eliminate some documents and add some. With all of these correct documents in hand and after setting up a new appointment they flew back to Los Angeles, California for another interview then flew back to Colorado to wait. This time they received their answer in just one week. Big relief, they received there one year visitor visa. Next step is to travel to France and validate the visa within 3 months. I just gotta say it again, I’m glad we had a helping hand through all of it so far.

Taxes?

Very soon we will have to file income tax in both France and USA. I will get help from a French tax guy that partners with French Connections HCB. Of course, we have Brian Pamer in Florida to help with the US part.

While I’m handing out kudos, I should mention our real estate agent, Teddy and the company she is associated with, Leggett Immobilier. Leggett has agents all over France and connections to homes in all price ranges. Leggett has many YouTube videos that showcase many towns in France and various property options as well. Teddy worked hard and accommodated our needs and continues to keep in touch. We are renting her gite and it has been great working with her.

Ugh, the bed didn’t fit.

Tuesday was another beautiful day spent at the house. Furniture was delivered including our dining room table and chairs and most of our bed. Unfortunately, the part that supports the mattress (its called a sommier) didn’t fit up the stairs. We checked if we could fit it through the bedroom window. The window is way too small. In the end the delivery crew had to take the sommier back and order a collapsable version to be delivered in the first week of January. We will be sleeping on the Murphy bed for a couple of weeks.

Happy birthday to me. Like I said, 78 is my new lucky number. After spending most of the day at the house we went back to the gite and had an Aperol with Prosecco and orange juice, a very nice birthday treat while EB kicked my butt at Rummikub.

Wednesday we went to the house and made some progress on various little projects.

EB went to the market and bought some supplies and ran into our new neighbors, while I ran into a small snag on my task of putting up the dining room fixture. I had to go out and buy some screws. I got the screws and installed the mounting bracket for the fixture then after struggling with the fixture we decided to take a break. EB broke out the new beer glasses, and we had a beer, and I decided I would finish the light fixture on Friday.

We got back to the gite around 6:00pm and had a snack. I scanned our CERFA (Center for the registration and revision of administrative forms) signed documents for CPAM (Caisse Premaire d’Assurance Maladie) which manages the healthcare expenses of anyone registered with the general system. It guarantees your right to access healthcare. I emailed all to Annabelle. Fingers crossed all is good.

Thursday was our doctor visits.

We spent the morning doing laundry, our DuoLingo French lessons and catching up on reading the news, Heather Cox Richardson, Mary Geddry and our books on the iPads. I finally finished an old classic, “The Count of Monte Cristo”, by Alexandre Dumas. I started one of my favorite authors, Ken Follet. I haven’t read all of his books, but I really enjoy his historical novels. Anyway, I just started “A Dangerous Fortune”. Some days are just for chilling out.

Culture Shock

After lunch we drove to Chasseneuil-sur-Bonnieure to meet our French doctor. We had watched some YouTube videos about the French doctor appointment process, so we thought we knew what to expect, but even then, it was a bit of a culture shock.

The office is a small, very nondescript building in a sort of industrial area. There is no signage or indication that it is a professional building at all. You enter through a door in the front of the building into a narrow hall with about 6 plastic chairs lined up against the wall. No receptionists to great you no fancy lobby just 6 plastic chairs.

You take a seat and wait to be called into a small office where the very pleasant doctor is waiting at her cluttered desk in front of a computer. There is also a patient chair. Towards the back of her office is a curtained examining area that contains an examination table and other accessories.

There is no nurse to take your vitals. The doctor does all of that. It’s a one man/one woman operation and pretty efficient. EB and I entered and at the time no one else was waiting, but while we were waiting 3 other people came in and of course all say, “Bonjour”.

The actual meeting with the doctor was about 15 minutes long. She checked blood pressure and listened to the lungs. Then asked about medications and reviewed our documents then prepared the prescriptions. Next thing you know we are on our way. Since we don’t have our Carte Vitale yet we paid 30 euros each. Evidently that will be reimbursed once we have the cards.

CPAM update

Annabelle got back to us first thing Thursday morning with an update. She had sent our CERFA docs to the CPAM office in Angouleme and we should get an email from them in 4 to 5 weeks confirming receipt. In about 6 months or so we will get the Carte Vitale and will be officially on the French health care system.

Move In Day

On Friday we packed up the rest of our stuff and left the gite to move into our new house. Well new to us. I think that I mentioned in a previous email that the house was originally built in 1905. It is a small village house with all of the quirks you might expect in a 120-year-old house.

We did various projects and I finally got the dining room light fixture up and running. EB trekked to St. Junien to buy some more chairs, a rug, and a bunch of other stuff. by the time we had everything unloaded from the car it was dark and still raining. I made a quick run to the furniture store in Confolens on saturday. We are worried that since we had trouble with the bed that we might have trouble with the couch. The door openings are only 80cm wide. the couch is about 97cm. The lady said that she would talk with her colleague and let me know what they can do. I got back to the house, and we had a bite to eat and a gin and tonic and decided we were done for the day. We had one more gin and tonic and called it a night.

