After several proposals and much argy-bargy throughout most of 2024, most of us can breathe a sigh of relief as, essentially, there is little change. As a Micro-Bic, if your gites are classified or you run a chambre d’hotes, you can earn up to 188,700 € and still receive an ‘abattement’ of 71 % for your 2024 income.

Anyone who is Micro-Bic understands perfectly well that this favourable abattement is due to the fact you cannot offset ANY costs in this fiscal regime. For example, if you fit a new kitchen in your gite, buy new bedding, etc, this cannot be offset against your earnings.

However, if your gites are not classified by an officially recognised star-rating, then you can only earn up to 15,000 € in 2024 and receive a 30% abatement on that income. If you are situated in a rural zone and classified, this increases to 51%, as long as you don’t go over the 15,000 € in 2024.

In short, yes. Classified gite owners will see a drop in the tax relief to 50%, and the income ceiling will be lowered to 77,000 €.

Also, there will be Energy Performance Requirements (DPE), which state that from January 1^st 2025, properties rated G will be banned from rental, followed by properties rated F in 2028 and E in 2034. Existing properties currently rated F and G will have a 10-year grace period to reach D standard.

In reality, for those who own gites in order to make a bit of ‘extra’ money to supplement other income, then there’s no major panic. As long as your income from the gites is under 15,000 € and your property isn’t a leaky sieve energy-wise!

However, if you have gone over that income for 2024 and your gites are not classified AND you are situated in a densely populated area, then that’s a little bit trickier.

You could explore the feasibility of renting out long-term for 2025, but do take advice on this as the laws are weighted in favour of the tenants, and it can be a very complicated, costly and protracted process should you fall into a disagreement with your renter. Your property will also need to meet energy-efficiency requirements.

You could try exploring other fiscal regimes for gite owners and I would strongly recommend speaking to a practising, registered and fully qualified accountant in France regarding your specific financial situation. Other ‘simplified’ regimes do exist where you can offset business costs, but you may need the help of an accountant.

Either way, the French government is squeezing its world-renowned tourist industry across the board. The argument for much-needed long-term housing in highly populated and desirable areas is clear. However, a ‘one size fits all’ measure is always going to be grossly unfair to some.

In short, take advice and do your sums before making any major decisions. Running a gite in France just became a whole lot more complicated!

The million-dollar question is how long does it take to get French nationality, and the truth is that there is no one answer. The average time from submitting your initial online application and your name being officially inscribed in the Journal Officiel seems to be around two years. However, some applicants have reported the application process taking up to four years in total, while others have received their citizenship within 18 months.

The defining factors tend to be your dossier – if additional paperwork or documentation is requested, this may slow down your application – and, most importantly, the prefecture that is processing your application. Remember that your application will be processed by your local prefecture (you unfortunately can’t choose to apply to a different prefecture unless you move to that department!), and every prefecture is different. The number of staff working on applications, the number of applicants to process at any given time, and many other factors can affect processing times.

How can I find out more?

Because of the huge variation in processing times between prefectures, we advise you not to base your expectations on the experiences of other applicants unless they have applied recently at the same prefecture. If you really want to get an idea of processing times, the best way is to contact local expat/immigrant groups in your department, where you may find others willing to share their experiences. Even in this instance, though, it’s important to remember that each application is processed differently – processing times can change from year to year and from applicant to applicant, so take this as a very rough guide only.

How can I speed up my application?

Unfortunately, there isn’t really any way to speed up your application, so the best advice is to lower your expectations and be patient! For example, I filed my application with the expectation that it would take a minimum of two years but probably more like three. I’m now just over one year in and have just completed my interview, but because I set my expectations low, I’ve found myself pleasantly surprised with how “quick” it was! I’ve now been told to expect an answer within 12 to 18 months, so that will fall right within my expected timeline.

Although there’s nothing you can do to speed up the process itself, you can save a lot of time and hassle by carefully planning and preparing for each step. Use our guide below to ensure that you aren’t wasting time waiting for documents, correcting errors or sourcing additional paperwork. All of these things could add months onto your application process.

Once you’ve determined that you are eligible for French citizenship, it’s time to start the application process. Your initial application is made online, and you will need to provide a substantial collection of documents, including official translations and proof of your French language level. As with all French administration processes, these documents all need to be sourced within a set timeframe, and you must account for the time required to source the documents from your home country and carry out any required translations.

The following timeline is based on my own experiences and describes the various steps required, along with my tips for when and in what order to carry them out. However, please remember that your situation may vary from mine – you may require more or less steps than me. The following is intended as a guideline only.

1. Acquire the list of required documents

When: as soon as possible

Every application requires a long list of documents that will need to be included in your “dossier”. This list will vary depending on your circumstances, so the first step is to head over to the official page here and fill in all your details – once you have, you’ll be given a comprehensive list of all the required documents for your particular situation. Make sure to answer honestly, as you’ll need different documents depending on whether you’re married, a parent, a home-owner, an employee or business owner, etc. I recommend doing this as soon as possible so that you know exactly what you will need to proceed.

We’ll go over this dossier and some of the required documents in more detail in another article, but for now, I suggest going through the list carefully and making sure that you understand each item that is required. Look up anything that you aren’t sure about, and highlight and shortlist any items that you need to source from your home country  (e.g. original birth certificates, parents’ marriage certificate, or a criminal record) as well as any documents that will need translating into French. These documents will require time to apply for, receive, and translate.

Remember: you will not be able to apply online without providing all of these documents, so I recommend getting everything together before you start your online application. Don’t assume you can “get away” with not providing anything on this list.

2.  Take your language exam

When: three to six months before making your application

While there are some exceptions, most applicants will need to sit an official French language exam, known as a test de connaissance du français (TCF), prior to applying for nationality. There are plenty of test centres where you can sit the exam, but the exams can fill up quickly, so I recommend checking the dates as soon as possible. You will probably need to book your exam at least a month in advance (and possibly up to six months in advance at very busy centres), and you may also wish to undertake preparatory lessons prior to sitting the exam, so account for this in your planning too.

Note that once you have passed your exam, your certificate will be valid for two years – if you don’t submit your application within this time period, you will need to resit the exam.

We’ll cover the exam itself in another article.

3. Apply for foreign documents

When: one to three months before making your application

This step will vary greatly depending on the required documents and the country in which you are applying, so I advise checking this as soon as possible and applying in accordance with the official advice. For example, I applied for birth certificates, marriage certificates, and a criminal record from the UK, and it took me about month to receive all the documents.

Note that most official documents in France are expected to be under six months old at the time of application, so it’s also not advisable to apply for these too far in advance.

4. Translate documents

When: two weeks to one month before making your application

Once you have received your foreign documents, you will also need to send them off to be translated by an official translator. Most translators understand the timely nature of such translations, so you can expect a turnaround of anything from one week to a month, depending on how busy they are. To account for this, I recommend contacting a translator in advance to request a quote and book a timeslot in advance – this is especially important over holiday periods. I contacted two translators for quotes around the same time that I sent off for my foreign documents, which meant I was able to ensure a quick turnaround of the translations once the documents arrived.

5. Prepare your dossier

When: at least a week before making your application

While your documents are being translated, take the time to source all of your remaining documents, especially time-sensitive paperwork such as your last payslips or proof of address. Save everything to a folder as PDF or jpg files, and clearly label each file so you can easily identify them (with so many documents, it’s easy to get confused!). Double-check everything before you file your application.

6. File your application online

When: once you have all your documents ready

Once you have everything together, set aside at least a couple of hours to file your online application here and attach all the documents. Make sure you check everything (you can also save your application and check it again the next day) before you hit send! We’ll go through the online application in more detail in another article.

7. Confirmation of your dossier

When: anything from six months to a year after your application

Every application is processed at different speeds, so be patient. After sending your application, you will be able to view the process of your application in your personal space, but it may simply say “demande déposée” for a long period of time before you see any updates!

If extra documents are required, you will be issued a “demande de complément”, which happened to me after about eight months after my initial application. I then had two months to send these off, after which I received a “récépissé de complétude” confirming that my dossier was complete. The same day, I received notification of my interview date.

NOTE: You should be notified by email or text when you receive updates on your application, but I’ve heard reports of these emails not arriving, so it’s a good idea to check your account periodically, just in case. In particular, once you have received your récépissé de complétude, you should expect to be issued an interview date soon afterwards – it’s worth checking your account regularly at this point if you haven’t heard.

