When people think about retiring in France, the images that come to mind are often dreamy: long lunches on sunny terraces, leisurely strolls through charming villages, and endless glasses of wine or coffees at neighborhood cafés. It’ll be a permanent vacation! I completely understand the appeal — France is beautiful, rich in culture, and offers a lifestyle many Americans admire.
But here’s the truth: While I’ve loved living in France after moving here in my 20s, I personally would not choose to move to France at retirement age.
That doesn’t mean France is a bad place to retire or that no one should do it. It’s simply about knowing myself, my needs, and what life abroad looks like beyond the rose-colored glasses. Everyone has their own personality and priorities, and for some people, retiring in France will be a dream come true without any challenges. For me, that’s not the path I’d take. Let me explain why.
I’ve never written anything specifically about retirement in France on my blog over the years because I’m not at that life stage and it’s not my lived experience. I like to stick to what I know around here. 😉
Another reason, a big one, is because if I wasn’t already living here, I’d personally have zero interest in retiring in France if I were at that life stage.
That might come as a surprise because you know I genuinely love living in France. But the truth is that if I wasn’t married to a French guy, I wouldn’t still be living in France. I had that experience for a year back in the day when it was my dream to move abroad for a year and teach English. That scratched my living abroad itch.
It wasn’t even on my radar yet that moving to France “for good” in my 20s would be in my future or even a possibility and that I would go on to make one of the best decisions of my life by moving abroad to France permanently.
Then once Tom and I got married and I moved back to France, staying here wasn’t the original plan but things change (often for the best, luckily. Sometimes not). Looking back in hindsight, making the move abroad and staying here now for over a decade was one of my best life decisions.
All that aside, let me start out by saying there are tons of people looking to retire in France and who will go on to do so successfully. It can be an amazing choice for some people (even some of you reading this) and I LOVE that. But that’s not what I want to focus on in this post. I want to present a different point of view.
What follows are reasons why I wouldn’t choose to move abroad later in life and retire in France as an American.
Let’s go!
Retiring abroad isn’t a fairytale
One of the biggest misconceptions I see is the idea that moving to France for retirement will solve all of life’s problems. You name it, I’ve heard it.
That French people are all so cultured and evolved, that there are no crazy politics here, everywhere is so charming like a postcard, that homelessness/crime/bad neighborhoods/scammers don’t exist, that life will always be better in France in every way, and just by being in France is a dream come true…. etc. etc. etc.
The truth is, living in France is not an endless vacation — regardless of your life stage. It is HARD.
If it’s been easy for you, you’re either lying to yourself or you haven’t been here long enough. How can I be so sure? Because LIFE anywhere can be hard. France isn’t immune.
Everyday life here as a foreigner in the beginning comes with paperwork, bureaucracy, endless translations, homesickness, self-doubt, cultural misunderstandings, language barriers and challenges that don’t magically disappear because you’re older, wiser, richer, or because you’ve “earned” a relaxing retirement.
Then add in all those annoying aspects of daily life you hate at home that we all face and throw them into the mix. Then throw some life problems into the fire… health issues, financial or relationship issues, grief, etc… you get the picture.
You’ve piled stress on top of stress on top of stress. It’s hard enough to deal with all of that at home but even worse when there’s the added stress that comes with the fact that we aren’t home with the support and familiarity we know and love.
If anything, all of these moving abroad challenges and life in general can feel heavier with age. I’ve experienced the stress of culture shock and navigating a foreign system in my 20s — when I had more flexibility, resilience, and energy to adapt. I can’t imagine wanting to start all of that over again in my 50s, 60s, or beyond.
Language and integration matter
I can’t emphasize this enough and maybe it’s a hot take but…. learning the French language and integrating into the culture is essential to a good life here.
And yet, it’s not easy — even for younger people with more time and mental energy to devote to it. It takes time and effort. People will not cater to you.
We always hear about expat bubbles and people who never get past an A1 level of French. There are many valid reasons why people move to France and don’t learn French.
