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What's so good about living in France? Meet some Americans who've done it.

American couple Gordon and Deb have been French Connections HCB clients for a few years now, ever since we helped them find and renovate their house and sort out their French visas.  They offered to share their experience of living in France with others who might be thinking of making the move. When people move to France, they are often asked to describe the lifestyle. What is it like being…

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Understanding the French Healthcare System for English Speakers 

Moving to France offers an enriching cultural experience, picturesque landscapes, and a fantastic quality of life. However, for English speakers relocating to France, navigating the French healthcare system can be a complex and daunting endeavour. Knowing how to access essential medical services, understanding insurance requirements, and communicating effectively with healthcare professionals are…

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Your Guide to Opening a Bank Account in France as an English Speaker

For many English speakers moving to France, managing finances and navigating the French banking system can be a significant challenge. Understanding the different types of bank accounts, the process of opening an account, and even communicating with your local bank in a foreign language can prove to be daunting tasks for the uninitiated. However, with the right information and guidance, you can…

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A Comprehensive Guide to Registering Your Vehicle in France for English Speakers

Relocating to a new country can bring various challenges, including understanding and adapting to a new set of rules and regulations governing everyday life. One crucial aspect that can have a significant impact on your day-to-day life in France is registering your vehicle and navigating the French vehicle administration process. The process can be quite intricate, full of paperwork, and it will…

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Understanding the French Healthcare System for English Speakers Moving to France

Moving to a new country can be an exciting adventure filled with new experiences and opportunities; however, the complex administration process can often be daunting and overwhelming, especially when it comes to understanding and navigating a foreign healthcare system. This is particularly true for English speakers moving to France, where the healthcare system differs significantly from that of…

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All dust no rust - A journey from Abu Dhabi to France

This week, we’re talking to our client Ian who has lived and worked in Abu Dhabi for the past 15 years but spends as much time as he can in France. We first met Ian three years ago when he contacted us to talk about his car. It was a 2012 Range Rover, the last model, and Ian was undecided about its fate.“For a while, I’d been considering whether it was worth exporting the car from Abu Dhabi…

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Increase your chances of staying in France for good

The prospect of not being allowed to stay permanently in France can be a source of great anxiety for people applying for a French visa. Over the past three years, we have successfully applied for 1259 French resident permits (carte de séjour) for English-speaking clients from all over the world. Being French ourselves, we know that your chances of a successful application increase if you show…

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The importance of trust

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, Fab French Insurance, 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,…

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An Englishman's home is his castle in France

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How to run a gîte in France and stay legal

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…

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We have Covid to thank for our move to France

We have Covid to thank for our move to France

This week we talk to French Connections HCB client, Mark. He has just returned from his first trip to the UK since moving to France and is surprised by how happy he is to be back on French soil. “France feels like home, which is a bit strange considering we have only been here since the beginning of August!”A couple of years ago, living in France was only a pipe dream for Mark and his partner,…

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Where you live is where you should keep your money

Where you live is where you should keep your money

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…

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Help from the French government gets a warm welcome this winter

Help from the French government gets a warm welcome this winter

Sometimes help can come from unexpected sources.  As well as the 194 euro ‘cheque énergie’ that the French government sent to every eligible taxpayer back in April, it has now put out a leaflet with suggestions on how to economise on power bills in what is likely to be a difficult winter ahead. True, some of the suggestions are common sense and things we should all be doing anyway, but when they…

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Why doing nothing is the worst thing you can do in a time of inflation

Why doing nothing is the worst thing you can do in a time of inflation

With anxiety levels rising as fast as the cost of living, several French Connections HCB clients have been asking if there is anything they can do to safeguard against it. Our Financial Advisor, Simon, has some good advice if you are moving to France or already living here. “We are in a time of global crisis with several wars having an impact on the stock markets – Ukraine and Russia being the…

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From castles in the sky to a French château

From castles in the sky to a French château

This week we introduce Lee and his French husband, André. They are living the dream, not just because of the French château they have bought and are restoring, but because of the warmth of the welcome they have received from the village they now call home.  Their adventure began two years ago.  “We used to watch other people restoring châteaux in France on the TV and we always said,  ‘Wouldn’t…

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Don't let admin ruin your holiday in France!

Don’t let admin ruin your holiday in France!

We’ve seen it happen so many times. You arrive at your holiday house in France for a long-awaited break, but there’s a problem. The electricity has been cut off or your phone isn’t working or there’s been a leak or you forgot to pay a bill and now you’ve received an angry letter and a fine. The list goes on. That’s why we’ve created a French Holiday Admin Service where you can sign up for as…

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You have French resident status but does your car?

You have French resident status but does your car?

This week the UK community in France was abuzz. In the first case of its kind, or at least the first to go public, a British man who holds a 10 year carte de séjour was stopped at Roscoff for having neither registered his British-plated car in France nor paid import duty on the vehicle. This incident raises several topics and warnings that we at French Connections HCB thought it useful to pass…