Americans and Other Expats Retiring in France: A few Nuggets of Wisdom

France may not be the first country that comes to mind when Americans think about retiring overseas. But perhaps it should be.

World-class healthcare, incredible food, outstanding wine, walkable cities, excellent public transportation, beautiful countryside, and a slower pace of life make France an attractive destination for Americans looking for a different kind of retirement.

But there is an important reality that sometimes gets lost in the dream of moving abroad:

Moving to France will not go 100% smoothly.

I know this from personal experience.

I moved back to France in 2025 after spending many years living overseas. Even though I am a dual citizen, speak fluent French, and had previously lived in France, I still encountered plenty of unexpected challenges.

So if you are an American thinking about retiring in France, my advice isn't to reconsider.

It is to prepare for the bumps in the road, and enjoy the journey anyway.

Why France Is So Attractive for Retirement

There are plenty of reasons France deserves a place on your list of potential retirement destinations.

You can enjoy excellent healthcare, fresh food, world-class wine, historic towns and villages, extensive public transportation, and a lifestyle that often places more emphasis on enjoying life rather than constantly working.

Depending on where you live, you can have a completely different experience.

You could spend your retirement in a small village surrounded by vineyards, enjoy city life in Paris, Lyon or Toulouse, live near the Mediterranean in Nice or Marseille, settle in Bordeaux wine country, or choose a coastal town along the Atlantic.

And that's one of the great things about France:

There isn't one "French lifestyle."

France is a large and geographically diverse country, and the right location for your retirement will depend heavily on what you want from your daily life.

Don't Expect the Move to Be Easy

The romantic version of moving to France usually involves sitting at a café, drinking an espresso or glass of wine, while watching the world go by.

The reality also involves paperwork.

Lots of paperwork.

French bureaucracy has a world-famous reputation, and there is some truth behind it. But I would also caution Americans against assuming that bureaucracy is uniquely French.

Anyone who has spent hours dealing with the DMV in Texas or navigating American healthcare, taxes, insurance or other government agencies knows that bureaucracy exists everywhere.

The difference is often simply which bureaucracy you are accustomed to dealing with.

I have moved internationally more than a half dozen times, including multiple moves back to the United States. Every single move has had its share of unexpected problems.

France was no different.

My Experience Moving Back to France

Even with French citizenship and fluent French, I encountered several challenges when I returned to France in 2025.

Getting Registered With CPAM

One of my first surprises was how long it took to get registered with the French healthcare system.

Despite having a job teaching finance at a university, my CPAM registration took more than two months.

For someone arriving in France expecting to quickly get settled into the French healthcare system, this can be frustrating, especially as those on a VLS-TS Long-Stay Visitor Visa can only start the process after living in France for 3 months. You can find my article on CPAM registration here

It is a good example of why you should allow plenty of time for French administrative processes.

Don't assume that because you have submitted the paperwork, everything will immediately be completed.

Finding a Rental Property

Finding housing was another unexpected challenge.

I had substantial investments and U.S. tax returns that demonstrated my financial resources. However, some French landlords and rental agencies were not comfortable accepting financial documentation from the United States.

In other words, having the money doesn't necessarily mean renting an apartment will be easy.

I ultimately had to use a rental guarantee service, Cautioneo, to help secure my rental. Even this wasn't a walk in the park as there is a lot of competition for rentals in urban cities, so you need to get use to the fact that your "dossier" might not be accepted for your top choice.

If you are moving to France without a traditional French employment history, French tax returns or a French guarantor, this is an issue you should think about before you arrive.

I wrote more about my experience here:

Renting an Apartment in France Without a French Guarantor

Starting a Business in France

I originally started MyBestMoneyLife.com as a hobby.

As the website grew, however, I realized that if I wanted the site to generate enough income to cover its expenses, I needed to formalize the activity in France.

Side hustles are generally treated as business activities in France, so I created an auto-entrepreneur business.

Fortunately, as a dual citizen, I was able to do this.

This is an important distinction for Americans considering a move to France: your immigration status matters.

For example, people living in France on a VLS-TS Long-Stay Visitor Visa generally cannot simply create a business in France, so if you are planning to have a side hustle in France to supplement your income, this might not be possible.

If you are planning to generate income in France, make sure you understand the rules that apply to your particular visa or residency status before making the move.

Buying a Car in France

Then there was the fun of buying and registering a car shortly after moving.

I purchased a 2025 Hyundai Kona from Tabor Autohaus, and thankfully they handled the registration process for me.

Having someone who knows the French administrative process can be incredibly valuable when you're new to the country.

This is a recurring theme when moving to France:

Sometimes paying for help is worth it simply because it saves you time, frustration and mistakes.

If you are interested in buying a car via Tabor Autohaus, feel free to send me an email and I can provide you a referral to save 100€.

Finding a Doctor

Even something as basic as finding a primary care physician wasn't as easy as I expected.

When I was living in Rennes, several doctors were not accepting new patients.

France has an excellent healthcare system, but that doesn't necessarily mean that every doctor is immediately available to new patients in every location.

This is another reason why choosing where you live matters.

Healthcare availability, housing costs, transportation and access to services can vary considerably from one part of France to another. I wrote an article on finding a primary care physician here

If I Had Problems, What About You?

At this point, you might be thinking:

"If you speak fluent French, are a French citizen and still had these problems, what chance does an American have?"

My answer is:

Don't worry about it.

These challenges are normal parts of moving internationally.

The important thing is to expect them.

I have moved internationally over a half dozen times, and every move has involved unexpected problems, including my moves back to the United States.

A missing document.

A delayed registration.

