Editor’s note: “Retire in France” is part of an ongoing series on retiring abroad. To see all the articles in the series, jump to the end of this article.
Enjoying fresh, warm croissants on the cobblestone streets of Alsace, sharing a glass of wine at a Parisian café, mingling with the locals along the French Riviera, or sauntering through acres of lavender fields in Provence — all are possible when you retire to France.
“France is one of the calmest and most beautiful countries,” said Salvador Ordorica, CEO and founder of the Spanish Group, a certified translation service serving international clients. “Life in France feels slower and more peaceful.”
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Ordorica, who studied at the Institut d’études politiques de Paris (commonly referred to as Sciences Po), lives in Paris part-time on an annual basis. He said that France is the complete package for Americans looking for comfort and suitability.
“France has everything a retiree can need — charming villages, long lunches, access to art and culture everywhere you look, and a vast number of calm and quiet cities nearby to visit,” he said. “On top of that, the French safety and healthcare system is a major plus. It just functions so beautifully.”
“For retirees who want a slower pace without giving up sophistication, France is one of the best places to retire, anywhere around the world,” he said.
Before bidding the U.S. adieu and heading to France, retirees need to get a grip on the essentials, including legal residency requirements, healthcare options, taxes and income and the cost of living, among others.
Living in France as a legal resident
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For U.S. retirees, the primary worry with France is getting and maintaining legal residency.
There are different visas based on whether you want to just stay as a temporary visitor, a resident or to work. Retirees must understand which visas they can apply for and what those visas allow them to do.
“Some French visas allow retirees to have passive income (such as from real estate), but they don’t allow you to make any other forms of income at all, even if it’s from a hobby like painting or jewelry making,” said Sarah Pardi, travel expert at Insurte and an American expatriate who lives in Paris.
“French visas are quite specific,” she said. “So retirees must choose the correct one for their unique situation and follow its rules.”
For many retirees, the best bet is probably to get a Long Stay Visa, or a Visa de Long Séjour valant Titre de Séjour (VLS-TS). Once approved, the Long Stay Visa allows for a four month to one-year stay in the country. After the year is up, you can apply for a temporary residence card that is valid for an additional year.
You can apply for the visa at any French consulate in the U.S. Expect to prove a moderate minimum monthly income of about $1,400 when filling out the application.
“You’ll need to obtain a long-stay visa (VLS-TS) that serves as a provisional residence permit valid for (up to) one year,” said Joe Cronin, president of International Citizens Insurance. “This can be validated at the French Immigration Office upon arrival and later on renewed through a carte de séjour process so that you can stay beyond the first year.”
Foreign nationals who want to stay in France permanently in retirement can do so through eventually applying for a Carte de Résident, open to non-citizens who have already lived in France for five years.
Navigating healthcare as a retiree in France
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Healthcare is readily available in France, and it’s easy to schedule a doctor’s appointment when needed.
“Whether or not you can be on the State-funded social healthcare depends on your visa/long-term goals,” Pardi said. “Even if you’re eligible for social healthcare, there will still be a period where you aren’t on it, meaning you may need to pay out of pocket for care received or find a private health insurance option that can cover you in France — and note that Medicare cannot.”
Once you arrive in France, it’s essential to act quickly to get a good healthcare plan. “France has a robust global healthcare system for its residents and citizens, but not everyone can necessarily get access to it, and especially not immediately upon entering the country,” Pardi noted.
“Retirees need to consider their options when it comes to health and wellness, and they may need to take out private French health insurance to make sure that they can have any routine treatments, medications, and checkups covered,” she said.
Americans in Paris will also need to get used to some realities when engaging with the French healthcare system.
“France is a universal health care country, which means everyone must have the French government insurance policy, which is mandatory after three months,” said Robert Levitt, founder and CIO of Levitt Capital Management, based in Nice, France.
“When you see the doctor, there usually aren’t nurses and receptionists,” he said. “You ring the buzzer and enter to find a seat. The doctor then calls you. There is no other professional working in the office. The total cost of a doctor’s visit is around $25. But France does charge a tax on investment income, which is applied to the cost of healthcare.”
Dealing with taxes and finances when retiring to France
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Financially, France is one of the most favorable destinations for U.S. retirees looking to move overseas. “That’s primarily because the U.S.-France tax convention is extremely favorable,” Levitt said. Unlike in most of Europe, pensions and Social Security in the U.S. are taxed at much lower rates than locals pay. And investments in U.S. companies also receive favorable treatment.”
French-minded retirees also need to know that the financial management system in France is different than in the U.S.
“For example, a CPA in the US is what France calls a fiscal avocation, or tax attorney,” Levitt said. “And estate planning is often done by a notary, who in the U.S. is someone who guarantees your signature. Consequently, the roles for select financial advisers are different.”
Another big challenge is the estate tax. “People need to understand that when they live in France, they are subject to French taxes and French laws,” Levitt noted. “So, they are limited in who they can choose as beneficiaries of their estate. Plus, holding a U.S. revocable trust is basically worthless. In fact, worse than that, because you have to make expensive tax filings and get none of the benefits of a trust.”
