June 15, 2025 • 38 mins
What if you could wake up tomorrow in a country that has peaceful protests without military intervention? Where healthcare is a right, not a privilege? Where a five-day hospital stay results in no bill, and where life moves at a pace that prioritizes enjoyment over hustle? This isn't fantasy—it's daily reality in France.
France beckons Americans with its seductive blend of art, food, architecture, and a profound dedication to leisure. But beyond the postcard-perfect landscapes lies something perhaps more valuable: a society structured around human dignity. Universal healthcare that actually works. Cities designed for walking, not driving. Public transportation that connects you to all of Europe for less than the cost of dinner in Manhattan.
In this comprehensive exploration of relocating to France, we dive deep into practical realities. We discuss the visa pathways that make France more accessible than you might think, from the long-stay visitor visa requiring about €17,000 annual income to specialized options for entrepreneurs, remote workers, and retirees. We break down surprising affordability factors, where cell phone/internet bills run €30 monthly and quality healthcare coverage costs less than many American co-pays.
French expat specialist and star of House Hunters International Adrian Leeds, and immigration attorney Daniel Tostado share insider perspectives on everything from housing markets to healthcare navigation. They reveal how the French bureaucracy, while challenging, ultimately delivers services that transform quality of life. "I certainly enjoy the good healthcare," Leeds explains. "When I was in the hospital I didn't have to think about whether my insurance was going to cover it... None of that. Done. Automatic."
The cultural transition presents perhaps the greatest challenge. Yet for those willing to adapt, the rewards are immeasurable: safety, beauty, community, and liberation from many anxieties that define American life.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Tim Marting (Citizen Re (00:04):
Citizen Remote is a global mobility
company.
In essence, we help with visas,taxes, accommodation, insurance
.
We also have a social community.
We have over 20,000 members.
Our big thing is understandingthe complexity within visas.
So obviously we do a lot ofeverything, but right now we're
(00:25):
really niching down on helpingpeople with visas because that's
the first part of the processthat people encounter when
relocating abroad.
Obviously, the next year you'regoing to have to do taxes, so
you can use us for that.
You're going to have to getinsurance up front, so you can
use us for that.
But visas is quite complex andwe essentially have immigration
teams on the ground in over 35different countries and we're
(00:49):
growing that number every day.
Shawn (01:02):
If you've been following this series, you know that last
week we talked about some of theeasiest European countries for
Americans to relocate toPortugal, spain and Latvia but
today we're dedicating an entireepisode to just one country,
one of my favorite countries inEurope, a place that's a lot
easier to get to than you mightthink.
(01:22):
We're going to be talking aboutthe world's most visited
country with the world's mostvisited museum.
It's also the country where youcan legally marry a dead person
and if you haven't figured itout already, this one might give
it away the country where it'sillegal to name your pig
Napoleon.
Today's episode is all aboutFrance.
(01:44):
France is seductive for all theusual reasons art, food,
architecture, wine that costsless than water and an enduring
obsession with leisure.
But it's also a country thattakes itself and its rules very
seriously.
That includes immigration.
You can't just roll in, order acafé creme and declare yourself
(02:06):
a local, but if you're willingto play the game, france offers
a deeply rewarding lifestyleuniversal health care, walkable
cities, generous vacation timeand real work-life balance.
You just need to get through alittle red tape and possibly
several civil servants who areon strike or might be soon.
In this episode, we'll explorethe most common visa options for
(02:28):
Americans, talk through thecost of living in various parts
of France, explain how theFrench healthcare system works
and spoiler brilliantly andbreak down the cultural nuances
that might just make or breakyour new life abroad.
I'm your host, Shawn C Fettig,and if you've ever thought
universal healthcare soundedless like socialism and more
(02:48):
like something you'd pay cashfor, right now you're absolutely
in the right place.
Remember, for the purposes ofthis series, I have converted
all monetary values to USdollars.
Keep in mind that exchangerates fluctuate, so all amounts
mentioned are reflective ofreality at the time of recording
.
To stay updated on the latestepisodes, follow, like and share
(03:09):
Leaving America on the DeepDive with Shawn podcast feed,
wherever you get your podcasts.
If you've been side-eyeing theunraveling of American life and
have stories about plotting yourescape with a croissant in one
hand and a visa application inthe other, or you're just
curious how many pastries youcan eat in France before it's
considered cultural immersion,email us at deepdivewithshawn at
(03:32):
gmailcom.
All right, pack your bags.
This is Leaving America.
Adrian Leeds (03:43):
I'm a single woman .
I can go anywhere at any hourof any day and feel safe.
That's a very big deal, very,very big deal.
It means I'm not living in aparanoid world at all, right?
No, I could go on and on and onabout all the benefits of
living in this kind of a culture.
(04:04):
I have access to all of Franceand, living in this kind of a
culture, I have access to all ofFrance and all of Europe
because of public transportation, very inexpensively.
I just had a flight from Naplesto Nice for 20 euros.
Where are you doing that?
You know, I haven't owned a carin 27 years, in 30 years, 30
(04:24):
years.
I don't miss that at all.
I love being a pedestrian.
I get a lot more exercise In theSouth.
When I'm in the South, I have aMediterranean diet, so I'm
eating the best diet right youcan get.
I feel healthier.
I know I'm going to live longer.
I don't know what else can Itell you.
It's not bad.
No, no, no, no, no.
(04:48):
As I said from the beginning,though, the toughest thing is
the cultural crossing.
It's the hardest part.
Everything else is really apiece of cake.
Just to kind of get used tounderstanding the way the French
think and how to deal with them, because you know we're coming
from our default mode, which isso different.
Shawn (05:08):
That was Adrian Leeds, resident real estate advisor on
House Hunters InternationalFrench locations and founder of
the Adrian Leeds Group, whichhelps people to live and invest
in France and understand thelaws, customs and language,
mentioning just a few of thereasons she loves living in
France.
There's a reason France haslong captivated the American
(05:28):
imagination, whether it's thelavender fields of Provence, the
sunny sea-swept charm of Nicewith its pastel facades and
pebbled beaches, or theglittering pull of Paris at dusk
.
I could go on, but why would Iwhen Adrian Leeds can do a
better job of name dropping someof her favorite places in
France?
Adrian Leeds (05:51):
I think Paris is number one.
Paris is the cultural mecca ofthe planet, if not France for
sure.
And if you want an insane life,you can have it in Paris.
Paris is, of course, the mostexpensive place to live in
France, but mostly because ofthe real estate.
The rents are the highest andproperty purchase, you know,
(06:11):
property costs are the highest.
My second top spot in France isNice.
Nice is one of the mostgorgeous places on the planet.
It's a city of about 325,000.
It has an international airport.
The weather is the best in thecountry.
It has a city of about 325,000.
It has an international airport.
The weather is the best in thecountry.
It has fabulous healthcare.
It has a huge Americancommunity.
Now, in the last 10, 15 yearsit's really blossomed.
(06:33):
And there's, I mean, the FrenchRiviera.
Is the French Riviera, let'sface it right, not bad After
that, I think there are someother really interesting cities.
After that, I think there's someother really interesting cities
, believe it or not.
I like Lille and I know Lilleis a real sleeper.
Nobody thinks about Lille.
It's in the north, theweather's not that great, it's
(06:53):
cold and rainy, but Lille hasTGV access 30 minutes to
Brussels, an hour, to Paris, anhour and a half to London and
two and a half to Amsterdam, soyou have this sort of immediate
access to major cities eventhough you're living in a small
town in a way, and two and ahalf to Amsterdam, so you have
this sort of immediate access tomajor cities even though you're
living in a small town in a way, and it has a very large
Anglophone population, which isquite interesting.
(07:13):
The other cities that I like areAix-en-Provence.
Aix is a beautiful and culturedcity and it has a large student
population, has a nicecommunity, nice American
community, and it's 30 minutesto the Marseille airport, which
is international.
And then there's Strasbourg,which has an international
community because it used to bethe seat of the EU, and I like
(07:38):
the entire region of Provence.
If you're willing to driveOtherwise the other cities, you
really don't need a car at alland that's a big deal.
So these are my top cities inFrance for great places to live.
Shawn (07:53):
For American expats, france offers more than just a
postcard-perfect backdrop.
It's a lifestyle deeply rootedin art, history, food and that
elusive concept of joie de vivre.
In France, life is savoredMorning markets, long lunches,
centuries-old cathedrals and anational reverence for beauty in
the everyday.
(08:14):
Whether you're drawn byworld-class healthcare, the
robust public transportation orthe idea of living in a culture
that values leisure as much aslabor, france has an undeniable
pull.
