Can French authorities put a charge against a French estate for recouping care home costs rather than seek funding from children of the parent who is in care home?
Hello @Hippo-jax and welcome to the forum.
contacting the children is part of a legal route… which must be followed step by step… if the need arises.
EDIT: would you like to elaborate a little on your original question…??
They can do both. If the person is in receipt of ASH (aide sociale à l’hebergement) then that will be taken from their succession when they die subject to conditions (and another aide as well that I forget) However if they have insufficient funds to look after themselves even with the aide sociale their direct family will be required to pay. Again subject to conditions,
Thank you so much!
Similar to ASPA benefit for low income property owners, the succession only pays out a very small amount to the beneficiaries after death (€39k total) and the rest is taken to pay the CAF back for all the benefit paid. I was given the forms to apply but thankfully can manage now the pension has started and my kids said I should apply to have a decent life but glad I never did! Going back to the original question, yes the family are liable for any costs for relative in care even if on a pension themselves, hence why so many families in my old commune took their elderly relatives back into their homes as they could not afford to pay and another friend brought her mother from Paris to Bretagne as the charges were less for them too!
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With the question well answered, may I take this on a slight drift please?
I know it has been covered in the past, but I did not give full attention. What level comfort might one get in a care home near or in a provincial city for a) nursing assistance, eg dementia or b) just old age care, no nursing, for say 4000€ or 5000€ per month? I know it is the length of string, but interested if anyone has any experience of relatives in homes?
Hopefully it is a way off, but maybe I should get on top of how it all works and costs…
That is top of the range. This one is just over €3000 basic so with the extras would probably be in budget. Gym, spa, hairdressers and restaurant plus activities and is anglophone.
you can pick the bones out of this… and why not look up your local EHPAD on the internet…
Incidentally… I believe grand-children can no longer be expected by Law to give financial aid for EHPAD bills for Grandpa and/or Grandma … although anything they do choose to pay will be welcomed 
Thanks Jane - that one looks OK and far better than I would have expected!
Stella, thanks. Useful info. I shall use it as a guide and do some surfing later on to get into some detail. I dread needing medical assistance when the time comes, so if it is just old age assistance, then no way I will live with relatives - instead their inheritance will pay for my comfort 
you can stay in your own home and still get the care you need… if you prefer … figures would be lighter I reckon… 
we hope not to have to go into an EHPAD… but who knows…