Vie Hachés: — Maison France Services in plain English (and friendly French) for FREE: what they do, where to find them in Aix & Marseille, and how they (can) help with visas

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If you’ve ever stared down a French admin form and whispered “uh… où est Next?”, France Services is your new best friend. It’s a nationwide network of walk-in centers where trained staff help you navigate core public services: taxes, health insurance, driving licence/registration, benefits, pensions, legal access, ID papers, job-seekers, energy aid, even change-of-address—all under one friendly roof. Think “help desk for la paperasse,” but with actual humans. (France Services)

Let's get the cost thing out of the way first: FREE

France Services assistance (sitting with you to complete forms, using the computers/scanners, getting guidance) is a free public service. There’s no fee to book or be helped by a conseiller. France Services+2Ministère de l'Économie+2

A couple of nuances:

  • Official fees still apply for the thing you’re doing (e.g., passport/ID “timbres fiscaux,” vehicle registration, etc.). The help is free; the procedure’s own charges aren’t. France Services

  • Many sites even allow limited free printing/photocopying tied to your admin task. info.gouv.fr

That’s it—no hidden costs, just friendly humans between you and the paperwork monster.

What France Services actually does

  • One-to-one help finishing online procedures for 12 national partners (CAF, CPAM, CARSAT, ANTS, Finances publiques, France Travail, MSA, Point-Justice, La Poste, etc.). They also provide computers, scanners, and guidance on documents. (France Services)

  • Typical tasks they handle every day: tax returns, carte grise, reimbursements for medical care, benefit applications, pension files, ID/passport steps, job-seeker enrollment, energy vouchers, legal info, and more. (France Services)

  • Agencies usually represented

    At a Maison France Services, you can usually get help related to:

    • CPAM (health insurance)

    • CAF (family allocations)

    • CNAV (retirement pensions)

    • Pôle emploi / France Travail (job center)

    • Ministry of Justice (legal aid info)

    • La Poste (postal services)

    • Finances publiques (tax office)

    • MSA (farmers’ social security)

    • Ministry of the Interior (some ID/passport guidance)

Do they help with visas and residency?

Short answer: yes—with the process, not the decision.

  • Renewing or changing visas/titres de séjour is not done directly at France Services centers.

  • Immigration procedures are handled by the Préfecture (or Sous-préfecture) in the département where you live.

  • However, some France Services staff can help you understand the process, navigate the online ANEF (Administration numérique des étrangers en France) portal, or book an appointment with the prefecture. They’re more like a guidance point, not the issuing authority.

  • France Services can sit with you at a computer and guide you through France-Visas (for entry visas abroad) or ANEF (the Administration Numérique des Étrangers en France) for in-France steps like VLS-TS validation, certain residence-permit renewals/changes, naturalization requests, and uploading/scanning documents. (France-Visas)

  • They cannot issue decisions, speed up appointments, or replace the prefecture/consulate. Official portals remain: France-Visas for applications outside France and ANEF for most in-France procedures. (France-Visas)

  • If ANEF glitches (it happens), note the national help line 0806 001 620; some prefectures also run “points d’accès numériques.” France Services teams can help you try, screenshot, and escalate. (finistere.gouv.fr)

Reality check: ANEF’s digitization is still evolving. When tech hiccups happen, persistence + documented attempts are your friends. (Yes, Kafka had a Wi-Fi password.) (Le Monde.fr)

How to use a France Services center (step-by-step)

  1. Find your nearest: search by postcode on the official map, or go directly to the Aix/Marseille addresses below. (France Services)

  2. Book or walk in: Many accept walk-ins; for tricky files, call ahead for an appointment.

  3. Bring essentials: ID, dossier numbers, login info (Alicem/FranceConnect if you have it), proof of address, your phone (for SMS codes), and a USB with scans if possible.

  4. Stay organized: create a doc checklist from Service-Public pages for your specific procedure (they’re gold). (Service-Public)

  5. After the visit: keep receipts/screenshots. For visas/residency, track status in ANEF/France-Visas and note any deadlines. (Service-Public)

Where to go — Aix-en-Provence

France services – Aix-en-Provence (Hôtel de Ville)
Place de l’Hôtel de Ville, 13100 Aix-en-Provence
Hours (typical): Mon–Fri 08:00–12:15 & 13:15–16:30
☎️ 04 42 91 93 10 • maisonfranceservicesaixenpce@gmail.com (Service Public Directory)

Where to go — Marseille (a few central options)

Marseille 1er – Noailles
16 rue Bernard-du-Bois, 13001 Marseille
Hours: Mon–Thu 08:45–12:15 & 13:30–17:00; Fri 08:45–12:15 (Service Public Directory)

Marseille 2e – Bougainville
171 chemin de la Madrague-Ville, 13002 Marseille • ☎️ 04 91 11 42 60 • accueilefs@laligue13.fr (France Services)

Marseille 14e – Bon-Secours / St-Gabriel / Les Rosiers
7 allée Marcel Soulat, 13014 Marseille • ☎️ 04 91 47 47 40 • pfsp.lecanet@leolagrange.org (France Services)

Tip: There are multiple France Services sites across the Bouches-du-Rhône; if one is busy, try another nearby. (Bouches-du-Rhône)

Handy links (official)

Baguette Bound shout-out 🥖

A member of the Baguette Bound community flagged France Services as a lifesaver—merci! If you’re exploring life in France, their YouTube channel is packed with practical, good-humored guides. Worth a subscribe. (YouTube)

Mini language kit (so you can sound très capable)

  • Je viens pour de l’aide avec… (ANEF / France-Visas / la CAF / les impôts / ma carte grise).

  • J’ai des justificatifs à scanner. / Je n’arrive pas à me connecter.

  • Pouvez-vous vérifier ma liste de pièces ? / Y a-t-il d’autres documents requis ?

A1 → Advanced: quick study tips for your visit

  • A1: practice “Je dois + verb” (e.g., Je dois valider mon VLS-TS). Keep it short, polite, and brave.

  • A2: bring a prewritten sentence: « Voici mes justificatifs : passeport, justificatif de domicile, photos d’identité. »

  • B1: rehearse a 30-second summary of your situation and deadline.

  • B2: ask clarifying questions: « Quelles sont les étapes suivantes et les délais moyens ? »

  • Advanced: request a checklist and recap in French to confirm mutual understanding.

Curated, practical, and hopefully sanity-saving. If you’ve used France Services in Aix or Marseille, drop your experience below—what worked, what you wish you’d known, and any friendly conseiller we should all request by name. 🙃

Your turn: Have a question, tip, or tiny victory? Click “Comment” and tell us how France Services went for you (bonus points for the perfect merci, à vous aussi at the door).