In fact, crazy story tangent incoming… I met a 70-something American woman at the airport recently who was moving to the Nantes area to be with her daughter after losing her husband. She flat out told me French is too hard to learn at her age but she wanted to get out of Florida because there were “too many Hispanics.” I cringed at how she said the word “Hispanics” with visible disdain, like it was a dirty word.
My eyes opened wide, thinking, “Did she really just say that out loud?” and then I told her I was Hispanic and walked away (I’m not). I didn’t tell her that there are immigrants in France too and that I am one.
Anyway, would I personally want to start learning French at retirement age? No. I get where the woman was coming from in that regard.
I know what the journey has looked like getting to where I am, so starting from scratch at retirement age is not something I’d personally choose to do. But IF I WERE DEAD SET ON MOVING TO FRANCE, I’D MAKE IT MY LIFE’S MISSION TO LEARN FRENCH!
As we get older, picking up a new language becomes more difficult (but it’s far from impossible). Without French, simple things — going to the doctor, dealing with banks, making friends — can feel daunting and downright isolating. Retiring abroad without language skills often means relying heavily on others, and that’s not how I’d want to spend my later years.
Sure, you can get by in bigger cities or sticking to an expat bubble, but are you moving to France to just “get by?” I wouldn’t be.
Start learning the language now!
Tom snapped this beauty on a June evening just as the sun was setting. It’s one of his best, right?
Comfort vs. Adventure
In my 20s, moving to France felt like an adventure. I wanted the challenge of living in another culture, of figuring things out, of being pushed out of my comfort zone. That’s part of the moving abroad package and I was here for it. I welcomed it and grabbed the bull by the horns at that age. The first couple of years tested me in ways I never could have imagined and I’m grateful for it.
But then as you experience more life and get smacked by hard realities, you have less zeal for all of those shenanigans. As a low-energy person in general, I look back and am impressed with everything I’ve accomplished since 2012. (hello 100k YT subs and nearly 1,000 posts on this blog. And connecting with all of you! WOW!)
I know myself well enough to say in my 50s, 60s+, I’ll want more ease, not less. Even from 20 to 30 I felt that hard.
I’d want healthcare I fully understand in my own language, systems I know how to navigate, and the comfort of being close to family and community without the added stress of culture shock.
For me, it would be about MORE comfort and ease at that age. Not less. And a move abroad is NOT comfortable or easy.
Retirement won’t be about chasing crazy adventures that end up being the hardest things I’ve ever done. Been there, done that. It’ll be about about enjoying life and again, chasing ease.
Healthcare and support systems
Let me say more on the healthcare thing. Yes, France has excellent healthcare (though it has its flaws of course and not every doctor is great).
But navigating any healthcare system in another language, with unfamiliar paperwork and systems, is not stress-free especially when you’re sick or in pain or someone you love is.
I’ve been here since 2012 and it’s still confusing for me at times. Between the mutuelle and the sécu reimbursements and the non-conventionnée this and that, my head sometimes spins.
Add in potential mobility issues, the need for more frequent care, mental deficits, or even emergencies, and suddenly the dream of “retiring in France” can feel more complicated than comforting.
There’s also the question of support networks. As we age, family and close friends become even more important. Being across the ocean from loved ones could mean isolation at the very moment in life when community matters most.
Photo credit: Shutterstock.com / Phovoir
Everyday life isn’t wow-worthy
It’s easy to imagine retirement in France as endless strolls in lavender fields or sipping rosé in Provence. But daily life — wherever you live — becomes everyday life after a while. It involves errands, bills, medical appointments, and laundry. In France, those ordinary tasks often involve extra layers of paperwork, bureaucracy, and patience.
When I was younger, these quirks felt like part of the cultural adventure and I welcomed them. At retirement age, I know experiencing all that for the first time would likely feel exhausting.
I’ve already had my France chapter
For me, the biggest reason I wouldn’t retire in France is because I’ve already had the gift of living here in my younger years. I’ve already done it. I’m still here and have no plans of leaving or starting over elsewhere (and definitely not at retirement age!).