On Saturday it rained all day. Not a hard rain but on and off just enough to make it ugly. We did take a walk across the bridge to the pharmacy to get our prescriptions filled. It was too late the pharmacy closes early on Saturday, so we walked back across the bridge over the Vienne River and as we passed the little pub we decided to go in and start making our presence known and sat at a table and had a beer. There were a couple of guys at the bar. I was facing the windows, and I saw a woman get off of the bus, as she walked toward the pub pulling a suitcase she opened her umbrella. She came into the pub and ordered “un cafe”. She quickly finished her coffee and was on her way. It just kind of struck me like the beginning of a novel: It’s raining, a lady gets off of the bus, sees the lights on in the pub and heads for a dry safe haven for a cup of coffee. But she doesn’t linger she drinks her coffee sees a lull in the rain and off she goes to her rendezvous.

EB and I finished our beer, and Rosie was ready to get back to our warm little house. Our story for the day ended nice and cozy.

Hot water??

I decided to take a shower in the guest bathroom and test out the shower. The shower is pretty fancy looking, and I wanted to test out the various settings and jets. I figured out how to turn on the hot water, and all was good. I was a little concerned that the water pressure might suck. But water pressure is very good. The only problem was the hot water did NOT stay hot for long. In 5 minutes, the water was getting cold and a minute later it was downright frigid. Luckily, I didn’t plan on a leisurely shower. I will have to figure this issue out because I sometimes like a nice hot leisure shower. just another quirky thing about this house. I told EB that I would shave and figured the water would be hot by the time I finished. Didn’t happen.

Sorry, this is a weird picture of the guest shower. The wall where the shower wand is hanging is reflective so the towel warmer, toilet tank and wall outside of the shower is reflected. My intent was to show all of the jets in this shower.

On Sunday the water was warm and EB, who always takes a quick shower said she had no problems.

French Lifestyle and Culture

Gas Stations are Strategically located

In the countryside there are not a lot of gas stations. One really has to plan the week to include a gas station run. It is not a big deal because the Intermarche has a gas station, so you include a stop at the gas station when grocery shopping. I have run into issues when paying for gas. For some reason the only credit card that works pretty reliably is my Bank of America Visa. I have been having trouble with the BNP Paribas bank card. I need to put that on my list to sort out this week.

About Saint Junien

I have mentioned St. Junien a few times and I haven’t given you any details. It is about 10 miles from Chabanais (16 minute drive). A lot of the route skirts the Vienne River on the N141 highway. There is a TER (Transport Express Reginal) train station in St. Junien. Rates are pretty reasonable. For example, St. Junien to Bordeaux for EB, Rosie and I is just over 100 euros each way. Travel time is roughly 4 hours. In comparison, driving time is just over 2 hours from Chabanais. Guesstimating 6 liters of gas at let’s say 2 euros per liter so 12 euros. Generally speaking, driving is better, but weather might change the calculation.

This town with a current population of just over 11,000 dates back to 500AD and to this day is famous for its glove making industry. In fact, Melania Trump had a custom pair of gloves made by the Agnelle company based in St. Junien.

Administratively St. Junien is a commune in the Haute-Vienne department of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. This is a huge region that includes the Charente department where Chabanais is also located.

I had a great chat with son Mark. He is still stationed in the Marshall Islands but expects to be moving next August. No new assignment yet. Since he is a civilian working for the DOD he is not sure what to expect from current leadership. They have decimated the noncommissioned officers’ ranks. He falls in that category. He started a new hobby which might turn into a small business. He has gotten into 3D printing. He managed to trade for a 3D printer and is making all kinds of stuff.

Next Week (la Semaine Prochaine)

This coming week is Christmas week

• Hardware store run for paint and painting stuff and there was something else. I’ll remember it.
• Figure out how to regulate the heat in the house. It goes too hot to cold. I think there is some kind of program that I’m not getting.
• Figure out the shower hot water issue

Weather forecast for next week

Weather for the week is forecast to get colder with highs in the upper 40s and lows in the 30s. We will get a couple of days below freezing. Gonna have to double check the water pipe insulation. I think we are getting into winter for real. I don’t see snow in the forecast though so no white Christmas.

Signing off for the week

As always, we sign off wishing you all a good week and remind you to take care of yourselves and your family. Don’t let the Christmas shopping drive you crazy.

If you are getting ready to travel for the holiday. Safe travels. (Bon voyage)

Keep in touch and leave questions, suggestions and comments below. We really enjoy hearing from you. Your kind and encouraging words remind us that we can do this.

Wishing you a good week (Bonne Semaine) and Merry Christmas (Joyeux Noel)

Mark and Elizabeth Beiley

Babyboomersmovetofrance.com