Relocating to a new country brings with it numerous adjustments, but few are as important as getting your financial situation in order. differs significantly from other countries, especially regarding inheritance laws, tax regulations, and investment options. At French Connections HCB, we aim to make this transition smoother by providing expert financial guidance tailored to your unique needs. Here’s what you need to know to prepare financially before making the big move.

1. Establishing Your Will and Succession Plans

One of the first steps to securing your financial future in France is to ensure your will and succession plans are correctly in place. French inheritance laws differ from those in many other countries, often leading to unexpected consequences for expats. French law prioritizes direct family members, so even if you have a will from your home country, it might not be recognized here unless it includes a clause specifying that the law of your home country applies to your global or European assets.

• Why This Matters: If no will is in place, French succession laws will take precedence, which could mean higher inheritance taxes and a lengthy legal process. For example, under French inheritance tax laws, inheritances given to non-family members can incur a 60% tax rate, a significant financial burden without proper planning.
• New Succession Rules: As of November 2024, a recent update in French law allows “disinherited” children to claim a portion of a deceased parent’s estate if the parent’s assets include French property. This law, intended to protect family members, could impact expatriates who might prefer different inheritance arrangements. For more details, you can review the European Union’s guidelines on inheritance laws in France ().

2. Reassessing Investments and Financial Products

Investment products and tax-efficient savings accounts that may benefit you in your home country often don’t carry the same advantages in France. For example, if you hold tax-free savings accounts or investment portfolios in the UK, the tax-free status typically ends once you become a French resident.

• Consider Relocating Your Investments: French tax laws are strict about foreign-held investments. You might find it beneficial to move your funds to France or into investment options like an Assurance Vie, which can offer tax advantages for French residents. Assurance Vie policies allow for tax-free inheritance in certain circumstances and provide other tax benefits for long-term investors in France.
• Professional Advice Matters: Moving investments without consulting a financial advisor can lead to significant tax penalties or losses. French Connections HCB’s financial experts can evaluate your current assets and suggest the most advantageous strategies based on your residency status.

3. Understanding Tax Implications in France Before Moving

French tax laws operate differently from those in other countries, and planning ahead is crucial. Unlike many nations, France taxes global income, meaning you may be liable for taxes on any income earned worldwide if you are classified as a tax resident in France.

• Tax Residency and Global Income: In France, you’re typically considered a tax resident if your primary residence (main home) is in the country, you spend more than 183 days per year in France, or your main professional activity is based there. This tax residency status means income earned abroad, including pensions, property income, or stock dividends, could be taxable in France. Learn more about France’s income tax rules from the .
• Optimizing Your Tax Situation: Before moving, consult a tax advisor to identify potential tax-saving strategies, such as transferring assets or restructuring income sources to align with French regulations. French Connections HCB can help expats navigate these complex rules, ensuring that you take advantage of any tax benefits available for new residents.

4. Assessing Healthcare and Social Security Contributions

France has an excellent healthcare system, but new residents need to consider the cost implications, particularly regarding social security and healthcare contributions. Most expats will be required to pay into the French social security system, which funds healthcare and pensions.

• Registering for French Healthcare: Once you become a French resident, you’re eligible to join the national healthcare system (Sécurité Sociale). This system provides high-quality, affordable healthcare coverage, but you’ll need to pay social charges (cotisations sociales), which can range from 7.5% to 9.7% of income for non-salaried residents ().

5. What to Do if You’re Already Living in France

If you’re already in France but haven’t yet organized your financial affairs, it’s not too late. Many expats worry about whether they’ve missed the opportunity to set things in order after establishing residency. The good news is that financial adjustments, such as creating or updating a will, optimizing your tax situation, or managing investments, can still be done after relocating.

• Reviewing Your Finances: Conduct a thorough review of your current financial situation, from investment holdings to tax obligations and healthcare contributions. This can ensure that you’re compliant with French laws and avoid any potential penalties.
• Seeking Professional Help: A consultation with a French financial advisor can help clarify your financial standing and identify steps to secure your assets, reduce taxes, and establish a sustainable budget.

Final Thoughts: Planning for Peace of Mind

Managing finances in a new country can be overwhelming, especially when dealing with a language barrier and unfamiliar legal frameworks. By addressing essential aspects such as wills, investments, taxes, and healthcare contributions ahead of time, you can set yourself up for a smoother transition.

French Connections HCB offers expert guidance to expats, ensuring that every step of your financial journey in France is well-planned and stress-free. Our team is ready to help you establish a solid foundation for a fulfilling life abroad. Contact us today and lets us help you get off to the best start!

Nobody enjoys paying tax, but when you live in France with its generous social security, egalitarian lifestyle and sense of fairness, at least you can feel a bit better about it.

Unless you are the subject of a ‘contrôle fiscal’.

French tax agents have the right to enter your property, install themselves in front of your laptop, and demand every bank statement you have had for the past ten years if they suspect you have been withholding tax that was due.