It's not just a change ofscenery, it's a reimagining of
how life can be lived.
But to move there, to actuallylive there, there is some
(08:35):
paperwork, some bureaucracy,just like pretty much anywhere.
France doesn't have a simplemove-here visa, unlike
Portugal's D7 or Spain'snon-lucrative visa, france's
approach is a little morebureaucratic and a little more
demanding.
But don't panic.
With some planning and patience, there are accessible options
(08:55):
for most people, whether you'relooking to retire, work, study
or just live your best expatlife drinking pastis in Provence
.
This is Daniel Tostado, frenchimmigration lawyer and founder
of Cabinet Daniel Tostado,dedicated to helping clients
obtain French visas, residencypermits and French citizenship,
explaining many of the routesavailable to Americans in search
(09:17):
of a French visa, and thenwe'll dig into some of the most
popular.
Daniel Tostado (09:25):
So I generally say there's about 30 different
visa options, but that it's notworthwhile to think or memorize
what are the various 30, that Ibasically break it down into
four different types of visas.
There are student visa, thelong-stay visitor visa, which
we'll be talking about todaybecause it's, I think, the most
important one for Americansmoving to France.
Relationship-based, whetherone's married to a French or EU
(09:45):
national and then work Work asan entrepreneur, which is a
viable route into France, orwork as an employee, which is
actually a pretty hard route totry to make that move here into
France and so that I would sayslightly more than half of my
clients make that move on thatlong-stay visitor visa, which is
saying I'm not going to betaking a job that belongs to a
French person, and then I've gotstable finances, housing and
(10:07):
health coverage and with thatthey let you make the move here
to France.
And the finances is the mostimportant part, and their
threshold is 17,000 euros, oneseven over the course of the
past 12 months coming your way.
So that works out to beslightly less than 2000 euros a
month of revenue and mostAmericans have that amount of
money coming their way.
Shawn (10:28):
And as such, you can qualify for that visitor visa.
The long stay visitor visa, orthe visa de long séjour visiteur
, is probably the most commonvisa route for Americans who
just want to live in Francewithout working.
It's perfect for retirees,remote workers with non-French
clients or anyone with passiveincome or savings.
You're going to need to showproof of sufficient income, and
(10:50):
this usually means at least theequivalent of the French minimum
wage, about $1,600 per month,but the more you can show the
better, so think $2,250 to$2,800 a month per person.
To be safe.
You're also going to need toshow proof of accommodation, so
a rental agreement, lease or amonth per person.
To be safe, you're also goingto need to show proof of
accommodation, so a rentalagreement, lease or a notarized
(11:11):
letter from a host, and you'llhave to have private health
insurance that's valid for atleast your first year in France.
And then you need to promisenot to work in France unless you
later change your status.
This visa is typically validfor one year and it has to be
obtained before you arrive inFrance.
That means applying through theFrench consulate in the US
serving your region, not afteryou've landed and fallen in love
(11:33):
with the smell of freshcroissants.
Once you're in France, you canapply for a carte de séjour,
which is a residence permit, andyou can renew it annually for
the first few years, and afterfive years of continuous
residence, you may be eligiblefor permanent residency or even
citizenship.
Daniel Tostado explains howthis works in practice.
Daniel Tostado (11:57):
The requirements around.
That is showing significantsufficient health care,
sufficient housing, sufficientfinances, and the finances is
more than 17,000 euros comingyour way in the past 12 months.
The healthcare has a line oftravel insurance that covers you
for a 12-month period.
The housing could be a coupleof different things, including
getting an Airbnb of threemonths.
So I find it very doable to getthat documentation in order and
(12:20):
then a couple of weeks toprepare the case file, a week
and a half to prepare, toreceive, have the constant
process and approve it, and thenyou're off over here to france
living your best french life.
That category is valid for onemonth, sorry, one year.
After one year you renew it foranother year.
So it goes annually, year year,year, year after five years you
can get the 10-year card, andthe 10-year card is really good
(12:41):
because it has um implicit workauthorization in case you wanted
to sell art on the weekends orin case you wanted to start a
company in France, and it getsthe authorities offered back for
10 years, and it means you canstop emailing your nasty
immigration lawyer for a littlebit.
So yeah, it's win-win allaround.
Shawn (12:59):
If you're a freelancer, entrepreneur, artist, researcher
or tech worker with a projector job offer, the talent
passport might be your goldenticket.
There are several subcategories, but they all have one thing in
common they're designed toattract skilled professionals to
France and they come with moreflexibility than the basic
long-stay visa.
Some examples include andliterally pardon my French here
(13:23):
profession artistique etculturelle for artists, writers,
musicians and performers with aportfolio and income.
There's also the Créateurd'entreprise for entrepreneurs
investing in or creating aFrench business, the Salarie
qu'elle fait for high-skilledprofessionals with a French
employment contract, and theChercheur scientifiqueifique for
(13:45):
researchers and academiccollaborators.
Most talent passports aregranted for up to four years and
they often include workauthorization for spouses, which
is a huge plus, but they dorequire more documentation, like
a business plan, contracts, taxforms and a CV.
It's more work, but it offersmore autonomy and long-term
(14:06):
potential.
It's more work, but it offersmore autonomy and long-term
potential.
If you've always dreamed oftaking courses in art history or
pastry making or politicalphilosophy in Paris, or you're
eyeing a full degree program atSciences Po or the Sorbonne, the
French student visa is perhapsyour best option.
It allows you to study and alsowork part-time up to 964 hours
(14:26):
per year, which is about 20hours per week.
To qualify for the student visa, you're going to need an
acceptance letter from anaccredited French institution,
proof of income or financialsupport about 700 US dollars a
month minimum and then healthinsurance, though most students
qualify for public coverage oncethey're enrolled.
This visa can be a really smartentry point into France if it
(14:49):
applies to you, because aftergraduation, you may be eligible
for a job search or work visa ifyou find employment in your
field.
There's also the ProfessionLibérale visa, which is a little
more obscure but potentiallypowerful.
This visa is designed forself-employed individuals who
want to set up a freelance orconsulting business in France,
(15:09):
and to get this you're going toneed a detailed business plan,
financial projections and incomeexpectations, and also proof
that your services are needed inFrance and that you can support
yourself.
Think of this as France'sanswer to the digital nomad visa
.
Only it doesn't call itselfthat and it expects you to be a
little more formal about it.
(15:29):
After five years of continuouslegal residence on most visa
types, you can apply forpermanent residency or French
citizenship.
If you're married to a Frenchcitizen, that timeline drops to
two years.
To naturalize, you'll need tobe able to speak French at a B1
level, have a clean criminalrecord and also provide evidence
of integration into Frenchsociety, like work, social ties
(15:53):
or community involvement.
And France also allows dualcitizenship, so you don't have
to give up your Americanpassport.
So those are the most commondoors into France.
None of them swing wide open,but with the right documents, a
little strategy and a healthytolerance for paperwork, you can
absolutely make it happen.
Once you've found your way in,the next question is how much is
(16:15):
it going to cost you toactually live in France?
And this is where you might besurprised.
Here's Daniel Tostado againgiving a basic overview of the
cost of living in France.
Daniel Tostado (16:30):
A lot of the areas in which France is very
affordable is in areas which wedidn't think as Americans to
look for affordability.
So my cell phone bill is 15euros a month.
My Wi-Fi is 32 euros for ourhousehold.
Healthcare in France is a humanright and so it comes out of
one's paycheck, so I'm notpaying out of pocket for private
health insurance.
When my wife gave birth lastyear here in France, we had a
(16:53):
five-day hospital stay and itcame out to a grand total of 400
euros, and that was just theextra surcharge of having a
private room rather than ashared room.
So I would also compare it tothe food costs of it.
That when I go back to myhometown of San Diego and I look
to buy a little tub ofguacamole, it might cost $10 or
something really high.
(17:13):
Compare that here to France,where everything is affordable
food-wise.
The average French salary is€2,000 per month and that then
has a trickle-up impact on anyAmerican moving up here to
France that we're going to findthings very affordable.
That a nice soiree in Francemight be a tub of hummus for
four euros, a baguette for 120,a bottle of wine for five euros.
(17:34):
You sit down along the SeineRiver, watch the sun go down,
you know that's your soiree forless than 10 euros, so there's a
great affordability to it.
That also has an impact on realestate.
So if you're looking to rent inParis, you could pick something
in the center of Paris for youknow, about 1300 euros.
You know, try to find mesomething like that in San Diego
, in Seattle, anywhere you mightwant to live.