Will I still be in France in my senior years? Maybe. Probably? Who knows what life has in store.
But I know this: I’ve traveled all over France, learned French, learned the rhythms of French daily life, created Oui In France, and built memories I’ll carry forever with my French husband Tom. I have no plans of leaving, but I wouldn’t be starting that journey in my 60s or beyond.
At this point, I’ve done the hard work already and put in my time, so to speak. I did that at a point in my life when I felt energized, willing, and capable of succeeding.
Has it been easy? Definitely not. I came with two suitcases and lived in a literal shed. But it’s been worth it because now I feel settled and like France is home. France has SO much going for it.
All the hardships I’d feel about moving at retirement age have been conquered for the most part at a time when I was ready and willing to tackle them.
Now you might be wondering, “But Diane, if you hadn’t moved abroad to France in your 20s, would you consider retiring to France?”
My answer to that is no. It was never my dream to move to France forever (I had that experience for a year teaching English and that was amazing!). The main reason why my answer is still no is everything I covered above. It’s just not the life stage I’d want to take on such an enormous challenge. I’m grateful I did it much younger.
Bottom line
I’d like to reemphasize that I’m sharing my thoughts here not to discourage anyone from retiring in France, but to bring balance to the conversation and talk about why I personally wouldn’t move to France (or anywhere!) at retirement age.
Let me say that again… these are my thoughts on why I personally wouldn’t retire in France.
There’s a huge difference between saying “I wouldn’t retire in France because it’s a terrible place/senior citizens can’t cut it here” and “I wouldn’t retire in France personally because I know myself and wouldn’t be seeking out that life change in my 60s or 70s since I chose to go after it in my 20s.”
I’m very much saying the latter.
My choices are not an attack on anyone else’s. They’re simply that — my choices. For example, I also knew from a young age that I never wanted kids and I’ve never wavered on that.
We’re all allowed to want different things out of life, and those personal preferences shouldn’t feel threatening to anyone else’s happiness. Life is short. Go after what you want! If you want to retire in France, go for it!
I want to fully acknowledge that retiring abroad can be incredible for the right person — especially if you speak the language or will commit to learning it, handle stress well, have strong reasons for being here, have boundless energy, and thrive on cultural immersion.
So many people move to France later in life and have a blast because it was their dream and they made it happen. I applaud people for going after what they want. It was my dream to teach abroad in my 20s and I’m so glad I made it happen earlier in life. That was the right choice for me.
That’s all to say that you know yourself best and what you need and want out of life. Again, I know many people who happily moved to France in their 60s+ and are living their best life. There are tons of you out there! I’m not discounting that at all or saying YOU shouldn’t move abroad.
We need to do what’s best for ourselves. And for me, waiting to move to France at retirement age isn’t what was the best for me, so I’m glad I did it earlier. I’ve said this about 10x now and it’s because I don’t want you to misunderstand what I’m saying here.
To wrap up, for me, retirement will be about comfort, connection, and ease. France has given me incredible experiences starting in my 20s and I wouldn’t trade those for anything.
But when I imagine my retirement years, I don’t picture starting over in a foreign system. I imagine building on the life, relationships, and sense of home I’ve already created… and for me, that all started in my 20s in France.
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Good advice!
Thank you I’m glad you enjoyed the read!
Hi Diane . It’s Joseph from cape may nj.
You have held up a mirror for me. Retirement anywhere is challenging. I retired in Annapolis, and relocated to Cape May where I still live alone with my rescue Frenchie, Gigi. This it itself was never my plan nor my intention. But I still find great joy and comfort when staying at La Trimouille in the Nouvelle Aquitaine. Actually in the negotiating process with the owners of a townhouse in the heart of the Village. Im hoping to return there in November or December for an additional month. Perhaps I’ll complete the buying process.
But I thank you for your candor and retirement perspective as you see it.
