Here's some quick facts about France:
Thinking of moving to France? Discover everything you need to know in our Ultimate France Relocation Guide.
Planning a relocation to France? You're joining a vibrant community! Each year, thousands of expats choose France as their new home, drawn by its exceptional quality of life, rich cultural heritage, and enviable lifestyle. Whether you're shipping luggage to France or planning every detail of your move, thorough preparation makes all the difference.
France consistently ranks among the world's most desirable destinations for expatriates, offering an unbeatable combination of career opportunities, world-renowned cuisine, excellent healthcare, and unparalleled cultural experiences. From Paris's artistic sophistication to Lyon's gastronomic delights, from Provence's Mediterranean charm to the French Alps' natural splendour, France provides expats with a diverse living experience that balances professional growth with lifestyle enrichment.
This ultimate relocation guide will walk you through every essential aspect of moving to France, from visa requirements to settling into daily life. Whether you're planning to work, study, start a business, or simply embrace the French art of living, we'll provide you with the practical insights needed to make your transition as smooth as possible.
This ultimate guide covers all the essential aspects of relocating to France, including:
We hope this guide both inspires and informs you. As individual circumstances vary, we strongly recommend conducting your own research alongside this guide to ensure your move to France goes smoothly. The information provided, including any costs or procedures, are indicative and correct at the time of publication. Over time and with economical and political changes, and even your own circumstances, these can change.
Here's some quick facts about France:
I want to move to France, where do I get started? This is one of the most common questions aspiring expats ask. Moving to France made simple starts with understanding the visa system and securing the appropriate residence permit for your situation. The best way to relocate to France depends on your circumstances - whether you're moving for work, studies, retirement, or family reunification—but proper preparation is always essential.
The first step is determining which visa category suits your needs, as this forms the foundation of your relocation. France offers numerous pathways including work visas, the prestigious Talent Passport for skilled professionals, entrepreneur visas, and visitor visas for those with passive income. Once your paperwork is sorted, you can focus on the practical side - shipping your belongings to France, finding accommodation (ideally starting with short-term rentals whilst you explore different regions), and setting up essentials like health insurance, bank accounts, and address registration.
It's highly beneficial to research different regions ahead of time to see which ones suit your lifestyle - whether you prefer Paris's cosmopolitan energy, Lyon's economic dynamism, Bordeaux's wine country charm, or the Côte d'Azur's Mediterranean lifestyle. By handling these key details early, from flights to finances, you'll make your move smoother and give yourself more time to settle into your new life in France.
Yes, if you're planning to relocate to France for more than 90 days, you'll need the appropriate long-stay visa (visa de long séjour) unless you're an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen. Choosing the correct visa is crucial to your moving process, and starting early gives you ample time to gather documents and meet all requirements.
The type of visa depends entirely on your circumstances. Your options vary depending on whether you're moving for employment, to study, to join family members, to start a business, to work as a freelancer, or to live as a visitor with passive income.
Some of the most common visas include the French Work Visa (Travailleur Salarié) for employees, the Talent Passport (Passeport Talent) for highly skilled workers and entrepreneurs, the EU Blue Card for qualified professionals, the Visitor Visa for those with sufficient passive income, and student visas for higher education. Other categories cover seasonal workers, intra-company transfers, and working holiday visas for young people.
Visa applications can take several weeks to months to process, so applying well before your intended relocation date is strongly recommended. Always check the official France-Visas portal or speak with a qualified immigration adviser to ensure your application is up to date and complete.
Requirements for residing, studying, and working in France through the French Government.
When relocating to France, it's essential to look beyond visas and moving logistics to fully understand daily life in this diverse nation. From France's excellent healthcare system to navigating its bureaucratic processes, many key factors influence how successfully you settle in. Whether you're moving to France for work, to start a business, to study, or for family reasons, these are the most common topics people explore when planning their new French life.
France offers an exceptional quality of life that attracts retirees worldwide—superb healthcare, pleasant climate (particularly in southern regions), rich culture, and relaxed lifestyle. France offers a Visitor Visa (Visa de Long Séjour Visiteur) for retirees with passive income. The minimum income requirement is approximately €1,426 per month (tied to the net minimum wage - SMIC), though some sources cite €1,400-€1,700 with annual adjustments. Retirees must demonstrate stable, regular income from pensions, investments, or savings, plus comprehensive health insurance coverage. France's excellent healthcare system is accessible to retirees, though they must initially purchase private insurance before accessing the French social security system after residency is established.
