Retire in France

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Member since 20 March 2018

mishmpMember22 March 2018 20:45:20

Hello,

I’d like to retire in France in the least humid area, rain ok or light snow but prefer warmth and beauty. I’m currently looking at Montpellier, Beziers, Toulouse, Casassonne, Sarlat, Peripignon and open to suggestions. I’m on a tight budget since I've read I’ll have to pay my own health insurance. I'm told that Nice is expensive. It’s just me and my beloved dog, she needs a yard and I love to garden. I'd like to be close to farmers market too. I plan on coming to visit the potential areas first, rent, then buy. I’d appreciate approx. cost of car insurance. I’ve read to bring nothing from the US and buy there. Any input is helpful. Thank you!

Guest1230789 Guest

Guest1230789Guest22 March 2018 21:21:21

214245

Hi mishmp,
- you can use this website to compare housing costs (but don't rely on the absolute numbers, as I think they are low): https://www.meilleursagents.com/prix-immobilier/
- check this site (Nice is the example here) for general weather (although I don't see humidity): http://www.holiday-weather.com/nice/averages/
I think humidity is generally higher at the shore (Sète is often more humid than Montpellier)
- you will have to pay for health insurance, but after living here 3 months, you can apply to be on the French system, instead of private/travel insurance. You would want to compare the cost, and that is difficult to do. Also, it takes time to get on the system after applying (and it's a very wide range of time). So you would have some overlap to account for.
- I wouldn't worry about finding farmer's markets - practically every town has them!
- I recently saw a news article that said the average cost of car insurance in France was ~600€ per car
- bring sentimental stuff; leave behind anything with a motor that plugs in - check the chargers for anything rechargeable, and bring a converter if needed. There are some things you just can't find here - make a list of things that are important to your daily life, and find out if you can get them here.
Good luck!
Julie

mishmp Member

Member since 20 March 2018

mishmpMember23 March 2018 01:27:13

Hi Julie,

Thank you so much for your input, it is so helpful!! The links are great! Thanks again!!

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