Thanks again for reading my comments snd give my best wishes to Tom.
Joe.
You’re very welcome, Joe. I wish you the best with your next steps. So exciting! Xx
Diane,
I’ve been following you and your YouTube channel for years. And I AM one of those seniors who spent my entire life in the US dreaming of a life in France. It took me over 70 years to get here. And like a lot of seniors coming over here now, many of us saw the handwriting on the wall, last year. It took me 3 husbands before I found one willing to just vacation in France. So, here we are in Nice, the beautiful south of France. You do have a number of valid points/challenges that might convince some people that “all that” effort and the paperwork and learning the language, even as a senior, just isn’t worth it. Fortunately, I studied French for 8 years in jr high, high school and college back in the US. By the time I finally talked my 1st husband into taking me to Paris for our 20th anniversary, it had been over 20 yrs since I spoke in French to anyone. I was probably fluent back in my college days. Since then and many many trips to France, with all 3 husbands and now, having spent over a year, finally fulfilling my dream, with husband #3, I am doing well with my French. Lots of it has come back. I’m not fluent again, but working on it My husband is still learning at basic levels. We moved from Naples, FL (I grew up outside of Phila and spent the rest of my life in NJ/PA). When my husband, an Architect, decided to think about retiring, we did the research and realized we can live here in Nice, comfortably, on just our US Social Security benefits and (only) a modest savings. We are actually living here for 47% of what it used to cost us to live in Naples Florida. And that tax treaty is also a benefit, although we don’t really have any taxable income, here in France, that is affected by that. But the cost of healthcare here is fantastic. Because we’re retired, it is very very low, at a time when our income is very limited. And so far, we’ve found English speaking doctors and they are good doctors. Our healthcare is equivalent to what we were getting back in Florida, for a lot more money. Fortunately, we haven’t had any serious health issues. Yes, we had lots of hurdles with the “administrative” stuff during our first year, but we made it. And yes, living here is much different than vacationing here. It’s even better! And we’re not the type to sit at cafes and drink wine all day and night. We live normal lives here. And we don’t have to sweat out hurricane season anymore, in Florida. And we don’t have a lot of MAGA people living around us. And when I buy ripe produce at the market every week, everything, especially those really red strawberries, they taste like they are supposed to. I’ve even found a few tomatoes that are as delicious as a good “Jersey tomato” (assuming you know what I mean having lived in NJ. So, we eat better food. We don’t need a car and walk most places (or take the tram and the train). Our rent is cheaper, electric is a mere fraction of what we were spending in Florida and we have a very happy, stressfree life. But, we are in a different place in our lives than you and your husband are. We beyond our working years (although we do keep busy creating videos for our own YouTube channel, so I do edit two videos a week–but that isn’t really a job). It’s mental therapy for me. Something I started doing hoping to stave off Alzheimer’s as I get older.
I think that because living in France was never your “dream”, it is understandable that you would feel as you do. For a lot of us, because it was our dream and we were able to make it come true, there is no hill too high, no administrative task too challenging, no situation (so far) that would ever give us even a spark of a thought of returning to the USA, especially, given what is happening to the country where we grew up.
I agree that France has to be your dream for you to want to spend your last days, your last chapter, your golden years here. And for those of us who chose this dream, we are willing to tough it up when necessary, meet the challenges and embrace this new life.
So, we each have different points of view. And we’re both right. We’re right to choose the path that is right for us. You are a lucky gal to have found a handsome guy who brought you here, even if it wasn’t your dream. Surely happiness was always your dream and if living in France keeps you on that path, so be it…. Happiness is the most important thing.
I wish you continued happiness and joy in your life.
An
P.S. The photos of you in this post are beautiful!!
Hi An, thank you so much for your thoughtful, insightful, and respectful comment. What you said is all very true and I appreciate you sharing it with me. I am so happy that retiring here was the right choice for you and it’s all worked out really well!! That’s awesome!! As I said in the post, many people do move here for retirement and are very happy in France like you. I love that.