8. Interview

When: about eight months to 18 months after your application

The next major step in the application process is an in-person interview at your local prefecture, known as an entretien d’assimilation. This is arguably the most important step in the process, when you’ll complete your dossier with a representative, be asked questions about French history, geography, politics, and current events, and have the opportunity to prove your integration into French life and culture. We’ll cover this interview in more detail in another article, but my advice is to give yourself at least a month to study beforehand – if your knowledge of France is minimal, you might even want to start improving your knowledge straight away.

Once your dossier is complete, you will be issued a “convocation entretien d’assimilation” with a date and time for your interview. You do not get to choose this date, and it’s highly recommended that you make yourself available. However, in exceptional circumstances, you can request to change the appointment once.

There is no official timeline for receiving your interview, but most people seem to receive their convocation within about one year to 18 months after applying.

9. Home/police visit

When: anytime before or after your interview date

Some applicants will also receive either a home visit from the local police or a request to visit the local police station. This seems to vary greatly depending from commune to commune, with some applicants not having to undertake this step at all. It is generally more common for those applying for nationality through marriage, but it can equally apply to other applicants, so it’s something to be aware of. Typically, these visits seem to take place in the weeks preceding or following your interview.

10.  Approval

When: within a year to 18 months after your interview date

After your interview, your dossier will pass through various stages of verification before a final decision is issued. While there is no official timeline for this, most applicants report receiving an answer within 12 to 18 months after their interview at the prefecture.

If your application has been successful, you will be informed by email from the Sous-direction de l’accès à la nationalité française (SDANF) of your registration in the Journal Officiel and you name will also be added to the liste électorale. Most naturalised citizens are invited to an official ceremony when you’ll receive your certificate of naturalisation. Once you are registered in the official journal, you can apply for a French ID card or passport.

If you’ve received an unfavourable decision, you’ll likely hear earlier. In this instance, there are two options – either you will receive an “irrecevable” decision, which means that you haven’t met the legal terms of the nationality application (this generally can’t be appealed unless the issue in question is rectified), or an “inopportune” decision, which means your request has either been refusée/rejetée (refused/rejected) or reportée/ajournée (postponed/adjourned). In the case of a postponement, you may be given a deadline by which to provide proof of a change/improvement in your situation (language, integration, professional situation, etc).

French farmers are back on the roads this week in protest against the Mercosur trade deal, which they feared would be signed at the G20 summit that started yesterday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The proposed EU trade deal would reduce customs duties on South American goods, which farmers say will allow a surge of lower-cost produce to flood the EU market and put further strain on local agriculture.

The protests, which continue today, saw tractors blocking major routes into Paris, Toulouse, Lyon, and other cities around France, with unions even threatening to block food freight into Toulouse if their concerns are ignored. Minister of Agriculture Annie Genevard has insisted that the deal is not due to be signed at the summit. Meanwhile, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau has proclaimed that while the farmers, of course, maintain the right to peaceful protest, there would be “zero tolerance” of long-term disruptions to traffic and freight transport.

If you’re travelling around France this week, it’s a good idea to follow local traffic updates and allow extra time for your journey to account for potential traffic jams.

There’s a cold snap on the way in France this week, with temperatures expected to drop by several degrees all around the country from tomorrow (Wednesday 20^th) and snowfall is predicted at high and medium altitudes. Some low-lying areas may also receive some snowfall, although the cold front seems more likely to bring wet, windy, and overcast weather outside of the mountainous areas.

The upside of this long-awaited snowfall is that it bodes well for the start of the 2024/25 snow season. The first of the French ski resorts set to open include Val Thorens at 2,300m, the high-altitude Tignes-Val d’Isère, and Grands-Montets in the Chamonix Mont-Blanc area, all of which are expected to open from November 23rd. Most other resorts are planned to open on the first or second weekend of December, depending on conditions.

If you’re travelling in the mountains this week, keep an eye on conditions and alerts via France Météo.

If you are a second-home owner in France and pay your taxe d’habitation property tax bill monthly, you should have received your bill yesterday, Monday 18th November. Those who have elected to pay annually or who have requested a paper bill should have already received their bills. You have until December 15th to pay your bill.

The knock-on effects of Donald Trump’s US election victory and the collapse of Germany’s governing coalition have led to the fall of the euro against both the British pound and the US dollar. While this isn’t good news for those living and earning in the eurozone, it does provide an opportunity for French property buyers and owners to maximize on the favourable exchange rate.

Last week, the pound hit a 31-month high against the euro, while the dollar hit a rate of $1.05, its highest rate since hitting parity with the euro back in 2022. If you are property hunting in France, this could be a good time to discuss exchanging funds or securing a forward contract – talk to your currency exchange specialist or get in touch with our partners at Moneycorp to discuss your options.

Yesterday (11 November) marked the 106^th anniversary of the end of WWI, which is a national holiday (jour férié) known as Armistice Day in France. As is tradition, the French President attended the military parade and memorial ceremony in Paris at the Arc de Triomphe. This year, however, in a symbolic moment for Franco-British relations, President Emmanuel Macron was joined by British Prime Minister Kier Starmer.

It’s the first time that a British Prime Minister has joined the French commemorations since Winston Churchill joined Charles de Gaulle there in 1944. It was a poignant moment of unity between the two leaders as they laid wreaths together by the statues of Winston Churchill and Georges Clemenceau, then proceeded to relight the eternal flame of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe. The French military band then played the two country’s national anthems, God Save the King and La Marseillaise. The Duchess of Edinburgh was also in attendance and gave a speech.

French unions have announced a series of strikes set to take place between this Thursday, 14 November, and next Thursday, 21 November. Pilots and airline workers are set to strike on Thursday 14^th, taking a stand against the government’s decision to raise solidarity taxes on airlines, which, according to the unions, is likely to bump up ticket prices and ultimately lead to the loss of jobs.

Delays are expected on Air France flights and other airlines with French-contracted pilots on Thursday, and the knock-on effect could see major delays at airports. If you’re flying on Thursday, keep a look out for information from your airline provider – you should be informed about effected flights today or tomorrow.

Additional strikes by French farmers will start on Friday, 15 November, and are likely to be ongoing, potentially affecting nationwide traffic as they did earlier in the year. SNCF railway workers have also announced widespread strikes for Thursday, the 21^st, with the four unions behind the strike promising continued strikes through December if their demands are not met. We’ll keep you updated as we learn more, but for now, it’s probably best to avoid train travel next Thursday unless absolutely necessary.

As more and more local communes move to block Airbnb applications and encourage such properties to re-enter the long-term rental market, the government approved a bill last Thursday, 7 November, to tighten regulations on short-term furnished rentals.

The bill, which has now been approved by both the Senate and the Assemblée Nationale (the two houses of France’s parliament), will reduce the tax allowances that are currently in place for landlords under the micro-BIC (micro-enterprise) tax regime. Under the new law, the tax allowance for classified furnished tourist rentals and chambre d’hôtes will fall to 50% from 71%, and the cap on annual earnings will be reduced to €77,700 from €188,700. For unclassified furnished rentals, which includes the majority of Airbnbs, the allowance will fall to 30% from 50%, and the cap will drop right down to €15,000 from the current €77,700.

In addition to this, the law will grant Maires and local authorities the right to define quotas for tourist accommodation in certain areas and to limit the maximum duration that main residences can be rented to tourists to 90 days.

The law will apply to income earned from 2025 onwards and will not be applied to income received in 2024 to be declared in 2025.

You can read more about the law here.

If you heard church bells ringing out in Paris last Friday, you weren’t mistaken! The eight bells of Notre Dame rang out on Friday, 8 November, at 10.30am for the first time since the famous landmark was devastated by fire back in April 2019.

The ringing of the church bells was, in fact, a soundcheck and mark a month before the grand reopening of the iconic cathedral, set for December 7th and 8th. The multi-million euro renovations have been extensive and painstaking, with around 250 companies working on the project over the year. Somehow, against the odds, they’ve achieved President Emmanuel Macron’s promise that the cathedral would be restored to its former grandeur within five years. “It is a wonderful, important and symbolic step,” said Philippe Jost, head of the official public company, Rebâtir Notre-Dame de Paris, in charge of the renovations.

From today (Tuesday, November 5th), Paris’ new ZTL or zone à trafic limité comes into action, meaning that all vehicles – including mopeds – are effectively banned from the area. However, there are quite a few exceptions! The zone covers much of Paris’ historic right bank area, arrondissements 1-4, although it won’t include the riverside quays.