It used to be the case that the ‘fisc’ relied on tip-offs from disgruntled neighbours to catch tax-dodgers, but their job is made so much easier these days because everything is computerised and traceable. However, a lifestyle that doesn’t tally with what you earn will still raise a red flag with the taxman. So if you live in a modest village house but drive a shiny red Ferrari, questions are likely to be asked.

The best policy by far is to get a good accountant, understand the tax savings you are legally entitled to make and pay the rest with good grace. But for those who are inclined to let things slip, our Financial Advisor has some words of warning.

Property Tax

When you sell a house in France, the notary will automatically deduct the relevant amount of stamp duty, but it is very easy for the tax inspector to look at what the house sold for and compare that to the amount you declared it to be worth in your previous tax returns. He may jump on any discrepancy and can go back five years or more. Whilst the old wealth tax (Impôt de Solidarité sur la Fortune) no longer exists in France, property tax (Impôt sur la Fortune Immobilière) certainly does.

The obligation lies with you to declare the fair value of your property in an annual tax return if those assets exceed the upper limit. Nonetheless, you could conceivably find yourself in a situation where a potential buyer offers you way more than the market value, as has happened frequently during Covid with city dwellers desperate to own a place in the country.

Meanwhile, if a house in your locality sells for more than the property wealth tax limit, a quick tour of Google Maps looking at similar properties in the area would be a simple way for the tax man to ascertain if there are other likely candidates for property wealth tax who have not correctly declared.

Our advice: Get an expert French estate agent to officially evaluate your property. That way you are covered for what you declare it to be worth.

While your principal residence in France is subject to a 30% reduction when it comes to wealth tax, many people are unaware that any other physical properties you own anywhere in the world must also be taken into account. This includes investment funds that have property in their portfolio. Ignorance about the content of your managed funds is not a valid excuse in the eyes of the tax controller.

Our advice: Make sure you are aware of how property tax works. If your married or PACS household’s total property wealth (including anything you may own overseas and any part of an investment) is under 1.3 million euros, you pay nothing. But as soon as you go over the 1.3 million limit, the tax goes back to 800k. So if your property portfolio is worth 1,300,001 euros, you will pay tax on every euro from 800k onwards.

Foreign bank accounts

Whether it is active or not, you are obliged by the French tax office to declare every bank account you hold worldwide. The fine for not declaring an account could be as much as 1500 euros per account per year. Multiple accounts held at the same bank have to be declared separately, so if you hold both a current account and an ISA with Barclays in the UK, you must declare both accounts or risk two 1500 euro fines.

There is also a big misunderstanding among many people that you only need to declare those accounts the first year you put in a French tax declaration. That is not true and you could find yourself paying the 1500 fine multiple times if you don’t adhere to the rules.

Our advice: Close all the accounts outside France that you do not use, but by all means keep one open if you go back there to visit or might want to live there again.

Inconsistent income

In the eyes of the taxman, a sudden acceleration in income from one tax year to the next is a warning sign. There may be a very valid reason for the increase in revenue but French tax returns are done online and there is no space on the digital form to offer an explanation. For example, a mum with young children might be working on a consultancy basis in the afternoon while the kids are at the crèche but goes back to work full-time once they start school. Very easy to explain if you get a call from the tax office to ask for details. It’s nothing personal – they are just doing their job of recuperating any additional tax that’s due.

Tax-free gifts

Tax-free gifts are permitted in France but you need to be careful not to exceed the upper limit. Gifts totalling 100,000 euros can be awarded to each of your children within a 15 year period, as well as 31,865 euros in cash as long as the donor is under 80 and the recipient over 18. The gift can include part of the value of your property, and you can continue to benefit from living there under the user-fruit agreement.

It is worth pointing out that if the donor dies before the 15-year waiting period, the gift will fall back into the estate and be taxed as usual. The advantage of still being alive after 15 years is that the allowance resets and you can technically do it all again.

Our advice: Although not all gifts have to be certified by a Notary, it’s always a good idea to use one so both you and the beneficiary have proof of the legality of that gift. If you are donating property, a Notary is a legal requirement.

You don’t have a choice about where you pay tax

Many people wrongly assume that because they pay tax on their pensions in the UK, they have fulfilled their tax obligations. That is simply not true. The residency rules for taxation are very clear. In most cases, if France is your only residence and you spend most of your time here, you are obliged to pay French tax and run the risk of a serious and very costly ‘contrôle fiscal’ for not doing so. The tax office can freeze your assets, comb through your bank accounts for the past ten years and even suspend your business if they believe you have been acting fraudulently.

Our advice: If you are not paying tax in France and are paying it elsewhere, take advice to make sure that you are doing it correctly.

Trusts outside of France

The concept of a Trust does not really exist here and any connection you have to a Trust outside of France has to be declared on a central register. That applies whether you are a beneficiary, donor or trustee. It can cost up to 1500 euros to be listed on the Central Register of Trusts via an accountant and it must be renewed every year. The value of your Trust can be taxed up to 1.5% and this is also payable every year. Fines for non-compliance are steep.

Our advice: If you are a tax resident in France, it is worth considering whether the financial planning you set up before you moved here is still efficient. Take advice on your Trust arrangements and make them transparent to the French tax authorities.

n conclusion, the best way to avoid a tax control in France is to make sure you are fully tax compliant whilst making the most of the tax breaks that are available to you.

