At the beginning of September a wave of panic and confusion passed through the expat community in France : radical measures by France's new president would soon be introduced meaning that thousands of Britons enjoying early retirement in France could lose their rights to state health care under a new law that limits benefits to nonworking expatriates. The new rules will apply to all non French EU nationals, not only to the Brits. During his election campaign earlier this year Mr Sarkozy said: "If you think 53 makes you old enough to retire, then fine, go ahead and retire. But don't expect the state to pay for it."The change concerns Britons who have retired to France, are not working, and are not yet old enough to receive a UK pension, which represents around 6,000 people. frenchmart.fr/