Elderly couple looking to relocate seeking advice on EVERYTHING

Woah, this sounds like a big ask. Moving to another country is difficult enough but if you don't speak the language at all I would say that it is doable but honestly, you will need to start learning French immediately. Living here is not like taking a vacation. It's not like one of the ports on a cruise. If you live here permanently, forever, you need to learn the lingo to both communicate and also to fit in.

I was one of the few who did not do French at school so I have been learning from a standing start since we got here.  My wife and I have already made just about every mistake you can think of but we are still afloat. So, as I said, it is doable. You will just need to jump through a lot of hoops to make it happen.

Think of it as part of the adventure though.  I'd love to help so please DM me and maybe we can chat.

Cordialement,

Tony 😀

@wysemanjohn

Im older as well and share your reasons for moving. Im selling  a lovely one story home in Santa Fe and moving to Perpignan on the SW Mediterranean. I think one can find or have built one story homes but hard to rent. And there is a curious paradox making it hard to rent. Its not impossible but…if you are coming on a Long Stay visa you must sign a statement that you will not work in France and take a French job from a native. You may have a retirement income many times over the required amount but the tight rental market that favors renters means that landlords require strict review and much prefer a French income. Private owners may accept you. There is a way called Garantme that vouches for you but charges you an extra amount each month Third the best apts go to those with a French income and wont consider you even if you are working with a relocation company. Its super  frustrating. You need to prepare a dossier for rentals. One warning : France has 56 nuclear reactors and adding more  Outside the lovely city of Narbonne there is a nuclear waste disposal. The largest one in Europ!

@wysemanjohn

Im older as well and share your reasons for moving. Im selling  a lovely one story home in Santa Fe and moving to Perpignan on the SW Mediterranean. I think one can find or have built one story homes but hard to rent. And there is a curious paradox making it hard to rent. Its not impossible but…if you are coming on a Long Stay visa you must sign a statement that you will not work in France and take a French job from a native. You may have a retirement income many times over the required amount but the tight rental market that favors renters means that landlords require strict review and much prefer a French income. Private owners may accept you. There is a way called Garantme that vouches for you but charges you an extra amount each month Third the best apts go to those with a French income and wont consider you even if you are working with a relocation company. Its super  frustrating. You need to prepare a dossier for rentals. One warning : France has 56 nuclear reactors and adding more  Outside the lovely city of Narbonne there is a nuclear waste disposal. The largest one in Europ!

Im not sure why that appeared twice or how to delete the second. Apologies.

But Ive heard that French people are sympathetic to ordinary Americans that feel the way we do. They are able to distinguish between politicians and the rest of us, and they do appreciate even the effort to learn French. With all of the youtube French lessons from Bonjour to complex debating, there is no reason not to learn! And though people may differ in natural ability, age is not necessarily a deterrent. It’s a great way to keep the brain working.

Bonjour. A couple of long term questions for you. As you are in your 70's, and by your own admissions sedentary, what could you change about your lifestyle IN the USA that would make life easier for yourselves in the comfort of the home and environment that you now obviously enjoy? Perhaps you could look at it with new eyes, rather than moving? Just a suggestion.

Speaking French on any level is essential IMO and life would be very challenging if you don't or are not prepared to learn it.

Just changing countries because the US is going down the toilet under this administration is no reason to upend your lives. It entirely depends on your attitude and the effort you are prepared to expend to get to know the language, culture, people and place and to engage in local activities (difficult when you don't speak French) and to integrate to the extend that ANY expat can do so. It is a hugely expensive exercise! You will want 25% more (at least) in the bank than you anticipate. France is not a 'cheap' option to live, anymore. Healthcare costs go up, and in the year post-covid, our food prices (country- wide average) rose 12%.

Renting housing is extremely problematic as previously documented here. Finding a plein pied rental...or flat foot rental (one level)...is almost non-existent in most places. New builds on the edge of towns (in a lotissement of same kind houses) are often one story, but they are rarely rented.

How do you plan to get around if your wife's knees are bad? Are you expecting to have surgery on those in France? It will cost you way less than in the US but outcomes require the same level of effort in order for them to be optimal.

Handicap access is not optimal in France, and cobble streets can make walking challenging for those with mobility issues (I know this first hand).

It is more than an adventure to move to a foreign country where they don't speak English and are highly protective of their mother tongue. Depending on where you want to live, many French have an attitude about foreigners taking over their country, buying up their houses at premium prices (and driving the prices up) which the young folks cant afford to buy, let alone to maintain or improve et al.

It is a real challenge to find excellent health carers who speak English, outside of the major cities.

Big Question: If one (or both) of you should require long term health care outside of your home, how would you communicate with staff? How would you finance that, coz it isn't free and you are expected to pay/contribute to the care.

It really is necessary to have some command of the language in order to do the most basic of things in France. People here like to telephone, not e-mail, so how are you going to communicate/make appointments et al?

Customer service is almost entirely absent here which is frustrating for most expats, esp. Americans who are used to a high level of service.

Rental and finding appropriate rentals in and around those cities is another HUGE challenge. If you have the finances to lead a decent lifestyle in NOLA then stay there because the cost of moving house, setting yourselves up with all the necessary bureaucratic things in France takes endless time and effort and unless you want to keep paying people to translate and do things for you IN FRENCH, you will find the effort required is a killer.

Just  being highly REAL here. France is not a panacea, and Macron wont always be in power. Things change everywhere, all the time, and those of us who have been here a while watch the political goings on with interest and some trepidation (speaking for myself here). Laws regarding expats and the language requirements are in some flux, but increasingly challenging for many.

Taxes are high as are social charges. You will be a Tax resident in France, and will still be required to file taxes in the US as well. Again, tax filing is in French!

Life isnt all about sitting in cafés and drinking coffee or pastis! Its normal, everyday life as you would live in the US, but just in another country where you and they dont speak the same language. Heaps to consider. Bon Chance!

@tony14

1. Hi Tony, thanks for sharing your insights - esp. eye catching when you begin with THATs A BIG ASK.  Communicaton in French seems to be non-negotiable.  Perhaps you would comment on this quote:

Do People in France Speak English? Depends Where You Are  https://frenchly.us/the-best-places-to- … -speakers/

What INSEE doesn’t provide data on is how many French people in a given region speak English. Luckily, EF Education First, the global language education company, ranks countries, regions, and even individual cities according to the English Proficiency Index. EF drew data for their most recent EPI from 2,100,000 people worldwide who took the company’s English placement test in 2023. Though test takers skew young (with a median age of 26 for women and 27 for men), this index is one of the most comprehensive that we have access to today.

