Realistic living expenses, but based on what ? My living expenses are significantly below what they would be in any large city, Paris, Marseilles, Nice, Lyon etc;
Also below what they would be in the ‘popular tourist regions’ of Dordogne, Lot , Antibes, Ile de Ré, any national park region etc; …
I do believe that you have to do a lot of research on house and living costs in various regions, have to economise where necessary . For example, I don’t have a swimming pool, would never want one, don’t drive a top of the range car, rather I have gone for something practical. I rarely eat out, am not surrounded by Brits and the ‘culture’ of BBQ’s, coffee mornings, clubs (God forbid).
I don’t visit the UK, I live simply, that’s why I am here…
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Snap 
Very many thanks for all your comments and advice, I was just wondering if the functionaries had a cut off point on ones income and to be able to live in France without being a burden on the state. By all your replies I feel a little more comfortable with the ‘‘big move’’
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Hope you’re as as happy, and lucky here as this Morgan has been Dewi
My experience of 'fonctionnaires", and that of my wife too (bear in mind that like many couples our opinions on many matters seldom coincide to say the least 
) is basically as follows.
They know the rules, but they know also how to interpret them and apply them wisely. In this respect they are very much like their UK counterparts.
They know who are chancers, those who are trying to outsmart the system, and those who are upfront and straightforward. They are generally inclined to be supportive of the latter, even cases on the margins, and able to suggest how they might best trim their sails to the wind in troubled waters.
They have more regard for people who make an effort to meet French behavioural norms including speaking and understanding basic spoken and written French. Or at least acknowledging that not doing so is an imposition on those who manage public services, and showing due humility and patience towards its servants.
I’m sure all SFN contributors will agree. Every ‘silly question’ I’ve asked of a ‘fonctionnaire’ has met with a kindly, patient and helpful response, tailored to my capabilities for understanding it, which are often limited.
I sometimes think the term ‘fonctionnaire’ for anglophones carries an unfortunate meaning, a bit like ‘faceless bureaucrat’ or ‘pen-pusher’ does. Is there another term that could be applied, or is ‘fonctionnaire’ more neutral in francophone usage. Véronique?
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Unfortunately my experience is exactly the opposite.
I was denied access to the NHS for a treatment I had in UK and I couldn’t find in France.
I should have been referred to another doctor, but was denied solely on the grounds that I was a UK retiree within the French health system.
This was the decision of the highest authority in France.
I decided that I would not accept this as I recognised that this would also apply to all UK retirees in France.
It took me two years with the help of Sir Graham Watson who, at the time was my Lib Dem MEP , the
Overseas Department of the DOH in London and the European Commission to tell the French health authorities that they were wrong.
They said that they had made a mistake in their interpretation of the EU regulations and I received no apology.
Also I was put in touch with the UK Embassy in Paris by the DOH and the UK civil servant there told me that they did not take on personal cases.
She totally failed to recognise, as I had straight away, that that this was a case that affected all of us.
So my personal experience of fonctionnaires is not good.
I believe the EU rule is that an EU country can ask for any minimum provided that does not exceed the standard pension that one of their ‘native citizens’ would receive. So, in Spain, I had to prove I was worth about 550€ pm.
There’s a reduction of about 60€ pm in France for a single 65+ in the requirement if your accommodation is free of charge - finance-free ownership, rent-free, etc.
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