Originally Posted by Joppa

Just be aware when you install SKY that viewing cards are sporadically (once every few years?) replaced. To get the new cards, you have to have a UK address to which cards can be sent (SKY won't post them abroad). If a friend or family bought the set-top box and registered it in UK before bringing it out to you, no problems - they can just send it out to you when they get it. But if you bought it off eBay etc, you may have trouble getting the new card (each card is matched to each box). This is the case with subscription service from SKY and may not affect freesatfromsky, but it may.
You can avoid all these potential problems by getting a box called Freesat (nothing to do with freesatfromsky). It costs from around £50 in standard definition, £70 for HD (but spend around £120 for a good make like Humax) and doesn't require a viewing card and can be used in France with a dish, pointed at the same location as SKY.
freesat - Home - freesat brilliant TV for everyone
You won't be able to subscribe to premium channels like Sky Sports, Movies etc, but otherwise you get a very similar range of stations as freesatfromsky. SKY also provide free view card (for viewing free-to-view channels) for something like £20, but they only send it out to an address with UK TV licence.