According to EF, the Île-de-France region scores the highest in English proficiency, followed by the Pays de la Loire, Bretagne, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, and Hauts-de-France. Grenoble, which is located ina the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, has the highest English proficiency score of any city in France. Unsurprisingly, Paris comes in second, followed by Brest (Bretagne), Lille (Hauts-de-France), and Aix-en-Provence (Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur).

While most French regions have “Moderate” EPI scores, and several French cities have “High” scores, Grenoble is the only place in France to earn a “Very High” score of 612, putting it in the same category as famously English language-friendly places like Amsterdam, Stockholm, and Berlin. This can be attributed to its status as a scientific and educational hub, which draws students and researchers from all over the world."

I have also read about Eyrnet with 20 or 25% Brit pop. with English widely spoken on the "streets" and even street signs in English.   I am trying to tease out if there are pockets of English speaking where we can do well.   I know people say you can learn another language without age being a barrier.  I think that is not true.  We currently struggle to hold on to our English skills searching and loosing common words and becoming frustrated with ourselves and each other when we can't understand what is trying (rather poorly) to be communicated.  If we are struggling with English it seems a reach to believe we can learn another language.  Of course I can be wrong.

You said you have made many errors, perhaps, if you will share them, I can learn from them and not repeat?  Are you like others who replied to my ask and discourage this move?  We are considering a move there because it meets several of our requirements such as:

Health insurance regardless age and preexisting conditions

10% tax on foreign earned income with a tax treaty with US so that there is no double taxation.

A climate that isn't cold and retirement visas for pensioners.

You might be surprised how hard it is to find a country that meets even these 4 basics.   The only other I can locate is Bulgaria.  Bulgaria has several attractive locations, but I don't think I can get past the cruelty to dogs and the highest in Europe smoking culture. 

Thankyou for your willingness to discuss your experiences in France.  There is so much that can't be learned from google searches

Be well, John and karen

@tony14

did you see my reply?  I am new to Expat forum and it looks like my msg just disappeared

@Hanvenwey22

This is very good information and something to be considered before making a decision.   I read on-line that renting is harder than buying a home but I did not get the sense that it was thathard!  Given these facts what is your experience with buying?   Also, thank you for sharing the tidbit about nuclear power plants - I strongly believe in Solar, wind and geothermal vs the unacceptable amount of damage possible from a melt down or leakage from the ever-growing spent fuel.  That being said we are only 60 miles from Waterford 3 Nuclear power plant - I try not to think about it.   

@donkeybros

Thank you thank you thank you for as you say "Keeping it Real" - just what we are looking for with this forum. In response

A couple of long term questions for you. As you are in your 70's, and by your own admissions sedentary, what could you change about your lifestyle IN the USA that would make life easier for yourselves in the comfort of the home and environment that you now obviously enjoy? Perhaps you could look at it with new eyes, rather than moving?

You have hit on a truth.  As time goes by the darkness of MAGA which I simply call chaotic hate becomes something you just live with.   Obviously, a long term move over a short term president is a crazy thing to do but we feel it is way beyond Trump with our country becoming ever increasingly belligerent, intolerable, unaccepting of anyone that isn't a wasp heterosexual , or a woman with children and flat out going to destroy the world by ignoring and adding to global warming.  Karen and I believe we are here on earth to help people - not hurt.  To give voice to those that have none.  This new America makes looking at it with fresh eyes an exercise in only thinking about ourselves and that runs contradictory to who we are.   Nevertheless you have a sound suggestion and to be honest I am exhausted trying to find a new home country for us.  Because of our age there is only France and Bulgaria we can be insured for pre existing conditions and age.  All the other wonderful things we look for in choosing another country went out the window when taxes are high, there is substandard healthcare or no/poor health insurance and no  visa for retiring with a pension or at least not one without a substantial investment in the country are available.

Speaking French on any level is essential IMO and life would be very challenging if you don't or are not prepared to learn it.

1. Just changing countries because the US is going down the toilet under this administration is no reason to upend your lives. It entirely depends on your attitude and the effort you are prepared to expend to get to know the language, culture, people and place and to engage in local activities (difficult when you don't speak French) and to integrate to the extend that ANY expat can do so. It is a hugely expensive exercise! You will want 25% more (at least) in the bank than you anticipate. France is not a 'cheap' option to live, anymore. Healthcare costs go up, and in the year post-covid, our food prices (country- wide average) rose 12%.  America is not cheap, and tariffs are certainly going to hurt - all of us.  We are both people who are adventuresome, love nature and enjoy ntergrading with the culture ...AT HEART.   I see both of us doing less and less now - we just don't feel as well or have the energy even though we take care of ourselves by not smoking or being exposed to second hand smoke, decades of a vegan diet, exercise, strong spiritual life, enough sleep and yes in our 70's having good loving !  All that and disappointedly we have less oomph  so I must look at a place where we can gently slide in.   Thank you for mentioning the expense of a move - definitely something to think carefully about.  Our thoughts were to pay with the sale of our home.   Our monthly net income is just N of 6K USD - what would life be like there with that amount - we hardly want to move somewhere we will have to financially struggle.  One plus for us is we would save the annual $5,500 a piece life insurance costs.

Renting housing is extremely problematic as previously documented here.   This is a problem - perhaps insurmountable. 

Handicap access is not optimal in France, and cobble streets can make walking challenging for those with mobility issues (I know this first hand).  Are there good handicap accessible adaptations in general?  Cobblestone will be tough.

It is more than an adventure to Not to a foreign country where they don't speak English and are highly protective of their mother tongue. This is information that I really appreciate and can not learn with google search.  However, when I try to google places in France for people who only speak English there are a number that are listed including a small town of Eyrnet.  I wonder if you might try such a google and give me your thoughts as to if there are pockets of places we could do well with only English-speaking skill or are these places where there is a large English speaking pop but still get along as they are all bi-lingual?