Don’t let tax complexities put your assets at risk. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with our financial experts and ensure you’re fully compliant with French tax laws.

With summer on the doorstep, here’s a way to work around the 90/180 rule.

Since January 2021, the freedom of British people to come and go in France has been restricted to 90 days out of 180, with no possibility of re-entry until the time is up.

While 90 days might sound like plenty for casual holidaymakers, it’s never long enough for people with second homes in France or for those who are looking to rent or buy a French property.

Say hello to the six-month short stay visa!

Often overlooked, the short stay visa offers certain advantages.

For a start, it’s easy to acquire. You can apply up to three months before the date you intend to travel, which allows plenty of time in case the Consulate dealing with your application is particularly busy during that period. Even if your visa comes through in record time, its six months validity starts on the date you stipulated in your application, which makes planning easy.

Secondly, you don’t need to show proof of health insurance. Your current GHIC is enough.

Thirdly, the short stay visa is multiple entry, which means you can come and go as you please as long as you are heading home by the end of your designated six month period.

What happens after that?

If you loved your time in France so much that you decide to move here permanently, you can simply apply for a one year long-stay visa once you get back home. During that year, you will be able to apply for a ‘carte de séjour’ or residency visa.

The good news is that if you apply for a short stay visa this month, you’ll be here by the end of July with all of summer and autumn to enjoy!

Meanwhile, if you can’t decide where you want to live in France, we offer an exciting new Discovery Service where we talk to you about the things that are important to you and suggest two or three areas of France that we think are a perfect fit, complete with a personalised schedule so you can come and discover it for yourself.

At French Connections HCB, we have helped thousands of people settle in France. If you’d like to find out more about the short stay visa or need help applying for one, you can book a FREE initial consultation with our friendly relocation specialist Diana by clicking on the button below.

Alternatively, you can email her at diana@frenchconnectionshcb.com

We look forward to talking to you.

French Connections HCB Team
frenchconnectionshcb.com

Where you choose to live in France very much depends on the person you are.

For many, it is love at first sight when they spend a week or two on holiday in a specific town or department. But for others, the adventure begins when they decide to come and live here. With 96 distinctly different French departments to choose from, plus 5 more overseas, you are spoilt for choice.

That’s where our Discovery Package comes in.

At French Connections HCB, we are often asked for advice on the best places to live in France. But of course, every client’s hopes and expectations are different, which is why we decided to create a designated ‘Discovery Package’. This unique service offers an informed shortcut to finding the perfect place to call home, led by our friendly specialist team, Melanie and Juliette.

Both of them are passionate about helping you to find the perfect place to live.

Melanie is a French national with a Double Masters degree in oenology, which means she can talk to you knowledgeably about all the different areas of France, their climate, their landscape and particularly their wines!

Juliette is a talented painter and graphic artist. She has an eye for detail and puts it to good use while she is creating your personalised Discovery Tour and filling it full of things she knows you will love.

Melanie is the first person you’ll talk to. Over a free one hour consultation, she’ll chat to you about what you like and don’t like, whether you prefer town or country, big cities or tiny villages, inland or coastal. Then she’ll get into more detail about lifestyle. Are you keen on social activity or do you prefer to keep yourself to yourself? What are the things that give you joy? Markets, history, art, sailing, hikes, wine tasting or maybe a simple game of pétanque with the locals?

Based on that conversation, Melanie and Juliette will put together a short list of 1 – 3 places that they think are a perfect match for you, which they will present in the form of a unique Discovery Pack.

What does a Discovery Package look like?

The Discovery Pack is a beautiful digital document taking an in-depth look at the regions we think would suit you best, based on what we’ve learned by talking to you. It starts with an overview of the area in terms of geography, history, weather, culture, size of town, landscape, and whatever it’s famous for. The pack indicates places of exceptional interest, such as world heritage sites, lookout points, festivals, and activities right around the calendar because it’s important that you know what’s on in the winter months too! It also covers airports and rail stations so you know your transport options.

In terms of practical help, there’s also a section on local real estate prices and rentals costs, as well as the number of banks, supermarkets, petrol stations, hospitals and bakeries (so important in France!) so you can see how well serviced it is.

Best of all is the personalised itinerary that we prepare for you, allowing 3-4 days to discover each of the areas we think you’ll love. This is typically a morning activity based on your favourite things to do, somewhere lovely to have lunch, another visit in the afternoon and a hand-picked suggestion for where to have dinner, all painstakingly researched and based on local knowledge that you won’t find in any guidebook. You can expect to unearth some local gems and get a real feel for the ambiance, facilities and lifestyle of each area. What better way to find out if you could settle there?

Although the Discovery Tours are the newest service we offer at French Connections HCB, they are already proving very popular. Clients have ranged from ages 30 to retirement and have so far been interested in many different parts of France.

Here are just a few.

