France is a place that quickly captures your heart and can leave a lasting impression.
If you’ve decided to make the leap and move to this beautiful country, it probably feels thrilling, and a bit nerve-racking, at the same time.
Between the diverse land of windswept, cliff-side beaches in the northwest regions of Brittany and Normandy, and the calm, sunflower-lined villages in the Dordogne and Provence, it can be difficult to know exactly where you belong.
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While your heart sings when you think of dining in the shadows of the Eiffel Tower and enjoying the City of Light lifestyle, you might also like a quaint country corner in Alsace…
As one of the most attractive climates in the country, the seaside towns of the French Riviera are also tempting. With their joie de vivre Mediterranean attitude, and attractive list of outdoor activities, it’s also easy to imagine an engaging retirement in Nice, Cannes, or Antibes.
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The list of enticing places to move in France seems never-ending. How to make sense of it all? Which area will you be best suited to, and when and where can you start looking for real estate?
Here are a few tips to help you get started on making the move to la belle France.
Tip #1: Profile Yourself. Profile the Regions
It is import to profile yourself and what you are really looking for. Are you looking a warm climate, food, etc.
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Some realize that areas that have a bigger-city budget such as Nice may not be what you are looking for. Instead, you may crave the slow rhythms of countryside France, even if it meant compromising a bit on the weather.
Just as different regions in the North America call to us, so too do the diverse areas in France. If you’ve traveled to the country, you may already have a feel for what speaks to your interests and retirement objectives.
I would invite you to go deeper.
Plan an extended stay, and see if that idyllic small town in the Loire Valley or the metropolitan rhythms of Toulouse really do check all the right boxes.
Tip #2: Rent Before You Buy
You may want to rent before buying to test out the areas. It will allow you to afford different areas and try them out to get a better understanding of the best areas to live—which ones had the nicest bakeries, cheese shops, and farmers’ markets. Also, I learned the areas that the locals preferred, and the ones they avoided.
Tip #3: Consider Living Near a Larger City
That the pace of life can be quite different depending on where you live. For example, some small towns and villages are full of social activities—festivals, concerts, clubs, and organized trips—during the spring and summer months but slow down considerably in the fall and winter.
Living in a French village is the stuff dreams are made of, and also where you can find some of the best deals on real estate, but it can be a very smart move to choose one that’s not too far from a larger city.
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Wonderful towns and villages exist around Bordeaux, Toulouse, Lyon, and Montpellier—to mention only a few larger cities. Here you can have the best of both worlds, enjoying the slow pace of French country life with world-class cultural events, sports clubs, and restaurants just around the corner.
Tip #4: Start Collecting Your Resources
There has always been an expat is that there are those who have come before you—thankfully! You can access a wealth of resources by contacting expat organizations in anticipation of your move. The epitome of “been there, done that”, these groups are more than willing to give a fellow France-lover a helping hand.
France is not only home to breathtaking countryside, charming locals, and world-class cuisine, it’s also far more affordable than you may imagine. Outside of the major cities, a daily budget of $66 can cover the day-to-day costs for a retired couple. Dine out at a cozy bistro for just $23, pick up a bottle of wine for $5.50, rent a furnished apartment for $800 a month, or buy a honey-colored cottage with a barn and two acres of land for just $93,996.