Big Question: If one (or both) of you should require long term health care outside of your home, how would you communicate with staff? How would you finance that, coz it isn't free and you are expected to pay/contribute to the care.  I have zero knowledge about long term care and assumed it was paid - guess it is as bad as here.  As for staff I found a internet site that connects you with English speaking doctors and again assumed there were long term facilities that had English speaking staff- I am so glad to learn about this from you.

It really is necessary to have some command of the language in order to do the most basic of things in France. People here like to telephone, not e-mail, so how are you going to communicate/make appointments et al?  Ok. . .  getting the pic this is not for us. Unhappy news but necessary to know.

Customer service is almost entirely absent here which is frustrating for most expats, esp. Americans who are used to a high level of service. Again, good to understand how very tough it will be without French language skill.

Rental and finding appropriate rentals in and around those cities is another HUGE challenge. If you have the finances to lead a decent lifestyle in NOLA then stay there because the cost of moving house, setting yourselves up with all the necessary bureaucratic things in France takes endless time and effort and unless you want to keep paying people to translate and do things for you IN FRENCH, you will find the effort required is a killer.  No just no we want to make a seemless transition not looking for a battle - thank you for telling us this.

Laws regarding expats and the language requirements are in some flux, but increasingly challenging for many.  Not something we want to get caught up with - we know by observing our own laws which are sadly all about deporting perfectly legal immigrants and bringing in white South Africans.

Taxes are high as are social charges. You will be a Tax resident in France, and will still be required to file taxes in the US as well. Again, tax filing is in French!  Ahhhhh

Life isnt all about sitting in cafés and drinking coffee or pastis! Its normal, everyday life as you would live in the US, but just in another country where you and they dont speak the same language. Heaps to consider. Bon Chance!

@wysemanjohn France is very welcoming and they don't hold the current administration against its citizens, although some people will indirectly ask questions to see what your political leanings are. I can't speak to Annecy (although I believe Annecy is fairly pricey as well) but I have friends who live in the Dordogne. Rental housing can be hard to come by and there are areas where it is hard to find a GP and other specialists. Most places in the Dordogne will also require a car and I see that you will be coming from Louisiana, which is not one of the states where you can exchange your driver's license. That means that you would need to take a written and practical exam in French to drive after being resident in France for a year. I recommend at looking at smaller cities like Tarbes, Pau, Montpellier, Beziers, Narbonne, or Nîmes. Although there are English speaking medical professionals and tradespeople here, it is advised to learn some basic French. Lastly, please keep in mind that rental housing requires more maintenance than what is typical in the U.S.

@wysemanjohn

I did this with a French wife, and we had her family's house. We spend only 182 days a year in France, so we do not lose our place in the US. You have hit all the problems. And it will not be easy. We live in a small village where she grew up. So we have a connection. I would suggest taking a vacation and looking around first. Consider learning French before your trip. You do not require a visa for stays of up to 90 days. To stay longer, you need a visa. That is done on the website.  https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en/united- … of-america  If you wish to try dealing with the Government, this is a real test. The rules are the rules here.  The forms are complex and must be followed carefully. And even my French wife does not understand them. It took me 5 years to go through Immigration to obtain a "Titre De Séjour", which is good until 2033. I'm 79 now.  I have a US phone connection via the internet, which should be free for you to call me.  I am 7 hours ahead of you in the day. But I stay up to 11 PM EU time. And we use the 24-hour clock, the Euro, Celsius, Meters, and Kilometers per hour.  But we do drive on the same side of the road. I traded in my Florida driver's license for a French one, which took a year to process. That was my training for dealing with the Government.       

@wysemanjohn

Relocating as an elderly couple can feel overwhelming, but with the right planning and support, it can be a smooth transition. Start by considering your new location—think about proximity to healthcare, family, climate, and community amenities tailored to seniors. Downsizing is often a smart step, so sort through your belongings early and decide what to keep, donate, or discard. Hiring a reputable moving service is highly recommended—they can handle packing, transporting, and even unpacking your things, reducing physical strain and stress. Also, look into updating legal documents, setting up utilities in advance, and ensuring access to medical care in the new area. Taking these steps will help make your move more comfortable and organized.

@wysemanjohn54

Yes, buying is more straightforward than renting. It is a little complicated. But the fix is easy. You start with a Real Estate Lawyer because there are many ways to get taken here. All real estate people lie, I am told. But the real reason is that it is very complicated. And the lawyer has to do the title. After you pick your city or area, you can visit many real estate agents, who are everywhere; a village often has more than one. So you can check the Villages around the city u pick. And for the estates with single-floor homes. They will be located on the edge of the larger cities, beyond the older groups of farm villages, or in a holdout farm area. The house must be inspected by someone you can trust. Internet, check them out online, and ask the locals. We live in Florida, specifically in Fort Lauderdale, for half the winter. If you're from New Orleans, the South may suit you, and I find the spring and fall cold. We are near the Pyrenees Mountains, 50 km from Toulouse. Toulouse experiences cold winters and hot summers. Look at your Globe and Google Earth. And we have Republican problems here also.

We are at the same latitude as Boston or Madison, Wisconsin, where I grew up. I agree with the others, try to learn French. And I understand the loss of words at 79. I have not done well at all with French, but my wife is my backup. But during COVID, I ended up in the hospital. With AFib (Atrial Fibrillation), they would not allow her in. It was a long three days. However, the phone translation was helpful until the battery died, and no one's charger fit my Apple. They are now compatible as of 2024. Just stay cool and calm, nice, and friendly. The weather here is experiencing difficulties, just like in the US. Call me or email [ johnfrfl91@gmail.com ]. The Internet says Grenoble has the most English speakers.    But that is cold mountain country. Here is a source of information: "ga@jeantaquet.com." Lived in the US and is a lawyer in Paris. His newsletters are on the website. He is on summer vacation. I hired him in my first year after it was required to have a long-stay visa. Since World War II, Americans have been able to come and go and stay as long as they wanted without any problems, likely since the time of Ben Franklin. However, in 2016, at the French Border, the police informed me that the EU now required us to follow EU rules. And the French government hired a subcontractor to operate it. And everything kept changing until now.

Thank you all for your sage advice.   Before we can ever consider a move to France we need to understand if there are places we can live well without speaking French.   All replys seem to indicate that is not possible.   

Seperatly this is part of an email from our correspondence with a Bulgarian native who is a French Professor, Author and

Professional Interpreter now residing and is a US citizen. 