Christine from Florida dreamed of retiring to the beautiful French Riviera but wanted to make sure she chose an area that was lovely to look at, safe to live in and wouldn’t require a car. We put together a Discovery tour that covered three towns on the Riviera that matched her brief. The Tour was so successful that Christine has now settled in Beaulieu sur Mer and she loves it!

Paul and Hannah from Canada are thinking of settling in France to be closer to their son, who will be working in Germany. We suggested two towns in Brittany, Dinan and Quimper, and Paul and Hannah have booked their Discovery Tour for next month.

Some clients like to plan ahead. A young couple from the UK came to us looking for the perfect location to find the right work-life balance in the future. Based on what they told us, Auch and Toulouse fitted the bill perfectly. They visited both and have also asked us to look at coastal locations for them to consider while they plan their move.

Other clients are already in France but are looking for somewhere that suits them better. Amy from New Jersey was looking for a friendly place to settle with her beloved dog, having lived in various countries around the world for the past 20 years. When she told us where she was currently living and described her ideal lifestyle, we knew she could do better. We proposed Auch and Bergerac and Amy is looking forward to visiting both on her tailored Discovery Tour during the next few weeks.

Of course, not everybody is planning to live in France full time. Thomas from the US came to us because he wants to buy a holiday home in which to escape the winter months. Based on what he told us about himself and his preferences, we created a Discovery Tour covering three towns in the Languedoc region. Thomas is here at the moment and has fallen in love with Montpelier!

These are just a few of our Discovery Tour success stories. Each is unique and created with genuine care.

Why are we so successful at matching clients to places? It’s because we know France inside out, and we’re passionate about helping others to make the right decisions and find an area where they can truly belong.

If you’d like to talk to us, simply click on the button below to book a free 15min initial consultation with Melanie at a time to suit you.

We very much look forward to sharing our knowledge and expertise to help you discover the perfect place to call home.

This week the British Pound faces a 50-year low and the Euro a 20-year low against the US Dollar. The Pound/Euro rate is also on its knees. Perhaps it’s time to take a long hard look at why we remain so attached to our home currency even when we have made the move to France and the Euro.

Currency exchange is a game that’s very hard to win. When you look at the Pound’s performance over the past 22 years, for example, fluctuation has been extreme. It currently sits at 1.12 against the Euro, but a couple of months ago it was up at 1.18, close to 1.19. The 22-year mid-market rate is approximately 1.33 and the highest rate was 1.75 so we can see it has been a very rocky road.

Clients often ask me if it’s worth investing in GBP while the value is down, but I believe that currency trading is notoriously unpredictable.

The bottom line is that if you’re intending to stay in France, you really do have to think about the best place to keep your money – both your pension and money in the bank. This is particularly true if you are drawing down on pensions or investments for your retirement.

All state pensions in the UK or social security payments in the US are going to be in their base currency and there’s nothing we can do to change this.  But some pensions and most investments are transferable, so if you are likely to be living in a Euro currency until the day you die, why would you choose to live with currency exchange risk? What is it that’s compelling you to hold on to your old currency, when you shop and you spend in Euros every single day?

The only way to get rid of currency exchange risk is to be in the same currency as the place you live.

You could of course argue that currency can go either way, so sometimes you are better off and sometimes you are not. That’s true, but we don’t know where the Euro is going to be in 15-20 years’ time and you are making life awkward for yourself by living with that uncertainty. There’s a certain relief in getting rid of the unpredictable ‘up and down’ that you are constantly witnessing.

Some time ago, I met clients who had moved to France on a wing and a prayer, bought a cheap property, released some money out of the UK to find it and were managing comfortably on their pensions when the exchange rate was 1.5 – but were not managing at all when it dropped to 1.1, effectively a 30% income trim.

Even when your investments are doing really well, you are in a vulnerable position if you have to scrape off 30% because the exchange rate is going against you – especially if you are reliant on this income.

Doing nothing is potentially the worst thing you can do.

Understandably, a lot of pensioners say that they don’t want to take a risk with their UK pension funds or US investments. But the reality, as we have seen above, is that you are already taking a risk if you’ve got it in GBP or USD – so why would you leave it there? The US Dollar is doing well now, but that could all change.

The situation becomes more manageable if you have access to both your original currency and the Euro. That means you can take Euros when the Euro is strong, and Pounds or Dollars when it’s not. With dual currencies, you have the option of the best rate at any particular time but of course not everyone has enough money available to do this.

There are currency exchange companies that will do that kind of work for you. For example, if you have a state pension in the UK  they will trade at what they believe are the best spots so you get a little bit extra. As things are, I would say that if the pound got anywhere near 1.2 or a little bit above, it would be pretty much time to consider transferring.

One of the advantages of transferring over time is that you are going to be there when the rate is at its highest and its lowest, so it averages out to mid-market. But when a client asks me whether they should move to Euros, my answer is always Yes, if you are going to stay in France. That’s the only way to rid yourself of currency exchange risk. What the Pound or the Dollar and the Euro do after that is completely irrelevant to you. You can stop worrying about it because you have bitten the bullet and got yourself into the right currency. Now all you need to focus on is the investment side of it and enjoying life!

