Touraine

I meant that renting is probably a better option than buying for someone who has never lived in France in order to get a taste of 'French living'. But for me, that really depends on where you what to buy/live.

What areas of the Loire valley were you looking at ?

EuroTrash

I think we're just looking for some reassurance from you that you've spent time in France and know enough about the country and its culture to be reasonably sure that you'll settle here. We probably all know Brits who moved here for exactly the same reason that you're talking about, because they were able to afford a lovely house that they could never have afforded in the UK, but who discovered that they weren't happy in France for whatever reason and are trying desperately to get back to the UK but are trapped. There are Brits that have been trying to sell their house for literally 6 years and more. It's heartbreaking to watch nice people's dreams go wrong and there's nothing you can do to help, and it makes you a bit cautious about saying to other Brits 'Yes go for it!'

dmu

Touraine's reply (and others') is good advice.
His/her comment was in reply to my post announcing that retirees should have no problem renting if their joint Pensions are 3-4 times the rent. (For "younger" candidates, landlords require either a work contract or payslips to justify a regular income 3-4 times the rent).

rod70

Thank you everyone. Very helpful, sensible and reassuring responses. We will keep on researching through BE and are assured we will be appropriately guided in what we decide to do. Many thanks.

InVinoVeritas

You've had plenty of advice to rent in France before moving and this will help you avoid the bigger pitfalls but I was referring more to the impact of actually become resident.

I have no idea of your financial circumstances but you don't have to be very well off to find yourself paying more tax in France and your inheritance tax situation will also change. You can do the research on this without even stepping foot in France and there are plenty of professionals who can advise you on this.

If you want to share on the forum there are people here who can help too.

rod70

Having read all the super advice and warnings given to our original thread about moving to France, we are wondering how all who responded got round the problems they are pointing out to us.


1. You must know the language. Are you telling us you all were able to speak enough French to lead a normal daily life from the time you arrived?


2. Cost of fuel is expensive for both heating, cooking and running a car. So what fuel is the best for house heating and cooking?


3 Buying a car is expensive. Also importing a UK car is a nightmare. Ok what did you do - did you buy in France or import?


4. Inheritance Tax & Laws are heavy in France. But what we have read is that there is no inheritance tax levied for surviving spouse and allowances for other nearest relatives are very generous. (Since 17 Aug 15 EU Law has changed the Law regarding Foreign nationals who can elect their own nationalities law for their will).


We would love to hear what is good about living in France. Is it not a lovely country, are the French people not nice and helpful? So far no one has said anything like this. That is quite worrying.


Sorry if this may be a bit controversial, not meant to be.

dmu

1) Spoke French before I arrived
2) No town gas in the countryside - we have gas-fired central heating (butane tank), plus wood fire, cooking electric. Unpleasant bills.
3) OH had a French car when I met him (but has changed it several times, since...)
4) French Inheritance Tax will still be levied on French Property, whoever it's willed to. Unrelated heirs still pay 60% of the value, close family pays much less.

We tend to warn potential newcomers about the many differences from the UK, the Bureaucracy, the different healthcare system, the Tax System, schooling, job-seeking, renting, importance of being able to communicate, etc... which they might not be aware of.
I, for one, assume that they already know what's good about living in France, since they plan to move here!

cyrian

1. Nobody speaks to me in English on a daily basis. My OH was fluent in French and we had French friends to advise.
2. That is why the French buy modern well insulated homes to reduce their fuel bills. It is the brits who buy the old stone cottages.
3. Cars are more expensive to buy in France but depending on your chosen area they are likely to last longer than in the cold, wet climate in Scotland.
I bought a French car.
4. As per dmu's reply, IHT is paid in France on French property.

We have found the French to be very warm and welcoming and we spend a lot of time socialising with our friends and neighbours. However, the conversations are always in French.
I was speaking recently with a couple who had retired from Paris to Tours and she told me that she found the locals to be "cold". I told her that my experience was the very opposite.
Perhaps being a foreigner who speaks French is better than being a Parisian.


France is a lovely country with a slower pace of life with good quality food and wine. It is in some ways like the UK in the 1950s
or 60s. IMHO you gain most by integrating and that means speaking French or you could find a village that has a large expat community and you will get France "a la anglaise".
Have a couple of holidays in your chosen region and look at is as a resident rather than a holidaymaker.

EuroTrash

Having read all the super advice and warnings given to our original thread about moving to France, we are wondering how all who responded got round the problems they are pointing out to us.


