Retire in France:
From 9-to-5 to Vin et Fromage
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Many American expats dread the need to open a local bank account when they move to France. They’ve heard the rumors on how difficult it can be and how no local bank will do business with Americans. While it is…
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Remote Work on a French Visitor Visa: Rules, Risks, and Reality
Update: France has finally responded to the question about remote work on the Visitor visa. You can read about the response here. Introduction: Why This Question Comes Up So Often One of the most hotly debated questions amongst expats in…
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One Year Later: What Life in France Is Really Like
January marks our one-year anniversary of moving to France. It’s been a whirlwind year with plenty of ups and downs, but we’re finally feeling settled now that we’ve moved to Annecy from Nice. The first six months of living here…
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How to Retire to France from the US: Visas, Healthcare, Taxes & Cost of Living
Thinking about retiring to France from the US? You’re not alone. It’s possible for Americans to retire to France, but the process is more structured than many expect. This guide explains exactly how US citizens retire in France, including the…
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Cost of Living in France (2025): What It Really Cost Us to Move and Live Here
2025 was an expensive year for us. Not only did we move from the US to France, but we also moved within France. We arrived at the Nice airport in mid January with only four suitcases, having sold everything we…
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From Sunshine to Lakeside Living: Why We Chose Annecy over the French Riviera
The Côte d’Azur had everything we were looking for in life. Beautiful beaches, stunning mountains, and year-round sunny weather. Plus all the amenities of a European city we couldn’t find in the US: walkability, public transit, and gorgeous historic architecture.…
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Understanding French Healthcare (Part 2): How Mutuelle Insurance Works
Understanding French Healthcare (Part 1): Using our new Carte Vitale The public healthcare in France isn’t free. After living in France for three months, residents qualify to join the healthcare system (Sécurité Sociale) and receive a Carte Vitale. But the…
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Charge Them More! France’s 2026 Plan to Raise Visa Fees
Update: these fees are going into effect starting in May 2026. Read our article about all of the updates here. Immigrants are once again the solution to all of France’s budget woes. The recent idea to charge Americans more for…
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New French Healthcare Taxes Expected for Visitor Visa Holders
American Retirees are getting targeted specifically by French regulators on this one. While the new tax will likely apply to anyone from a non-EU country (except those like the UK with bilateral healthcare agreements) on a VLS-TS visiteur visa, the…