Some people have an emotional bond to their home currency. They feel the need to keep some ‘just in case’. The real question is, in case of what? The answer may lie in how convinced you are of your move to France. Have you really given up your home country? If you continue to keep money there, perhaps there’s a reason you are doing that?

One question I often ask my clients is: ‘If one day you find yourself alone, would you stay here in France or would you go back to where you came from?’  The answer is rarely grey. More often it is ‘I’ll definitely stay’ or ‘I’ll definitely go back’. Most people already know what they will do; they have already thought about it. Sometimes it’s because it was either Mr or Mrs who had the dream of living to France and the other one tagged along for the ride but it wasn’t their own dream. If they find themselves alone, it no longer makes sense. They may have sons and daughters and grandchildren back in the UK or the US. Why would they choose to live by themselves, perhaps in the middle of nowhere, far from family? Or perhaps staying in that French house would hold too many memories of their partner?

For those people, it makes sense to keep a foot in both financial camps. But anybody who replies that they would choose to stay in France if they found themselves alone should definitely be living and spending solely in Euros.

As a further consideration for GBP currency holders, it’s worth noting that an ISA (or any UK tax efficient investment) is not tax efficient in France. It counts for nothing. However, the French have their own excellent tax-efficient solutions. You can keep your money in Euros and grow it free of tax. And if you haven’t already moved to France, there’s lots you can do before you arrive to maximise your tax efficiency.

Simon is one of the few British financial advisors who are fully qualified in both France and the UK. If you would like to talk to him, you can book a free 15-minute consultation at a time to suit you

It’s everybody’s dream. Move to France, buy a house with an annexe or a cottage nearby, give it a coat of paint, choose some pretty garden furniture et voilà! Pop it onto one of the many rental sites available and wait for the bookings to come pouring in.

But of course, there’s a little bit more to running a gite than that if you want everything to be above board.

So here’s how to make it happen.

Before you do anything else, head for your local Mairie. Apart from being polite and taking the opportunity to introduce yourself, the Maire has the right to refuse your gîte if the level of tourism in the area can’t support another one. This is particularly important if the income from your gîte forms a significant percentage of your annual revenue.

Assuming the Mairie says yes, there’s also a declaration to be filled in. This has nothing to do with tax and is just an administrative document that asks for details of your gîte, including how many it can accommodate, what periods of the year it will be available and your contact details. It will also ask whether the gîte has been officially classified. (This is not obligatory but can have tax advantages if you set up as a business.)

Once you have the go-ahead from your Mairie, you’ll need to determine your tax responsibilities and officially register your gîte. There are two types of registration, professional and non-professional. The most important thing to understand is that any rental income that your gîte generates is taxable here in France, whether or not you are a permanent resident.

Let’s take a closer look at the professional and non-professional options.

If the gîte is not your primary income source and you work elsewhere or have your own separate business, it counts as non-professional.  To qualify, it must bring in an annual revenue of less than 23,000 euros. To register as a ‘Loueur Meublé Non-Professionnel’ you will need to provide a copy of your passport as well as proof of ownership such as the deeds to the property (called the ‘titre de propriété’) which the Notaire who handled the sale will give to you. No proof of French residency is required for non-professional registration, but you will need to declare the annual revenue on your French income tax return. 

If you are running the gîte as a full-time business, all year round, it counts as your professional and principal activity. Normally this would imply an income of more than 23,000 euros. You will need to hold either a titre de séjour or business visa to be eligible to register with the Chambre de Commerce et de l’Industrie. According to government regulations, your activity must be officially registered within two weeks of opening. 

The simplest business option is to become a micro-entrepreneur or start an ‘entreprise individuelle au réel simplifié’. But although people always think of these two options as the easiest and cheapest ways of setting up your gîte business, it’s worth taking a closer look at the figures.  Neither of those options entitle you to any tax relief on the money you have outlaid, such as building work, decoration, furnishings and advertising. The harsh reality is that you will pay 22% social security charges to the French government on all rental income, plus up to 20% service fee if you list your gîte with popular operators like booking.com. If you think your gîte is likely to become successful, it’s worth considering setting up the French equivalent of a limited company, which enables you to claim tax benefits on setting up and ongoing running costs.

Don’t think you have to know everything right from the start. For example, if you start off by registering your gîte as a ‘meublé non-professionnel’ and then find that business is booming and it’s bringing in more than 23,000 euros a year, you can easily change your status to ‘loueur meublé professionel’. All it takes is an accountant.

Another tip that you probably won’t find online concerns the type of visa you initially apply for. Here at French Connections HCB, we work closely with our avocat partners who tells us that many clients go through the pain and hassle of applying for a costly work visa and making a business plan, when in fact the majority of people don’t actually have their gîte business up and running during the first year. That’s because they are too busy renovating, equipping their own home or their gîte and generally settling into their new life in France.          

 If you know you have renovation and decorating work to do and want to take some of the pressure and expense out of the visa process, think about applying for a simple one year (long stay) visa instead.  At the end of that year, you can apply for residency (titre de séjour) which automatically allows you to work – and you can do it all from here in France.