(17:55):
It's just not going to becomparable.
And that's on the renting side.
On the buying side, you canstart to find, you know, one
room or two room apartmentssomewhere as of 300, 400,
500,000 euros, two-roomapartments somewhere as of 300,
400, 500,000 euros.
Shawn (18:09):
France has a reputation for being expensive, but that
depends on where you live andhow you live.
Paris is Paris.
You're not going to find acharming Montmartre flat with a
view of the Eiffel Tower for$600.
But many smaller cities andrural areas offer fantastic
value and you shouldn't overlookthem.
I've been to many places inFrance and while Paris was my
(18:31):
entry point, I found many otherplaces to have their own charm
and culture and beauty.
That makes them very appealing.
So let's walk through some ofthe essentials.
In terms of housing, paris isgoing to cost you about $1,700
to $2,800 a month for a modestone-bedroom apartment in the
city.
Obviously, it's going to becheaper if you go further out
(18:51):
into the suburbs or if you sharethe same size.
Apartment in a city like Lyonor Bordeaux or Nanta is going to
cost you about $1,025 to $1,600a month.
In places like Provence,normandy or Occitanie smaller
towns $700 to $1,150 a month isgoing to get you a full house or
(19:12):
apartment.
Rents are typically quotedmonthly and leases often require
one to three months rent upfront, and many landlords also
expect a French guarantor, whichcan be a hurdle, though there
are some workarounds likedeposit services and
expat-friendly agencies hurdle,though there are some
workarounds like depositservices and expat-friendly
agencies.
Electricity, heating and waterwill cost you about $115 to $230
(19:36):
a month, depending on theseason and the region, and then
internet and cell phone is goingto be about $35 to $55 a month
for a decent fiber plan.
A week's worth of groceries forone is going to run you about
$45 to $80, depending on howfancy your cheese selections get
.
And if you want to eat outwhich, frankly, you do, it's
France.
A boulangerie lunch is going tocost you about $6-$9, a casual
bistro dinner is going to beabout $17-$28, and then if you
(20:00):
want a Michelin star splurge,well, that's going to cost you.
France is very well known forits public transit.
A monthly transit pass in Parisis going to cost you.
France is very well known forits public transit.
A monthly transit pass in Parisis going to cost you about $95
a month.
In Lyon, marseille or Toulouse,it's going to cost you about
$35 to $68 a month.
Traveling by train, the SNCF,can be expensive without
(20:20):
discounts, but France offersexcellent rail passes, including
the Carte Avant-Age forregional and national discounts.
If you're a single person livingoutside of Paris and not trying
to recreate a New Yorklifestyle.
You can live very comfortablyon $2,050 to $2,850 a month.
(20:43):
In Paris you're going to wantto be closer to $3,400 a month
to breathe easily, but that'sstill far cheaper than the
average cost of living in SanFrancisco, new York or even
parts of suburban Seattle, andit comes with much better cheese
and wine.
So the rent isn't free and thebureaucracy is real.
But in France your money getsyou something many Americans
feel is missing Dignity in dailylife, a society that doesn't
(21:04):
expect you to hustle yourselfinto burnout just to survive.
But if you're just like anyred-blooded American, you're
thinking about healthcare costs.
This is the crown jewel of theFrench system.
French healthcare is one of themost consistently praised
aspects of French life.
It's not just good, it'selegant in its efficiency,
thorough in its coverage andunbelievably affordable to
(21:27):
anyone used to the Americansystem which, let's be honest,
often feels like a medicalescape room with no clues and a
$10,000 bill at the end.
This is not true in France.
Listen to Adrian Leeds describeher own experience with the
French healthcare system.
Adrian Leeds (21:45):
I certainly enjoy the good healthcare I've had the
most.
The good healthcare.
I've had the most amazingexperience with healthcare.
Most people know that, since Iwrite my newsletters, that I was
very sick early in the yearwith the flu and I was in ICU
for four nights and in thehospital for two weeks and the
care I had was amazing.
Three months later I stilldon't have a bill.
(22:08):
I don't have and I don't evenhave a record of it.
I have, I mean I have recordsof what happened to the hospital
, but I have no financial recordfrom them and I may never see a
single penny paid for that.
I appreciate that, thank you,and I never had to worry about
it.
When I was in the hospital Ididn't have to think about
whether my insurance was goingto cover it or how I was going
(22:31):
to deal with that Turn in theclaims.
None of that Done Automatic.
Shawn (22:38):
So this is how it works.
If you're moving to France on along-stay visa, you'll need
private health insurance tocover your first year, and there
are plenty of internationalproviders offering comprehensive
expat policies that satisfyFrench visa requirements.
You'll typically pay $55 to$115 a month, depending on your
age and coverage level, and thisprivate policy covers doctor
(23:01):
visits, emergency care andhospitalization, but it won't
integrate you into France'spublic system just yet, and the
public system in France is wherethe true beauty of French
healthcare is.
Daniel Tostado explains.
Daniel Tostado (23:16):
One of the things I like to joke about
French public health care isthat they've got this radical
lefty notion that health care isa human right and so any person
moving to France who lives herefor more than 90 days so longer
than the tourist stay canqualify for French public health
care, including any one of thevisa categories I may mention,
including the long stay visitorvisa, including student visa and
(23:38):
so forth, and that we, asAmericans, would be well to
recognize that we have the mostexpensive health care system in
the world and that, necessarily,every other country has a more
affordable model.
And then, on the US side, it'snot yet a public option, it's
still essentially a privatemarket versus, for example,
france, where everyone in Franceis in the public health care
(24:01):
system, and when you have anapproach like that, that means
that the healthy and the sickalike are all paying in, and so
that can lower overall costs.
I would also then point outthat doctors earn a lot less in
France than they do in the US,so whether it's the pharmacology
, the cost of medicine, orwhether it's the cost of
receiving medical care, thecosts are significantly lower.
(24:21):
So let's just say forhypotheticals, that you're
visiting France as a tourist andyou don't have any insurance
whatsoever and you pop in to seea doctor.
The starting cost of seeing adoctor out of pocket is 30 euros
and that is actually sometimeslower than the copay of an
American seeing a doctor on theUS side who has health insurance
.
Once you get French publichealth care, that covers 70
(24:42):
percent of costs.
So then that 30 euro visitdrops down to nine euros, which
I think is very doable.
And then on top of that Frenchvery often opt for a top of
insurance which is called amutuel, and that then covers 100
percent of your medical costs.
You're paying nothing out ofpocket and mutuals might cost.
With my law firm we offer to theemployees because we happen to
under French law, and it coststhem 13 euros a month.
So I think that we as Americanscan always be afraid of
(25:09):
healthcare costs abroad and inFrance, and it's just not that
costly.
One of my friends coming from adeveloping country in
Madagascar, coming fromMadagascar, had to get picked up
by the ambulance and I was veryafraid of the cost of that
because I know how much that cancost on the US side.
He's not very financiallystable and then the ambulance
(25:30):
cost 400 euros.
Shawn (25:33):
After you've lived in France for three consecutive
months and can demonstrate legalresidency and income, you can
apply for PUMA, france'suniversal healthcare program.
This system is managed throughL'Assurance Maladie and once
you're accepted, you receive thefamous Carte Vitale, a little
green card that changeseverything.
With a swipe of your CartaVitale, you gain access to
(25:55):
France's highly subsidizedhealthcare system.
Doctor visits will cost youabout $28 upfront, and then 70%
of the visit is reimbursed bythe state.
A specialist is going to costabout $57, and that's partially
reimbursed.
For a hospitalization,typically 80% is covered by the
state and most prescriptions arecheap or fully reimbursed.
(26:17):
To cover the remaining 30%,most residents get a mutuella, a
top-up insurance policy thatoften costs about 34 to 57 US
dollars a month.
If you're asking what the catchis, there isn't one really.
You'll be expected to stay upto date on paperwork, find a
médecin traitant that's aregular doctor and maybe wait a
(26:38):
bit for a specialist, but thecare is high quality and
universally acceptable and, bestof all, medical bankruptcy
doesn't exist in France.
So, yes, healthcare is one ofthe major reasons people not
only move to France but stay,and once you get that carte
vitale, you'll likely findyourself wondering why you ever
put up with the American systemin the first place.
(26:59):
But a French address and greathealth care doesn't
automatically make you French.
So that brings us to one of themost delicate topics of all
integration.
You've got the visa.
The baker has started asking ifyou want the usual.
You've even mastered the art ofsaying bonjour before asking
anything, but that doesn't meanyou've cracked the French code,
because France isn't just aplace.