France actively encourages entrepreneurship, particularly in technology, innovation, and creative industries. The country offers various visa categories for entrepreneurs, including the Talent Passport for business creation and the French Tech Visa for startup founders and investors. Entrepreneurs must present viable business plans, demonstrate sufficient capital, and show how their business benefits the French economy. Since January 2025, new entrepreneur visa applications require pre-approval of business plans by the Ministry of Economy via online portal before visa application. France's business environment offers access to EU's second-largest economy, skilled workforce, and strong infrastructure, though entrepreneurs must navigate French bureaucracy and taxation systems.
France offers diverse employment opportunities across finance, technology, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, luxury goods, tourism, and agriculture sectors. The French work environment emphasises work-life balance, with the legal 35-hour working week (though many professionals work more), generous holiday allowances (minimum 5 weeks annually), and strong employment protections. France's minimum wage (SMIC) for 2025 is €1,801.80 gross monthly (€1,426.30 net) for full-time work. Average salaries vary significantly by sector and region—Paris offers highest salaries (€40,000-€60,000+ annually for professionals) but also highest living costs. For anyone moving to France to work, understanding French workplace culture, formal hierarchies, and language expectations helps ensure smooth career integration.
France boasts one of the world's finest healthcare systems, consistently ranking at the top globally for quality and accessibility. Health insurance is compulsory for all residents. France operates a universal healthcare system (Sécurité sociale) covering approximately 70% of medical costs, with complementary private insurance (mutuelle) covering remaining expenses. Mutuelle premiums average €50-€150 monthly depending on coverage level, with 2025 seeing average increases of 6-8% across providers. The system provides excellent care with short waiting times, freedom to choose doctors, and comprehensive coverage for medications, hospital stays, and preventive care. English-speaking doctors are common in major cities, though French proficiency helps throughout the country.
France offers outstanding education from primary through university levels, with public schools free and high-quality. The French education system emphasises rigorous academics, with primary school (école primaire), middle school (collège), and high school (lycée) leading to the prestigious Baccalauréat examination. International families often choose international schools, particularly in Paris and major cities, offering familiar curricula (IB, British, American), though costs range €10,000-€30,000+ annually per child. French universities offer exceptionally low tuition—typically €170-€600 annually for EU/EEA students, €2,770-€3,770 for non-EU students at public universities—making France attractive for higher education. Many programmes, particularly at postgraduate level, are increasingly offered in English.
France's housing market varies dramatically by region. Paris and major cities face competitive markets with high costs, whilst smaller towns and rural areas offer excellent value. Rental costs: Paris €1,200-€2,500+ monthly for 2-bedroom apartment, Lyon €800-€1,400+, Bordeaux €800-€1,300+, Nice €1,000-€1,800+, smaller cities/rural areas €500-€1,000+. Landlords require proof of income (typically 3x monthly rent), employment contract or guarantor, French tax returns if available, and dossier including ID, references, and financial documents. Buying property is popular among expats, particularly retirees. Property prices: Paris €10,000+ per sqm, Lyon €4,500-€6,000 per sqm, provincial cities €2,000-€4,000 per sqm, rural areas €1,000-€2,500 per sqm. Additional costs include notary fees (7-8% of purchase price), property taxes, and annual taxes foncières.
France's cost of living varies significantly by region, generally falling mid-range for Western Europe. Paris is expensive, comparable to other European capitals, whilst provincial cities and rural areas offer substantial savings. Monthly expenses for single person: housing €600-€1,500 (dramatically higher in Paris), food and groceries €300-€400, transportation €75-€160 (public transport pass or vehicle costs), mutuelle (health insurance) €50-€150, utilities €100-€150, internet/mobile €30-€50. Total monthly budget: €1,800-€3,000+ for comfortable living as single person in provincial cities; €2,500-€4,000+ in Paris. Families of four should budget €3,500-€6,000+ monthly depending on location. Average net salary is approximately €2,250 monthly across all sectors, though professionals in Paris earn significantly more (€2,800-€4,000+ monthly net).
France's excellent road infrastructure and scenic routes make driving enjoyable, though public transport in cities reduces car ownership necessity. EU/EEA licence holders can drive indefinitely using their home licence. UK citizens and other non-EU nationals can use their home licence for one year after establishing residency, then must exchange for French licence (requirements vary by country—some allow simple exchange, others require testing). Vehicle insurance is mandatory (€500-€1,200 annually depending on vehicle and driver profile). Fuel costs approximately €1.70-€1.90 per litre. France's extensive motorway network (autoroutes) requires tolls, whilst national and departmental roads are free. Parking in cities can be expensive and challenging.