Concerning our desire to sell our home and rent and problems with steps and old knees:  1)  Talking about detached houses having steps, I told you the history of how this construction model originated. What ensued from it is that there is a prejudice about living on the ground level – humans have to be above ground. There’s no such thing as a home on a slab. It is considered low class and it is a sine-qua-non that a house must have a basement—nowadays used for wine storage and junk stuff.

2)        Europeans are into drinking and this is one thing you have to do to build relationships. You mustn’t overdo it, you would be respected for keeping your limits but, you’ll have to try it to meet people who are willing to associate with you. You are supposed to loosen up with a drink and if ppl start joking or teasing and you accept it, this might make you some good friends.

3)        In France, ppl take at least an hour for lunch and drink a glass of wine- or two. Anyone asking for a soda is alien.

4)        Toilets in Europe are different. They flush but not in the way that would leave a little pool of water after the flush, as in the US. What ensues from that is that you can tell where the restroom is by the smell, if you are a little bit smell-sensitive. Toilet cabins in public places are tiny, even at intn’l airports. In restaurants, toilets are usually up or down stairs, never on the same level as the eating premises. Well, in fact, talking about this now, I think French toilets are not unlike some of the restaurant restrooms I’ve used in the French Quarter in NOLA, only the flushing is different in the US.

5)        My bottom line for today is, when you talk to American expats in Europe, ask them abt toilets, abt heating and A/C systems, abt driving and traffic, abt home access and stairs, about garages, about befriending locals (joking, drinking, and speaking in Eng).

6)        Oh, one last thing, the Internet works fine in both France and Bulg, as well as Spain where I’ve used it recently, but it is v different. It goes through local portals which are set up by governments and Google is not the same as it is here, CNN is only CNN-Europe, and much of the b’cast is in the local language. Tell me what kind of media you would like to have and I’ll tell you more abt it. After all, I’m a communication prof w/ intn’l experience!

Also, please coment on this information sent to me.  Sounds tough for people with arthritus.

French towns and villages tend to be situated on hills, for historical & cultural reasons. What this means is that you’re most likely to climb up and down streets to go anywhere.

Streets are narrow since they were charted in the Middle Ages. Nowadays they are cluttered with cars. Restaurants are set up on tiny little sidewalks, with tables for one or two (that barely hold your plates), and small, uncomfortable chairs. You are likely to sense the smell of gas while eating.

Driving up to places involves planning on time to find a parking space. Parking spaces are scarce and require parallel parking.

OMGodness! Whomever wrote all this downer stuff needs to visit more than just the old villages in Provence or the south east, which is what it sound like they are quoting. As always, they are individual experiences/perceptions.

1. French towns and villages tend to be situated on hills, for historical & cultural reasons. What this means is that you’re most likely to climb up and down streets to go anywhere.

SOME FR towns and villages are built on rock faces/hillsides, but many are also built in valleys (perhaps in equal numbers). This means that the towns might be super cold in winter. One of our local towns (we are mid-way between the two) is a Bastide town, built on a hill with lovely views, skinny streets which are hard to negotiate in larger vehicles, but that is the OLD TOWN part. The newer parts are on the flat at the base of the hill, and very walkable. Its good exercise to climb those hills!

I highly suggest practicing parallel parking in the US if you are not accustomed to doing so. Its a skill you will need. If you can do it in a large vehicle so much the better. DO NOT buy a huge US style vehicle in France. They are not built for the roads here, or vice versa, and are a nuisance, and not eco-friendly (im not a nutter in this regard, but we all need to be conscious of our footprint). Electric vehicles?? A WHOLE other story!

Drinking to be sociable. Yes, its a thing. So is providing food for good neighbourly relations. Nothing wrong with that. I am a non-alcool drinker, but often take my own, and party with the rest of them and no comments or pushiness is ever indulged in. No probs. so far! Our Fr friends are wonderful hosts, and yes, they drink a lot of wine, so buy a case!! If you give wine as a hostess gift, make sure it's from somewhere other than the region you are in, and a bit more expensive than the 1,99 Lidl bottle (which is just great, otherwise). Usually we give Chocolates to the hostess, from a reputable source. Flowers are also acceptable.

Restaurants  are not always two tables and chairs outside. Many restaurants are small compared to the US (anything is!!) and have a limited number of tables inside and some outside. Not really something to complain about. Take a cushion with you if you dont like skinny bottom chairs! Gas smell? Not in my experience. Many restos have gardens with fresh air out back,  and some have taken much trouble to make those spaces delightful for their guests.

Driving...yes, in some cities and popular small towns on the tourist trail, parking can be a PITA, but you time your arrival accordingly and be prepared to walk. No real hardship, as you can take in the local scenery at the same time.

A/C is relatively new here. The latest Energy Audits required for selling one's home always suggests installing reverse air handlers (Pompe a Chaleur) to raise you energy rating from and E to a C, for example. All it takes is ONE unit to be installed, for this to happen. Its definitely political. Most Fr people dont have the funds to make their houses airconditioned, and they take advantage of their shutters to limit the strong sunlight and keep their windows open/closed during heat and cold. A/C is a luxury here, but increasing as the Govt. requires electric everything, which is ridiculous IMO. Where is the infrastructure to support all of this?? 

Detached houses on single level. These are common new builds in Lotissement (subdivisions) built for this purpose. Never heard of the needing to live above the ground, for reasons other than in medieval and not so long ago times when sewerage ran down the streets and people emptied their chamber pots out the window onto the street! lol. Happened in so many European countries and the UK too, I believe.

I could post of photo of the ticky tacky single level ' pavilions'  being built locally on the edge of our nearest town. Small lots, walled or fenced in, almost no eaves, flat facades with little to distinguish them from their neighbours. Rather soulless, but popular with all ages. They would be good places to live to get to know your neighbours well, IMO.

Toilets: Oh boy!  In some places they are the Long Drop kind, which are fun and funny, to me. Just step off the foot pads before you pull that flusher! lol. Do they smell? Well, any loo smells when it is being used by people who are less than sanitary in their habits. 'Patrons' will clean loos once a day usually, unless it's a public building like the Louvre which has a WC person who also collects the money to use the loo.  For the most part, the toilets in public places have no seat, you just sit on the porcelain, but they are regular loos IME.

