New members of the France forum, introduce yourselves here - 2024

My name is Steve.I live in Neath presently . Looking to relocate permanently to Brittany.

Interests : Hiking ,DIY,Diving,Travel

Welcome Steve!

Have you consulted the guide?  It will give you a good overview: https://www.expat.com/en/guide/europe/france/

You can then reach out to the forum for more targeted help on specific questions

Hello All! I'm Steve, currently living in Maryland, USA with my wife. We are just starting to seriously research moving abroad when we retire in about 2 years.  About 20 years ago we lived in Geneva, Switzerland for 1 year and have had a few other experiences abroad. Our interests are hiking, nature, arts, cuisine and gardening. I'm joining the forum to share information about what that type of transition would involve and to help in the decision-making process which seems overwhelming.  Oh, and meeting like-minded people would be cool too!

@FigRoots

Hello and welcome on board Steve !

France could be a interesting destination for a new Expat project. Have you ever been to France ? Is there any region/city that seems more appealing to you ?

Feel free to read our Living in France guide for expats for in-depth infos about expatriation in France.

Regards

Bhavna

Thanks for the link Bhavna!  We lived on the border in Geneva for one year from 2002-03 when I was working there on a sabbatical.  Geneva was a great springboard for trips into France as well as other areas.  My sister and her family live in Normandy and we have visited them a few times.  I have a lot of research to do before really focusing on a specific area.  I value being in a climate with a decent amount of sun so it would probably be somewhere in the southern half but probably not the cities directly on the Mediterranean coast.

@FigRoots

You're right, the warmer and sunniest cities are more in the South.

Feel free to open a new thread on the France Forum to seek advice from members, they might suggest some locations.

All the best

Bhavna

Béziers is best; brilliant sunny climate, houses cheap to buy and rent.

Jonathan, New to toulouse. I am always looking for advice on where to find the best source for all sorts of things and places to go in and round the city. I enjoy rides out into the countryside to visit other places of historicl nd cultural interest, and for good conversation. My French is terrible, so I am always looking to learn. I have a dog who loves wlks nd driving about.

Hello, I'm Janice. We first bought a house here in france in 2005 (long renovation project) and  we've been living in france permanently for the last 13yrs. Now happily settled in the hautes pyrenees.

Things I love about being here are the people, the cafe opposite our cottage always there for a friendly coffee, the incredible health service, short winters and long summers, having four recognisable seasons, living in a house with tree sized oak beams, full of history, being able to access a  motorway in 5mins. Having land at the back for my hens and fruit trees. Weekly market in my village that attracts everyone from the surrounding area bringing the place to life.

Things I like much less,  having to install a new septic tank drainage system, a legal requirement for every individual house here. Gaining fluency in my new language, but  struggling with fine nuances of personal expression and never quite getting used to the timing of national holidays.  The  shops, two hour lunch break still catches me out too.

@Lavache14

Hello Janice,

Welcome on board !

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience living in France with members.

Feel free to interact with our members of the France forum and if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask.

All the very best

Bhavna

Salut, tout le monde ! I'm Will.

I am an American researching and planning a solo move to France. I have spent a couple months in France over the last two years, with the majority of that time spent in Alsace and Corsica. At this point, I think that at least initially, I want to move to the Strasbourg/Colmar area. I am planning another trip this spring to continue working on my language proficiency, check out a few other areas, and to further research apartment rentals. Then back to the USA to secure a visa and actually begin the process of renting and relocation.

My verbal French is quite poor, and it is difficult for me to find opportunities to practice it with others here in the States. I learn much quicker when immersed, despite my embarrassment of regularly making a fool of myself in front of the natives.

Hello everyone!

I'm Marian, currently residing in Ottawa, Canada, along with my husband. We're embarking on serious research about moving abroad as we approach retirement in approximately 3 years. Around 20 years back, we spent a year living in Marrakech, Morocco, and have had a few other overseas experiences since then. Our interests include hiking, nature, arts, cuisine, and gardening. I'm here to join the forum to share insights into what such a transition entails and to contribute to the decision-making process, which can feel a bit overwhelming at times. And of course, I'm looking forward to connecting with like-minded individuals too!

by the way , je parle bien français )

@Mariecl90

Hello there from Burlington, Ontario. My husband and I are looking to retire in Toulon , hopefully in about 6 years. Toulon ticks most of the boxes for us in looking for a place. I must say that I am a little apprehensive about the possible difficulties in renting a place in France ; from what I have read on this forum it can be a problem for foreigners.