(27:20):
It is truly a culture, aphilosophy, a way of being that
prizes conversation overconvenience, logic over emotion
and style over practicality.
It couldn't care less aboutyour zip code, but God help you
if you try to cut the cheese thewrong way.
I know that a lot of Americans,when moving to non-English
speaking countries, question howwell they can get along if they
(27:41):
don't speak the local language,and the answer for most places
is that you can probably get bywith a minimal grasp of the
local language in the largercities, but it's going to be
difficult outside of the citiesand in certain circumstances
this is also true of France.
Adrian Leeds explains what youneed to know.
Adrian Leeds (28:02):
In all honesty, okay, depending on where you are
.
If you're in any of the urbanareas, almost everyone is going
to speak English or some amountof English.
Now I don't advocate speakingno French or not learning it.
That's not what I'm saying.
It's just that you can relax.
You know, learn a little bit ofsurvival French, take some
(28:26):
courses, make an effort.
But if you can walk into arestaurant, sit down and order a
glass of wine in French,understand what the menu has to
say and things like that, and bepolite, you can really get by
very, very easily If you make noeffort.
Not so good.
Shawn (28:46):
So, while you can probably get by with little
French in the cities, my advicewould be to learn the basics,
especially if you plan to stayin France longer than a few
months.
You don't need to be fluent onarrival, but the more effort you
put in, the easier and morerewarding your experience will
be, Because French bureaucracyruns on language.
Friendships deepen throughlanguage and even the ability to
(29:08):
order at a cafe with someconfidence will shift how you're
perceived and how you perceiveyourself.
Online tools like Duolingo andBabbel are fine starters, but
consider real lessons, eitherlocally or online with a tutor.
Many towns also offerintegration classes and if you
ever plan to apply forcitizenship, remember you'll
(29:28):
need to reach B1 proficiency,which is conversational fluency.
When it comes to social rules,French people are famously
formal, at least at first.
The idea of talking tostrangers in line at the grocery
store is borderline offensive,and I've learned this the hard
way.
But don't mistake reserve forcoldness.
It's just a different culturalapproach.
(29:49):
Adrian Leeds has a theory aboutthis.
Adrian Leeds (29:55):
We have two completely different legal
systems.
The US is based on English law,which is based on what's
forbidden.
France has Napoleonic code,which is based on what's allowed
.
Let's think about this when youknow what you can't do like
steal or kill or whatever okay,which is the English law,
american system then anythingoutside of that is okay.
(30:17):
It's just wonderful, it's legal, perfect, it's very open-minded
, out-of-the-box thinking.
But with the Pollyanna Code yougot to follow the rules.
Anything outside of the rulesis forbidden.
Now you take these two concepts.
That means we think completelydifferently from the get-go on
every aspect.
(30:37):
And it's not that we're alwaysthinking about law, but it's the
way we live.
So the French are alwaysfollowing the rules and they
live inside their boxes.
They don't color outside of thelines, don't color outside of
the lines.
We, on the other hand, arealways thinking outside of the
(30:58):
box and coloring outside of thelines.
And so you take those two ideasand they clash all day long in
almost every single situation.
And it seems that if you thinkof that, when you're coming
across a clash that makes nosense to our logical way of
thinking, we have to say, oh,wait a minute, let's stop and
think oh, they're just followingtheir rules.
(31:21):
That's why they're doing this,even though it doesn't make
sense to us.
This is where I start.
I learned the idea of this froma diplomat many years ago and
I've never seen it.
I've never seen this written oranalyzed or discussed other
than me.
I'm the only one who thinksabout this, but I apply it every
(31:44):
single day and it works for me.
This concept that we thinkcompletely diametrically opposed
and that's a big deal.
Shawn (31:56):
Here are some essential norms Always say bonjour when
entering a shop, office orwaiting room.
There are no exceptions to this.
Use vous instead of to, unlessinvited otherwise.
It's better to be too formalthan too familiar.
This next one is really toughfor me, especially being an
American.
Don't rush the meal.
Lunch is sacred, dinner issacred, and asking for the check
(32:20):
too early is a socialmisdemeanor.
And don't be surprised if thecheck doesn't arrive at your
table immediately after eating.
It always seems to me in Francethat they pay an inordinate
amount of attention to you whileyou're ordering and eating and
then suddenly disappear whenyou're ready to leave.
It's actually a really nice wayof saying slow down, relax,
enjoy the moment.
Also, dress well, even to go tothe post office.
(32:43):
France isn't about being fancy,but it is about caring how you
present yourself.
If you want to make Frenchfriends, don't expect it to be
immediate, but when you do, it'sreal.
Your neighbors may not chatwith you right away, but over
time, through school events,community activities or just
consistent small talk at themarket, but not in the checkout
(33:04):
line, genuine bonds can form.
But don't expect it to happenovernight.
Don't expect it to happenwithout some work on your part.
Daniel Tostado has somepractical advice.
Daniel Tostado (33:18):
I made a YouTube video how do you make friends
in France?
And I think the right answer isthat the French aren't looking
to befriend you, but the expatcommunity is, so that, as I was
trying to say, a longconversation to be had, but that
the expat community is alsoreally strong, whether it's
Democrats abroad, the Americanchurch, various writing groups,
various kind of clubs, alumnigroups that are here in France.
(33:40):
There's a lot of different waysto plug in and find people that
are like-minded, that aresimilar in age, similar in
education and professionalbackground, who have the same
level of French as you do, butalso the same level as English,
and that's where a lot of peoplemake their friends, and that
the younger one is, the better.
It is to plug into the Frenchacademic system and make friends
through French schooling,because I don't always think the
(34:02):
French befriend theircolleagues from work and I think
the French can be relativelychallenging to befriend and that
I would say, after nine yearsbeing here, I still struggle
with, and the French friendsthat I be friend are the more
cosmopolitan, internationallyinclined French people.
So, yeah, it's a matter of whatyour passions are and what your
passions are, you just kind ofapply them to the French side of
(34:23):
things, whether it's rockclimbing or hiking or you know
doing things, but in the Frenchcontext.
Shawn (34:32):
If you want to meet people, try some of these things
Join a language exchange orvolunteer for a local charity.
If you want to meet people, trysome of these things Join a
language exchange or volunteerfor a local charity.
Take a cooking or art class orget involved with your
neighborhood associations.
France has clubs for prettymuch everything and, yes, there
are thriving expat communities,especially in Paris, bordeaux,
lyon and smaller towns likeAnnecy or Montpellier.
(34:52):
Just don't fall into the trapof only hanging out with other
Americans.
I'm assuming you didn't move toFrance to talk about Costco and
Target runs.
So is France easy?
No, is it worth it Totally?
The more effort you make, themore rewarding the experience
becomes.
And if you play your cardsright, one day you might trade
your residency card forsomething a little more
(35:14):
permanent.
So let's say you've been livingin France for five years.
You've survived the bureaucracy, god bless.
You mastered the metro, becomemildly addicted to escargot and
even stopped being surprisedwhen your local bakery closes
for a four-week August vacation.
This is a real thing.
So what's next?
You might be ready to apply forFrench citizenship and with it
(35:36):
the rights and privileges of anEU citizen.
To apply for citizenshipthrough naturalization, you need
again, five continuous years oflegal residence in France,
proof of stable income andhousing, french language ability
at B1 level, a clean criminalrecord, and you have to
demonstrate integration intoFrench society through work,
(35:57):
community involvement or familyties.
And, like I said earlier, ifyou're married to a French
citizen, the timeline drops totwo years, assuming you live
together in France.
The application process isdetailed and, yes, bureaucratic.
It involves interviews,language testing and a review of
your knowledge of French valuesand history.
You will sit for an interviewwith an immigration official who
(36:19):
will ask about your reasons forapplying your lifestyle in
France and even current events.
Think of it as a citizenshiporal exam with a side of
cultural quiz.
But don't panic, they're notlooking for perfection, they're
looking for participation.
Can you discuss French life,politics, culture?
Can you explain why you want tobecome French?
If so, you're well on your wayand, as I mentioned earlier,
(36:42):
france allows dual nationality.
So if you become French, youcan still hold on to your US
passport if you choose to.
And with French citizenshipcomes a European Union passport
allowing you to live, work,study and retire anywhere in the
EU, from Ireland to Italy toEstonia, etc.
Citizenship isn't for everyone,but for those planning to stay
(37:04):
long-term, it's a powerful steptoward belonging, and in France,
belonging being part ofsomething bigger than yourself
is something the culture takesvery seriously.