Just wanted to say though that my post was not an attempt to convince anyone to do or not do anything. I wanted to explain why I personally would not choose to retire abroad in France. Even though it wasn’t my lifelong dream to move to France permanently in my 20s, it was exciting for me to do so when the opportunity presented itself, so I went for it! I firmly believe things tend to work out for the best. I’m grateful for where life has taken me 🙂
Thank you again for taking the time to comment.
Xx
Interesting post. I am a retired American living in Paris, but would hesitate to say I’ve “retired to France” because I’m not sure how long I’ll stay. I agree that moving here “from scratch” at retirement age would be pretty challenging. For me, not so much, as I’ve spent quite a bit of time in France over the years (multi-month visits to do research, not vacations), have fluent French, and a few friends. There’s challenges nonetheless, but for me the huge advantage is I DON’T HAVE TO DRIVE. Where I live in the US, driving is unavoidable, and increasingly difficult for me. So there can be challenges in either country.
My husband and I have retired in France and never consider leaving. My husband does not speak French and given his age is having trouble learning. My French is getting better and honestly poor language skills should not discourage anyone. We have French friends and somehow manage with the ‘administration’. Also there are people who are bi-lingual who are generous with their time to help you wade through the online ‘paperwork.’ And is all else fails you can pay someone to do the paperwork and updates. I am told prices are reasonable.
Absolutely, where there’s a will there’s a way!
The lady doth protest too much, methinks . Or something like that! But enjoyed your take on the topic.
I’m a lot of things, but insincere isn’t one of them. Glad you enjoyed the post though!
I completely get this post. I have enjoyed many trips to Paris, had always had the dream of living in France (or somewhere in Europe) tucked in my pocket for “later”. As my 60s grow deeper, I see that idea slipping away if not already acknowledging that it is completely gone. For a variety of reasons — one very important one being not wishing to leave my support network as I age. That reality makes me sad sometimes, as if I’ve missed out on something. But life just didn’t work out that way for me. I do still keep a little idea alive that I might manage to spend a month here or there somewhere…someday.
I agree with you — adventure vs comfort — at my age comfort is paramount. What you mentioned about dealing with healthcare in your own language…. My husband had a heart attack last year while we were out of town in another state. That was hard enough — I thought during that time, ‘Imagine if this had happened while you were in France!.’…
I live in Florida (and wish I did not) and experience people like that 70 year old woman you mentioned constantly. The irony about her not wishing to learn French is that she’d be the first one yelling at Hispanic people in Florida to learn English.
I agree that speaking French (or any language of a country you’ve moved to) is essential to making life easier on one’s self, however, I’d just like to point out that technology has become more useful in this case. Apparently Apple’s AirPods now translate in real time. (!) This would help you understand more, but it would still be difficult to make yourself understood. Of course you can speak into Google translation and have it played back in the language you’re trying to communicate in. Arduous, but doable in some situations.
PS – same about having kids. It was a nope that I never wavered on either.
Yes, I heard about the new AirPod translation feature. Very cool although I haven’t seen them in action yet. I appreciate you taking the time to read the post and understand where I’m coming from 🙂 thank you for sharing a bit of your story!
Hey Diane, long time no see 😉
I totally get your point. Being in my late 50s, I have been thinking a lot about retirement. My only question is where to retire. I was born and raised in France, but moved to Germany after college, then to the US in my mid 40s. Where do I belong? What is Home? If home is the place where my family is, where is my home when my children are out of high school? I don’t have any answer yet to these questions.
What I know though, is that retiring in France or any other country would mean starting over in my 60s. You’ve named it: energy is what it takes. And I know what it takes to build a life in a foreign country, I’ve done it twice in my life, and to be honest I’m cautious at the prospect to do it again.
Staying in the US is not an alternative: healthcare is too expensive. Moving back to France, even if I don’t have the language barrier is a new start. It’s not only navigating the new environment, shopping, tax, and healthcare. It’s building a new life with new friends.