If this is starting to sound complicated, don’t be put off. Our friendly team here at French Connections HCB is always on hand to help. 

So far, we’ve just been looking at the admin side of running a gite. But there’s also an emotional side to consider.

If your gîte is close to your own home, you are always on call to answer questions, have a chat, share your experiences or lend a hand to your guests. If the gîte is not your primary income and you also have a job to do, you’ll need to juggle your time quite carefully.  You also need to factor in the time it takes to thoroughly clean the residence between guests, including laundry, replenishing supplies, replacing broken crockery, trimming any outdoor spaces and generally making sure every guest arrives to an impeccable lodging. True, you can employ a local housekeeper or cleaner, or send the laundry out to be done, but those expenses can chip away quite considerably at the income your gîte generates. And as we pointed out, none of those outgoings are tax deductible if you are registered as a non-professional. 

The amount of time you spend in France is also a factor. As a non-European citizen without a visa, you are restricted to visits of 90 days in any 180 days, which means you also need to think about how to run your gîte in your absence. While the peak holiday season is between 10-12 weeks, the extended rental season in France can stretch from Easter until the October school holidays, which is closer to six months than three.

You also need to consider your target audience. If you can find a way to set yourself apart from the mainstream, you are likely to attract more bookings. For example, there are limited holiday rentals available for people with pets. Wheelchair access or one-level living without stairs is another useful attribute for keen travellers who are not as mobile. Keeping a travel cot and highchair on hand means you can say yes to families with young children. Gîtes that are planet-friendly are also in big demand, which is good to remember while you are renovating.

Once you are all set up to welcome guests, what happens next?

The most important thing is to set your rates and make yourself easy to find. A quick comparison with the local competition will give you a good starting point, but it all depends on where you are and what sort of client you are hoping to attract. Will you register with Gîtes de France and be more visible to French visitors, or join a global platform like Airbnb or Booking.com? The volume of visitors going through those global sites is vast and they also automatically collect the ‘taxe de séjour’ that you must charge per person per night of residence in your gîte and pass on to the local commune. The downside of those global platforms is the additional fees that your client has to pay, and the smaller but not unsubstantial fee you also pay as the gîte owner. In short, it is much more expensive for the guest to book your place through Airbnb or Booking.com but guarantees the exposure you need, especially when you are just starting out.  Over time, with top reviews, clever use of social media and your own website, you can potentially grow your direct bookings and avoid those hefty fees.

Here at French Connections HCB, we can help with every aspect of setting up your gîte, from applying for the right visa to choosing the right business structure and finding out if you are entitled to any government subsidy to help with renovations. Insurance is mandatory for gîte owners, so we can also put you in touch with our bilingual insurance partner, , for a competitive quote. 

For a comprehensive question and answer session, we invite you to book a 30 minute personal consultation with our business and property specialist, Richard Hammond, at a time to suit you. Simply . The consultation costs 90 euros, which is fully refundable if you use any of our services moving forward.

We look forward to helping you become a happy, successful and popular gîte owner in France!

Fresh from the excitement of A Place In The Sun Live ten days ago, we wanted to share the highlights and welcome new readers who signed up for our e-newsletter after meeting us on our stand.��

We were there with our long-term partners,��, who had the stand next to ours for the three-day event. Together we advised hundreds of people on every aspect of moving to France, particularly with regard to visas. With health insurance being such an integral part of every successful visa application, it was great to be able to work with Fabien Pelissier and the Fab French team to make sure everybody went away with the right information and a clear idea of the next steps to take.��

At French Connections HCB, we take partnerships seriously. That’s because our business is based on trust. By teaming up with experts in other fields, we can give our clients the very best advice and offer a service that is second to none in France.

Trust is vital when it comes to visas. We apply for almost 500 every year on behalf of clients from the UK, US, Australia, Canada and the UAE. Working alongside Maître Louis Varault of��, one of the most reputable law firms in Paris, we have a 100% success rate.�� Louis and his team are Richard’s personal friends as well as his legal counsel. Louis himself comes from a long line of barristers and lawyers. In fact, his family has been practicing law for 100 years, generation after generation.��

Last year, we also handled 1250 applications for a carte de séjour. 100% of applications were either successfully delivered or successfully re-applied in cases where our client’s circumstances changed during the application process.

Those success rates are no accident.

What makes the difference when you work with French Connections HCB is that our founder, Richard Hammond, is French but also English. That gives our clients an enormous advantage, because Richard has a deep understanding and experience of both administrative systems.

He also has money-can’t-buy relationships here in France.��

Richard’s vision for French Connections HCB began on the rugby fields of South West France.�� Born and educated there, he was a keen rugby player at university. Many of his best friends on those muddy fields are still his best friends all these years later. They have gone on to excel in French businesses, including insurance, law and banking, but their team spirit and shared loyalty are still as strong as ever.

After university, Richard’s stellar career took him to the US and then to the UK. Those experiences gave him an invaluable understanding of the cultural differences between the US/Canada/UK and France. As a result, French Connections HCB was born and Richard and his bilingual team became the bridge between France and the English-speaking world.