So you might be asking yourselfis France right for me?
And it might be if you value arich, sophisticated culture,
excellent infrastructure,universal healthcare, access to
(37:27):
the rest of Europe and longmeals, slow mornings and local
markets.
But even if all of these boxesare checked, you still have to
be honest with yourself.
Are you okay navigating somecomplicated bureaucracy?
Can you commit to learning thelanguage?
Are you open to culturaldifferences and maybe even
learning to enjoy them?
If yes, then France isn't justa place to move, it's a place to
(37:49):
live All right.
Next week, we're travelingsouth to Latin America, where
countries like Mexico, costaRica, ecuador, uruguay,
argentina and others offeraffordable living, flexible
(38:10):
residency and plenty of sunshine.
This is Leaving America,because sometimes home isn't
where you started.
Citizen Remote is a global mobility
company.
In essence, we help with visas,taxes, accommodation, insurance
.
We also have a social community.
We have over 20,000 members.
Our big thing is understandingthe complexity within visas.
So obviously we do a lot ofeverything, but right now we're
(00:25):
really niching down on helpingpeople with visas because that's
the first part of the processthat people encounter when
relocating abroad.
Obviously, the next year you'regoing to have to do taxes, so
you can use us for that.
You're going to have to getinsurance up front, so you can
use us for that.
But visas is quite complex andwe essentially have immigration
teams on the ground in over 35different countries and we're
(00:49):
growing that number every day.
Shawn (01:02):
If you've been following this series, you know that last
week we talked about some of theeasiest European countries for
Americans to relocate toPortugal, spain and Latvia but
today we're dedicating an entireepisode to just one country,
one of my favorite countries inEurope, a place that's a lot
easier to get to than you mightthink.
(01:22):
We're going to be talking aboutthe world's most visited
country with the world's mostvisited museum.
It's also the country where youcan legally marry a dead person
and if you haven't figured itout already, this one might give
it away the country where it'sillegal to name your pig
Napoleon.
Today's episode is all aboutFrance.
(01:44):
France is seductive for all theusual reasons art, food,
architecture, wine that costsless than water and an enduring
obsession with leisure.
But it's also a country thattakes itself and its rules very
seriously.
That includes immigration.
You can't just roll in, order acafé creme and declare yourself
(02:06):
a local, but if you're willingto play the game, france offers
a deeply rewarding lifestyleuniversal health care, walkable
cities, generous vacation timeand real work-life balance.
You just need to get through alittle red tape and possibly
several civil servants who areon strike or might be soon.
In this episode, we'll explorethe most common visa options for
(02:28):
Americans, talk through thecost of living in various parts
of France, explain how theFrench healthcare system works
and spoiler brilliantly andbreak down the cultural nuances
that might just make or breakyour new life abroad.
I'm your host, Shawn C Fettig,and if you've ever thought
universal healthcare soundedless like socialism and more
(02:48):
like something you'd pay cashfor, right now you're absolutely
in the right place.
Remember, for the purposes ofthis series, I have converted
all monetary values to USdollars.
Keep in mind that exchangerates fluctuate, so all amounts
mentioned are reflective ofreality at the time of recording
.
To stay updated on the latestepisodes, follow, like and share
(03:09):
Leaving America on the DeepDive with Shawn podcast feed,
wherever you get your podcasts.
If you've been side-eyeing theunraveling of American life and
have stories about plotting yourescape with a croissant in one
hand and a visa application inthe other, or you're just
curious how many pastries youcan eat in France before it's
considered cultural immersion,email us at deepdivewithshawn at
(03:32):
gmailcom.
All right, pack your bags.
This is Leaving America.
Adrian Leeds (03:43):
I'm a single woman .
I can go anywhere at any hourof any day and feel safe.
That's a very big deal, very,very big deal.
It means I'm not living in aparanoid world at all, right?
No, I could go on and on and onabout all the benefits of
living in this kind of a culture.
(04:04):
I have access to all of Franceand, living in this kind of a
culture, I have access to all ofFrance and all of Europe
because of public transportation, very inexpensively.
I just had a flight from Naplesto Nice for 20 euros.
Where are you doing that?
You know, I haven't owned a carin 27 years, in 30 years, 30
(04:24):
years.
I don't miss that at all.
I love being a pedestrian.
I get a lot more exercise In theSouth.
When I'm in the South, I have aMediterranean diet, so I'm
eating the best diet right youcan get.
I feel healthier.
I know I'm going to live longer.
I don't know what else can Itell you.
It's not bad.
No, no, no, no, no.
(04:48):
As I said from the beginning,though, the toughest thing is
the cultural crossing.
It's the hardest part.
Everything else is really apiece of cake.
Just to kind of get used tounderstanding the way the French
think and how to deal with them, because you know we're coming
from our default mode, which isso different.
Shawn (05:08):
That was Adrian Leeds, resident real estate advisor on
House Hunters InternationalFrench locations and founder of
the Adrian Leeds Group, whichhelps people to live and invest
in France and understand thelaws, customs and language,
mentioning just a few of thereasons she loves living in
France.
There's a reason France haslong captivated the American
(05:28):
imagination, whether it's thelavender fields of Provence, the
sunny sea-swept charm of Nicewith its pastel facades and
pebbled beaches, or theglittering pull of Paris at dusk
.
I could go on, but why would Iwhen Adrian Leeds can do a
better job of name dropping someof her favorite places in
France?
Adrian Leeds (05:51):
I think Paris is number one.
Paris is the cultural mecca ofthe planet, if not France for
sure.
And if you want an insane life,you can have it in Paris.
Paris is, of course, the mostexpensive place to live in
France, but mostly because ofthe real estate.
The rents are the highest andproperty purchase, you know,
(06:11):
property costs are the highest.
My second top spot in France isNice.
Nice is one of the mostgorgeous places on the planet.
It's a city of about 325,000.
It has an international airport.
The weather is the best in thecountry.
It has a city of about 325,000.
It has an international airport.
The weather is the best in thecountry.
It has fabulous healthcare.
It has a huge Americancommunity.
Now, in the last 10, 15 yearsit's really blossomed.
(06:33):
And there's, I mean, the FrenchRiviera.
Is the French Riviera, let'sface it right, not bad After
that, I think there are someother really interesting cities.
After that, I think there's someother really interesting cities
, believe it or not.
I like Lille and I know Lilleis a real sleeper.
Nobody thinks about Lille.
It's in the north, theweather's not that great, it's
(06:53):
cold and rainy, but Lille hasTGV access 30 minutes to
Brussels, an hour, to Paris, anhour and a half to London and
two and a half to Amsterdam, soyou have this sort of immediate
access to major cities eventhough you're living in a small
town in a way, and two and ahalf to Amsterdam, so you have
this sort of immediate access tomajor cities even though you're
living in a small town in a way, and it has a very large
Anglophone population, which isquite interesting.
(07:13):
The other cities that I like areAix-en-Provence.
Aix is a beautiful and culturedcity and it has a large student
population, has a nicecommunity, nice American
community, and it's 30 minutesto the Marseille airport, which
is international.
And then there's Strasbourg,which has an international
community because it used to bethe seat of the EU, and I like
(07:38):
the entire region of Provence.
If you're willing to driveOtherwise the other cities, you
really don't need a car at alland that's a big deal.
So these are my top cities inFrance for great places to live.
Shawn (07:53):
For American expats, france offers more than just a
postcard-perfect backdrop.
It's a lifestyle deeply rootedin art, history, food and that
elusive concept of joie de vivre.
In France, life is savoredMorning markets, long lunches,
centuries-old cathedrals and anational reverence for beauty in
the everyday.
(08:14):
Whether you're drawn byworld-class healthcare, the
robust public transportation orthe idea of living in a culture
that values leisure as much aslabor, france has an undeniable
pull.
It's not just a change ofscenery, it's a reimagining of
how life can be lived.
But to move there, to actuallylive there, there is some
(08:35):
paperwork, some bureaucracy,just like pretty much anywhere.
France doesn't have a simplemove-here visa, unlike
Portugal's D7 or Spain'snon-lucrative visa, france's
approach is a little morebureaucratic and a little more
demanding.
But don't panic.
With some planning and patience, there are accessible options
(08:55):
for most people, whether you'relooking to retire, work, study
or just live your best expatlife drinking pastis in Provence
.
This is Daniel Tostado, frenchimmigration lawyer and founder
of Cabinet Daniel Tostado,dedicated to helping clients
obtain French visas, residencypermits and French citizenship,
explaining many of the routesavailable to Americans in search
(09:17):
of a French visa, and thenwe'll dig into some of the most
popular.