Opening a French bank account requires proof of residence (utility bill or rental contract), passport or national ID, proof of address in home country, and sometimes proof of income. Major French banks include BNP Paribas, Société Générale, Crédit Agricole, and LCL. Online banks like Boursorama and Hello Bank offer free accounts with fewer requirements. France operates a progressive income tax system with 2025 rates: 0% up to €11,509; 11% €11,510-€29,505; 30% €29,506-€84,081; 41% €84,082-€180,570; 45% above €180,570. France's impatriate tax regime allows qualifying expats up to 30% exemption on salary premium for expatriation costs, plus partial exemptions on certain foreign-source income for up to 8 years, subject to conditions. Social charges (approximately 9.7% on employment income, up to 17.2% on investment income) apply in addition to income tax.
France's public transport system is excellent, particularly in cities. Paris features extensive metro, RER, tram, and bus networks (Navigo monthly pass €86.40 for all zones). Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, and other major cities offer integrated metro, tram, and bus systems (monthly passes €60-€75). France's national railway (SNCF) operates high-speed TGV trains connecting major cities rapidly—Paris to Lyon (2 hours), Paris to Marseille (3 hours), Paris to Bordeaux (2 hours). Regional trains (TER) serve smaller towns affordably. France's central location enables easy travel to neighbouring Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, and Germany by train.
French is the official language, and whilst English is increasingly spoken in Paris and tourist areas, learning French dramatically improves integration, career prospects, and daily life quality. As of January 1, 2026, most residence permit renewals require French language certification at A2 level (B1 for permanent residence cards - carte de résident), with TCF IRN (Test de Connaissance du Français pour l'Intégration, la Résidence et la Nationalité) being the accepted test. Changes to the TCF IRN test occurred April 1, 2025, aligning with 2026 requirements. France's cultural heritage is rich—art, literature, cinema, cuisine, fashion—with strong regional identities from Brittany to Provence, from Alsace to the Basque Country. French culture emphasises relationships, conversation, cuisine, and quality of life (art de vivre). Understanding French etiquette—formal greetings, punctuality for business, leisurely meals—aids social integration.
France's excellent international connectivity makes arrival straightforward. Major international airports include Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG, Europe's second-busiest), Paris Orly (ORY), Lyon-Saint Exupéry (LYS), Nice Côte d'Azur (NCE), and Marseille Provence (MRS), offering direct flights worldwide. France's extensive rail network connects to Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, and Spain via high-speed international services (Eurostar to London, TGV to Brussels, Geneva, Barcelona, and beyond). Customs and immigration are efficient for visa holders, though ensuring all documentation is complete helps avoid delays.
If you have a pet and are planning to relocate, there's always the need to look into what needs to be done when moving with your pet. The good news is that you can relocate to France with your pet - in fact, France is home to one of the top places in Europe for pet lovers. However, it's important to note that France has strict regulations, and careful preparation and advance planning are essential.
Most people relocate with dogs, cats, or ferrets, though requirements depend on animal type, country of origin, pet's age, and veterinary documentation. Key requirements typically include ISO-compliant microchip (15-digit, implanted before rabies vaccination), valid rabies vaccination (administered at least 21 days before travel for primary vaccination), EU Pet Passport or official veterinary health certificate, and anti-Echinococcus treatment for dogs from certain countries (administered 1-5 days before entry).
France has regulations regarding certain breeds classified as dangerous, divided into two categories with varying restrictions. Category 1 dogs (certain pit bull types, mastiffs, tosa) face strict import bans, whilst Category 2 dogs require registration and specific handling. Research requirements carefully before relocating. For the most current information, check directly with French Customs - Travelling to France with Your Pet.
Moving personal belongings to France traditionally meant relying on expensive international removal companies with lengthy timelines. Today, My Baggage offers a faster, more affordable alternative by using air freight courier services, ensuring your items reach France quickly and securely.
Whether you're shipping luggage, sending boxes, transporting golf clubs, or moving bicycles to France, My Baggage provides a reliable door-to-door international removals service with full online tracking and dedicated customer support. From a few bags to larger shipments, their service ensures your belongings are handled with care and arrive safely, giving you peace of mind throughout the process.
My Baggage specialises in shipping personal belongings to France, offering a great alternative to paying excess baggage fees with airlines, making it an excellent choice for your move to France.