Supermarket loos are cleaned regularly and display their cleaning schedules, as do hospitals. Not to say that those that use them are thoughtful of those who have to do the job of cleaning!  The ones in OUR house are either electric macerator (we have a fosse septique) which are excellent unless the power goes out, and one normal flush loo, which is taller than most for us seniors.

Heating: We are on a fuel oil central heating system which is fabulous. Ambient heat is kept at about 17C in winter and we put more sweaters on and have knee rugs when sitting. Economy is expected. Some Europeans prefer to have their houses permanently at 21-24C. not healthy IMO and according to the experts. Some have electric wall heaters and Pompe a chaleur ( as described above). I have yet to go into a house that has no heating at all. Some just have fireplaces and use wood. We also have Poel a bois (closed wood-fired boxes) and poel a granules, closed fire boxes that use wood composite pellets) which are very efficient. The latter is also recommended these days for your whole of house heating systems, incl. hot water.

Stairs and home access: Yes, most older houses have stairs. Economy of land/cost etc dictated that stairs were necessary to access the higher floors. If you look at a lot of Real estate adverts. you may see hospital type beds in the corner of the living room for that senior member who required single floor living in their old age and infirmity.  Many homes have VERY steep stairs out of necessity. You obviously wont buy one of those if you have bad knees and need higher floor access. Choices!

Garages: Some are on the level, and attached or separate from the house. Ours is underneath the house alongside the entire open basement/cave where we store all that STUFF. Yes, there are stairs up to the kitchen from below, and that's fine. We also walk down the side of the house to access the garage/workshop. Not a hardship, if we don't want to use the stairs. Many houses have very skinny stairwells, and we often wonder how they got the king bed up them. You will also see HUGE dressers or free standing closets in bedrooms up three flights of stairs. Most of them are taken apart to transport. We found this out by accident when we had a huge dresser to get out of one of our houses. They come apart with a few strategically placed screws or other things. Beautifully made, I might add. There may be those that also dont come apart! People who move furniture for a living know how to get these items where they have to be.

WIFI - internet. France has had a big push to install Fibre everywhere. Most successful. Many places still waiting, but the Mairie can tell you the projected date of success for that. Because so many houses have thick stone walls, we find our cell phones don't work so well inside the house, necessitating a visit to the terrace or outside the front door for better coverage. WIFI in the house? Not a problem and we have booster units where necessary. We subscribe to different telecom providers. Internet/landline are all with Orange. There are only two main providers in France and everyone else sublets from those two. Orange is one of them,  Bouygues is the other. We use Lebara for our cell phones and pay 11,99 a month which allows us to call more than 50 countries  free of charge (no charge over and above the monthly fee). I call my sister in the US and pay nothing extra.

CNN: Yes, CNN Europe only. Not a problem usually. However, you have access to much more International news which is valuable IMO. Al Jazeera, BBC, SKY TV, so many international choices for news which broadens ones view! Important in these times.

Driving:  Read the road code and know it well!  Hopefully you will come from a state where you can exchange your driver's license for a Fr one. If not, learn the language so you can do the école required and pass the test. US friends finally got their licenses after four tries!

Driving per se isnt usually a problem. The FR like to drive on MY side of the road (oncoming) , especially on corners and I often feel like I have a target on my forehead. Drive defensively at all times and expect others to not do so. Roads are often skinny in country areas, and courtesy is required when passing oncoming traffic. I slow down to preserve myself more than the other person/truck.

Enjoy the lack of traffic on so many of the roads. Some of the highways we travel are devoid of main street type traffic. Trucks are a major issue in some places on the big Highways. Stay off the 130kph highways and drive the non-toll (Péage) roads and highways. Like anywhere, we all have choices getting from A to B. So it takes you an hour more...big deal, you will see places you would never see from major highways and get to stop and enjoy the scenery and the boulangerie/patisserie in some small town in the middle of nowhere. Fantastic IMO.

Life in Fr is an adventure, every single day. Its not always fantastic, but a sense of humour is necessary, and once you get over your frustration, the ability to laugh at yourself and what happened, is essential.

Being in the south Charente, south west France/Aquitaine, life is different to the other regions of France. Choose your region carefully!

Climate change is real here, and has changed a lot since we arrived in Fr in  2015.

Life exists outside of Provence, and it pays to visit all of France to find your little piece of paradise before settling down. It also pays not to be in a hurry.

I hear from Americans who see 20 houses in a 3 week visit and go home to the US exhausted and disenchanted because they didn't buy their FR home in those 3 weeks.

FFS! There is NO WAY you can even know what it is you are buying and where, in that timeframe, unless you have spent an awful long time in the area and know it well, already.  There is no such thing in FR as a quick house sale...if it happens, you are one of very few lucky ones.

Traditionally, houses take long months/years to sell, so choose wisely and with a view to selling in the future, should you need to for health or other circumstances beyond your control.

I always highly suggest house-sitting in various areas. Join a reputable house sitting company on the internet and organize through them for sits of more than one month, preferable. The longer you stay in an area and use it as a base for exploration, the better you will understand the area and your own needs/wants.  Just my 30 euros worth

Bonjour! If I had read most of these  posts, I'd never have relocated to France after I retired last year. My experience is this: I began learning French a few years ago using the free app Duolingo, but still have a ways to go. A few years before I retired, I bought a small house sight unseen (saw videos and pix online) located in a charming market town in Pays de la Loire (near Normandy). It's 2 bed, 1 bath, 3 stories and cost about $55,000. House sitters cared for it until I was able to relocate. They also managed contractors for renovation of the kitchen and bath, which are now entirely modern. I had two mini-splits installed, which heat and cool the house and keep me quite comfortable year round at low cost. Utilities are cheaper - internet, phone, electricity, water. Even car and home insurance are cheaper. I file a French tax form, yes, but pay no French taxes - it's just a formality under a US-France tax agreement and a translator handles it all for me for 100 euros. I have a VPN and Fire Stick which give me all my US streaming services on my computer and TV. I'm in the French healthcare system now, which you can apply for once you've been here for three months. Healthcare is much cheaper and top-tier, but I also top it off with supplemental insurance, which runs me about 66 euros a month. There are low-cost translators that can deal with businesses or bureaucracy for you. My town has a small English-speaking expat community, and I'd wager you can find English-speakers in and around any town in France. A couple of small cities in my general area here in the Northwest that you might consider would be Rennes or Nantes - attractive, many English speakers, public transportation, culture, mild weather, etc. One of the first things you'll want to do is open a French bank account, which is surprisingly difficult because of the required paperwork, but very important. (My bank also offers insurance.) There are Facebook groups for US expats and retirees in France offering advice and guides on everything you can imagine. There are also "hand-holders" - agents or agencies that walk you through relocation, step by step. I didn't use one, so can't recommend any or speak of the cost. In sum, my little home is nice and modern, I walk to shops that supply everything I need (Amazon delivers here, too), I have a little car to explore the area, I'm making friends and starting to volunteer with local groups (including a language group to improve my French), and thoroughly enjoying a quiet and comfortable life in France. So, yes, it can be done!