The ZTL doesn’t apply to buses, taxis/Ubers, or emergency vehicles, and there’s also an exemption for delivery drivers, drivers who live or work within the zone, as well as for those who have an attestation showing their reason for travelling into the zone – such attestations will likely be made available online, although the details of how to get one and which reasons are valid are a little vague at this stage. The main idea is to eliminate all through traffic, believed to account for up to 50% of the traffic in the area, and encourage visitors to walk, cycle or use public transport in the central area.

Find out more about the ZTL here.

Taxe d’habitation bills, which now only apply to second-home owners in France, will be issued from this week on, and with property taxes continuing to go up, especially in some zones tendues, you may find that your bill is higher than previous years.

Those who have opted for annual payment will receive their bills first (from November 4th), while those who have opted for monthly payment will receive their bill from November 18th. Remember, you won’t be sent a paper bill unless you have specifically requested one, and while you should receive an email or text message to alert you, these do sometimes get lost, so it’s best to log onto your online tax account even if you haven’t received notification. If you have opted for a paper bill, these will likely arrive later in the month.

The deadline for payments is December 15th.

Known around the world as Remembrance Day or Veteran’s Day, November 11th is Armistice in France. Commemorating the signing of the Armistice agreement on November 11th^, 1918, which effectively ended WWI, it’s a day to reflect, remember, and honour the millions of soldiers who fought and died for France, not only in WWI, but in all past or current conflicts.

In France, it’s a jour férié (national holiday) and marked by remembrance ceremonies taking place at WWI memorials around the country. Most notably, the President lays a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. A minute of silence is traditionally observed at 11am to mark the moment that the fighting ceased.

The symbol of Armistice Day in France is a blue cornflower, a bleuet in French, rather than the poppy as seen in the UK, which is said to symbolise the blue of the French soldiers’ uniform. If you want to purchase a bleuetor make a donation to Bleuets de France, the charity that supports French veterans and their families, you can do so here.

What You Need to Know About Armistice Day in France

We’ll all be following the progress of the US elections today, but whatever the results, if you’d like to take your mind off election fever and start focusing on your dreams of moving to France instead, we’ve got you covered! Our final FrenchEntrée webinar of the year is THIS THURSDAY and it’s especially for our American audience (Canadians – a lot of it will probably be relevant for you, too!).

Our guest host, Iva Slavtcheva, will be joined by a panel of expert hosts, including Miranda from Paris Property Group, Thomas from Société de Courtage, Eleonore from Lexidy, and Kelly from Moneycorp to cover everything you need to know about moving to France as an American in 2025. We’ll be covering the differences between the US and French real estate market (plus top tips for buying in Paris), looking at French mortgages for Americans, and talking you through the most important step of moving to France – getting a French visa. We’ll also be letting you in on the secret to maximising your budget and potentially saving thousands of dollars when purchasing in France.

Make sure you don’t miss out and sign up today. If you have a question for any of our panellists, you can also send it to us in advance at [email protected] 

Moving to France as an American in 2025:Your Essential Guide

Thursday 7th November
6pm ET

I am a British national and I live in England, as have my family for many generations. I’ve owned a holiday home in the French Alps for the last 20 years. I usually spend 2 – 3 months each year there. I have been told that when I die, my family will have to pay French inheritance tax on my holiday home. Does this mean that they won’t have to pay any inheritance tax in the UK?

Answer: It will depend on your circumstances.

Double taxation treaty

The starting point is to assess which country has the right to tax which assets under the Anglo/French double taxation treaty 1963.

You say that you are resident in the UK and only spend 2-3 months a year in France. Based on the information that you have given it is likely that you will have a domicile of England, and certainly do not have a domicile of France.

Therefore, under the treaty, the UK will have the right to assess your worldwide assets for inheritance tax on your death, including your holiday home in France.

However, because the property is located in France, the French revenue can also assess your holiday home for French inheritance tax.

The tax payable in France will depend on the value of your property and who inherits it.

Children in France can each inherit up to €100,000 tax-free on the death of a parent. So if your holiday home is worth, for example, €250,000 and you have three children, you can leave the property to them equally, and there will be no French inheritance tax payable (because their combined tax-free allowance is in excess of the value of the property).

If there is tax payable in France, the rate of tax will be dependent on who inherits and how much they inherit. Generally, the more closely related you are to a person, the larger their tax-free allowance will be and the lower the rate of tax will be. An ‘unrelated’ person, such as a friend or step-child, has a very small tax-free allowance of only €1,594 and will pay tax at the flat rate of 60% on the excess.

The tax payable in the UK will depend on the value of your worldwide estate and the tax-free amount available to your ‘estate’.

At the time of writing, assuming that you have made no large lifetime gifts in the last 7 years, your estate will have a tax-free allowance of between £325,000 and £1,000,000. The exact amount of tax-free allowance will depend on whether you were married/in a civil partnership and have a home that you intend to leave to your children or grandchildren.

If your estate is valued in excess of your tax-free allowance, the excess will usually be taxed at the rate of 40%.

The good news is that if there is tax payable on the holiday home in both the UK and France, there is a law to prevent double taxation.

In your situation, if your holiday home attracts tax in both the UK and in France, your executors in the UK can inform HMRC and can ask either to have the value of the French tax deducted from the UK inheritance tax bill or they can ask for a refund of tax if both taxes have already been paid.

It is important to note that HMRC will only refund your executors the amount of tax charged over the French property in the UK. For example if 60% tax has been charged in France and 40% tax charged in the UK, HMRC will only refund/credit up to 40%.

Tax rates correct as at 29 October 2024

A new red line that’s popping up on motorways across France has drivers talking, but don’t worry – the rules haven’t changed. Instead, the authorities are testing out the use of a bright red line to indicate zones in which it is dangerous – and therefore not permitted – to overtake. The red line works in exactly the same way as the current solid white lines, which prohibits drivers from passing the line or overtaking (similar lines are used throughout the UK and Europe, while in the US, it’s typically a double yellow line).

The new red colour is designed to attract attention and remind drivers not to overtake, with the goal of improving road safety. The lines are currently being trialled on sections of the A10 heading into Bordeaux and along the A7 close to Lyon. Remember, whether or not it’s red or solid white, overtaking in these areas is subject to a fine of up to €135, as well as three points on your licence.

There are two celebrations going off in France this week, and with a bank holiday on Friday, French residents will also enjoy a three-day weekend. Thursday, October 31^st is Halloween in France, and while it’s not celebrated quite as enthusiastically as it is in the UK and the US, celebrations are becoming more widespread with both kids and adults taking part in the fun – read our guide to celebrating Halloween in France.

The day after, November 1^st, is Toussaint or All Saints Day in France, which is a bank holiday or jour férié. Traditionally a Catholic celebration, Toussaint and the following day, known as the “jours des morts”  or All Souls Day, are seen as days of remembrance and a time to visit the graves of lost loved ones. Chrysanthemums (chrysanthèmes) are the symbolic flowers to honour the deceased, so expect to find shops full of them this week.

Make the most of the weekend because it’s back to school on Monday (November 4^th) for schoolchildren around France as the 2-week Toussaint school holidays come to a close.

This Friday, November 1st, marks the official start of the winter period in France and brings with it a few changes. The first, as we mentioned last week, will be the temporary introduction of border checks between France and six of their EU neighbours – make sure you read our article to get up to speed before you travel: EU Border Controls in France: What Changes in November 2024?

Secondly, November 1st sees the start of France’s annual trêve hivernale, the “winter truce” period in which landlords are forbidden from evicting non-paying tenants and utility companies are forbidden from disconnecting services due to unpaid bills.

November also sees a welcome bump in France’s minimum wage (SMIC), which normally doesn’t happen until January but has been brought forward to protect lower-income households from inflation. The net monthly wage now goes up from €1,398.70 to €1,426.67.

Finally, November 1st is also the start of the annual Loi Montagne, which requires all cars to be fitted with winter tyres or snow chains when passing through certain mountainous areas.  The rule applies through to March 31st, and from this year, there is a change to the type of tyres accepted – read the full article here.

Is it coming to the end of the year already?! Our final FrenchEntrée webinar of the year is going to be especially for our American audience (Canadians – a lot of it will probably be relevant for you, too!), so make sure you don’t miss out and sign up today.

