Preparing for a six month stint in France

Introduce yourselves...
1

Hello there,


We are new to this website and we are planning a six month visit to France and if this works we would then like to do it each year perhaps. We plan to leave around the end of April or May 2014. We have to plan it well because we have two beautiful little dogs that we will have to leave at home. We would like to take them but there are severe restrictions in Australia on the return, it is mandatory that they must be held in quarantine for 30 days.


Our house at the moment is split into two and the bottom half we run a short term rental but we plan to make it a full-time rental for the purpose of finding someone who would like to live here and who would be prepared to look after our dogs while we are gone. Of course there would be a deal put into place for this to happen.


If successful we then would like to spend a month here and there to see where we would like to stay if we decided to by a property.


We will be both retired by the time this happens and looking forward to it very much. I speak French fairly well and my husband is catching up.


Is there any advice or suggestions that anyone would like to give to us on this new project?


Looking forward to any response.


Many thanks


Beth P.


2

Hi Lesley,

Perhaps you are right, we only spoke with the consultant at medibank private who said you could get it but there is nothing on paper yet. I will certainly invesyigate further.

Thanks and cheers

Beth p

3

I made the remark about double taxation not knowing that you needed a visa for a stay over here ( limited to the length of the visa) As an unreconstructed Pom If I change residences within the EU then tax on my income and in Frances' case my world wide assets becomes due if I stay here for over six months a year. Most Countries have an agreement about double taxation, i.e. you can't be taxed by two governments. I think you were referring mainly to property taxes which would remain payable where ever the property is, here we are subject to a tax on income including revenue gained by interest on savings, rental yield on a property portfolio and dividends on investments. Further more if Your Gross worth world wide is greater than 750,000€ ( may be different Its not something I need to be current with) then a wealth tax is also payable.

4

Me too

5

Beth, our health insurance doesn’t cover us outside of Australia. We have top cover at home, but have had to suspend it while we are away. That is, we don’t pay the premium, because we can’t make a claim. If you have travel insurance, you’re right, but if you have a health insurer who will allow you to make claims from overseas providers, I would like to know who it is!
Cheers, Lesley

6

Hi Roger,

Thanks for your input.

From Australia we can get health insurance through our current health insurer so we are ok there. Concerning tax bills, can you explain how this works. We own our own home here in Australia and we do not pay any tax on it. We are self funded in retirement so I think that will be ok.

Regards

Beth

7

Beth, We are from Adelaide and we own a lovely apartment in Carcassonne down South. We have found out a lot of what you need. We are not retired yet so we spend 4 - 8 weeks per year in France each year for now, but plan to spend 6 months per year in Adelaide and the rest visiting friends and house swapping and enjoying our place. Email us at ljbanner@chariot.net.au anytime
Regards
Lyn & Malcolm

8

Not while the Old Queen reigns, but that Teddy doesn't fill me with confidence, It will all go to the dogs.

9

Hi Beth

My husband and I are on holiday in Europe and the UK from Aus. We spent a month in France,and during a rush of blood to the head, bought a house in the Aude, not far from Mirepoix. We plan to do what you are thinking of doing - we just acted a little more hastily. We found a house that I just had to have - love at first sight. It’s in a village with essential services, but with a very provincial French feel. So we plan to live in an eternal summer the next decade or 2.

Our plan is to become as much a part of our village as we can.

We did a long term vehicle lease through Peugeot from Aus. It worked well for us through Spain and France.
Do be aware of the Schengen Agreement - which will only allow you to stay 90 days in any 180 in the Schengen agreement EU countries. Otherwise you should seek out a long term visa before you leave Aus.

Best of luck - I hope you get to “live the dream” too

Lesley

10

Hi Beth, my partner and I live in France. I am Australian. My partner who is French is desperate to go to Australia and I would like to return too. However, we, like you, would like to test the waters first. Perhaps we could houseswap. We have two cats that would need looking after. We live 40K south of Toulouse and it is very pretty. We have 23ha of wilderness with orchards, fields and forest. None of it requires attention. We are 3k from a village with commuter trains to Toulouse every 40 minutes. Toulouse has a growing international airport. Contact me on lynda.edridge@gmail.com if you would like to discuss further possibilities.

Best wishes

11

Hi Beth,

What an amazing journey you are planning. I wish you both the best with your planning. Myself and hubby have just moved from Ireland into the Ariege Dept (Midi-Pyrenees) very close to the Med Sea. We have it all here, really and cannot believe how lucky we are to be a stones throw from the sea, mountains, vineyards, forests, lakes, quiet walks - the list goes on...

It very much depends on what you both love, with regard to landscape, seasons, summer and winter temps and history/culture. We both love trees and mountains, but not the dodgy weather they can attract (have had enough rain in Ireland) so we moved into the foothills of the mountains, only at 480m high we still get great temps in the summer, but also a proper winter. It rains here, but that is necessary for the luscious green forests - and GRASS!!

There is also farming here, as is never far away in most areas of France. We chose the Med side over the Atlantic side, as we lived near the Atlantic in Ireland, again, enough of that too.

Enjoy the exploration - I agree with Roger's suggestion of a long term rental of an RV, just make sure you explore the towns and villages, outside of the campsites. And get talking with the people living here, they are so friendly and helpful once you make the effort. Our french is not good yet, and we are astonished at the helpfulness of our neighbours and village.

I have noticed that the French people are not as curious as some other nationalities (like my own for instance) and don't necessarily come forward or just start chatting, so it's important to make the effort to communicate, and watch the difference!!

I am excited for you and your husband, you will definitely not regret the decision. You will have the time, and I cannot think of a better way to spend it than exploring and travelling. Bon Voyage!!

12

Hi Jane,

Thanks for the info, we will certainly check it out.

regards

Beth

13

While here you will need some form of Transport and you say that you want to spend time in different regions so that you can get a feel of the area.

Are you considering buying something here? I ask because without any fixed abode it may be difficult to obtain Insurance. My thoughts are that for TOH and I we would try and get a long term rental on an R.V transport and accommodation combined and with a rental agreement you normally get assurance. You will need to arrange long term Health cover before you leave Oz.

If you live over here for more than six months you may be considered a resident, with the problems that brings with two residencies, two potential tax bills but I am sure some one from the colonies (There are plenty here from the America's) will be able to supply answers to that one. :-)

14

My I recommend the Clunysois region of Southern Burgundy. Your fellow countrymen seem to like it here very much, but fear not we are not overrrun with 'Aussies'.

It is an agricultural area, mainly raising Charolais cattle and cereals and some forestry. We are only about 25minutes from some very good wine growing regions, the Maconnais, the Beaujolais and the Cote Challonais.

Our nearest airport is Lyon, but there are flights into Geneva, which is about two hours away.

Because there is not a low cost airport on our doorstep, people tend to stay for longer, or move here permanently.

There is a lot of history and culture.

Also you can visit other countries easily from here.

Have a look.

Good luck.

Jane