St Chinian Languedoc 5th Best Place To Retire To
Why Retire To France?
Last year CNBC published a list of the 10 best places in the world to retire to and voted St. Chinian in Languedoc Roussillon as 5th best. They used 13 criteria: cost of living, crime and safety, English spoken, entertainment, environmental conditions, expat community, health care, infrastructure, recreation, residency options and taxes, as well as real estate affordability and restrictions on foreign ownership. How CNBC managed to find the small town of St. Chinian is not at all clear, nor why it was chosen over so many other delightful French market towns. However, their researchers were definitely right in looking to somewhere in France to be amongst the best places for retirement.
Brits have been buying property in France for retirement for many years. Our clients always tell us that they make this decision because of the traditional way of life in France, the climate, the rurality and the bargain property prices. Many also say that the accessibility to and from the U.K. is also important to them. The numerous small airports with flights from all over the U.K. and the possibility of jumping into your own car and driving to and from the house in France makes it feel closer to ‘home’ than many other destinations.
How To Retire To France
Despite the uncertainty of the position of the U.K. and Europe in the future it will always be possible to buy a home in France. It may be that full time residents will have to get a carte de sejour from the local Marie (we all had to do that 30 years ago) and that may necessitate showing proof of a sufficient income to live in France (probably very low amount) and proof of membership of a private health care scheme. That is the worst case scenario and really not likely to prohibit many people from taking the decision to retire to France.
In choosing a house to buy for retirement do consider the future. I have seen too many people tempted to buy the rural idyll without considering what would happen if they became unable to drive. Rural public transport in France is even worse than in the U.K. so its sensible to think ahead if you are planning a long term retirement move. Being close to a community makes a lot of sense. Having easy access to shops, medical facilities and a social life is likely to enhance your retirement as is learning French. It is really very wise to take language learning seriously. Many small and large towns run French classes for expats and they serve as a good way of getting to know people as well as the language. Not only will learning French make it easy for you to enjoy your retirement in France there is also the added advantage that there appears to be medical proof that learning a language late in life is likely to delay the onset of dementia!
Choosing A House Fit For Retirement
A Home With Guest Accommodation
A delightful French house in the ever-popular market town of Eymet in the Dordogne. The house has 2 bedrooms and a self contained studio with its own entrance and courtyard. This would be ideal for retirement as you have separate accommodation for friends and family or even to produce an income. At a price of €139,000 it’s easy to see why Brits are retiring to France! And at these prices property like this one sale fast.
A Home Complete With Furniture
Another property which is ideal for retirement is this beautifully maintained house in Bergerac in Dordogne. Bergerac is very popular with Brits and its airport offers flights to and from numerous airports in the U.K. The two bedroomed house with pretty garden is in a quiet little street in the centre of this lovely medieval riverside town. Being furnished makes it a very easy retirement move, just leave your U.K. furniture to the kids and escape! The price of €149,800 makes this a very tempting property.
An Elegant Retirement Home
For anyone looking to enjoy true comfort and elegance in their retirement then this delightful Manor House in Lot et Garonne would be hard to beat. It is situated just a five minute walk from the centre of the little town and has a beautiful garden and swimming pool. There are three bedrooms and three reception rooms in the main house and another house for your guests. If this is your style I am sure that you will agree that the price of €439,900 is a bargain.
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