Tax

It's 9.45pm and I'm just having a stiff one (drink) after having completed the dreaded tax form, in french.  They've changed our 'regime' this year and we will now pay tax on more than twice the percentage of income that we did in previous years.  We found this out when we received the form to complete.  Kick me when I'm down.

Kick me again - we also recently received a form from our local Mairie (Mayor's office - in charge of local people and local things), requesting that we officially declare our gites with them.  They already know about them, plus the business is legally declared, but this is another form of officialdom.  I suspect it will result in us now having to charge a 'tourist tax' which is basically a 'small' charge per night on every person over 16 who stays with us.  Officially, the client pays it, but in real terms the owner of the gites/mobilehomes/b&b/whatever will bear the brunt of it.  In tough times we can hardly stick on extra charges, people won't pay, they'll go elsewhere.  The money is supposed to benefit the local community, but surely these folk on holiday are already spending their money in the local community when they are on holiday.... 

Kick me three times - I've just spilt my drink.