Our guest host, Iva Slavtcheva, will be joined by an excellent panel of hosts, including Miranda from Paris Property Group, Thomas from Société de Courtage, Eleonore from Lexidy, and Kelly from Moneycorp to cover everything you need to know about moving to France as an American in 2025. Real estate and the property purchase process, French mortgages, visas and immigration to France, and currency exchange and maximizing your budget – we’ll be covering it ALL!

If you have a question for any of our panellists, you can also send it to us in advance at [email protected]

Moving to France as an American in 2025:Your Essential Guide

Thursday 7th November
6pm ET

The absence of a Multiple Listing Service (MLS) in Paris is a key difference from the US market. While American buyers can easily access comprehensive market data through the MLS, a comprehensive French property search requires scouring a dozen different listing websites, working with multiple agencies and dealing with direct sellers, who comprise close to 20% of the market. All of these moving parts make the process of finding a property more complex and time-consuming than its American counterpart.

Another significant departure from U.S. practices is the role of the notaire, a government-appointed official essential to every property transaction. While American real estate attorneys represent individual parties’ interests, French notaires serve as neutral intermediaries who verify property authenticity, handle transfers, and collect taxes. The “notaire fees” that are due at the close of the sale include these taxes and costs and the notaire’s own fee, which is set by law rather than market rates. While both parties can share a single notaire, I send my clients to one who specializes in the tax and inheritance concerns particular to international buyers.

The French purchase process follows a distinct two-step format. Buyers first sign a preliminary contract (promesse de vente) within several weeks of an accepted offer. This includes a mandatory 10-day reflection period—a consumer protection absent in U.S. transactions—during which buyers can withdraw without penalty. The final sale (acte de vente) typically occurs months later, though cash buyers can now opt for an expedited process.

French law requires sellers to provide eight specific diagnostic tests, covering elements from lead paint to energy efficiency. In Paris, sellers must also certify apartment square footage—if measurements prove more than 5% inaccurate, buyers can claim proportional compensation. While these diagnostics offer comprehensive disclosure, they differ from U.S. home inspections in that it is not customary to ask the seller to address any issues discovered.

French mortgages often offer more favorable rates than U.S. loans but come with stricter lending criteria. Banks typically cap non-resident loans at 75% of the property’s value and require life insurance policies to secure mortgages—a requirement that can particularly impact older buyers. This conservative approach contrasts sharply with the more flexible U.S. lending market.

French property purchases involve higher transaction costs than U.S. deals, with buyers paying 6.5-7.5% of the purchase price in taxes and notaire fees. This represents a substantial increase from the typical 1-3% closing costs in U.S. transactions. However, for Paris apartments, carrying costs such as property taxes, building fees and even phone/Internet home service are a fraction of what they are in US cities. Seller agent commissions are usually 4-5%, and are included in the published listing price.

French inheritance law marks another significant divergence from U.S. practices. While American property owners enjoy considerable freedom in estate planning, French law includes forced heirship provisions that can supersede an owner’s wishes. Since 2016, non-residents can opt out of these restrictions by executing a French will that applies their home country’s inheritance laws.

The French property market offers strong consumer protections through standardized procedures and government oversight, though the process requires more patience and documentation than U.S. transactions. Success depends largely on understanding these systemic differences and working with experienced professionals who can effectively bridge both markets. While the French approach may seem complex to American buyers, its structured nature ultimately provides a clear framework for property acquisition.

Join our panel of experts from Paris Property Group, Moneycorp, Societe2Courtage and Lexidy, for our free Moving to France as an American in 2025 webinar. From managing your finances and securing the right visa, to understanding the French property market and securing a mortgage, this event will be packed with need-to-know info and tried-and-tested advice. Register now to make sure you don’t miss out!

Moving to France as an American in 2025:Your Essential Guide

Thursday 7th November
6pm ET

The first of November is All Saints Day – la Toussaint, and it is a time when people remember their loved ones who are no longer here. It is a public holiday, and families gather in cemeteries, placing chrysanthemums on graves. This is why you see all the chrysanthemums for sale at this time of year – do not make the mistake of buying them to decorate your garden – this would be viewed as very strange indeed.

Families generally spend time together reminiscing and remembering loved ones.

These are the school holidays which take place usually straddling the end of October and the beginning of November. They last two weeks, and many seize the opportunity to visit family. It also means that many attractions are open, and there is plenty to do – check with your local Tourist Office.

All over France, Mairies provide a Service at the commune’s WWI Memorial, often followed by a ‘pot d’amitie’ or a meal within their commune/parish. In France, the flower of remembrance is a cornflower – a bleuet and not a poppy. Flower displays (often of chrysanthemums) are placed at the War Memorial, and this is a time to come together and to remember.

This celebration starts on the third Thursday of November each year – stocks come into restaurants, wine cellars and supermarkets, and it is an opportunity for a meal with friends.

Les Gastronomades

Angouleme city sees its 30^th edition of this exceptional Food Festival with demonstrations, tastings and a real foodie vibe around Angouleme on the 29^th and 30^th of November 2024. It is an ideal opportunity to buy an extra special Christmas gift and to learn how to cook with regional specialities such as Pineau des Charentes. We have guests booking a stay with us in our gite each year who attend Les Gastronomades, such is its popularity.

Paris Chocolate Show

The Paris Chocolate Show takes place from the 30^th of October until the 3^rd of November. Expect live chef demonstrations, meet the producers, competitions, performances and, of course, lots and lots of chocolate!

Salon des Vins, Paris

This year is the 46^th annual Wine Show for Independent Producers from all over France, taking place in Paris from the 28^th November until the 1^st December, 2024. Our very own Loic Pelletant and the Queron family, Cep Enchante, both from just down the road here in the beautiful Charente, exhibit their wines and Cognac.

November is a good time to visit ‘out of season’ if you’re not a sun-seeker. It is a lovely time to experience all the seasonal produce and to begin to think about Christmas gifts. Our gite guests have stocked up their Christmas wine cellar and have enjoyed a fabulous food tour of the Charente.

In an attempt to clamp down on illegal immigration and increase security regarding terrorist threats, France announced this week that it will be following Germany’s lead and reinstating border checks within the Schengen area. The checks will mostly concern road borders between France and neighbouring Spain, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Germany but will also apply to those travelling by land, sea, and air. The new border checks are set to be introduced on Nov 1 and will initially be put in place for a period of six months, although this could be extended.

This is the first time that France has imposed widespread checks on its borders since the creation of the Schengen Zone, although temporary checks were put in place during the Covid-19 pandemic and in the wake of the 2015 Paris terrorist attacks.

So, what actually changes for travellers? We break it all down here: EU Border Controls in France: What Changes in November 2024?

Ryanair has been in the headlines recently over its disputes with Bordeaux Airport regarding fees. Unfortunately for travellers and second-home owners who use the budget airline to travel to the southwest of France, the result is that Ryanair will no longer be flying to Bordeaux, effective from Oct 27. This leaves a notable gap in flights between Bordeaux and the UK, for which the airport has pledged to find replacements – watch this space.

The second update regarding low-cost airlines in France brings some better news for Brits – Easyjet has announced 27 new international routes from various French airports. These include flights between Paris CDG, Bordeaux, Lyon, Nantes, Nice, and Strasbourg, and a host of destinations including EU cities, Egypt, and Morocco. Most importantly for our readers, they include four new flight routes from the UK to France: Leeds and Newcastle to Paris CDG (from Oct 27 and 28, respectively), London Gatwick to Strasbourg (from Nov 11), and Newcastle to Lyon (from Jan 4).

Yesterday (Monday, Oct 21) marked the start of the Toussaint school holidays, in which all three school zones take the same two-week break, including Halloween and the Toussaint bank holiday. Schools will reopen on Monday, November 4th.

Our final FrenchEntrée webinar of the year is going to be especially for our American audience (Canadians – a lot of it will probably be relevant for you, too!), so make sure you don’t miss out and sign up today.

Our guest host, Iva Slavtcheva, will be joined by an excellent panel of hosts, including Miranda from Paris Property Group, Thomas from Société de Courtage, Eleonore from Lexidy, and Kelly from Moneycorp to cover everything you need to know about moving to France as an American in 2025. Real estate and the property purchase process, French mortgages, visas and immigration to France, and currency exchange and maximizing your budget – we’ll be covering it ALL!

If you have a question for any of our panellists, you can also send it to us in advance at [email protected]

Moving to France as an American in 2025:Your Essential Guide

Thursday 7th November
6pm ET.

This Sunday, Oct 27 at 3am, the clocks will go back one hour in France and other countries that participate in daylight saving. The good news is that you’ll get an hour of extra sleep! The not-so-good news – you’ll need to double-check all your meetings for the next week to make sure the times are correct!