Our company is always evolving, based on what our clients need. Our newest service is an all-inclusive Moving To France package that handles everything involved in making sure you can officially move to France and stay here. From choosing the right visa, backing it up with the correct health insurance, finding somewhere to live, setting up a company, applying for a Carte de Séjour, financial and succession advice, importing or buying and registering a car, we can do all of it for you.

Many of the clients we help have had a go at doing it themselves, based on a bit of internet research or the advice from somebody they know. That works to a certain extent, but rules are always changing in the French administration and it’s tricky to keep up with the ‘small print’ unless you have the contacts and know the system inside and out.�� As many have discovered to their cost, nobody is more of a stickler for paperwork than the French!

Along with our trusted partners, we get it right first time.

If you would like to talk to us about your specific situation, a good place to start is a 30 minute initial consultation with Richard, which��. It’s your chance to ask questions and get some sound advice, one to one. The consultation costs 90 euros but this is deducted from any of our services that you might book later.

We look forward to helping you move to France and being part of the FCHCB community.

It’s been stop and start for years, but the CT for two-wheelers officially hits the road in January 2024

After nine long years of debate and delay, Clément Beaune, the Minster for Transport, finally announced last week that an obligatory technical inspection will be phased in for all two-wheel vehicles from 2024.��

The oldest will be inspected first, and the rollout will look like this:
2024: bikes registered between 1st January 2016 and 31st December 2020
2025: bikes registered between 1st January 2021 and 31st December 2021
2026: bikes registered between 1st January 2022 and 31st December 2022

In terms of regularity, a vehicle’s first CT will be due when it is 5 years old, then repeated every three years. Off-road bikes will not be subject to testing.

Unsurprisingly, not all motorbike owners are happy about the new obligation, particularly as it includes every two-wheel motor vehicle, regardless of engine size. Even a 50cc scooter has to submit to the new inspection! It may also be extended to three-wheeled vehicles, quad bikes and cars that can be driven without a licence.

While prices have not yet been officially set, the cost for a two-wheel CT is expected to be around 50 euros, which is not far off the price for a car. The simplified inspection will cover many of the same points of road safety, including lights, tyres brakes, noise and atmospheric pollution. For the moment, there are no specific details on who will carry out the inspection, or where. Special centres may need to be built, with dedicated equipment, and qualifications or training for the inspectors. ��

French newspaper Le Figaro reports that groups such as Ras le Scoot, Respire and Paris Without A Car are claiming the news as a victory, but biker associations such as the Federation of Bikers of France and the French Federation of Angry Bikers (FFMC) are inviting their members to make their objections felt during the Tour de France…

Here at French Connections HCB, we’re keeping a close eye on the details on behalf of our motorcycle-owning clients. Meanwhile, if you need help with vehicle registration,��you can reach us here.

For vehicle insurance, we recommend you contact our trusted partners Fab French Insurance,����for a competitive and reliable quote.

If you are a British citizen and own a second home in France, you will almost certainly have been dismayed by the restrictions of the 90/180 rule imposed since Brexit.

Don’t worry, there is light on the horizon!

In very welcome news, the French Senate has voted to adopt an amendment that proposes to “ease the conditions of entry for British citizens who own second homes in France”.

The champion of the cause and the driving force behind the change in legislation is Martine Berthet, a Senator in the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region of France. She spoke to many British homeowners in her area��and sympathised with their frustration and disappointment after Brexit. ��Many have been coming to France for years and contribute culturally, socially and financially to their local communities. ��

To add to the misery, French visa centres have struggled to keep up with demand, leading to long delays and expense for British people applying for a new 6 month long-stay visa every year in order to spend significant time in their French homes. The recent hike in ‘taxe foncière’ for second home owners has been the final straw, with a recent poll showing that many were thinking of selling up.

Meanwhile, despite being defeated in this round, hopes are high that two other amendments might also one day be passed. French Senator Corinne Imbert of the Charente-Maritime put forward a proposal for a five-year visa that would be available for all non-EU property owners, not just British citizens. This visa would have permitted visits of up to six months every year but would only have to be renewed every five years. French Senator Michel Canévet of Finistère also put forward the idea of adding ‘property owner’ to the current visa categories.

Although Senator Berthet’s amendment was the only one to get through this time, here at French Connections HCB we are feeling quietly optimistic that there will also be good news for our American, Australian, Canadian and New Zealand clients before too long. Meanwhile, a grand merci to all three Senators!

If you’re looking to move to France permanently, or want to open a business or invest here, we have all the information you need, including free articles, videos, blogs and webinars. You can also book an initial 30 minute video consultation with our business and visa specialist, Richard Hammond, by��. The consultation costs 90 euros, but that amount is totally deducted from the first service you book with us.

Finally, you can catch us today Thursday 16 November at a free webinar hosted by French Entrée’s Zoe Smith. It starts at 2pm UK time (3pm French, 9am Eastern, 6am Pacific) and will last about an hour. Simply to get the zoom link. �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� ��

We look forward to seeing you there.��

More and more American citizens are plucking up the courage to fulfil their dream of moving to France. To encourage those who are hesitating, our team at French Connections HCB USA has listed the most important stages of that journey and added some useful advice based on years of successfully helping people to navigate the French administration.

