Best Places to Retire in Europe

Retiring to France

Many people consider retiring to France for the promise of a more relaxed way of life.

Forget those television programs that just show the rosy side of choosing the perfect property and the delight of the first few weeks and months in a new culture in the sunshine.

If you’re seriously considering a move to live in France, doing some serious research can save some pain and heartache if you later decide it’s not for you.

“We have gone into it with our eyes wide open”

Here’s 17 things that you’ll need to consider before deciding whether a move could work for you:-

Banking – you’ll need to set up a French bank account if you’re spending any time in France.  There are a couple of things you need to know if you’re using a French account, the first is that you must not bounce cheques or go overdrawn without permission, this could lead to your account being closed.  Secondly, the use of credit cards is limited, with debit cards being preferred and commonly used.  Cheques are a popular form of payment and helpful for paying your builder, painter, decorator and other tradesmen.  In some of the larger cities, you’ll find a bank where an English-speaking employee will help you set up your account and explain the rules and regulations to you.

Bureaucracy & paperwork – anyone who has had to get anything processed by public officials in France will have faced this.  In a country where 20% of the population work for the government (OECD figures) and a job in the civil service is still a “job for life”, little wonder that over 70% of young people found the idea of becoming a civil servant attractive (IFOP).

We have an illness in France which bids fair to play havoc with us; this illness is called bureaumania. ~Jean Claude Marie Vincent de Gournay

France is renowned for it’s bureaucracy and the length of time that it can take to process the simplest of requests.  Indeed, in the 17^th century, Baron Grim expressed the opinion that “indeed the public interest appears to have been established so that offices might exist”.

“My advice to anyone moving to France is, try to keep a sense of perspective; don’t let the bureaucracy get you down”

Buying or renting property – although the system may be different to what you’re used to, it works even if you may need more than a little patience.

One newsletter that you might find helpful, written by Tony Tidswell, is “France Voila” which gives information about property sales and rentals in the south of France.

If you’re thinking of renting your property out in the summer months, consider buying a property within reasonable driving distance of a major airport, as few people want to drive much more than an hour to their chosen holiday destination.

Property prices in popular areas have increased significantly in the past five years and way beyond the rate of inflation.  For example, in 2003 French property has seen a record increase of 14.2%, compared with growth of 9.2% for 2002 and 6.5% in 2001.

Culture – it’s important to understand the differences between your own culture and the French.  Otherwise, you can unwittingly insult your neighbour and not realise that you’ve even done it.  For example, it’s a tradition to take a gift to a neighbour when you visit for a meal.  It’s also polite not to call them by their first name until invited to do so – which may take months.  Reading up on some of these protocols and local customs and manners can prevent a real “faux pas” in your first few weeks.

“I began to see how it is not your level of French that creates difficulty. It is your capacity of understanding different cultures that matters."

Of course, it’s impossible to mention French culture without considering the wonders of their cuisine.  France is renowned for it’s food, and rightly so, even small pavement cafes take pride in serving quality food that will tempt and delight the palate.

Each local area has it’s own customs, festivities and cultural activities.  Joining in with the local events can be an effective way to get to know some of the local people and begin to integrate and make friends.

Driving – apart from the fact that they drive on the right, France has similar, if stricter laws than most of Europe.  Front and rear seat belts are obligatory and speed limits must be observed, anything more than 25 km/h above the limit and you may find your licence being confiscated.  Make sure that you know the speed limits for urban roads and motorways.

OECD figures for French road fatalities in 2004, showed that they were significantly higher that some other comparable European countries, e.g. twice that of the U.K.  However, France has been taking serious measures to diminish road related deaths.  Nevertheless, according to the 2002 figures motorcyclists are still living with the risk of a deadly accident being more than 20 times higher.

(Figures courtesy of http://www.driveandstayalive.com/info%20section/statistics/multi-country_death-rates_1988-2001.htm)

Family views & opinions – it’s important to have your family fully supportive of your move, whether they’re moving with you or not. 

Some of them may see that you are abandoning them, especially if you have grown up children, and so will want to understand your reasons for moving and how they’ll fit into your new lifestyle.

If you’ve got kids, talk with them about the reality of living in a new country, going to school and learning the language.

Healthcare – stories abound of medical care being far superior in France to what most older people find in the UK and the USA.

If you’re an EU resident, your health care may be transferable, or check on what benefits you may be entitled to.  Otherwise you’ll need to obtain health insurance which covers additional items and care, such as repatriation in the event of an emergency.

An article in the International Herald Tribune commented that “the health care and educational systems are top-rate and free”.

For an interesting discussion of the comparison between health care in France and the UK, check out http://www.frenchentree.com/fe-health/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=19319

Income & money issues – it may seem obvious to suggest that you’ll need to be able to afford this move, but it’s surprising how many people move to France with the idea that they’ll be able to find work and manage the finances somehow.  The harsh reality is that, without any income coming in, even the most substantial savings pot can dwindle dramatically in a short space of time.

Getting your finances in order so that you have adequate capital or income to live without needing to work.

It’s not unusual to hear tales of families getting through tens of thousands of euros in those first few months whilst they try to make a home, renovate it and settle into the local area.