From November 1st, 2024, travellers entering France from six neighbouring countries will be subject to new temporary border checks. These checks will be in place for a period of six months, lasting until April 1st, 2025, although there is the chance that it will be extended.

The border checks will apply to travellers arriving from Spain, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, and Switzerland, but not Monaco or Andorra. They will apply to all travellers entering France, whether by land, by sea, or by air.

You might be wondering why border checks are being put in place. After all, isn’t the whole point of the Schengen Zone to enable border-free travel and freedom of movement between member states? Well, firstly, don’t worry: this doesn’t actually change the rights of EU citizens or the rights of travellers to move around within the Schengen Zone – it is simply an extra security measure.

France is following the lead of Germany, which also recently reinstated border checks, citing the increase in illegal immigration and the rise in terrorist threats as their reasons.

The official reason given by France is as follows:

“Serious threats to public policy, public order, and internal security posed by high-level terrorist activities, the growing presence of criminal networks facilitating irregular migration and smuggling, and migration flows that risk infiltration by radicalized individuals, as well as the irregular crossings on the Channel and North Sea borders, along with rising violence among migrants, particularly in northern coastal areas such as Dunkirk and Calais, leading to tense and dangerous situations involving both migrants and law enforcement; borders with Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, the Swiss Confederation, Italy, and Spain (land, air, and sea).”

Under the Schengen Borders Code, Member States are allowed to temporarily reintroduce border controls at internal borders as a last-resort measure if there are serious threats to public policy or security. In the past year, several countries, including Denmark, Austria, Germany, Norway, and Sweden, have all done this, citing reasons from the Ukraine War to the Olympic Games. You can see a full list of the current temporary border checks in place here.

However, this is the first time that France has imposed such checks since the Covid-19 pandemic, leading many to suspect that their introduction has more to do with the country’s recent political changes and the internal push to clamp down on immigration rather than being related to specific figures regarding terrorist threats or illegal movement.

Regardless of the reasoning, the fact remains that these new checks will come into action on November 1st. So, how will this affect travellers?

Firstly, it’s important to clarify that this doesn’t change anything concerning your right to travel to France – the 90/180-day rule still applies to citizens of the US, UK, and other applicable countries, and long-stay visas are still required for stays of over 90 days. Anyone arriving in France from a non-EU country will still have to undergo the usual border controls, and anyone arriving in France from an EU country not on the above list (i.e. any country other than Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and Spain) will not have to undergo any further border checks.

The rules will only affect those arriving in France from Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, the Swiss Confederation, Italy, and Spain. The new border checks are expected to mostly target those crossing road borders, so if you are flying or taking a ferry, you may not notice any changes. However, it’s important to prepare for the possibility – make sure you have your passport and any relevant visas/residency cards ready in case you are asked to present them and be prepared for possible delays on arrival if checks are being carried out. Your transport carrier will be able to tell you if there are any further requirements or expected delays.

For those travelling by road across any of the land borders with the aforementioned countries, there are really only two changes:

1. You must carry your passport (non-EU citizen) or national ID card (EU citizens only) with you, as this is the only form of identification that will be accepted. Most travellers probably will have this with them anyway, but day-trippers or cross-border workers might not always think to carry their passport when driving over the border (it’s worth noting that it is required even when these checks aren’t in place, so this is a good habit to get into!).
2. Crossing land borders may take longer than usual, and traffic jams are possible if lots of checks are carried out. It’s therefore important to account for this possibility when planning your journey.

While the police have the right to stop any car crossing the border, EU law specifies that the checks must be “proportionate and limited to the minimum time necessary to ensure safety”, so it’s probable that not every car will be stopped.

There’s also been a lot of talk about the new EU Entry/Exit System, which was finally set to be launched on November 10^th. However, this has once again been delayed and isn’t expected to come into force until 2025. At least that’s one less thing for travellers to worry about this year!

Similarly, the ETIAS travel authorization system, which will affect all non-EU travellers, will not be coming into action until 2025.

Whether you are a regular traveller to France, planning a property hunting visit, or simply visiting on vacation, our Travel to France zone has the latest travel news, updates, and advice on everything related to travelling to France.

From visa fees and legal advice to tax specialists, insurance, and financial planning – moving to France can be expensive. The good news is that you can save money (and stress) by getting the right advice from offset.

This exclusive event will give you hundreds – if not thousands – of pounds worth of free advice from industry experts with years of experience in helping people move to France.

All we ask is £25 to secure your place. Everything else – including morning and afternoon refreshments – is completely free.

WHERE: The Landmark, 22 Marylebone Road, London NW1 6JQ
WHEN:   Saturday 7^th December
TIME:    12 noon – 5 pm
COST:  £25

The event will be hosted by our friendly French Connections HCB Team, joined by our trusted partners and special guests across all essential aspects of moving to France.
So, what can you expect?

• Free legal advice from our visa experts and legal team (French Lawyer and paralegals)
• Free advice on visas and residency
• Free insights into buying property in France
• Free insurance quotes from our partner Hueber Insurance
• Free tax advice from our financial advice teams
• Free banking advice plus the opportunity to set up a French bank account with our partners BNP Paribas.
• Free information-packed seminar by French Connections CEO and Relocations Specialist Richard Hammond.
• Free French language courses, whether you are an absolute beginner or honing your skills for the French residency language test
• Free vehicle registration quotes

There has never been a better chance to get your questions answered, discuss your projects, get expert advice, professional guidance and a clear way forward. You’ll also get the chance to talk candidly to some French Connections HCB clients who made the move to France with our help and have never looked back.  Listen to their stories, talk to them about their experiences, find out what they love about France and feel inspired to start planning your own French adventure.To give everybody the chance to talk to all of the experts under one roof, places are strictly limited, so secure your place here while tickets are still available.

If you get to the end of the day and you want to keep talking to us, we have organised a team dinner plus a special room rate at the Landmark Hotel for our guests. Tickets for a double room on a special rate with access to the Spa. The 3 course dinner and wine with the French Connections FCB team are £185 per person bookable here.

And if you want to dive even deeper into your own particular project, on Sunday 8th, Richard Hammond will be available for a select number of individual one hour consultations. They cost £100 but that amount is totally refundable from the first service you book with us.

We can’t wait to see you in London!

It seemed too good to be true, and it was! The new EU Entry/Exit System, which was finally set to be launched on November 10th after numerous setbacks and delays, has been delayed yet again. The decision to postpone its launch was confirmed by EU Commissioner Ylva Johansson on Thursday, who also admitted that there isn’t a new date in sight: “I hope that we can start as soon as possible, but there is no new timeline so far”.

She also confirmed that a “phased approach” may be used to ease the transition to the new system but did not specify how this might work. We’ll let you know as soon as we know more.

On Thursday, French Prime Minister Michel Barnier delivered his 2025 budget, and it’s already causing some shockwaves, especially among the far left. Barnier’s budget is a reaction to the news that France’s deficit has widened to 6.1% in 2024, presenting a worrying amount of debt for Europe’s second-largest economy. Through tax rises and spending cuts, it proposes to make an additional €20 billion and reduce spending by €40 billion in 2025.

Some of the key changes proposed are:

• Tax rises: these are proposed only for the highest earners for a period of three years and would affect an estimated 65,000 taxpayers – individuals earning more than €250,000. Businesses with a turnover of more than €8 billion would also be affected, but these hikes would only last two years. Small businesses and freelancers wouldn’t be affected.
• Return of electricity taxes: the tax cuts in place to help shield households from rising prices would be removed. This would mean that more than 6 million households in France could see their electricity bill shoot up by 14% next year.
• State reimbursement for doctor appointments will fall to 60% from the current 70% – for most people, the difference would still be covered by their mutuelles, but this could mean higher prices of mutuelle insurance as the increases are passed onto customers.
• Eco taxes: higher taxes will be levied on owners of polluting vehicles, as well as ships and planes.
• Sick pay: the state-funded portion of sick pay would be reduced, shifting the costs back to employers.
• Pension freezes: a freeze on the automatic inflation-linked increase in French pensions would mean that pensions wouldn’t automatically be increased according to inflation in January.

Remember that this budget has not yet been approved – it still needs to pass through both the Assemblée Nationale and the Senate, which is no small hurdle, especially as Barnier does not have a majority government.