@wysemanjohn

I am 80 and love my life in France.

don’t let anyone put  you off, go for it , life is for the living, and what and adventure it will be !!

I do not speak French , however the French are very respectful of the “ mature “ people.

i am learning as I go , but so far people have been so helpful to me .

Yes rentals are difficult and lots of paperwork , but I have found a long term rental  thru a site called “ long term rentals” And another option I used at the start , was Airbnb.

Also ,  if you plan to come make it so you slot in with winter rentals . Sept/oct to May .

this gives you  a chance to spend a few months In a town  and get the feel of it and then when the rental  is over , you can decide where to go to next .

You will enjoy , what will be the start of your new life, get going.!!

pat

@boatman1940h

Friend, thank you for providing a ton of information.  I greatly appreciate your insights and exeriences and  we are taking everything to heart in our decision making.   One simple question:   As per your statement "I have not done well at all with French, but my wife is my backup. "  what would life be like without her french speaking talenets?  Your hospital experience sounds horrible.   I have heard enough comments including one from donkeybrothers to either learn french or stay home, to conclude this country will be a constant struggle and not easy to thrive in with only knowing English.   True, there is Eymet where apparently all the French can converse in English with the 30% Brit population but the village population is only a couple of thousand !  So that would indicate you can not live a english speaking insulated life because obviously you must travel to Bergerac or Bordeaux and once again deal with a language problem.   I appreciate your thoughts on how well and how comfortable your life would be without your wife's linguistic skills.  Thanks !

@Patriciamary

Wow, I can't express how refreshing is your reply.   Just this very day I finally gave up on France as a possible home because every one writes the same thing ie you must try to learn French or even the most basics such as communication with health care staff and doctors is not going to go well. They say people in French like to do everything via phone and not internet so once again any services we need will be a problem. One person on  Expat told me if I wasn't willing to learn French I should just stay home.   So, please tell me how your experiences are different.   

Good to know about the drivers license not being acceepted in France but not surprising given the number of trial lawyers here which makes car incsurance very high and that cycles into a majority of people not having car insurance.  I am sure an algorithm somewhere factors all of this in when France's decision s not to accept a Louisiana liscense.  So are there translators allowed or english versions of the drivers exam as many countries provide?  Renting seems so problematic there.   At my age I am getting tired of making repairs, keeping up landscape even though once a joy now is intolerable in consistently 100 degree days and nights in high 80s. But you mentioned renting in France is not a utopia with none of those responsiblities.  Can you be more specific what is expected of a renter?

@GreenWre Thank you for providing these important insights.   I already am aware of the benefits of taxation on our teacher's pensions and the excellent health care which costs so little compared to what we pay for Medicare and a supplemental. I doubt we can qualitfy for a supplemental in France because of our age but I have read the coverage gap becomes much less after age 65 and disappears with cronic conditions. Do you have any real life experiences you can share about health care and cost in France that will help us understand the differences?

I wrote off the Brittany area early-on because I was told the climate is so windy, rainy and cold especially for a Southerner and yet it has  become so hot and humid in New Orleans (only going to get worse) that a cooler climate sounds a becoming-attractive.  Numbeo which uses write-in surveys of people living in the city of interest has nothing but good to say about Rennes except Numbeo rates Rennes crime rate and drug related issues moderate to high and worse yet is it is quickly increasing.  Are there better areas surrounding Rennes to avoid these worries?

@Greenwren

I forgot to thank you for your home description which does sound wonderful.   I want to provide information on our home and also a few living expenses in case you or others can help us compare what it would be like for us to live somewhat comparably to here.  Our home is small 1400 sq ft  with a fair size lawn that I landscaped with trees and bushes that flower for every season and a backyard separted by a drainage ditch from a golf course which is a nice view and even the ditch is welcome because it provides nightly visits from various wildlife that we feed.  We have 3 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms wood floors and a fireplace plus central airconditioning and heat.  A small kitchen plus attached garage all on one floor with no steps - steps are hard on my wife's knees and my ankles.  We live in a working class neighborhood and a bedroom community to New Orleans 35 miles away.  Our town has 28K people and is not especially asthetic except for our old town area.  We pay $1,100 a month including home and flood insurance.  Electricity and water run $325 a month in the winter and $400 in the summer. We are both vegan and eat organic with a crazy cost of food of around $1700 a month. Gas is cheap averaging below $3/galon and our 4 year old Hyundai compact car with low milage purchase cost with extended warrenty cost us $18K.   Between the 2 of us we make slightly more that $6K a month on pensions and social security, and that just about covers our monthly bills with a bit left over for one time a month to eat out and to have a message.

@donkeybros

I cant thank you enough for providing a different perspective then what I copied and pasted from another source and also the amount of details in your description.  There is much to digest so I hope you dont mind a follow up once my tired mind gets a little rest 😉

@wysemanjohn

Good morning.

Driver's licenses: Our US friends living just half an hour from us recently went through the more than 1 yr agony of having to take driving lessons (in Fr with no translator allowed) and then sit their tests and pass. Again, always in French and no translators allowed.

The wife has enough Fr to  follow instructions, but she has poor hearing and wears a hearing aid. This meant that one of the four times she sat the test, she didn't hear one of the instructions, and was immediately failed. Another time she took a corner too close to the centre line, instead of going wide, and was immediately failed. The husband has been doing Duolingo successfully for the past 18 months and managed to get his lessons and test done in French. However, it also took him four tries to get his license. No exception was made. They came from Georgia which has not reciprocal exchange for licenses.

