Retire in France:
From 9-to-5 to Vin et Fromage
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Understanding French Healthcare (Part 2): How Mutuelle Insurance Works One of our biggest drivers for leaving the US and immigrating to France was access to affordable, high-quality healthcare. We wanted to live somewhere where the quality of care was equal…
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The Great Driver’s License Exchange: Swapping American for French
Driving is an integral part of American culture. Everyone does it every day for everything. Need milk and eggs from the store a block away? Drive there. Want to spend 40 hours in a car traveling across the country? Totally…
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Moving within France – How to move across the country and survive
Moving in France is almost like it was in the US. Rent a truck bigger than any vehicle you’ve ever driven before, cram it full of everything you own, reflect on how you’ve managed to accumulate so much stuff, then…
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Is the VLS-TS Visitor Visa a Path to French Citizenship?
Years ago, the path from visa holder to French citizen was straightforward and attainable. Living in France for 5 years, speaking French at a B1 level, and knowing some of the country’s history was all it took to qualify and…
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Six Months Living in France: Life, Culture, and Surprises
It’s been just over six months since we first arrived in France. Our first half-year has been a rollercoaster, with plenty of ups and downs. After being approved for our visas and moving here we found an apartment, validated our…
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The FEIE for Digital Nomads – Travel the World and Pay No Taxes
‘Nothing is certain except death and taxes’ – Benjamin Franklin, 1789 American taxes are like a ghost, haunting you no matter what country you escape to. Even moving to a tax haven won’t save you from them. But what if…
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Applying for the Carte Vitale and accessing the French Healthcare System
The Carte Vitale – the Holy Grail of life in France. Access to the healthcare system, reimbursements on medical expenses, acceptance into French society, reaching self-actualization. Well, at least half of those things are true. But being reimbursed for medical…
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The French VLS-TS Visa Validation and OFII Medical Exam
Finding an apartment, moving in, and getting everything set up were the hardest parts of moving to France for us so far. By comparison, the rest of the process has been quite straightforward. VLS-TS Visa Validation French visas valid for…
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The Hidden Financial Risks of Retiring Abroad – Part 1
We arrived in France in January 2025. That month, the USD:EUR exchange rate had climbed to 0.97:1 and was on track to reach parity at 1:1. Because we’ve worked and invested in the US for our entire careers, all of…