The highly controversial immigration bill that finally passed into law at the start of this year brought with it a number of changes, including new language requirements for those hoping to apply for a French residency card or French nationality. It also came after months of bitter debate and amendments that divided parliament. So, if you’ve seen the recent news that a new immigration law has been proposed, you’d be forgiven for thinking, “not again?!”

The announcement was made by government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon on BFMTV, who stated that a new law would be required in 2025. She was talking about the need to change the rules regarding immigrants who have committed a crime or are considered dangerous and specifically referring to extending the time that such individuals can be held in detention centres.

However, she also clearly stated that the government wouldn’t rule out “the possibility of considering other provisions”. This, combined with Interior Minister Bruno Retaillau’s recent talk about revisiting the parts of the 2024 law thrown out by the Constitutional Council and the upcoming European summit in Brussels to discuss strengthening EU border controls and deportation rules, has led many MPs to start talking about further changes to France’s immigration policy. For the moment, this is just talk, but as immigration control is such a key issue, it’s likely that we’ll see a new bill put to Barnier’s new government at some point in the near future.

Our final FrenchEntrée webinar of the year is going to be especially for our American audience (Canadians – a lot of it will probably be relevant for you, too!), so make sure you don’t miss out and sign up today.

Our guest host, Iva Slavtcheva, will be joined by an excellent panel of hosts, including Miranda from Paris Property Group, Thomas from Société de Courtage, Eleonore from Lexidy, and Kelly from Moneycorp to cover everything you need to know about moving to France as an American in 2025. Real estate and the property purchase process, French mortgages, visas and immigration to France, and currency exchange and maximizing your budget – we’ll be covering it ALL!

Moving to France as an American in 2025:Your Essential Guide

Thursday 7th November
6pm ET

If you own a French property and haven’t already paid your taxe foncière bill, you have until midnight this Sunday, October 20th, to make the payment or set up a direct debit.

France Media Group, publisher of FrenchEntrée, has been partnered with Moneycorp for more than 20 years and have helped thousands of our clients by saving them time, money, and hassle when transferring money overseas.

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Join our panel of experts from Paris Property Group, Moneycorp, Societe2Courtage and Lexidy, for our free Moving to France as an American in 2025 webinar. From managing your finances and securing the right visa, to understanding the French property market and securing a mortgage, this event will be packed with need-to-know info and tried-and-tested advice. Register now to make sure you don’t miss out!

Moving to France as an American in 2025:Your Essential Guide

Thursday 7th November
6pm ET

Launched in 2022, FR-Alert is a nationwide alert system that allows people to be notified on their mobile phones of any imminent or pending danger in their location. The messages are sent as texts and are typically accompanied by a short, shrill alert that sounds even if your phone is in silent or do not disturb mode.

This system has been designed to not require people to subscribe, register or to have to download any application system, so you shouldn’t have to set anything up. It also works across all mobile phones and networks.

If you find yourself in a danger zone, no matter what brand of mobile phone you have or even if it is on silent mode, you will hear a specific tone and receive a message alerting you to the danger. Depending on your mobile provider and your brand of phone, there may be slight differences in the time frame that an alert is received – the SMS messages are sent by 4G or 5G in order that the population can be alerted within seconds, but with a huge number sent at the same time, there are occasionally minor delays.

Messages can be sent in all languages in view of the fact there may be tourists or, indeed, English speakers, present in the area, and they are not limited to French phones or French residents.

FR-ALERT is used to inform people of the nature and the location of a danger or imminent threat to life. It is there to offer advice as to how to act and what to do to keep safe or to reduce, as much as possible, the potential effects of such an event.

Notifications would typically inform you of:

• The nature of the risk (E.g. fire, flood, industrial accident, etc)
• The authority from whom the alert was received
• The exact locality of the danger (in so far as possible). For example, the establishment, building, district, area, commune, tower block, etc.
• The right actions to adopt. (E.g. stay indoors, evacuate the area etc.)
• If appropriate, a link may included, providing further up-to-date information.

No, it’s important to understand that this system is put in place purely to distribute essential safety information to the general public. The government doesn’t have access to your phone data or geolocation.

Find out more about the system here.

It’s been confirmed that in 2025, France’s income tax bands (les tranches de l’impôt sur le revenu) will be raised in line with inflation. The changes see each band raised by 1.9%, and the tax-free allowance raised to €11,509 (previously €11,294).

The new tax bands are as follows and will apply to income declared in 2025 (in other words, income earned in 2024):

• Up to €11,509: 0% tax rate
• From €11,510 to €29,344: 11% tax rate
• From €29,345 to €83,906: 30% tax rate
• From €83,907 to 180,471: 41% tax rate
• More than €180,471: 45% tax rate

There’s some rare good news for households in France – for once, you might actually see a reduction in your monthly bills! After steady increases over the past years, electricity prices in France are set to drop in January. The reduction is largely due to the falling energy prices but has also been impacted by the return of several of France’s nuclear power plants (previously out of action due to ongoing maintenance).

The changes in electricity tariffs will apply to those on regulated tariffs – an estimated 80% of households in France – and should see your bills drop by about 10% annually.

After repeated reports of delays for Brits swapping their driving licences for a French one, the French authorities have announced an increase to the time in which you can file your application. Anyone who has a UK driving licence issued after January 1st 2021, is required to swap it within 12 months of moving to France, but anyone with a driving licence issued before this date is only required to exchange their licence when the licence or photocard is set to expire (whichever comes first). You may also be asked to exchange your licence by the police if you have committed a driving offence or if your licence is lost or stolen.

Up until now, applications to exchange such licences were only open from six months prior to the expiration of your licence – any attempt to apply before this was automatically rejected by the online system. With wait times averaging eight months or more, this left many people worried about driving with an expired licence (note that you can drive in France while awaiting your new French licence, but only when you’ve been issued an Attestation de depôt de permis de conduire). Taking this into account, ANTS have now announced that applications will be open from 12 months before the expiration of your licence. The average wait time currently seems to be around 8 months or more,  so we highly recommend that you file your application as soon as possible.

Read my step-by-step guide to exchanging your UK licence for a French one.

Back by popular demand, we’re back next week with another free webinar devoted to retiring and moving to France. I’ll be joined by Fabien Pelissier of FAB French Insurance and French Consul Eric Donjon to bring you the latest news and advice on French visas and residency. We’ll be covering key topics such as the changing landscapes of the French visa application process, how to secure long-term residency in France, and how to get into the French healthcare system.

Sign up now and prepare your questions, as I’ll be putting as many of them as possible to our experts. See you there!

Retiring and Moving to France: Visa, Residency & Health Insurance

Thursday 10th October
4pm UK / 5pm France / 11am USA (EDT)

Autumn begins with a day marking Grandfathers and older people in your family. France is nowhere near as commercial as the US and the UK in this sense, so there’s no need to go all out on lavish gifts. A kind gesture and time spent with family will suffice.

With fall colours transforming parks and gardens, October also sees plant festivals take place throughout France. October is a great time to think about your spring bulbs and winter colours, and to plant any new trees or vines. Mansle in the Charente holds its 29th annual ‘Florales’ this year on the 8th and 9th of October.

Pumpkin festivals

Rian in the Var region has been celebrating the pumpkin every October since 1996 and this year, the festival takes place on the 12^th and 13^th of October.

Chateaubernard in Cognac also hosts its annual pumpkin festival on the 19^th and 20^th of October, 2024, in the Jardins Respectueux. Expect concerts, shows, soups, artisans, all things ‘squash’ and a wheelbarrow race!

Semaine du gout

Fall food also takes centre stage during the nationwide food week that takes place throughout France from the 14^th to the 20^th of October, aimed at educating future generations of food lovers.

Mushroom Festivals

Another autumn delicacy gets a moment in the spotlight at the famous Eguisheim Mushroom Festival (in the Haut-Rhin of North-Eastern France), taking place on the 29-30 of October. The festival celebrates all varieties of mushrooms, truffles, and fungi, culminating in a fantastic mushroom-based meal.

Wine fairs

Of course, it’s also the annual grape harvest, which coincides with numerous wine fairs held in supermarkets, wine cellars and cooperatives around the country. In order to make way for new stocks coming through and to whet the appetite for Beaujolais Nouveau day in November, autumn is prime time for wine sales in France. Local sellers have bargain offers, and all the supermarkets have ‘Foire aux Vins’ displays and special offers. It is a great time to stock up for Christmas and for the New Year. We like to support local producers and visit our local cooperative and family producers.