Daniel Tostado (09:25):
So I generally say there's about 30 different
visa options, but that it's notworthwhile to think or memorize
what are the various 30, that Ibasically break it down into
four different types of visas.
There are student visa, thelong-stay visitor visa, which
we'll be talking about todaybecause it's, I think, the most
important one for Americansmoving to France.
Relationship-based, whetherone's married to a French or EU
(09:45):
national and then work Work asan entrepreneur, which is a
viable route into France, orwork as an employee, which is
actually a pretty hard route totry to make that move here into
France and so that I would sayslightly more than half of my
clients make that move on thatlong-stay visitor visa, which is
saying I'm not going to betaking a job that belongs to a
French person, and then I've gotstable finances, housing and
(10:07):
health coverage and with thatthey let you make the move here
to France.
And the finances is the mostimportant part, and their
threshold is 17,000 euros, oneseven over the course of the
past 12 months coming your way.
So that works out to beslightly less than 2000 euros a
month of revenue and mostAmericans have that amount of
money coming their way.
Shawn (10:28):
And as such, you can qualify for that visitor visa.
The long stay visitor visa, orthe visa de long séjour visiteur
, is probably the most commonvisa route for Americans who
just want to live in Francewithout working.
It's perfect for retirees,remote workers with non-French
clients or anyone with passiveincome or savings.
You're going to need to showproof of sufficient income, and
(10:50):
this usually means at least theequivalent of the French minimum
wage, about $1,600 per month,but the more you can show the
better, so think $2,250 to$2,800 a month per person.
To be safe.
You're also going to need toshow proof of accommodation, so
a rental agreement, lease or amonth per person.
To be safe, you're also goingto need to show proof of
accommodation, so a rentalagreement, lease or a notarized
(11:11):
letter from a host, and you'llhave to have private health
insurance that's valid for atleast your first year in France.
And then you need to promisenot to work in France unless you
later change your status.
This visa is typically validfor one year and it has to be
obtained before you arrive inFrance.
That means applying through theFrench consulate in the US
serving your region, not afteryou've landed and fallen in love
(11:33):
with the smell of freshcroissants.
Once you're in France, you canapply for a carte de séjour,
which is a residence permit, andyou can renew it annually for
the first few years, and afterfive years of continuous
residence, you may be eligiblefor permanent residency or even
citizenship.
Daniel Tostado explains howthis works in practice.
Daniel Tostado (11:57):
The requirements around.
That is showing significantsufficient health care,
sufficient housing, sufficientfinances, and the finances is
more than 17,000 euros comingyour way in the past 12 months.
The healthcare has a line oftravel insurance that covers you
for a 12-month period.
The housing could be a coupleof different things, including
getting an Airbnb of threemonths.
So I find it very doable to getthat documentation in order and
(12:20):
then a couple of weeks toprepare the case file, a week
and a half to prepare, toreceive, have the constant
process and approve it, and thenyou're off over here to france
living your best french life.
That category is valid for onemonth, sorry, one year.
After one year you renew it foranother year.
So it goes annually, year year,year, year after five years you
can get the 10-year card, andthe 10-year card is really good
(12:41):
because it has um implicit workauthorization in case you wanted
to sell art on the weekends orin case you wanted to start a
company in France, and it getsthe authorities offered back for
10 years, and it means you canstop emailing your nasty
immigration lawyer for a littlebit.
So yeah, it's win-win allaround.
Shawn (12:59):
If you're a freelancer, entrepreneur, artist, researcher
or tech worker with a projector job offer, the talent
passport might be your goldenticket.
There are several subcategories, but they all have one thing in
common they're designed toattract skilled professionals to
France and they come with moreflexibility than the basic
long-stay visa.
Some examples include andliterally pardon my French here
(13:23):
profession artistique etculturelle for artists, writers,
musicians and performers with aportfolio and income.
There's also the Créateurd'entreprise for entrepreneurs
investing in or creating aFrench business, the Salarie
qu'elle fait for high-skilledprofessionals with a French
employment contract, and theChercheur scientifiqueifique for
(13:45):
researchers and academiccollaborators.
Most talent passports aregranted for up to four years and
they often include workauthorization for spouses, which
is a huge plus, but they dorequire more documentation, like
a business plan, contracts, taxforms and a CV.
It's more work, but it offersmore autonomy and long-term
(14:06):
potential.
It's more work, but it offersmore autonomy and long-term
potential.
If you've always dreamed oftaking courses in art history or
pastry making or politicalphilosophy in Paris, or you're
eyeing a full degree program atSciences Po or the Sorbonne, the
French student visa is perhapsyour best option.
It allows you to study and alsowork part-time up to 964 hours
(14:26):
per year, which is about 20hours per week.
To qualify for the student visa, you're going to need an
acceptance letter from anaccredited French institution,
proof of income or financialsupport about 700 US dollars a
month minimum and then healthinsurance, though most students
qualify for public coverage oncethey're enrolled.
This visa can be a really smartentry point into France if it
(14:49):
applies to you, because aftergraduation, you may be eligible
for a job search or work visa ifyou find employment in your
field.
There's also the ProfessionLibérale visa, which is a little
more obscure but potentiallypowerful.
This visa is designed forself-employed individuals who
want to set up a freelance orconsulting business in France,
(15:09):
and to get this you're going toneed a detailed business plan,
financial projections and incomeexpectations, and also proof
that your services are needed inFrance and that you can support
yourself.
Think of this as France'sanswer to the digital nomad visa
.
Only it doesn't call itselfthat and it expects you to be a
little more formal about it.
(15:29):
After five years of continuouslegal residence on most visa
types, you can apply forpermanent residency or French
citizenship.
If you're married to a Frenchcitizen, that timeline drops to
two years.
To naturalize, you'll need tobe able to speak French at a B1
level, have a clean criminalrecord and also provide evidence
of integration into Frenchsociety, like work, social ties
(15:53):
or community involvement.
And France also allows dualcitizenship, so you don't have
to give up your Americanpassport.
So those are the most commondoors into France.
None of them swing wide open,but with the right documents, a
little strategy and a healthytolerance for paperwork, you can
absolutely make it happen.
Once you've found your way in,the next question is how much is
(16:15):
it going to cost you toactually live in France?
And this is where you might besurprised.
Here's Daniel Tostado againgiving a basic overview of the
cost of living in France.
Daniel Tostado (16:30):
A lot of the areas in which France is very
affordable is in areas which wedidn't think as Americans to
look for affordability.
So my cell phone bill is 15euros a month.
My Wi-Fi is 32 euros for ourhousehold.
Healthcare in France is a humanright and so it comes out of
one's paycheck, so I'm notpaying out of pocket for private
health insurance.
When my wife gave birth lastyear here in France, we had a
(16:53):
five-day hospital stay and itcame out to a grand total of 400
euros, and that was just theextra surcharge of having a
private room rather than ashared room.
So I would also compare it tothe food costs of it.
That when I go back to myhometown of San Diego and I look
to buy a little tub ofguacamole, it might cost $10 or
something really high.
(17:13):
Compare that here to France,where everything is affordable
food-wise.
The average French salary is€2,000 per month and that then
has a trickle-up impact on anyAmerican moving up here to
France that we're going to findthings very affordable.
That a nice soiree in Francemight be a tub of hummus for
four euros, a baguette for 120,a bottle of wine for five euros.
(17:34):
You sit down along the SeineRiver, watch the sun go down,
you know that's your soiree forless than 10 euros, so there's a
great affordability to it.
That also has an impact on realestate.
So if you're looking to rent inParis, you could pick something
in the center of Paris for youknow, about 1300 euros.
You know, try to find mesomething like that in San Diego
, in Seattle, anywhere you mightwant to live.
(17:55):
It's just not going to becomparable.
And that's on the renting side.
On the buying side, you canstart to find, you know, one
room or two room apartmentssomewhere as of 300, 400,
500,000 euros, two-roomapartments somewhere as of 300,
400, 500,000 euros.
Shawn (18:09):
France has a reputation for being expensive, but that
depends on where you live andhow you live.
Paris is Paris.
You're not going to find acharming Montmartre flat with a
view of the Eiffel Tower for$600.
But many smaller cities andrural areas offer fantastic
value and you shouldn't overlookthem.
I've been to many places inFrance and while Paris was my
(18:31):
entry point, I found many otherplaces to have their own charm
and culture and beauty.
That makes them very appealing.
So let's walk through some ofthe essentials.
