Downshifting to France - Advice please!

[Matelot]

 

Bonjour!

Apologies if this topic has been done to death before…

   I am hoping to hear from any forum members who took the plunge, sold up in the UK and successfully downshifted to live in France.

   My reasons? Due to budgetary cutbacks, I came close to being made redundant just before Christmas. I would not receive much in the way of redundancy pay and because of my age (50) and professional specialisation; it would be highly improbable that I would be able to find re-employment. Fortunately, this time round the redundancy guillotine did not fall. However, we have another two financial years of budget cuts, so I may be in the same situation next December!  

   When redundancy was looming on the horizon, one ‘survival’ option my wife and I discussed was the possibility selling up, paying off our debts and re-locating to France. Some preliminary calculations have revealed that after doing this we should have an after tax income of approx. €1200 per month with a sizable sum invested in a capital investment plan or in property let in the UK. This is not taking into account pension funds that will be frozen until we are sixty.

   I must make it clear that we are in the happy position of already having a fully modernised (and paid for!) cottage in a lovely part of Loir et Cher. We purchased some 18 years ago and have a very large circle of French friends and neighbours and we know France quite well. I know all about running a holiday home, but relocating permanently is a different thing altogether.

   I am trying to do as much research as possible and to put together not so much a business plan, but a ‘lifestyle plan‘ and to do it without the rose-tinted specs. That is why I need to hear from the experts – the people who have made the move! We are looking at relocating in possibly 18mths - 2 years.

   My better half and I are not great ones for the latest gadget and we like the simple life. We have no kids (which is why we have a cottage in France!) We are very happy getting our hands dirty growing things and grubbing about. In fact, my wife says that when we are in France I virtually ‘Go Native’ as I am never out of my bleus de travail overalls. (Well they are comfortable!)

  The bottom line is that we are getting more and more disillusioned with life here in the UK. Our jobs are making us feel burnt out and we are starting to realise that this life is not a rehearsal. We need to do something about it. We also realise France is not Shangri-la and recognize it has some major problems. The suburbs of Lyon have the same issues as, say, the suburbs of Birmingham. Yes, there are vicious murders in deepest rural France as there are in deepest rural England. However, I can assure you – the crime rate in our part of Loir et Cher is non-existent compared to here in the East Midlands! (I speak as someone with some knowledge of crime statistics.) The last great ‘heist’ in our neck of the French woods was about 8 years ago. The bakers in the next village was burgled and 300FF (£30) was stolen. It was the talk of the town for months!

  So, if any brave forum members who have successfully ‘done-it-and-got-the-Downshift-T-shirt’ would care to contact me with any advice and their experiences, I would be very grateful.

  Thank you for taking the time to read this. 

 Amicalement!

[cooperlola]

We "downshifted", me at 49, the o/h at 56.  No regrets at all but beware of a couple of things.

Take a look at some of the threads in the finance section and maybe complete the French tax calculator, which SD has provided somewhere (I'll try to find it) just to be sure that you know what your income will truly be as your UK investments will be taxed as unearned.  You will also have to pay 8% of your revenue fiscale de reference (basically your income less allowances) towards the health care system until you reach UK retirement age, you'll need top-up insurance,plus you'll pay the Social charges (which go to pay off the national debt.) You will obviously know about your taxes foncieres and habitations as you already pay them.

Also, ask yourself if life in your French home will feel the same when you are there all the time.  Many get bored and frustrated when they move here full time.  Look at a recent thread entitled something like "Why are so many leaving?" and you will see what I mean. (use the Search facility top right.)  Have you spent much time there in the winter, or do you just visit it in season.  If not, maybe try to spend a few weeks there in February before you sell up in the UK.

I assume you speak good French.  If not, get practicing quick!

Oh, here's the tax calculator thingey:

http://www3.finances.gouv.fr/calcul_impot/2007/simplifie/index.htm

[Tresco]

I got my financial downshift T Shirt when we first thought about moving to France.

We were able to work out pretty much exactly what income we would have when we moved here. Disregarding costs related to working - which were surprisingly high - we started to live on it.

I wanted to be sure that I wasn't going to feel/be 'poor'.

Downshifting in terms of not working at such a young age was something that couldn't be road tested.  The first year was good fun, but I miss working now, and as everyone around me is working all the time, there isn't much opportunity for casual social interaction, even if it was a French 'thing'.

You say you've posted in the 'finding a property' section too. Are you thinking of moving to another area altogether?. One of the great advantages of your current situation is the fact that you've already built up friendships over a long period of time.

If your current holiday home isn't suitable as a 'home', I hope you're  considering buying somewhere very close by.

[Tresco]

Coops you do put things so well. I should have said we started to live on what our 'disposable' income would be.

[cooperlola]

You are too kind, Tresco [:)].  However, in my dim and distant past I did write for a living, so I've had a bit of practice!