In France, the entire month of October is dedicated to fundraising for breast cancer, and raising cancer awareness. Sponsored walks, events and get-togethers are organised, and shops often have pink displays. Monuments and churches may also be illuminated in pink and communes make an effort to join in with pink signage and displays decorating many towns and villages.

Our commune of Mons has special ‘October Rose’ signs as you enter and exit, and we are holding a fundraising social evening with a barbecue.

The October half-term holidays in France this year take place from the 19th of October until the 3rd of November 2024 in our region. During this period, tourist offices often hold craft workshops and educational events for the children, usually with an autumnal or a spooky vibe. Paris, of course, has plenty to occupy the children, and the Vienne Tourist Board has lots of ideas already in place, too.

Toussaint (November 1st) is also the time to remember our loved ones who have passed, and the Chrysanthemum is the flower of remembrance placed on the graves as a sign of love and respect. Church services take place to commemorate All Saints Day.

Halloween is becoming more popular and commercial in France as each year passes. When we arrived in 2017, there was literally nothing happening at Halloween, but now we see fancy dress parades and parties taking place. Check with your local Comité des Fetes at the Mairie for any local events. Disneyland Paris, of course, puts on a huge annual Halloween spooktacular, too!

Enjoy the Autumn season in France with the crisper mornings and all the warm colours and fabulous seasonal produce!

French banks are generally open to lending to foreign buyers, but they will scrutinize your financial profile more rigorously than they would for a French resident. Key factors include:

• Income stability: Ideally, your debt-to-income ratio post-project should not exceed 33%, meaning no more than one-third of your gross monthly income should go toward debt payments, including your mortgage.
• Creditworthiness: French banks look at your financial background, focusing on assets and liabilities.
• Down payment: Non-residents typically need to make a down payment of 20% to 30%, though some banks accept different forms of collateral, like securities or other assets, reducing the upfront cash required.
• There is no age nor family, or activity requirement. Active, retired, and entrepreneurs are eligible for a bank loan.
• The process is fully digital (application, account opening, funds release), which is very convenient for international buyers like Americans.
• Loan brokerage is a regulated activity that operates on the basis of performance fees only. In the event the broker or the transaction cannot be completed, there is nothing to be paid.

Several mortgage options are available to Americans purchasing property in France:

• Fixed-rate mortgages: These are the most popular and provide predictability. In France, fixed-rate mortgages often span 10 to 20 years, with interest rates averaging 1% to 1.5% lower than the U.S. or U.K. Although fixed, French rates can be renegotiated over time to reflect market changes, potentially lowering your payments.
• Variable-rate mortgages: These have adjustable rates based on market conditions. While they start with lower rates, they can rise over time, so they’re better suited to downing market conditions like we are in Q4 2024.
• Interest-only loans: These allow borrowers to pay only interest for a specified period, making them attractive to high-net-worth buyers looking to minimize monthly payments.

Non-residents typically need a down payment of 30% of the property’s value as well as pay cash for the transaction cost. However, offering collateral can reduce this upfront requirement. French banks may accept securities or equivalent as collateral, which can lead to more favorable mortgage terms.

Beyond the down payment, buyers must account for:

• Notary fees: Roughly 7% to 8% of the purchase price, covering legal services.
• Mortgage broker fees: Typically, 1% of the property value.
• Bank fee: Negotiable, 2000-5000€ depending on the bank.
• Currency exchange: Since the transaction occurs in Euros, it’s crucial to account for exchange rate fluctuations. The risk can be contained by using the services of Fintech providing efficient and favorable FOREX.

American buyers should be aware of France’s Impôt sur la Fortune Immobilière (IFI), a wealth tax on real estate. The IFI applies to properties having a net value of over €1.3 million. Financing through a mortgage loan reduces the net value, which delays the IFI’s exposure for 10, 15, 20 years, or so.

The bilateral tax treaty between France and the U.S. also helps prevent double taxation. It ensures that American buyers won’t be taxed twice on the same income or capital gains and may reduce their tax exposure in France.

As an American, relying on a local mortgage to finance a property in France is certainly the right approach (practically and financially). As always, it requires proper planning and understanding of mortgage eligibility, costs, and taxes. With the right advice and a partner at your side, this process can be initiated and done remotely, which is a substantial time saver.

Join Societe2Courtage and our panel of experts from Paris Property Group, Moneycorp,  and Lexidy, for our free Moving to France as an American in 2025 webinar. From managing your finances and securing the right visa, to understanding the French property market and securing a mortgage, this event will be packed with need-to-know info and tried-and-tested advice. Register now to make sure you don’t miss out!

Moving to France as an American in 2025:Your Essential Guide

Thursday 7th November
6pm ET

It’s been almost a month since France’s new Prime Minister, Michel Barnier, took over and two weeks since the country’s new government was announced. Today, Tuesday, October 1st, Barnier will address the Assemblée Nationale to put forward his policy statement – the Déclaration de politique générale – as Prime Minister. “Financial debt and ecological debt” are expected to be among his main priorities, which is fitting as his first big task as Prime Minister will be reviewing the 2025 budget – discussions are set to begin on Monday, October 21st.

Today’s address comes alongside a series of strikes and protests organised by French Unions, including the CGT, FSU and Solidaires. The strikes, which are against the new government and the pension reforms passed in 2023, will likely affect public transport, including trains, throughout the day.

In related news, one member of Barnier’s new government, which is largely right-leaning (you can see the full list of ministers here), has already been stirring up controversy. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, has gone on record saying that he supports “a referendum on immigration in France” and that he“regrets” that to do so would require an amendment to the constitution. He continued to imply that he would support such an amendment, stating that “the rule of law is neither intangible nor sacred”. The comment prompted several ministers to speak out, among them former Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, who called him out for using “divisive language”, insisting that “the rule of law is sacred”.

There’s been a lot of talk in recent years about the second-home market in France, with complaints that short-let AirBnbs and holiday homes are to blame for the country’s widespread housing shortages. In an attempt to readdress this, there’s been a tightening of the rules on Airbnb rentals and an increase in the number of communes on the “zones tendues” list, which are able to increase taxe d’habitation fees (the property tax only charged on second homes).

However, a new campaign launched in Brittany by the Union démocratique brétonne (UDB) asking for the removal of the website “Madeuxiememaison.fr”, which advertises the sale of second homes, has further highlighted these concerns. While the website in itself may not be the cause of all problems, the campaign is being seen by many as a stand against the proliferation of holiday homes in the region, which sit empty while locals are unable to find suitable homes to rent or purchase. The petition, which has been signed by 7,615 people so far, states that: “Brittany does not lack housing. The truth is that hundreds of thousands of homes are empty nine months out of 12.”

So, what does this mean for foreign buyers?

As of Jan 1^st, 2023, Insee registered 37.8 million homes in France, and about 10% of these (3.7 million) are second homes. These second homes are often concentrated in popular tourist areas such as Brittany. However, it’s important to understand that these complaints concern the second home market in general and are not aimed at foreigners per se – in fact, ownership of second homes in France is largely dominated by the French. About 90% of second homes in France are estimated to be French-owned, with foreigners (most notably Brits, Americans, Germans, and Dutch) only making up about 10% of the market. So, this is more of a protest against homes sitting empty than who owns them. In addition to this, of course, this doesn’t reflect the full picture or the opinions of all locals. Tourism makes a large contribution towards many regions’ economic wealth, which many locals embrace, so it certainly isn’t all negative. If you look at the graphs provided by INSEE, it’s also clear that the second-home market post-2018 is not quite as booming as it once was – nor is the prevalence of vacant properties.

So, should you still consider a second home in France? Absolutely, and if you have your heart set on a holiday home in Brittany, this shouldn’t stop necessarily stop you. However, it does highlight the importance of diversifying your search and perhaps choosing to buy in areas where the second-home market is less-saturated. We encourage potential buyers to expand their property search outside of the most popular areas and explore other regions of France – why not start by searching our property for sale? You could also look into the wide variety of different investment opportunities available (in fact, we just did a webinar on this, which you can watch here!), many of which provide innovative solutions for those who don’t want to leave a home empty for large parts of the year.

Paris has announced the next step in its plan to ban all high-emission vehicles from the capital. From January 1st, 2025, all vehicles with Crit’Air 3 stickers or higher will be effectively banned from driving in the “zone à faibles émissions mobilité”, which encompasses all of Paris city and many of its inner suburbs. This category applies to diesel vehicles produced before 2011 and petrol cars from before 2006, and the rules will be in place on weekdays between 8am and 8pm.

