Wednesday 1 June 2011

New residents and some useful tips

A warm welcome to newcomers to St. Antonin, Glen and Kathleen Bloomfield. They have bought 'Paradis' the former home of Dr Ivor and Di Coleman and are now here full time.
Kathleen has some tips which she found useful and passes them on to other new residents.


The main  CPAM office (the French Health Department) for T&G residents is in Montauban.  However, a representative from CPAM visits St Antonin Noble Val each Tuesday morning between 9.30am and 11.30am and will handle registration and also claims or any queries.  The representative can be found in an office in the centre ville next to the tax office (which is just down from the Mairie}. (Newcomers in Tarn and Aveyron departments will find their CPAM offices in Albi and Rodez respectively, with "permanences" in other local towns.)


Access to the municipal dump (dechetterie) is provided free of charge to residents of the communities in Quercy Rouergue and the Gorges de L’Aveyron.  It is very useful for disposing of rubbish which is too large for local bin collections or for large items for recycling.  The dechetterie is located on the D958 just outside Lexos (inside the old Lafarge cement works) on the way to Varen and can be used for cardboard, wood, building rubble, old furniture, old electrical items such as fridges, cookers etc and anything metal.  There are also facilities for batteries (small and large), engine oil and garden rubbish. 
You must be registered to use the facilities; however, this is easy to do.  The first time you go, take the notaire’s attestation or proof of payment of Taxe Fonciere or d’Habitation to prove you are a local resident and carte grise of the vehicle to be used, and the man in charge will take a note of your details and issue you with a green card (carte verte) and an information leaflet.  Each time you visit, stop at the gate, present your carte verte and you will be shown to the appropriate area.  If you are lucky, the man in charge will assist you with unloading and sorting.

The dechetterie is open on Wednesdays and Fridays (9am to 12 noon and 1pm to 5pm) and on Saturdays (2pm to 5.30pm) except for public holidays. A second dechetterie is available to locals in Parisot. 
(Again those of you in the Tarn or Aveyron depts need to apply to your mairie for details of dechetteries in your area).