Planning Your Dream Retirement in France – 6 Steps

If you’ve always dreamed of enjoying your hard-earned retirement in France, it’s never been easier to make the dream a reality. If you’ve reached retirement and you’re thinking of moving across the channel, consider these 6 steps to plan your long-awaited journey.

Why France is an attractive country for Brits for retirement?

Due to its world-famous cuisine, familiar culture, close proximity to the UK, superior weather and comparatively low cost of living, France has always been a magnet for British retirees.

How many Brits are living in France?

France is extremely popular with British expats and the number of Brits settling across the channel only continues to grow. While the majority of France’s 200,000 resident Britons move to Ile-de-France, the Poitou-Charentes and Aquitaine areas are also popular with Brits – around a third of all expats in Poitou-Charentes moved from the United Kingdom.

6 Steps to Dream Retirement

Assess your financial situation

The first and most important step that you’ll need to take is thorough financial planning, including a full assessment of your assets and finances. It’s usually best to leave this to a financial adviser, who can give you a thorough breakdown. Once you’ve got the full financial picture, you’ll have a better idea of your workable budget and whether you’ll need to add to your savings to fund your French retirement.

Research Regions & Properties

Now that you have a solid budget, it’ll be much easier to research properties and particular areas that you could have your eye on. Just like in the UK, house prices can vary significantly between regions and neighbourhoods, so it’s important that you make sure you’re looking in the right place. Other expats and online resources can help you to find your dream location, so make sure that you utilise these.

Read up on French regulations

Once you’ve got a property type or region in mind, it’s essential that you read up on the laws of the land, including any regulations relating to home ownership, planning permission and your rights as a foreigner residing in the country. To claim a full state pension, retirees must have worked in France for 42 years.

Get a feel for France

If your budget allows, it’s always a good idea to go and visit the property or town you’re thinking of spending your retirement in. This is especially true if you’re planning on moving to the country without never previously having visited. By checking out the local culture of your chosen environment, you should be able to get a feel for whether you’d want to live there.

Start House Hunting!

Once you’ve decided on which region you’d like, it’s time to start house hunting! It’s important to note that it’s essential to do your research on the real estate market and buying process in France, as it can be markedly different to the UK. Luckily, most French agencies are used to assisting British retirees make the move.

Apply for a long-stay visa

Once you’ve committed to a property, you’ll need to apply for a long-stay visa. Since the UK has left the EU, these visas are now essential for Brits who wish to stay in France for more than 3 months. You can begin the process via the French Consulate in London.