Back by popular demand, we’re back next week with another free webinar devoted to retiring and moving to France. I’ll be joined by Fabien Pelissier of FAB French Insurance and French Consul Eric Donjon to bring you the latest news and advice on French visas and residency. We’ll be covering key topics such as the changing landscapes of the French visa application process, how to secure long-term residency in France, and how to get into the French healthcare system.

Sign up now and prepare your questions, as I’ll be putting as many of them as possible to our experts. See you there!

La Rentrée is literally the return to school after the summer holidays, but culturally, it signifies so much more. It signifies a shift in mindset – it is ‘back to work’ time. The fun is over!

For those with school-age children, you’ll have noticed that shops and supermarkets have been full of school bags and school supplies throughout August.

In France, schoolchildren (or rather their parents!) buy all their own stationery, and they are usually supplied with a list from the school detailing exactly what size and style of paper, folders, files, and specific equipment is required for each subject. Most families will receive a payment from the State (CAF) to cover some of these expenses.

Top tip: once La Rentrée arrives in September, it is much more difficult to find school supplies, so make sure you do your school shopping over the summer. It is also a great time to buy clothes in those summer sales, ready for ‘back to school.’

La Rentrée also signifies ‘back to work’ in France, as many businesses close over the summer period for at least two weeks – some may close for the entire month of August. This often comes as a shock to many of our Anglophone guests staying here in the beautiful Charente. Garages, plumbers, electricians, builders, and even restaurants may close in August as everyone takes their well-deserved holidays. So, if you are here waiting for your house purchase to go through, do not expect to be engaging any artisans any time soon! Their work has usually been pre-arranged for September and you may have a considerable wait for someone reputable.

In Britain, I was used to being able to dip in and out of various Pilates, Zumba and Women’s Institute groups throughout the year. I was able to ‘pay per session’ with a signature on a disclaimer form or completing a brief questionnaire at most.

Here, things work a little differently. Exercise classes, gyms, clubs, and the like expect subscriptions to take place predominantly in La Rentrée. It is in September that such groups welcome new members and restart their classes with their programme for the year, which ends in June/July.

Top tip: Prepare your paperwork as you may well be asked for a doctor’s certificate for exercise classes, your insurance documents, and a cheque or direct debit for the annual inscription!

Bonne rentrée a tous!

September in France is La Rentrée – time for the French to head back to school and back to work after the long summer holidays. But the holiday season isn’t quite over – in fact, this is a fabulous time to book a bargain visit to France. In September, you can often book a long weekend or a fortnight’s holiday for a fraction of the July-Aug prices – and poolside peace and quiet is almost guaranteed!

Here in the gorgeous Charente, the weather is still beautiful, and there are lots of events to take place throughout the month. The first weekend in September is usually packed with events throughout France.

In our area, there are show big showjumping events for horse lovers, such as the National Concours Hippique at Val d’Auge, ten minutes away from us here at Mons (16). The Horse-drawn Carriage Riding Competition at Verdille is hosted by France’s National Champion, Patrice Bagilet.

The Brocantes are still in full swing, and Sigogne hosts their annual Frairie which is a huge brocante and fair with live music and food. There are also ‘Fetes de la Terre’ like the one in Douzat, which celebrates local produce and the end of the summer.

Arcachon celebrates the end of Summer with a Festival on the 17^th – 22^nd of September called Les Cadences, and there are street shows, dancing, and a whole programme of events.

There are some quirky local events, too, such as the Soap Box Car Races at Vaux Rouillac. The town is turned into a racetrack for soap box cars, and there is food and other fun festivities!

Food Festivals

September is traditionally the grape harvest in the Charente, known as Les Vendanges, with wine and Cognac Festivals, sales and tastings taking place to celebrate the harvest.

Locally, we have our annual Jam Festival at Saint Fraigne, as well as the last of the Artisanal Farmers markets.

Journées de Patrimoine

The two “Journée de Patrimoine” days in mid-September (21^st and 22^nd) are held throughout France to celebrate French and European Heritage. Cultural attractions and places of historical and cultural interest open their doors to the public for free, and they host plenty of events, exhibitions, and other activities. Here, in Rouillac, there are also events at the local Roman Amphitheatre – Les Bouchauds.

Coup de Chauffe 2024, Cognac

This festival is celebrating thirty years of success this year. It sets the centre of Cognac alive with street performances, shows and a whole weekend of the Arts and Creativity in the centre of Cognac.

Circuit des Ramparts, Angouleme

This fabulous and highly prestigious multi-faceted car race around the centre of Angouleme dates from 1939 and is hugely popular. Along with the competitions, rallies, and rides, there are classic car displays and other family festivities. We found ourselves caught up in the classic car circuit one year, much to the amusement of all spectators!

There’s plenty to see and do in September in France – let us know what you’re up to in the comments and bon voyage!

Last Thursday, September 5th, came the news that everyone in France has been waiting for – President Emmanuel Macron finally appointed a new Prime Minister. As Gabriel Attal, France’s youngest-ever prime minister at just 35, stands down, his successor, Michel Barnier, makes history as the country’s oldest-everprime minister at 73. It’s also been the longest that France has ever been without a prime minister – almost two months!

So, who is Michel Barnier and what do we need to know about the new man at the head of the French government?

Firstly, Barnier is a member of the right-wing Les Republicains (LR) party, which is being seen as a blow to the left-wing Nouveau Front Populaire coalition that won the most votes in the snap legislative elections back in July (but was also a long way from an overall majority). However, Barnier also has no affiliations with Macron’s centrist party.

A political veteran, Barnier most recently held the role of the European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator but stepped back from politics following an unsuccessful attempt to become his party’s presidential candidate back in 2022. He has also served as a minister under the right-wing administrations of presidents Jacques Chirac and Nicolas Sarkozy. Macron’s decision seems to have taken into consideration not only his experience but also his ability to withstand the inevitable votes of no confidence that are expected to befall any PM without a majority. Marine Le Pen has so far stated that she will not immediately reject Barnier, while the Nouveau Front Populaire are still vowing to oust him – let’s see what happens.

Macron has been clear about the task that lies ahead of the new prime minister – to create “a unifying government in the service of the country” – and this certainly isn’t going to be an easy one given the current political climate. We’ll keep you updated as we learn more about Barnier’s government.

If you’re a French property owner, you may have already received your taxe foncière property tax bills – if not, you’ll likely receive it soon. These taxes are set by your local commune and depend upon the size of your property, among other things, so there is no one-size-fits-all explanation to help you understand how much you should be paying. However, as a ballpark, tax bills have risen by an average of 3.9% across the country.

For certain communes, this increase is even higher – for example, Nice has increased taxes by 15.8%, Saint-Étienne by 14.1 %, and Nancy and Annecy by 13.4 %. Many communes have opted not to increase taxes at all, and a few have even decreased it.

While there’s unfortunately nothing that can be done about these tax hikes, if you think your bill is incorrect, you can contest it by contacting your local tax office within two months of receiving it.

Remember, if you own a second home in France, you’ll also be receiving an additional bill later on this year for the taxe d’habitation. See our France Tax Calendar 2024: All the Key Dates for Your Diary.

Germany’s Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has announced that in an attempt to “further reduce irregular migration”, the country is setting up temporary controls at all of its land borders. Germany already had such checks in place at some borders (with Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Switzerland), but this will now be extended to the land borders with France, as well as Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark.

 Typically, within the EU Schengen Area, there are no internal borders and no checks for those driving between Germany and France, but countries are still allowed to make decisions affecting their domestic immigration policy. It’s nonetheless a controversial move and one that many are hoping will be lifted after the temporary period of six months.

If you plan to drive over the French-German border in the future, it’s a good idea to allow a little extra time for your journey, as you will need to comply with these border checks. As long as you can present your EU passport or non-EU passport that has been corrected, stamped or registered by the EEA scanners (from November onwards) and is within the 90-day allowance, you should have no problems proceeding.

We’re back with another free webinar on Thursday 26th September. Host Karen Tait will be joined by a panel of experts to introduce you to some of the most exciting and unique opportunities available on the French property market today. Whether you’re looking for real estate investment opportunities, unsure about the type of French property you’d like to buy, or simply want to learn more about the diverse array of properties available, then this webinar is for you.

Sign up now so you don’t miss out!

Investing in French Property: Real Estate Opportunities You Might Not Know About

Thursday 26th September
4pm UK / 5pm France / 11am USA (EDT)