Let’s begin with visas, residency and healthcare.

Like any other non-EU citizen, Americans are allowed to spend 90 out of 180 days in France visa-free. It’s calculated on a rolling basis which can be confusing, so we’ve put a handy calculator here on our new US website. Simply enter all your arrival and departure dates starting from 180 days ago to see how much time you have left.

Expert tip: Remember that travel days also count, so if you land in France even just one minute before midnight, it will cost you one whole day of your allocated 90 days. Similarly, if you leave France at one minute after midnight, that’s another day lost. The good news is that you can effectively maximise your 90 day stay by arriving early in the morning and departing late evening.

If you plan to be in France for more than 90 days, you are going to need a visa.

The sort of visa you apply for will determine the length of your stay as well as what you’re allowed to do while you’re here. Remote working is only possible under certain very specific circumstances, which we can advise on. There are many different types of visa available to Americans, including those designed specifically for students, business investors and reuniting families, but the most common is the Visa de Long Séjour – Titre de Séjour (commonly known as the VLS-TS).

A 6 month VLS-TS is relatively easy to acquire, but if you want to stay after it expires, you have to go back home to renew it. On the other hand, you can renew a 12 month VLS-TS without returning to the US.

Expert tip: All VLS-TS visas require proof of health insurance, which must cover the entire duration of the visa. You can click here to get an online quote from our trusted insurance partners.

Once you have acquired your carte de Séjour, you are entitled to apply for French healthcare in the form of a ‘carte Vitale’ from the Caisse Primaire d’Assurance Maladie (CPAM).

A lot has been written in the US about the quality and affordability of France’s excellent Social Security system, which offers universal health care for every resident, including expats. Top up health insurance, called a ‘mutuelle’ is also common and advisable. The difference is that the ‘carte Vitale’ is funded by French social security, while the ‘mutuelle’ is the additional amount covered by your private health insurer. Unlike paying for health insurance in the US, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the cost of your top-up ‘mutuelle’ when you move to France.

Expert tip: The French administration loves paperwork and you’ll be asked to provide a lot of supporting documents. However, every document that is not in French must be apostilled by a Government-approved French translator. Don’t worry, we can show you where to find one.

Finding somewhere to live is another major part of any move to France, particularly because visa applications require you to provide an address. You may already know and love a certain area, but it’s worth taking the time to find the right property and work out what exactly you want. Are you set on having an old house with land and a view? Or somewhere in the heart of a village to soak up the atmosphere and make local friends? Is proximity to an airport or hospital one of your priorities? The friendly team at French Connections HCB USA can help guide you through those choices and we have our own building partners who can handle any renovation work, from an apartment to a Château!

Expert tip: Listening to the experiences of fellow Americans who have made the move can be inspirational, and everybody’s story is different. Click here and here to read the adventures of two of our favourite US clients.

Next on your list should be transport. You have to decide whether to buy a car in France or bring your own car with you, and it’s not an easy choice. Foreign cars are considerably more expensive to buy in France and you’ll find that the US spec is usually higher, with more sporty options. On the other hand, French-made cars such as Peugeot and Renault are very competitively priced compared to foreign makes.

If you opt for bringing your own car from the US, we have global experience in vehicle importation, transportation and registration and can handle the entire process for you. (It takes about three months from start to finish, so it’s good to plan ahead.) If you decide to buy, we can scout a car for you or connect you to our trusted network of car dealerships.

Expert tip: French people also tend to hang onto their cars for longer, which means the second hand car market is often overstocked with early models and high mileage. This is particularly true in rural areas with less public transport, where a car is seen as a functional necessity rather than luxury item.

That brings us on to insurance. At French Connections HCB, we knew early on that we needed to find a reliable, affordable, trustworthy insurance partner for our clients. We’re delighted to introduce you to Fabien Pelissier and his English-speaking team at Fab French Insurance who cover all policies including car, home and medical insurance (for residency, visas and top-up mutuelle) as well as professional insurance such as public liability, builders 10 year ‘décennale’ and legal insurance. You can usually get an instant quote online, but there’s a live chatline or phone number if you need more help.

Expert tip: Medical insurance for residency permits isn’t accepted for visa applications – yet visa insurance is more than enough for residency permits!

With visa, home and car sorted, it’s time to talk about finances. The laws in France concerning taxation, capital gains and inheritance are complex and, of course, everybody’s situation is unique. That’s why we work with some of the best financial advisors, tax accountants and immigration lawyers in France to make sure our clients always have access to the best advice.

Expert tip: There’s a lot you can do to mitigate your financial situation before you move to France. Once you have arrived, it might be too late.

As the leading provider of administrative assistance for English-speakers moving to France, the bilingual team at French Connections HCB USA is eager to help you realise that dream. A good way to start is to , Richard Hammond. He’ll answer questions about your specific situation, explain the processes and determine your best way forward. The consultation costs 95 USD, but this amount is fully deductible from the first service you book with us.