retirement in France

Hi Tariq, Sandy,

Firstly, do you speak French?
I moved pre Brexit and I am doing my best to learn French so that I can be part of the community.
If you don't speak any French then I would suggest you live somewhere with an expat community.
We live in a small town 20 mins drive from the main town where all the life is. The public transport is atrocious and very limiting. Look at the transport, visit the area and speak to expats.
The French are great people, but it is hard to make friends, even if you know the language. At night you can walk through a town and think no one actually lives there because of all the closed shutters. Lots of life behind the shutters though. I am persevering. Once you do make friends they are lovely.
Look at the French tax system. I didn't look into it and it is quite complicated.
Talk to your pensions advisor before you do anything. France is a very highly taxed country. I made several errors and it cost me dearly.
We live in the west so I dont know the areas you mentioned.
Good luck.

Thanks for your question. I am 72 and looking to move to Brittany to be with the French woman of my dreams.
I have similar questions as you.
One is how to cut off Medicare since it doesn't work in France, but I believe you have to keep paying for it, as well as getting French health Ins.

Watching with interest.
Bobmo

Hi rmorazes,

If you no longer live in the U.S. you do not have to continue paying Medicare monthly premium. To terminate your Medicare Part B, you will have to fill out Form CMS-1763.  You have to call 1-800-772-1213 to get an appointment to see one of the agents in your local SSA branch. There you would submit the completed Form CMS-1763.

THANKS!
Thats wonderful news!
Bob

We are doing the same and bought a house about an hour west of Montpellier. First, you have to get a visa long Sejour from the French consulate. Have proof of funds, then you should find a place to stay. you can do it online, rent an apartment in Montpellier would cost you around 800 dollars a month. They when you are there buy a house in a village should be less than 200.000. resources get an online publication in English french property it has all kinds of info on taxes, prices, procedures etc. We love it there.

Hi.  My wife and I are in the same situation.  We got the long-stay visas and spent a month in an AparttHotel in Nancy.  We'd hoped for Strasbourg, but with the Christmas Markets running, there was no room at the inn ... any of them.  After a month in Nancy, we moved down to Evian-les-Bains.  Nice town right on Lake Geneva ... or Lake Leman, depending on your perspective.

We're looking at possibly buying an apartment in either Thonon-les-Bains or Annecy.

We've found the biggest hurdle is getting a bank account here.  Can't just walk in and open an account, without which you can't get a French mobile phone, can't do a lot of stuff.  I opened an HSBC account in the States and am working to get it in international mode.

About opening a bank account. We opened an account easily once we proved that we bought an apartment. Just said we needed to make payments etc and opened it no problem.

Thank you so much for this info.
Did you have to get an international health insurance before applying for the visa?
What is the minimal money resources they require?
Do I have to have a proof of residence before I leave the USA to France?
How long does it take to obtain the visa from the date you apply?
Is this visa easily renewable?

Thank you in advance!

Thanks for your feed back. We do speak some French as we had lived in France some 35 years ago. Although a lot is forgotten we are taking lessons. We're planning on consulting an expert on tax issues before moving.

We're planning on taking a vacation next September in the South of France. You mentioned in your e-mail to talk to expats in areas of interest. Since we'll be visiting Avignon, Arles and Montpelier, how would we find expats in those area?

Really glad to hear that you don't regret you move. W are very exited and apprehensive at the same time. We're planning on spending a month in the South of France next September to look at housing options and a get a feel for it. Although we have vacationed there in the past it's quite different to visit with an eye  for permanent residence.

Hello, I’m retiring to Lorient, Brittany come June 2022, and I’d love to know if there are any Irish and/or American retirees in the area, as well as South Africans? Pretty much anyone who speaks English!  I was born in Dublin - my French mother went there to learn English and married my father. I’ve been living in the USA for 35 years - I am also a French national, and I speak French. Plus I lived in PE and Cape Town for 17 years in my youth.  I would love to connect with people, as I’m a little apprehensive about making friends!

If you consult French Visa website they list all the requirements for a visa Long Sejour. Yes you must have private health insurance before you apply, they never say how much money you should have. When you call they do answer all the questions you may have. Good luck

Hi

Despite my username here I am a UK citizen living in central France. I have lived in this region for three years but moved here from the South of France, about one hour west of Montpellier. There are a lot of expats in that area.

There is a club for English speaking people which we used to attend in the town of PEZENAS. It’s called THE TUESDAY CLUB as, yes you guessed it, they used to meet on a Tuesday. However, that changed to WEDNESDAYS, though the name remains unchanged as it was too complex to change.

https://www.thetuesdayclub.fr/

The link above gives contact details or you can simply turn up.

Good Luck. It’s a great area.

Hi MatDaisy,

Thanks for your reply. it's greatly appreciated. We lived in France (Fontainebleau) in 1980 and spoke French then but 40 years later it's not so hot. However, we are taking lessons and hope to know enough to hold a conversation.

We've decided to go and live there for 3 months to get a feel for the place. Is there a way to contact expats in the region one is planning on moving to?

We gather from your reply that you're happy with your move.

Best of wished for 2022

Tariq and Sandy

Hi BudapestPhil,

Thanks for the info. We'll definitely check out the Tuesday Club or whatever day they change their get together day to. How long did you  live in Montpellier and why did you move?  I gather from your e-mail that you liked it there.

Is it easy to meet expats in the area, other then the Tuesday Club?


Best regards,

Tariq

Hi Tariq and Sandy,

Actually, although I love France I do find the social life a bit too quiet. I prefer the hustle and bustle of English town life. However, I have the best of both worlds, as we have kept a small home in both countries.
We spend most of the summer in France and the winter in the UK.
Just be careful where you choose to live in France. Really check out all the social things that you can do. If you are from New York choose a lively cosmopolitan town. Just do your homework.

Hi Tariq

We didn’t actually live in Montpellier itself. We lived in Cap d’Agde which is a purpose built holiday resort about an hour west of Montpellier. We chose to initially live there as I at that time had a small apartment there which I had owned for over 10 years so it seemed to logical place to move to.

Cap d’Agde is one of the best known holiday resorts in France. In the height of the summer the population increases from a few thousand to a quarter of a million. So, in July and August you can’t move. But our main reason for moving was that we wanted to find a decent sized house with some land. That is very expensive in the south, much more affordable in Central France.

I agree with MatDaisy. Do your homework on the area you choose. Good public transport is very important but write a list of what is important for you...the must haves and the would like to haves.

As for meeting expats, you won’t find it difficult in the south. If you choose a town near the Tuesday club that’s a good place to start. Don’t be shy to start up a conversation when you hear someone talking English. Or even leave a note with your contact details on the windscreen of a U.K. registered car (you are unlikely to see any US vehicles). Or put a note up in the customer notices area of your local supermarket.

And if you ever find yourself in central France, there’s always a welcome here.

Good luck, enjoy the adventure.

In any town with 2000 or more people go to the popular bar on market day and you will find English speakers and ex-pats that are happy to help.

Hi Boatman.

We live in a town of 5000 people and I am the only English speaking person here. The nearest town is a 25 minute drive away so I think we chose the wrong place.
It is basically closed here in the winter months. In fact, we may move back to the UK even though my husband is French. We prefer the social life there and so many more things to do.
So anyone thinking of moving choose very carefully and do a lot of research.

Hi, Yes, getting a French bank account is hard but not impossible.  I use Revolut and pays everything with it.  I was able to get my mobile, landline, and utilities with Revolut.  I do have an account at HSBC which I opened online while in France.  It's sole purpose is to have someplace for CPAM and mutuelle reimbursements to go.  Good luck!