Census form

[Veem]

You're most welcome. I didn't see that the required info was included in the letter either. I assumed it was a generic printed letter with the numbers filled in as "an example". I much rather do stuff like this online where it is easy to copy and paste into a translator. Contact numbers are only useful for those who can speak enough French on the telephone. And waiting for someone to turn up to help with the paper form will still not solve the problems unless that person happens to speak English. No reason why they should as this is France but I just mention it to maybe remind "some" out there that not all of us speak fluent French.

Our letter (in French) had a useful accompanying information sheet in English. I assume that was because the mairie knows we are British and perhaps they may have made an effort to take on some English speaking agents?

[ajm]

When was the previous census ? - it seems a long time ago since our neighbour, deputy mayor, came round and did the forms for us.

[Veem]

When was the previous census ? - it seems a long time ago since our neighbour, deputy mayor, came round and did the forms for us.

A census agent come to the house not long after we moved in, so I estimate that to have been early in 2005. Not everyone was required to do it back then though.

[exile]

I had the impression that the census was done on a sample basis and not as in the UK with everyone filling out details for the same night. Certainly we have done two in 18 years, the last being a couple of years ago and on-line.

[L Austin France]

I had the impression that the census was done on a sample basis and not as in the UK with everyone filling out details for the same night. Certainly we have done two in 18 years, the last being a couple of years ago and on-line.

Pretty much the same here.
The last one we had was a few years ago & nothing this year so far.

[Blaze]

I think the census in France is generally done on about a third of the population at a time. The last one we did was about 2 years ago.

[Liz]

Yes the census is done on a sample basis each year, though there have been interruptions due to Covid.
Thus you may get a census form whereas your friends in neighbouring villages will not.
The census collectors are usually either council staff or councillors and they have a tough time so please be nice to them. They have to chase up every property, help all the really oldies and deal with stroppy foreigners like, apparently, some of you!
Last time around here I had my internet connection registered as an approved device even though I wasn't a named collector, as it meant I could 'do' lots of the English speakers here leaving more capacity at the Mairie. For others I went to their houses and helped them through the forms. I had some vey nasty reactions to some of the questions, which I dealt with by pointing out that similar questions are asked in the UK census.
Second homes are important as they get counted in on a 'partial occupation' basis, I think they get allocated 1 person per property. Future grants and Council income depend upon their population so they need to number up as many peeps as possible.

[MAD87]

We've only been censused once in 30 years - in our previous commune where we were visited by a Very Nice Young Man. Censuses are also important for historical data in genealogy.

[Spardo]

We've only been censused once in 30 years - in our previous commune where we were visited by a Very Nice Young Man. Censuses are also important for historical data in genealogy.

Twice I think for us, but by a very nice young lady. I better check our boite just in case as I don't do it every day.

[elsie]

The INSEE census is updated on an annual rolling basis with the oldest data for each set being discarded when the new data has gathered.

Towns with a population under 10,000 are surveyed every five years and towns with a population over 10,000 are counted annually buy a survey of a sample of the population.