1. You must know the language. Are you telling us you all were able to speak enough French to lead a normal daily life from the time you arrived?
Yep. Always loved the country, the culture and the language, studied French at college, worked here for a year as part of my course, loved it and decided then that I wanted to live here. It just took me another 35 years to get round to it! Seriously, I couldn't move to a country where I didn't know what was going on round me, it would seem weird and I'd feel vulnerable. (And since I work as a translator and linguist, it all fits together nicely.)

2. Cost of fuel is expensive for both heating, cooking and running a car. So what fuel is the best for house heating and cooking?
When I moved in, it was all electric. After recovering from the first winter's EDF bill I had a woodburner installed. The electricity bills went down by over 50 per cent. Mind you there is the expense of the wood, but I buy it one stère at a time so there's no big bill, and it's easier to keep tabs on what I'm spending on heating - you can actually see how fast the wood pile is going down, and put more jumpers on instead if necessary. For cooking, I have no option. Though I do keep looking at induction hobs.


3 Buying a car is expensive. Also importing a UK car is a nightmare. Ok what did you do - did you buy in France or import?
Bought a 20 year old RHD French registered Rover 216 for 350€ and it lasted for 4 years. By that time I had managed to save up a bit so I spent slightly more on the next one, got a Berlingo and it's still going strong. (We won't even mention the gas-guzzling motorhome that grows puffballs on its backside... but I had that before I moved here. It's still on UK plates because it would be a nightmare to register it here, and it lives in a farmer's field in Wales. I go and collect it each spring and take it back each autumn.)


4. Inheritance Tax & Laws are heavy in France. But what we have read is that there is no inheritance tax levied for surviving spouse and allowances for other nearest relatives are very generous. (Since 17 Aug 15 EU Law has changed the Law regarding Foreign nationals who can elect their own nationalities law for their will). Doesn't bother me, I'll be gone, but since I have no close relatives I'll probably leave my house to the commune or to a charity. In the right circumstances, succession tax is lower in France than in the UK.


We would love to hear what is good about living in France. Is it not a lovely country, are the French people not nice and helpful? So far no one has said anything like this. That is quite worrying.
Yes it is a beautiful country, and very varied. I've lived here for 10 years and I still get a real buzz out of spending my holidays travelling round France and discovering new places. Driving is a pleasure. I come back loaded with regional specialities - bottles of stuff (mostly alcoholic), pots of stuff, jars of stuff, tins of stuff, packets of stuff. And I meet nice people along the way, and some of them turn into friends. My annual travels round France are an important part of my life.

My French neighbours are very nice, very polite, very civil. They do as they would be done by. They're not pushy, they're not over-familiar, they're not judgemental, they really seem to take pleasure in helping out and being friendly. There's no pressure to keep up with the Joneses. People don't put you down because you drive a 20 year old Rover, and they don't ooze resentment if you happen to have something nicer than they've got. I'm sure my neighbours think I'm batty as a fruitcake but they accept people for what they are and they don't mind eccentrics. I feel at home here and I don't want to live anywhere else.

InVinoVeritas

My understanding is:-

If your principal residence is in France then you are considered domiciled in France and consequently inheritance tax will be charged on your worldwide estate, this irrespective of where your beneficiaries may be resident.

Whilst the UK is planning to increase the tax-free allowance to £1 million, the French have reduced many allowances.

In the UK, the tax is paid by the estate, in France it is paid by each beneficiary.

The new European directive regarding the admissibility of foreign wills does not change the tax situation

Touraine

My two pence worth.

1) The more rural you live the more dependent you will be on speaking very good French in order to live. In a prosperous town less so, in a city you can get away with broken French. Best advice, prosperous town 10-15 mins to a good city.

2) Again, more rural you are the less options you have for heating a house. Wood is best but labour intensive oil is very expensive. So again, pick a prosperous town near to a large city and the chances are you will have gas. If you want to go rural, go for a number of different heating options in the house depending on the room.

3) In your budget for buying a house and moving to France allocate an amount for buying a new car. Not nearly new or secondhand a brand new car.

4) Have no idea.

5) French people generally keep themselves to themselves. In my experience French people tend to be more open and friendly in towns and cities than in rural areas.

In terms of living, only you can decide if France is for you which is why renting is better. My advice is always the same and that is don't go rural. Expats go rural for the cheaper houses but there is a cost to that.