Energy is what it takes. There is no connecting with people at work because there is no work anymore. There is no connecting with other mothers from school because there is no children at home anymore. Keeping up habits like sports doesn’t automatically make you friend with others. Do you remember what you wrote about your gym many years ago?
In the end, you are on your own, even more if you are single or divorced.
Besides social life, what about getting really sick without family or friends around to give a hand with driving to medical appointments, grocery, pharmacy run? Your post made me realize that in any cases, my children will be worried sick if I am at a place where they can’t help and they won’t be able to help because the probability that the four of us are at the same place is nearly zero.
I’m with you: not everything that shines is gold. Retiring in France is certainly a wonderful idea! Being realistic about the challenges will go a long way to avoid disappointments.
This fascinates me. In my opinion, our lives are so heavily influenced by where we are “right now” that it’s hard to imagine what another life in another country would be like, so you’ve surely helped some with the clarity of your message.
I moved to Europe from the US at age 45, for love. We lived in another European country for 11 years and then moved to France 14 years ago. So I have lived outside our shared home country for a quarter of a century. I have been here so long that I can no longer easily picture what my life would be like now back in the US. The bias toward the familiarity here after many years is real for me.
I wasn’t yet retired when I came to France, but we chose it based on lifestyle, aesthetics, and the enjoyment we had found on every visit. Given what’s happened in the States I am delighted to be here and enjoying a more simple life than would be available to me back “home”.
I, too, had French language experience of yore when we came here, but it has taken me many years to get up to speed again, and in spite of that, I accept that I will likely never be fluent, just passable. If people of retirement age are learning French for the first time, it will take enormous effort for most to become even passable, so that is surely an important consideration when it comes to healthcare, finances, etc, as it’s so much easier (as you mention) to conduct these in one’s native language. – There is help with bureaucracy if you can afford it but it’s better for so many reasons to manage these things on our own.
I love France but I also sometimes dislike it.. These same feelings were part of my life in the previous country where we lived. Immigrants often feel the sting of the enormous difference in culture from what we “knew” once the honeymoon period is over. And it WILL eventually be over. That’s the point where the life you’ve built will sustain you, or you will return “home”. I believe some dreams are strong enough to take us anywhere, and to succeed in that place. I know a number of Americans who have retired here successfully, so of course it can work, but it is not for the faint-hearted. To those of you contemplating the move, I wish you luck with your decision.
Diane, You’re % correct! One can easily switch out the country name of France and know what you say is true especially learning the language!
That said, keying in at search engines and YouTube phrases such as ‘Why I’m leaving France’ ‘Why I left France’ ‘Why expats leave France’ is interchangeable with every country on the map.
I have a friend whose work for a major multinational banks whose career took him to Asia where he discovered Vietnam. Because of his personality, flexibility and love of agriculture (he farmed at one point) despite not speaking much Vietnamese, he met and is happily married to a native Vietnamese and enjoying semi-retirement there. Yes, there are challenges he’s shared but being open minded he says he’s lost most of his ‘ugly ways’ in embracing Vietnamese ones which he says are humble, concerned and caring for each other vs. where he is from in the US. I cringed as I read of your discriminatory and racist exchange with that closed minded 70 year old woman!
Diane,
i understand fully what you are saying. i have immigrated to Australia when i was 23, i was supposed to stay there for two years and then return to France. (i am French born). but my life took a different turn, i found a wonderful woman, married and had now 48 wonderful years in Australia and Canada.
but, as i always said, a migrant, first generation, that is, is really nowhere, in between the old world and the new world, (in Canada, there are millions of immigrants from many nations). the second generation, children born in the new country have their two feet on one soil. the first generation has one foot in each country. it is indeed very difficult because we are still (and will be forever) connected with our home country. Whether we move to France or Canada or the USA, the problems are the same. yes, as a young person, it is adventure, as older person, it is life, settlement somewhere, to enjoy the rest of our life, but for a migrant it is very difficult. i have lived in Australia, Canada and France, i left France when i was 23, but today, still, “i am French” the same way you are American. having gone through those experiences i feel deeply for the migrants i meet every day in Canada. i am like you, the adventure to go to Australia was wonderful when i was younger, today, it is more difficult to take. Canada, Alberta where i reside now, is great, the Rocky Mountains give a wonderful scenery to all who go there, but there is the reality of living and it must be faced head on.
thank you for sharing your thoughts “with me”.
please “dites bonjour a votre mari pour moi”.