Cost of living in France as a retiree
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The cost of living in France, especially outside the big cities like Paris, Marseille, Lyon, and Toulouse, is reasonable. It’s highly advisable to visit key areas of interest before writing any rent or mortgage checks.
“You can rent a two-bedroom place in smaller towns for under $1,000 a month, maybe $700 if you’re inland,” said Steven Kibbel, founder at Kibbel Financial Planning and a senior contributor at Prop Firm App, a website dedicated to proprietary trading and investment strategies. “Buying will run anywhere from $150,000 to $300,000, depending on where you land.”
Many of Kibbel’s clients move to places like the Dordogne or parts of Alsace because of the price points, but they also offer an easy lifestyle. “They’re beautiful, but not tourist-heavy. If you want Nice or Paris, expect prices to jump,” he said.
In smaller towns, “dinner out is affordable,” he said. “$25 per person covers a nice sit-down meal. Retirees can eat well for a $100 a week grocery budget, especially if they use local markets.”
Paris is, by far, the most expensive place to live in France. Yet expats find the cost of living significantly lower than in major cities in the States. “Phoenix, Arizona, for example, is only slightly less expensive than Paris,” Pardi said.
“In most cases, buying or renting a home will be less expensive than it is in major U.S. cities, but might be comparable to rural areas. It’s hard to give a specific number because France has a lot to offer at pretty much any price package.”
Pardi also noted that dining out, groceries, and utilities are less expensive than they are in the States. “A cellphone and Wi-Fi plan might cost you over $100 a month in the US, but in Paris you can bundle the two for $25,” she added.
Where in France should you retire?
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Picking a region, city, or town in France comes down to what works for you as a retiree.
“It’s unique to everyone,” Pardi said. “If you’re looking for sunny weather, Nice is a great option that offers city living and easy access to other European cities. Paris is always a popular option, but it is rainy and expensive, relative to other French cities.”
According to Pardi, when thinking about where to choose, make sure to consider the following factors:
- How easy is it to get there (is there a train station or airport, for example?)
- How mobility-friendly is it? Are there elevators?
- Is there quick access to groceries and health services?
- What is the weather like?
Levitt prefers the Côte d’Azur for his French home. “It has a very active expat life, but it also has an international airport, which is important,” he said. “It is less than one hour from Italy, and outstanding snow skiing in the French and Italian Alps is only a couple of hours away.”
What really matters when moving to a new country is intellectual stimulation, some travel experts say. “While some people choose quaint and beautiful villages, at some point, it is nice to be able to converse with those who share similar experiences,” Levitt said.
On the upside, France has something for everybody.
“Dordogne is a favorite for a reason,” said David Kindness, a certified public accountant and personal finance writer at Best Money, a personal finance advisory platform. “It’s affordable, full of history, has a good number of fellow expats, and doesn’t feel too isolated.”
He noted that “Occitanie is warmer, with a Mediterranean coast nearby, and you still get decent property prices. Provence is stunning but pricier. Alsace is different — more structured, more influenced by Germany, but still welcoming.”
Again, it depends on what pace you’re looking for. “Some like the sun, others want space,” Kindness said. “There’s no perfect answer.”
Some lesser-known, yet intriguing locations to visit are Caen, Troyes, and Amboise, Pardi added.
Traveling to France
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There are many direct flights from the U.S. to major cities and regions in France, such as Paris, Nice, and the French Riviera.
“Phoenix now has a direct flight to Paris,” Pardi noted. “So do Seattle and L.A., New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. Most of these cities also have non-stop flights to Nice. Nowadays, direct flights to major French cities are fairly common.”
Once you’re in France, the trains do the rest. “You can be across the country in a few hours. It’s reliable and well connected, which is one less thing to stress over,” Kindness said.
Retiring in France: the Takeaway
Like any foreign locale, retiring to France has its ups and downs.
“France checks a lot of boxes for retirees from the U.S. — great healthcare, strong infrastructure, and enough cultural depth to keep you from getting bored,” Kindness said. “It’s not the cheapest in the EU, but you get what you pay for.”
Kindness said he’s worked with clients planning their move, and for most, the appeal isn’t just the scenery or food. “It’s the slower pace, the walkable cities, and just feeling like life has more breathing room,” he noted. “Some clients mentioned they started sleeping better, eating better, and walking more. Not huge changes on paper, but they add up.”
The bureaucracy, however, can be a hurdle.
“That’s probably the most consistent issue people run into,” Kindness said. “Paperwork, delays, requirements shifting depending on who you talk to — it’s frustrating, and you have to go in with realistic expectations.”
You’ll need proof of income, visa documents, and language basics for renewals. “Some retirees are caught off guard by how long it takes just to get health coverage or open a local bank account,” he added. “So the move has to be planned out months ahead, not weeks.”
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