Just a BTW - these folks rent a one level new build house on the outskirts of a nice town with all amenities for 800 euro/month + utilities. Their house has all mod. cons but no garage. It is fully fenced/gated. It is a bit rural, with sheep in the field next door. Animals tend to attract flies in summer months.

In the interim, they bought a small Sans Permis car which goes no faster than 60kph (they bought a new sporty version). No license is required to operate them.

These vehicles are often used by seniors and children as young as 14 yrs, which is the lowest legal age for them. They are a nuisance on the road, often times holding traffic up. It worked for these friends, but they are now selling it as they can drive their normal vehicle now.

Vehicle insurance is well priced here. In the US we had a Honda Odyssey which cost us approx. 1600$ a year to insure.  We drive a Scenic XMOD Renault here and insurance costs around 440euros/pa. We just put 4 new tires on the car, German brand Flaken, and it cost 600 euros (ouch). Annual maintenance (oil change/air filter et al) is approx. 120 euros. Our car is diesel, and currently it costs us about 70 euros to fill up. Yesterday's price at the pump was 1,66 eur/litre. Its a 1.6lt vehicle. Totally sufficient for any of our needs and pulls a full trailer easily. We might fill up 3 x a month.

Renting: This depends on where you want to live. The laws are very strict. You can see them here.

https://www.cautioneo.com/blog/en/tenan … in%202025.

One of the main problems I read about on various sites is the presence of mould in apartments and houses that has been painted over for a new tenant. In multi-story apartments, for example, there may be noise issues with neighbours above or below, leaking from the ceiling, challenges with Body Corps not doing their job, lack of regular maintenance of common areas, crime/drugs in cities, and lack of maintenance of elevators et al. Many people also have trouble getting their deposit back as landlords sometimes fabricate cleaning and renovation costs in order to keep the deposit. There are corrupt practices the world over.

Health insurance and Mutuelle cover:

Our Carte Vitale covers MOST of our costs. Usually up to 75% in most cases. Some drugs are not covered, but the pharmacist will let us know ahead of time that we have to pay. They are obliged to present generic brands, so ask your Medecin Traitant (GP) to specify the brand if that is important. Paracetamol is sometimes restricted during cough/cold season, strangely, yet it is the most widely prescribed medication.

We pay the GP for each visit and we get reimbursed 75% on our Amelie account. The price is now 30 euros per visit, which we dont object to, considering the cost of visits in the US. There is no secretary in most small practices, so you appear at the ordered time and sit and wait your turn. Waiting is a national past time in France. People here are patient.

Specialists: I pay 60 or 80 euros for my tier 2 Orthopaedic surgeon visit. This is reimbursed through my Mutuelle. I changed the cover on my top-up insurance to include surgery/hospitalization (private room) and to include tier 2 specialists. This costs me 1500 euros/pa. My husband's cover (he is 72) is 770 euros/pa with no special additives, but we can take out an increased policy the day before he enters hospital, if necessary. The policies with our Mutuelle are flexible like this. His insurance increased  when he turned 70.

I recently had shoe inserts made by a specialist Podiatrist/prosthetist to correct my gait post knee surgery and those were paid for on my carte vitale, with my Mutuelle paying the difference after the 75% coverage.

Under the terms of our Mutuelle we are allowed 1 visit every two years with a Opthalmologist for a new glasses prescription. However, they will only pay for ordinary lenses in your glasses. If you want anything fancy...change light, graded lenses etc, you pay for that yourself. My latest prescription with all bells and whistles is costing me 675 euros. Ouch!

Husband had an MRI yesterday. Paid on his Carte Vitale and topped up by the Mutuelle.

I recently had a TEP scan, and paid 30 euros over and above CV and Mutuelle payments. Pretty minor in the scheme of things.

There are no problems with pre-existing conditions when you apply for your carte vitale or your mutuelle.

You have to do the medical testing in the first year when you immigrate to France, but that is sight, chest X-ray (bring a most recent one with you if you have it) and they are most concerned about TB, more than anything else. They also checked our hearing. Fairly comprehensive, and usually takes a couple of hours in the dedicated facility for such things.

You mention you wrote off Bretagne due to the weather. You may have overlooked the Morbihan area which we loved. Living closer to the Golf de Morbihan/Vannes might suit you. The Gulf is beautiful and being close to the coast means a maritime climate.  We liked Rennes (we did a 3 month house sit an hour south of Rennes in the south Morbihan) as a city, but not the large crime numbers. It also had horrific floods this past year. Living on a hill is obviously better than not, in so many places. You could look further south near or in Redon. This town is pretty, on the Nantes a Brest Canal and has all necessary amenities. Our most favourite town is La Gacilly, not far from Redon.

Again, it is highly recommended that you visit the area and check these places out for yourselves.

Fall is glorious in Bretagne!

Nantes may interest you. An excellent tram/public transport system, lots going on, good access to all services and a good hospital. TGV and Airport. Summers are lovely, can be rainy, but where isn't, these days.

Currently our electricity is about 250 euros, water about 70 (we have a septic system for sewerage), fuel oil (heating) costs p/a = 1700- 2500 euros (depends on oil prices at the time we refill). We only run our heating when its really cold and only for a couple of hours a day. The house retains the warmth.

About a year ago I did a complete breakdown of our costs p/a, and came up with approx. 33k euros/pa to live. We are frugal folks, but these figures are not cast in stone. Food prices have risen hugely in the past five years, and our average weekly food shopping incl. some meat and household dry goods/paper products et al, is around 175 eur. We used to blush when we spent 125! thinking we were extravagant.  We are non-drinkers.

Our small extravagance is a coffee when we go shopping, or are out sight seeing. This averages 6,50 eur for two Grand Creme (double espresso with hot milk added). We eat light when at restaurants, and 40 euros for a main course/dessert for 2 is about normal. We try to keep it below 40. This doesn't include wine.

We tend not to visit places where an entry fee is required, as our budget doesnt allow for many of those, but we certainly dont miss out on seeing sights and what is most important to us. We might go to a concert or two in a year, depending on the price for tickets.

We like to take our thermos and a small snack or picnic with us when leaving home for the day. This allows us much flexibility, and we stop in some wonderful locations with fabulous views to enjoy our picnics.