Bises..
jean.
Thanks so much for sharing your story, Jean. I appreciate it and will say hi to Tom 🙂
Hello Diane,
This is my first post to you, although I have read your Blogs for years. I understand entirely your view about retirement to France. I am an American woman living in California and a lifelong Francophile. Two years ago, when I lost my house in the beautiful Carmel by the Sea, I got my Longterm Visa, plane ticket, and apartment hunt set to go for retirement to Nice, France. At the eleventh hour, my name came up on a Waiting List for an apartment in Carmel. I opted to stay and couldn’t be happier. I have traveled to France since I was a teenager, but personally, I didn’t think life in Nice would be easier at this time in my life. I speak Intermediate French, but waiting on line for a Bus, or rushing to get a seat on the Tram or train and then still having to walk long distances, at my age, was not my idea of ease. (Unlike many, I love my car!) Grocery shopping in France was limited to the one bag I could carry or wheel. The lack of air-con was discomforting. Health system is cheaper, but is it better? (Do love the pharmacies, though) Realistically, France is not free of crime, political stress, homelessness, riots, nor any of the problems we think we are running from. Fortunately, Carmel has European charm, many French restaurants, excellent produce and wines, gorgeous beaches, and I feel myself lucky to live here. I still visit France every year and spend a month enjoying the art museums and culture to keep the best parts in my life. And P.S. I made the same decision about children. There are more of us out there. Bien a vous.
Hi Phyllis, thanks so much for taking the time to comment. Happy you’re here. 😉 I am so glad that you carefully considered what type of living situation was best for you and then did exactly that!
By the way, we visited Carmel once back when Tom and I had just gotten engaged, as we drove down PCH. Such a beautiful area!
I love Paris and I am retired here after 25 years of living between here and San Francisco. Moving to Paris was my dream since I was 6 years old. I have learned about life in France over my 25 years, but I did not learn about truly living in France until I made it permanent.
It has taken nearly 4 years to get my health insurance. They claimed repeatedly they could not read my birth certificate. Well in Illinois they send archival copies of birth certificates copied on their official paper and stamped with the State Seal. At 70 years old you can imagine what mine looked liked. Typed on an old manual typewriter with handwritten entries in some boxes. No other US or French agency had an issue/problem with it, but CPAM insisted on a readable copy. I was overwhelmed and purchasing insurance every year in order to renew my carte sejour. Then a friend, Sue Karant, who commented here a while back told me about the health laws of France and the EU. I was able to find the CPAM mediator, submit my information, and within less than 6 weeks, I received my health insurance retroactive to 2023!!! I felt triumphant. I just got it yesterday. So yes the process is very challengingly, but in the end it is rewarding. I have half fare senior transit, my tax return is simple, my needs are met with lower priced and far healthier food, the simple needs of retirement are met, in ways they could never meet them in the US. I say don’t fear the process, in the end as a retired individual living in France, I feel very, very blessed.
Also, thank you for your blog site. You are often one of my go-to places for information and inspiration.
Enjoyed your article, but I think that you seem to be ignoring several MAJOR issues when considering retirement :
– how about finances and taxes? An American living in France will have some serious challenges in terms of the complexity and cost of taxes. US banks often will try to close your accounts when they discover that your primary residence is abroad. Many French banks don’t want to touch an American.
– Have you looked at French inheritance laws? If you retire in France, you very well might die in France and your estate liable for draconian French inheritance taxes.
Any responsable adult should surely be looking at these issues at retirement time.