In terms of housing, paris isgoing to cost you about $1,700
to $2,800 a month for a modestone-bedroom apartment in the
city.
Obviously, it's going to becheaper if you go further out
(18:51):
into the suburbs or if you sharethe same size.
Apartment in a city like Lyonor Bordeaux or Nanta is going to
cost you about $1,025 to $1,600a month.
In places like Provence,normandy or Occitanie smaller
towns $700 to $1,150 a month isgoing to get you a full house or
(19:12):
apartment.
Rents are typically quotedmonthly and leases often require
one to three months rent upfront, and many landlords also
expect a French guarantor, whichcan be a hurdle, though there
are some workarounds likedeposit services and
expat-friendly agencies hurdle,though there are some
workarounds like depositservices and expat-friendly
agencies.
Electricity, heating and waterwill cost you about $115 to $230
(19:36):
a month, depending on theseason and the region, and then
internet and cell phone is goingto be about $35 to $55 a month
for a decent fiber plan.
A week's worth of groceries forone is going to run you about
$45 to $80, depending on howfancy your cheese selections get
.
And if you want to eat outwhich, frankly, you do, it's
France.
A boulangerie lunch is going tocost you about $6-$9, a casual
bistro dinner is going to beabout $17-$28, and then if you
(20:00):
want a Michelin star splurge,well, that's going to cost you.
France is very well known forits public transit.
A monthly transit pass in Parisis going to cost you.
France is very well known forits public transit.
A monthly transit pass in Parisis going to cost you about $95
a month.
In Lyon, marseille or Toulouse,it's going to cost you about
$35 to $68 a month.
Traveling by train, the SNCF,can be expensive without
(20:20):
discounts, but France offersexcellent rail passes, including
the Carte Avant-Age forregional and national discounts.
If you're a single person livingoutside of Paris and not trying
to recreate a New Yorklifestyle.
You can live very comfortablyon $2,050 to $2,850 a month.
(20:43):
In Paris you're going to wantto be closer to $3,400 a month
to breathe easily, but that'sstill far cheaper than the
average cost of living in SanFrancisco, new York or even
parts of suburban Seattle, andit comes with much better cheese
and wine.
So the rent isn't free and thebureaucracy is real.
But in France your money getsyou something many Americans
feel is missing Dignity in dailylife, a society that doesn't
(21:04):
expect you to hustle yourselfinto burnout just to survive.
But if you're just like anyred-blooded American, you're
thinking about healthcare costs.
This is the crown jewel of theFrench system.
French healthcare is one of themost consistently praised
aspects of French life.
It's not just good, it'selegant in its efficiency,
thorough in its coverage andunbelievably affordable to
(21:27):
anyone used to the Americansystem which, let's be honest,
often feels like a medicalescape room with no clues and a
$10,000 bill at the end.
This is not true in France.
Listen to Adrian Leeds describeher own experience with the
French healthcare system.
Adrian Leeds (21:45):
I certainly enjoy the good healthcare I've had the
most.
The good healthcare.
I've had the most amazingexperience with healthcare.
Most people know that, since Iwrite my newsletters, that I was
very sick early in the yearwith the flu and I was in ICU
for four nights and in thehospital for two weeks and the
care I had was amazing.
Three months later I stilldon't have a bill.
(22:08):
I don't have and I don't evenhave a record of it.
I have, I mean I have recordsof what happened to the hospital
, but I have no financial recordfrom them and I may never see a
single penny paid for that.
I appreciate that, thank you,and I never had to worry about
it.
When I was in the hospital Ididn't have to think about
whether my insurance was goingto cover it or how I was going
(22:31):
to deal with that Turn in theclaims.
None of that Done Automatic.
Shawn (22:38):
So this is how it works.
If you're moving to France on along-stay visa, you'll need
private health insurance tocover your first year, and there
are plenty of internationalproviders offering comprehensive
expat policies that satisfyFrench visa requirements.
You'll typically pay $55 to$115 a month, depending on your
age and coverage level, and thisprivate policy covers doctor
(23:01):
visits, emergency care andhospitalization, but it won't
integrate you into France'spublic system just yet, and the
public system in France is wherethe true beauty of French
healthcare is.
Daniel Tostado explains.
Daniel Tostado (23:16):
One of the things I like to joke about
French public health care isthat they've got this radical
lefty notion that health care isa human right and so any person
moving to France who lives herefor more than 90 days so longer
than the tourist stay canqualify for French public health
care, including any one of thevisa categories I may mention,
including the long stay visitorvisa, including student visa and
(23:38):
so forth, and that we, asAmericans, would be well to
recognize that we have the mostexpensive health care system in
the world and that, necessarily,every other country has a more
affordable model.
And then, on the US side, it'snot yet a public option, it's
still essentially a privatemarket versus, for example,
france, where everyone in Franceis in the public health care
(24:01):
system, and when you have anapproach like that, that means
that the healthy and the sickalike are all paying in, and so
that can lower overall costs.
I would also then point outthat doctors earn a lot less in
France than they do in the US,so whether it's the pharmacology
, the cost of medicine, orwhether it's the cost of
receiving medical care, thecosts are significantly lower.
(24:21):
So let's just say forhypotheticals, that you're
visiting France as a tourist andyou don't have any insurance
whatsoever and you pop in to seea doctor.
The starting cost of seeing adoctor out of pocket is 30 euros
and that is actually sometimeslower than the copay of an
American seeing a doctor on theUS side who has health insurance
.
Once you get French publichealth care, that covers 70
(24:42):
percent of costs.
So then that 30 euro visitdrops down to nine euros, which
I think is very doable.
And then on top of that Frenchvery often opt for a top of
insurance which is called amutuel, and that then covers 100
percent of your medical costs.
You're paying nothing out ofpocket and mutuals might cost.
With my law firm we offer to theemployees because we happen to
under French law, and it coststhem 13 euros a month.
So I think that we as Americanscan always be afraid of
(25:09):
healthcare costs abroad and inFrance, and it's just not that
costly.
One of my friends coming from adeveloping country in
Madagascar, coming fromMadagascar, had to get picked up
by the ambulance and I was veryafraid of the cost of that
because I know how much that cancost on the US side.
He's not very financiallystable and then the ambulance
(25:30):
cost 400 euros.
Shawn (25:33):
After you've lived in France for three consecutive
months and can demonstrate legalresidency and income, you can
apply for PUMA, france'suniversal healthcare program.
This system is managed throughL'Assurance Maladie and once
you're accepted, you receive thefamous Carte Vitale, a little
green card that changeseverything.
With a swipe of your CartaVitale, you gain access to
(25:55):
France's highly subsidizedhealthcare system.
Doctor visits will cost youabout $28 upfront, and then 70%
of the visit is reimbursed bythe state.
A specialist is going to costabout $57, and that's partially
reimbursed.
For a hospitalization,typically 80% is covered by the
state and most prescriptions arecheap or fully reimbursed.
(26:17):
To cover the remaining 30%,most residents get a mutuella, a
top-up insurance policy thatoften costs about 34 to 57 US
dollars a month.
If you're asking what the catchis, there isn't one really.
You'll be expected to stay upto date on paperwork, find a
médecin traitant that's aregular doctor and maybe wait a
(26:38):
bit for a specialist, but thecare is high quality and
universally acceptable and, bestof all, medical bankruptcy
doesn't exist in France.
So, yes, healthcare is one ofthe major reasons people not
only move to France but stay,and once you get that carte
vitale, you'll likely findyourself wondering why you ever
put up with the American systemin the first place.
(26:59):
But a French address and greathealth care doesn't
automatically make you French.
So that brings us to one of themost delicate topics of all
integration.
You've got the visa.
The baker has started asking ifyou want the usual.
You've even mastered the art ofsaying bonjour before asking
anything, but that doesn't meanyou've cracked the French code,
because France isn't just aplace.
(27:20):
It is truly a culture, aphilosophy, a way of being that
prizes conversation overconvenience, logic over emotion
and style over practicality.
It couldn't care less aboutyour zip code, but God help you
if you try to cut the cheese thewrong way.
I know that a lot of Americans,when moving to non-English
speaking countries, question howwell they can get along if they
(27:41):
don't speak the local language,and the answer for most places
is that you can probably get bywith a minimal grasp of the
local language in the largercities, but it's going to be
difficult outside of the citiesand in certain circumstances
this is also true of France.
Adrian Leeds explains what youneed to know.
Adrian Leeds (28:02):
In all honesty, okay, depending on where you are
.
If you're in any of the urbanareas, almost everyone is going
to speak English or some amountof English.