Depending on your lifestyle you might live on less, but as I said, we are frugal folks, and too many extras aren't in our budget. The reason for this is that we get no pension from anywhere, and don't qualify for any state assistance in France. We live off of our savings and any income derived from them.

I hope this has helped somewhat.

You have truly given us an education of what to expect if we were to move to France and we are so very grateful.  We understand so much more now.

(1) I am so glad you touched on climate change like flooding last year in Rennes.   When I looked up Redon this was on Wiki  "Redon borders the Morbihan and Loire-Atlantique departments. It is situated at the junction of the Oust and Vilaine rivers and Nantes-Brest canal, which makes it well known for its autumn and winter floods." That seems worrying with global warming effects as the area it already flood prone. Nantes does look like a good location but again i see it is built t along a river. Are you at all concerned Since you live in this area?  I gather you and your husband have traveled and lived in many areas of France and all of your insights to these areas are a blessing to us.

(2)  Obtaining a driver's license clearly will be a big challenge and perhaps not possible.  That's good to know ahead of any move.  Do they have uber in the smaller towns and villages?  Is that a feasible solution?  Our current home is in a town with no public transportation so when we don't have our car we uber locally at a low price.  Getting to the airport in New Orleans on Uber is expensive - about $80 with tip. We are fortunate that when necessary, all our groceries can be delivered at only the additional cost of a tip.   Getting to our Church is easy as we can bike the 1 mile.

(3)  We live similarly to you, frugal.  1/3 of our budget is for health insurance and that along with a house and car note plus the usual living expenses (food is very high here compared to other areas of the States) so when you mentioned house sitting that caught my attention as a possible way to stay long enough in an area to learn if it is for us.  Please tell us more about this such as the homeowners expectations.  Thanks !!!

Bonsoir John.

We live in the south Charente near Cognac. We love the orderliness of the vine covered hills and Charente River Valley, and the whole process (very intensive) of producing Cognac. We own three holiday homes which are busy at this time of year, and two of those are in a small town opposite the Charente River, which has flooded for centuries! We have experienced three floods, one of which flooded the basement of one of the houses, but it all dried out, we made alterations to the property to mitigate further effects of flooding which our insurance agent was very happy about and we hold full insurance on both those properties. You dont have to live alongside a river to get flooding!

If you can find a property on a hill, then your chances of being flooded are lower, naturally. However, if the town itself is in the valley and gets flooded...obviously that is a problem. So many towns are built along rivers for obvious reasons in centuries past. Towns were built on hills for fortification against enemies...Im not giving you a history lesson, just making a point that choices  are obvious. We live on a hillside...not really high, but enough for run-off  down the vines on each side of the house. However, we have to go down to two towns to do our food shopping, and to pass through them to get anywhere else. One of them gets a lot of road/surface water when it teams down, and pastures are completely wiped out, along the way. The other gets plenty of surface water, though it isn't nr a river.

Ubers. We are not familiar with Uber, but there are plenty of taxis in the region. You can own a sans permis car, which goes no more than 65kph or thereabouts, which might be just fine for your daily needs, and wont require you to have a driving permit. Something to think about. If you need to go somewhere further afield, you can catch a train, probably.

Taxis are expensive anywhere, I think you will find.

House sitting: We belonged to www.housecarers.com, which is an Australian owned company. We got all of our housesits in Fr through them.

There is also www.Trustedhousesitters.com, which is well known, but we didn't get any sits through them.

We have taken care of dogs, cats, sheep, horses, goats, a 19thC Chateau, a Manoir and a private home with 6 rescue cats...which needed to be re-trained, lol (they were all over the table/kitchen counter et al, and I don't allow that!).

We took a 90 day sit in a house owned by US/UK folks in the north western Dordogne from where we found our current home in the south Charente.

The max. time in a house sit was 90 days, the length of our visas...or 89 days, which gave us one day to get out of Fr without penalty.

When we finally decided to buy this house we did all of the paperwork to purchase and then returned to our country of origin and filed our long stay visa papers, but we still have to reapply each year.

You pay your own way there and back, and your own food and personal needs. You dont get paid, but you get the use of the home and tend to whatever your hosts want, whether that is animals, a garden, security of the property or whatever is required. Cats are easiest to care for, while dogs and other larger animals require more time and effort. We loved them all, but if you want to travel around from this home base, you usually cant leave animals for more than 12 hrs. They need feeding et al.

We found it is extremely difficult to make a decision as large as where to live while visiting for just three weeks. There is no way you can find a house, make an offer, get the paperwork drawn up et al, and then you have to wait. This is France, so bureaucracy takes time in all things. Average time for a house purchase is 3 months. One of our houses took 5 months due to the owners living in the US and everything went there by snail mail. Sigh!

Climate Change: Yes, its real. I doubt there is anywhere in France, as in the US that isn't going to undergo extreme changes in coming years. Even Finistere has been hot this summer.

Mortgages/loans: These are extremely difficult to get in France if you are an international, and even harder if you are American. US banks require all kinds of reporting, and Fr banks dont like this. You would need to be completely self-funded and be able to show money in your Fr bank each year when you apply for your next Visa. NOT money in the US, in the FR bank! Very important.

House maintenance can be expensive, as you know, and you have to think years ahead for your budget...painting, spouting et al, and access to it. Our house is 3 stories from the ground/basement, which is something we didnt really think much about when we bought it. More fool us!

This means that we need to bring in a cherry picker to put roof tiles back. At 350 euros a time (half day hire with driver), its expensive. We need new spouting around the whole house. Quotes for this range from 6-10 grand! hmmm...not this year!

Roofing is prohibitive, depending on what you are allowed to install, as sanctioned by the Mairie. You cant just throw anything up there if the neighbours all have terracotta tile roofs, so will you!

Some more light on the subject:)

Bon soirée

@wysemanjohn

Hi @wisemanjohn,

My name is also John, probably not wise but my name and I have been together for 77 years and in the same position as you, being very keen on life in France. At the moment I live on the the Isle of Skye, situated just off the northern mainland of Scotland in the UK, I am also close to buying two houses in France, I have an idea that I think you may well be interested in. I would prefer, if we could have a chat by phone or email. My phone number also works just as well with WhatsApp and is   ***. we are five hours ahead of the US eastern time.

My email is

*** I hope we can have a chat.

Best regards,

John Dixon.

@jdofskye

Hello and welcome John !

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All the best

Bhavna