Two years ago, Amy Witherbee packed up her belongings and moved to France.
“It was one of those pandemic moves,” she says. “We really wanted something different.”
As a financial advisor and president of Sanderling Expat Advisors, she now helps others make the move. While she cautions that moving to a new country is no small undertaking, the rewards of life in France are immense.
Whether you dream of a retirement spent exploring the streets of Paris, basking on the Côte d’Azur or skiing in the French Alps, here’s what you need to know about retiring to France.
[See: The Cheapest Places to Retire Abroad on $1K Per Month]
French Long-Stay Visa Requirements
If you plan to stay in France for over 90 days, you’ll need a long-stay visa. Fortunately, it is not hard to receive one. “France is very welcoming,” Witherbee says.
The country offers more than a dozen visa options, and the VLS-TS will allow U.S. retirees to remain in France for up to 12 months, according to Boston Alexandra Englehart, CEO and co-founder of Finding La Dolce Vita Relocation, a firm that helps expats settle in Europe.
You’ll need to have sufficient passive income, such as Social Security, to be approved for a retiree visa. Those with an income of at least 24,000 euros ($26,365) should qualify, according to Englehart, but applications from those with higher incomes may be prioritized.
“It’s a relatively painless process,” says Janine Marsh, a British expat who has lived in the country for about 20 years and is the editor of The Good Life France. However, people must be prepared to fill in a lot of forms.
Retirees planning a long-term stay in France can apply for their visa at the nearest consulate. In addition to providing proof of identity and income, you’ll need a health insurance policy. Note that original Medicare will not cover care overseas, and you’ll need to purchase international medical insurance.
Once in France, the visa must be validated within three months, a process that can be done online. After a year, you can apply for a resident permit.
“Permission to live here is different than permission to work here,” Witherbee says. “You should not come here on a retirement visa and then expect to spend the next five years doing consulting work.”
Affordable Living in France
The first housing decision you’ll need to make is where to live.
“France is many countries inside of one,” says Jean-François Harvey, founder of Harvey Law Group, specializing in immigration and citizenship by investment. Many of his clients prefer Nice and Cannes on the French Riviera, but the country has many distinct regions, each with its own flavor.
Before settling on a particular city or region, Marsh recommends visiting outside the summer months. “Some places are completely different in the winter,” she says. They can be very quiet, which may appeal to some expats but not others.
Also keep in mind the cost of living. The French Riviera, Provence and Occitanie are all more expensive regions, according to Englehart. Less expensive is the Dordogne, a rural area in southwest France.
“I think property here is quite cheaper,” Marsh says when asked how it might compare to the U.S. She describes the housing market as sluggish and notes that homes in Deux-Sèvres, in western France, can be bought for 150,000 euros ($164,688).
Cost of living is relative, though, and what you deem expensive may depend on where you live in the U.S. For instance, even Paris may seem affordable to someone living in New York City, Witherbee says.
Housing: Buy or Rent in France?
As for whether to buy or rent a property in France, there is some debate over which is the better approach.
Buying a home means paying an expensive transfer tax for the transaction. For that reason, you don’t want to buy a house and then turn around and sell it quickly.
“You want to try to rent and see where you want to be,” Witherbee says. Even if you know the region and city, neighborhoods can differ significantly.
However, renting isn’t always easy for expats. “The rental market is quite tricky to get in,” Englehart says. “It’s actually easier to purchase than rent.”
A compromise may be to tour the country or plan extended vacations to get a feel for where you’d like to stay permanently. To that end, some expat organizations offer scouting trips for people considering a long-term move.
[Read: Where Retirees Can Buy a Home Overseas for Under $100K]
Health Care in France for Expats
Medical coverage for French residents is provided through Protection Universelle Maladie, known as PUMA.
“It’s quite good,” Harvey says. “I’ve never heard any complaints.”
Retirees who have resided in France for at least three months may be eligible to apply for coverage through PUMA. However, the time for approval can vary.
“I can’t stress enough how critical it is to get the paperwork right,” Marsh says. While she received approval within six months of applying, she has heard of some expats waiting as long as two years, largely because they did not provide the documentation needed.
Once you are in the system, “It’s just a joy,” Witherbee says. “It’s so good.”
A visit to a doctor or dentist typically costs 25 euros ($27), and the government provides reimbursement for 70% to100% of many medical costs. Reimbursements are made directly to a bank account linked to a person’s medical card.
Those who want to avoid copays can purchase a private health insurance policy called a mutuelle. Witherbee says these may cost 100 euros ($110) a month and will cover costs not paid by PUMA.
As for access to health care, Witherbee says there may be a wait of several months for nonurgent specialist care, depending on where you live. Those in rural areas may also have to travel to get treatment.
But by and large, those familiar with the program are overwhelmingly positive in their comments. Englehart recalls one client who moved to France and was diagnosed with cancer shortly thereafter. Not only did PUMA pay for her treatment, but it covered the cost of a taxi to take her to her appointments as well.
“What (U.S. expats) save on insurance … they could be living like kings in France,” Englehart says. “It’s fabulous.”
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Making France Your Home
Before moving to France, be sure to learn some of the language and understand local customs.
“The French really like it if you can speak French,” Englehart says. She notes that while English is widely spoken, some people may pretend not to understand it.
That sort of behavior may be part of why some people see the French as unfriendly. However, those familiar with the country say that stereotype is a result of misunderstanding French culture.
“The French people are not as easy to approach as Canadians and Americans,” Harvey says. “You have to be patient. Once the ice is broken, people are friendly.”
There is an expectation that everyone you encounter will be greeted. “If you walk into a shop, you have to say bonjour,” Marsh says. “Manners are really, really important.”
But then there may be a pause after you initially greet someone. “There’s a moment of hesitation,” Witherbee says. “You can broach it with small talk.”
That small talk could be about the weather or a person’s pet — get a dog if you want to meet people, Witherbee says — but don’t ask people what they do for a living or where they are from. That sort of information is too personal to be considered small talk.
“It’s not aloofness,” Marsh says. “You just have to get your head around the fact that they are very, very private.”
That polite and reserved demeanor can be part of the country’s appeal. “There is a lot of lovely, old-world charm,” Englehart says. And people are generally quite friendly once they get to know you.
Retiring to France requires some time and preparation, but it can be well worth the effort. “If you’ve been dreaming of it, don’t let anyone put you off,” Witherbee says.
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How to Retire in France originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 08/16/24: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
