One of the most frequent questions we get about this adventure is “But Why France?” As a life-long US resident, I understand why France not everyone’s first thought when the conversation turns to where one might go if not the US. Here are some great reasons why we are choosing France for our big adventure:
The culture: France has a laid back culture, particularly outside the big cities. It’s less frenetic than the US and more focused on the quality of life than the efficiency of life. Meals are leisurely, time spent with others and in nature is treasured, and experiences are valued more than things. This fits with our idea of life well-lived.
The food (and wine): The quality and freshness of food is important to the French. With weekly markets and access to local farm products, the distance the food travels and the level of processing are often very low. We’re looking forward to navigating food there with trips to the produce markets and the local shops selling breads, cheese, wines, and meats. It may not be as efficient as a grocery store trip, but it will certainly be fun and delicious!
The architecture and infrastructure: There is such beauty in the historic buildings, museums, churches, and parks in Europe. It’s awe-inspiring to visit sites that were built hundreds of years ago without modern engineering that are still in use today and to get a glimpse of how people lived then. We never tire of the beauty and history there is to see in France and the rest of Europe.
The affordable healthcare: The US is incredibly expensive for health insurance and healthcare, without the premium health outcomes enjoyed by European countries for much less money. As young retirees not soon eligible for Medicare, it’s prohibitively expensive to purchase it in the US. France considers healthcare a right for all residents and covers it for people in the country for more than three months. While it’s not free, the cost will be less than 20% what we could expect to pay in the US in these pre-Medicare years.
Exploration without a car: While living in the US, we’ve always had two cars, but in France, we’ll be car-free because the transportation network is incredibly good. Regional trains and local trams and buses are efficient and inexpensive and we plan to walk A LOT. Plus there’s always Uber in a pinch.
The cost of living: While the big cities like Paris, Nice, Bordeaux, and Lyon are expensive to live in, smaller French cities are extremely affordable compared to the US. Our retirement budget can go much further when not spending tens of thousands on healthcare, cars, and larger homes in the US.
The French language: While we are still learning, we’ve built some basic French language skills using Duolingo and we have a desire to learn the language and integrate in French society. There are language schools for French immigrants that expose new residents to culture and opportunities to learn. What a fantastic way to keep the mind sharp!
The US-France Tax Treaty: I know it seems strange to get excited about this, but this tax treaty is the most advantageous for US tax residents of any county in Europe (no double taxation).
If you’ve ever thought about taking a sabbatical from your US life, what better time than now to see what the rest of the world has to offer in terms of adventure, experience, and fun?