Now I don't advocate speakingno French or not learning it.
That's not what I'm saying.
It's just that you can relax.
You know, learn a little bit ofsurvival French, take some
(28:26):
courses, make an effort.
But if you can walk into arestaurant, sit down and order a
glass of wine in French,understand what the menu has to
say and things like that, and bepolite, you can really get by
very, very easily If you make noeffort.
Not so good.
Shawn (28:46):
So, while you can probably get by with little
French in the cities, my advicewould be to learn the basics,
especially if you plan to stayin France longer than a few
months.
You don't need to be fluent onarrival, but the more effort you
put in, the easier and morerewarding your experience will
be, Because French bureaucracyruns on language.
Friendships deepen throughlanguage and even the ability to
(29:08):
order at a cafe with someconfidence will shift how you're
perceived and how you perceiveyourself.
Online tools like Duolingo andBabbel are fine starters, but
consider real lessons, eitherlocally or online with a tutor.
Many towns also offerintegration classes and if you
ever plan to apply forcitizenship, remember you'll
(29:28):
need to reach B1 proficiency,which is conversational fluency.
When it comes to social rules,French people are famously
formal, at least at first.
The idea of talking tostrangers in line at the grocery
store is borderline offensive,and I've learned this the hard
way.
But don't mistake reserve forcoldness.
It's just a different culturalapproach.
(29:49):
Adrian Leeds has a theory aboutthis.
Adrian Leeds (29:55):
We have two completely different legal
systems.
The US is based on English law,which is based on what's
forbidden.
France has Napoleonic code,which is based on what's allowed
.
Let's think about this when youknow what you can't do like
steal or kill or whatever okay,which is the English law,
american system then anythingoutside of that is okay.
(30:17):
It's just wonderful, it's legal, perfect, it's very open-minded
, out-of-the-box thinking.
But with the Pollyanna Code yougot to follow the rules.
Anything outside of the rulesis forbidden.
Now you take these two concepts.
That means we think completelydifferently from the get-go on
every aspect.
(30:37):
And it's not that we're alwaysthinking about law, but it's the
way we live.
So the French are alwaysfollowing the rules and they
live inside their boxes.
They don't color outside of thelines, don't color outside of
the lines.
We, on the other hand, arealways thinking outside of the
(30:58):
box and coloring outside of thelines.
And so you take those two ideasand they clash all day long in
almost every single situation.
And it seems that if you thinkof that, when you're coming
across a clash that makes nosense to our logical way of
thinking, we have to say, oh,wait a minute, let's stop and
think oh, they're just followingtheir rules.
(31:21):
That's why they're doing this,even though it doesn't make
sense to us.
This is where I start.
I learned the idea of this froma diplomat many years ago and
I've never seen it.
I've never seen this written oranalyzed or discussed other
than me.
I'm the only one who thinksabout this, but I apply it every
(31:44):
single day and it works for me.
This concept that we thinkcompletely diametrically opposed
and that's a big deal.
Shawn (31:56):
Here are some essential norms Always say bonjour when
entering a shop, office orwaiting room.
There are no exceptions to this.
Use vous instead of to, unlessinvited otherwise.
It's better to be too formalthan too familiar.
This next one is really toughfor me, especially being an
American.
Don't rush the meal.
Lunch is sacred, dinner issacred, and asking for the check
(32:20):
too early is a socialmisdemeanor.
And don't be surprised if thecheck doesn't arrive at your
table immediately after eating.
It always seems to me in Francethat they pay an inordinate
amount of attention to you whileyou're ordering and eating and
then suddenly disappear whenyou're ready to leave.
It's actually a really nice wayof saying slow down, relax,
enjoy the moment.
Also, dress well, even to go tothe post office.
(32:43):
France isn't about being fancy,but it is about caring how you
present yourself.
If you want to make Frenchfriends, don't expect it to be
immediate, but when you do, it'sreal.
Your neighbors may not chatwith you right away, but over
time, through school events,community activities or just
consistent small talk at themarket, but not in the checkout
(33:04):
line, genuine bonds can form.
But don't expect it to happenovernight.
Don't expect it to happenwithout some work on your part.
Daniel Tostado has somepractical advice.
Daniel Tostado (33:18):
I made a YouTube video how do you make friends
in France?
And I think the right answer isthat the French aren't looking
to befriend you, but the expatcommunity is, so that, as I was
trying to say, a longconversation to be had, but that
the expat community is alsoreally strong, whether it's
Democrats abroad, the Americanchurch, various writing groups,
various kind of clubs, alumnigroups that are here in France.
(33:40):
There's a lot of different waysto plug in and find people that
are like-minded, that aresimilar in age, similar in
education and professionalbackground, who have the same
level of French as you do, butalso the same level as English,
and that's where a lot of peoplemake their friends, and that
the younger one is, the better.
It is to plug into the Frenchacademic system and make friends
through French schooling,because I don't always think the
(34:02):
French befriend theircolleagues from work and I think
the French can be relativelychallenging to befriend and that
I would say, after nine yearsbeing here, I still struggle
with, and the French friendsthat I be friend are the more
cosmopolitan, internationallyinclined French people.
So, yeah, it's a matter of whatyour passions are and what your
passions are, you just kind ofapply them to the French side of
(34:23):
things, whether it's rockclimbing or hiking or you know
doing things, but in the Frenchcontext.
Shawn (34:32):
If you want to meet people, try some of these things
Join a language exchange orvolunteer for a local charity.
If you want to meet people, trysome of these things Join a
language exchange or volunteerfor a local charity.
Take a cooking or art class orget involved with your
neighborhood associations.
France has clubs for prettymuch everything and, yes, there
are thriving expat communities,especially in Paris, bordeaux,
lyon and smaller towns likeAnnecy or Montpellier.
(34:52):
Just don't fall into the trapof only hanging out with other
Americans.
I'm assuming you didn't move toFrance to talk about Costco and
Target runs.
So is France easy?
No, is it worth it Totally?
The more effort you make, themore rewarding the experience
becomes.
And if you play your cardsright, one day you might trade
your residency card forsomething a little more
(35:14):
permanent.
So let's say you've been livingin France for five years.
You've survived the bureaucracy, god bless.
You mastered the metro, becomemildly addicted to escargot and
even stopped being surprisedwhen your local bakery closes
for a four-week August vacation.
This is a real thing.
So what's next?
You might be ready to apply forFrench citizenship and with it
(35:36):
the rights and privileges of anEU citizen.
To apply for citizenshipthrough naturalization, you need
again, five continuous years oflegal residence in France,
proof of stable income andhousing, french language ability
at B1 level, a clean criminalrecord, and you have to
demonstrate integration intoFrench society through work,
(35:57):
community involvement or familyties.
And, like I said earlier, ifyou're married to a French
citizen, the timeline drops totwo years, assuming you live
together in France.
The application process isdetailed and, yes, bureaucratic.
It involves interviews,language testing and a review of
your knowledge of French valuesand history.
You will sit for an interviewwith an immigration official who
(36:19):
will ask about your reasons forapplying your lifestyle in
France and even current events.
Think of it as a citizenshiporal exam with a side of
cultural quiz.
But don't panic, they're notlooking for perfection, they're
looking for participation.
Can you discuss French life,politics, culture?
Can you explain why you want tobecome French?
If so, you're well on your wayand, as I mentioned earlier,
(36:42):
france allows dual nationality.
So if you become French, youcan still hold on to your US
passport if you choose to.
And with French citizenshipcomes a European Union passport
allowing you to live, work,study and retire anywhere in the
EU, from Ireland to Italy toEstonia, etc.
Citizenship isn't for everyone,but for those planning to stay
(37:04):
long-term, it's a powerful steptoward belonging, and in France,
belonging being part ofsomething bigger than yourself
is something the culture takesvery seriously.
So you might be asking yourselfis France right for me?
And it might be if you value arich, sophisticated culture,
excellent infrastructure,universal healthcare, access to
(37:27):
the rest of Europe and longmeals, slow mornings and local
markets.
But even if all of these boxesare checked, you still have to
be honest with yourself.
Are you okay navigating somecomplicated bureaucracy?
Can you commit to learning thelanguage?
Are you open to culturaldifferences and maybe even
learning to enjoy them?
If yes, then France isn't justa place to move, it's a place to
(37:49):
live All right.
Next week, we're travelingsouth to Latin America, where
countries like Mexico, costaRica, ecuador, uruguay,
argentina and others offeraffordable living, flexible
(38:10):
residency and plenty of sunshine.
This is Leaving America,because sometimes home isn't
where you started.
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