A landlord who doesn't understand your financial situation.

A government office that needs another form.

A service provider that doesn't work quite the way you expected.

These things happen.

The goal isn't to have a completely problem-free move.

The goal is to be prepared enough that the problems don't derail your plans.

Make Sure You Are Moving to France for the Right Reasons

This is probably my most important piece of advice for anyone considering retirement in France.

Move to France because you want to live in France.

Don't move simply because you think France will be cheaper.

Don't move because you've read that a particular tax treaty provision is advantageous.

And don't move simply because you are trying to escape the United States.

Those may be factors in your decision, but they shouldn't be the foundation of it.

Ask yourself:

• Do I genuinely like French culture?

• Do I enjoy the French way of life?

• Am I willing to learn French?

• Do I want to participate in French society?

• Am I comfortable adapting to a different way of doing things?

• Do I want France to actually be my home?

In my experience, people who choose France because they want France to be home are more likely to have a successful transition.

Moving primarily for financial reasons can create a different experience.

The tax advantages, healthcare costs or cost of living may look attractive on a spreadsheet, but retirement is about much more than your spreadsheet.

You are choosing where you are going to live your life.

Choose the Right Part of France

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is thinking of France as a single retirement destination.

France is a big country with enormous regional diversity.

Do you want:

An Urban Lifestyle?

You might prefer somewhere like Paris, Lyon, Toulouse, Bordeaux or Marseille, where you have restaurants, cultural activities, public transportation and plenty to do without a car.

A Small-Town Lifestyle?

Perhaps you dream about living in a smaller French town where life moves at a slower pace and you can get to know your neighbors.

The Mountains?

If you love skiing, hiking and mountain scenery, the French Alps and Pyrenees offer a completely different retirement experience.

The Mediterranean?

The south of France offers warmer weather, coastal living and the Mediterranean lifestyle that attracts people from around the world.

The Atlantic Coast?

The Atlantic coastline offers a different climate and atmosphere, with beautiful beaches, coastal towns a lower price tag than the Côte D'Azur.

Rural France?

If your dream is a house surrounded by vineyards, fields or forests, rural France can offer an incredible quality of life, but it can also mean more dependence on a car and potentially less convenient access to healthcare and services.

There is no single "best place to retire in France."

There is only the best place for you.

Visit Before You Move

My strongest recommendation is to do your homework before choosing where to live.

Ideally, visit France multiple times and explore different areas. I recently had a client that knew they were going to move to Rennes for retirement and after spending a week in 3 different cities, decided that they preferred another city more.

Don't spend two weeks in Paris and assume you know where you want to retire.

Try different cities and regions.

Spend time in both summer and winter if possible.

Stay in neighborhoods where you might actually live rather than simply staying in tourist areas.

Try taking public transportation.

Visit supermarkets.

Look at rental properties.

Check out healthcare options.

Talk to locals.

And, most importantly, try to imagine what your ordinary Tuesday would look like.

Because retirement isn't a vacation.

You aren't choosing somewhere to spend two weeks.

You are choosing somewhere to potentially spend the next 20 or 30 years.

And Remember: You Can Always Move

Even after doing all that research, you might discover that your first choice isn't right for you.

That's okay.

One of the great things about moving to France is that you aren't necessarily locked into your first decision.

You can move.

Maybe you discover that you need a bigger city.

Maybe you realize you don't like relying on a car.

Maybe the winters are colder than you expected.

Maybe you discover that you actually want to live closer to the coast.

Your first French home doesn't have to be your forever home.

Think of the first move as part of the learning process and why I recommend to clients to rent for the first year.

Why I Started MyBestMoneyLife

MyBestMoneyLife originally started as a hobby focused on financial literacy and helping people make better financial decisions.

But after moving back to France, I found myself getting more and more questions from people interested in moving to France.

What started as a financial education website gradually expanded into helping expats and prospective expats understand the financial and practical realities of life in France.

Today, I help answer questions about moving to France while also providing financial coaching to expats and locals in France and around the world.

There is a huge amount of information available online about moving to France.

But sometimes what you really need is someone who has actually gone through the process and can help you think through your particular situation.

Join Other Americans Living in France

If you're an American already living in France or you're planning a move, I created a Facebook group where Americans can share experiences, ask questions and learn from one another.

You can join the conversation here:

Americans Living in or Moving to France – Facebook Group

The experiences of other expats can be incredibly valuable.

Someone else may have already encountered the exact problem you're trying to solve.

Thinking About Retiring in France?

France has plenty of challenges.

The bureaucracy can be frustrating.

The paperwork can seem endless.

Finding housing can be difficult.

Getting established with healthcare can take time.

And things won't always work the way you expect.

But none of that changes the fact that France can be an incredible place to retire.

The food, wine, culture, healthcare, transportation, scenery and quality of life can make the challenges worthwhile.

Just go into the move with realistic expectations.

Don't expect everything to be easy. Expect a few bumps—and be prepared to deal with them.

Most importantly, make sure you are moving to France because you genuinely want to make France your home.

If you do your research, choose the right location, understand the administrative requirements and give yourself time to adjust, France can be an incredible place to spend your retirement.

And if you discover that your first choice isn't quite right?

You can always move.

Need Help Planning Your Move?

If you're considering moving to France and would like personalized help thinking through the financial or practical aspects of your move, you can book a coaching session with me.

I'd be happy to help you think through the numbers, the practical considerations and some of the issues you may want to consider before making the move.

My Best Money Life

Helping you live your best life in both France and the United States

Disclaimer

The content on this website is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or professional advice. We recommend that you consult a qualified professional before making any financial or investment decisions.

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