My husband and I have started learning French on our own so hopefully by the time we get to France we will be proficient.

Hello and welcome on board @Will and @Marian !

Thank you for taking the time to introduce yourself to members.

I would suggest that you start by going through the Living in France Guide for Expats to gather as much information as possible about formalities and visa (Yes it could be a daunting task).

In regards to your search for info, feel free to create a new topic on the France forum so that members can share their views, tips and advice with you.

All the best

Bhavna

@Kblacker

Hello and welcome on board !

A lot can happen in 6 years (it coule become easier to find accommodation or even more difficult). Feel free to explore France during the coming years and go on exploratory visits.

All the best

Bhavna

@Bhavna

Thank you for your reply!

We plan on visiting a few places in France over the coming years. I will be a frequent visitor to the forum to keep up with new information.

Regards,

Kirsten

@Mariecl90 Hi, my advice to you is to live in Morocco and forget about France.  The French will not welcome you like the Moroccans.  The only reason that I am living in France and not Morocco is because of my advanced age and poor health.

My name is UBIA INNOCENT, base in Lagos, Nigeria. A self-employed Master Degree Holder, and I planned or intends visiting France soon.

@ubiai hello how are you

What is your plan now, so wish to move some where or want to continue with your same place

@parimaleswaran881 Hello. Thanks for your concern. I quite appreciate.

I want to move to France, and will like to meet with new friends.

Looking forward to your friendship.

Kind regards.

@jimleyla

Hello,

We've looked at a few places on the coast and I think Nice is too busy and too expensive for our retirement budget. But it is definitely on our list of places to visit while residing in France.

I don't know any about Hyeres except that there is an airport there. Perhaps I will look into it.

Cheers,

Kirsten

@jimleyla

Thank you very much for your information. We'll definitely look into Nice and Lyon.

Regards,

Kirsten

@Julien thanks so much for your kind reply, my name is rosemary from Kenya and I looking for a job in France so as to change my environment and change the life of my loved once.

@Julien

Bonjour.

We have been visiting Brittany for about 10 years and have decided the Dinard area is our favoured location (pity about the Parisians bumping up the prices).   We visit at least twice a year and will be there again from mid April for a couple of weeks.  We have looked into a permanent move to France and it is doable for us provided we can get through all the paperwork.  Our French is extremely limited although we are working on it with "Duolingo" online.  We  would like to meet with English speaking expats in the Dinard/St Malo area to determine if there will be a sense of community as we know isolation can be a big problem for some.  We have viisted the Dordogne region and know there are a lot of English speakers in the region but it does not have the wonderful Breton coast.  My wife is a US-UK citizen and I lived there for many years so would like to meet with both Brits and Americans with whom we woud have much in common especially as we are "ex pats" in outlook.  Are there are events/meets in the area around that time?  We are aware of an ex pat church in Dinan and may check it out although we are not exactly "high church" oriented! 

@Julien

hello, my name is Bruce, and I am currently in France on a 1 year long stay visa. I am retired, with the goal of dual citizenship, US/FRANCE.

I have visited several times, being in the wine industry.  my father fought with the ”band of brothers”, and some of his items are in the DDAY Museum in Carentan.

i will be traveling for this first year, hoping for a small village within 100km of a larger city for cultural events, healthcare etc.  I am currently here a bit over 2 months, and so far Orleans has made it to my long list.

Looking forward to more experiences!

welcome Bruce and have a ggod stay

Hell there

I'm Youssef From Morocco, I live in france.

@affroukhyoussef00  Bien venue, Youssef.  Vous habité ou en France?  j'ai passé beaucoup de temps en Maroc et j'ai trouvé la vie là-bas mieux que la vie en France.  Je m'appelle Chris. 

@krissward69

Hello, just a gentle reminder, you are on the english speaking forum. Members are requested to post only in english.

Should you want to interact with members of the french speaking forum, please find them here : https://www.expat.com/forum/viewforum.php?id=4324

Thank you

Bhavna

hey there guys

@Bhavna  For Youssef:  Welcome Youssef.  Where abouts do you live in France?  I have found life much better in Morocco than in France. My name is Chris.