Post
by jonboy » Wed Feb 15, 2017 8:10 am
Hello Frankisays...You asked why we eventually left France .
A hard question to answer as there was no one reason , but several .
Our large garden got harder and harder to maintain.....forever having to repair the roof of our house ( a new roof was quoted at 12000 euros )....chopping and stacking wood for the really cold winters ( occasionally down to - 16 degs ) was becoming a chore .....when i retired my French pension was pitifully small , there is government help but it is not a benefit like the u k system ( it is known as the Fond de Solidarite ) , it is in fact a monthly loan that is recuperated from your estate upon your death and could leave the spouse in a vunerable position .
So, i suppose in reality we moved back to be more comfortable , closer to a bus route , shops ,doctors , library , cinema etc in our old age .
If you are already retired in the U K then that would be a different proposition as i assume you would have a full pension and your healthcare would be covered by the U K ( until Brexit is actioned ) with an S1 form from Newcastle as you have never worked in France .
We do not claim any benefits in the U K , but if one day we have to then at least it will not be a debt .
We loved our time in France and we do miss our friends but life is so much easier here for us ..central heating ...bus pass....small garden....less severe winters .
If you like the idea of retiring to France my advice would be to rent somewhere for 3 months in the winter first ( i know an estate agent who could possibly help with your search ) or have a look on the French webite ....Leboncoin ...under the heading " location meuble' "
As they ( whoever they are ) say , you only regret the things you did not do , so give it a go , even if it is just for a few months