Something else to consider is changes in the exchange rate, just a small shift can make a substantial difference to your Euro income.

Whilst retiring to another country can be an exciting chapter in your life, without proper planning it could also turn into a disastrous mistake. 

Language – one of the most often cited reasons for returning from France and can be the one stumbling block that prevents you from really becoming a part of the local community. 

It’s a major step to pull up your roots and move to another country, so it’s important to have a reasonable hold on the language and culture.

In many of the books written by people who have made a success of settling in France, the key is not your ability to speak French but your enthusiasm to try.  There are numerous hilarious stories of people asking for the wrong things at the butchers or the local supermarket, but these tend to be met with smiles and offers of help.  It’s those who resolutely try to stay English, whilst enjoying their “new life” in France who seem to end up returning, disappointed with the result.

It stands to reason that you’ll enjoy and get more out of your time in France if you can learn to speak the language.  Invest in lessons before you leave, or once you arrive.  You could also try AVF (Accueil des Villes Françaises) groups that are there to help you settle in and to help you learn as much of the language as you are able.

Lifestyle & relaxation – consider how you’re going to occupy yourself once the initial fun of moving in and renovating is over.  Do you have hobbies or sports that can occupy yourself with, do you have friends that will visit occasionally or is there a local community of expatriates that you can enjoy spending time with.

Do take time to consider how you’re going to spend your time – although you’ll probably have plenty of visitors in the summer, the winter months are long and it’s not unknown for people to go “stir crazy” locked away from other English speaking folks with little to occupy them.

Moving hous & removals – if you’re moving within the EU, you may be able to share a removal firm with another family, thus reducing the cost.

If you’ve moving from outside the EU, it may be worth asking your shippers to send your effects via the UK as this can help cut down on paperwork and get it through customs without the need to pay import duty.

Make sure that you get several quotes and don’t be in too much of a hurry that you accept the first quote that you’re sent.

"Relocating to France is probably the most stressful thing we’ve ever done"

Pension –if you live in the EU, you’re probably able to draw your pension whilst living in France.  However, it’s well worth buying one of the many recommended books available that go into detail about both this and the implications of taxation.

However, do make enquiries about both your state and personal pension before making any major decisions.  There are some strange rules for different countries and it pays to check them before making any firm plans.

For example, a British citizen may draw a state pension in Canada but will not receive the annual inflation increases.  Not a problem if you’re there for six months, but it will see a drastic reduction in the real value of your pension if you’ve there for twenty years.

Tax – you may be subject to French income tax and also to their rather different system of inheritance tax if buying property.

Make sure that you find out about the financial implications for both you and your family before you make the leap to a new country.

Visas – depending on where you live, you may require a visa to retire to France.  Just check at the French consulate for further information, which may include assurances that you have sufficient capital and medical insurance.

Weather/climate – on a warm summer’s day, it may be hard to imagine how it would feel in Marseille when the mistral has been blowing non-stop for days.  Apparently there’s an old French law stating that anyone who claims to have gone mad on account of the sound of the Mistral may be pardoned of their crime, including murder – whether it’s true or not, the fact that people believe it can give you an idea of the “stir crazy” feeling that the French can feel in winter.

Where to live – think long and hard about where you are going to buy.  This is a major decision and it’s not as easy or economical to move in France as it may be elsewhere.

Property in some areas is still comparatively cheap whilst the popularity of areas of the Dordogne, Provence, Riviera, Brittany and Normany is driving prices up.  You can still find properties to renovate at reasonable prices or consider travelling to visit other areas. 

Other popular areas are the flats along the Riviera, though every area is increasing in popularity.  For example, in the foothills of the Pyrenees you have the advantage of being within driving distance of both the beach and the mountains for skiing. 

You might also want to check out Aquitaine, Languedoc Roussillon (increasingly popular), Cote d’Azur, Poitou Charentes and the Loire.

A search for “immobilier” in your chosen area will give you access to local real estate or property prices and details. 

Working – we’ve already mentioned bureaucracy and how much paperwork is involved in any transaction in France. 

If you are an EU national, you can live and work in France.  However, it’s worth noting that the unemployment rate runs high at around 10%.  

France enjoys a compulsory working week of just 35 hours, with long hours for lunch times in many cities. 

If you’re considering becoming self-employed or running your own small business, there are numerous rules and regulations that you’ll need to understand and follow.

That being said, the French have a real appreciation of the artisan or craftsman, so if you have a trade and can fulfil the necessary qualifications, you’ll probably be in demand. 

What Now?

If you’re seriously considering a move and change of lifestyle, get real about your search and take a serious look at your finances to see if it’s really viable.

If you’re able to make this move, why not test the water by renting a property and living there for several months, including part of the winter.

Whilst the ideal of making the move “now” might seem attractive, the drawback to jumping in feet first is that if you find out you don’t like it, you’ve wasted a lot of time, money and effort.

“For us, it has been the best decision we ever made; I’m happier than I have been in years and I really don’t miss our old life at all”

Then you’ll need to put in some action and actually start looking at properties.  Talk to agents, but get in touch with expats living in France (via internet forums, local communities, churches, etc) and find out what the reality is like. 

For recommended books and resources that I review briefly and suggest as reading because I've read them myself, please view Next page.

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