To ask if you'd rather retire in Spain or France

[mycatisannoying]

You have to choose one. Not say 'but I'd never pick either of those for retirement'.

Some points to consider:

• you don't drive
• you love the sea
• you want good healthcare (no pre-existing conditions)
• a friendly community is key, with lots to do
• value for money, both in terms of the property you'd buy and everyday life in general
• decent airport links
• your language skills are good; fluent in French and Spanish could be picked up easily
• somewhere with a holiday - but not a party - feel.

Go!

Spain. There’s a huge anti semitism problem in France

I live in northern Spain we have seasons and it's not hot for most the year but it does have blue skies for most ;). In 5 mins I am on the beach , 15 to the mountains great healthcare (had a tough couple of years and needed it extensively..superb!) Transport is cheap and easy and reliable. (I have only driven 3 times since I have moved , no need. In fact a car is a pain

Spain. Prefer the way of life, but would worry about the heat.

Spain and Italy are lovely for holidays, but France is a much easier country to live in full time.

For me it would be France every time.

I would learn to drive though unless you actually have a medical condition that prevents it.

I'd say France due to the language. I'm not sure it would be possible at my age to get better than intermediate level at a new language and I think that would be limiting. Plus I love France! My current daydream is to retire there.

Spain - north coast.

France 🇫🇷

Spain is nice but I love French culture, the language, the food and wine...

Spain - spent a few months in Valencia (mostly the province not the City) this year and had a great time using only public transport (and lots of walking). I also prefer the food!

Are you an EU citizen? If not, I’d look very carefully into the implications as Brexit has made lots of everyday things so much more of a hassle.

As regards the language, while Spanish is an easy language to learn, you do have a significant head start being fluent in French. You need to consider that buying a property, paying tax, utilities and, in the long run, medical conversations in the language, can be challenging even when you’re fluent.

The only place you could live in France without a car would be a city. It is much more spread out than UK, public transport in the roads except for school children is virtually non existant. Taxis are very expensive compared to UK .

internet shopping is in its infancy, so you couldn’t rely on home deliveries.

i lived there for nearly twenty years, I loved it… but you have to be realistic.

Spain definitely. Much more friendly.

I’ve always preferred the south of France to holiday in, but have got fed up with their constant striking (although the UK could be going that way too). I like the French food and drink, I also think it is slightly cooler than Spain.

I hate to break it to you but Brexit is a thing...

So how will you be able to retire in either of these countries?

You won't get free healthcare and you might not get the right to live there permanently.

I would first look seriously at the practicalities of what you are planning to do.

Brexit did wreck many plans, but France still slightly easier I think. There is still corruption in Spanish bureaucracy. Building permits and similar.

Inland France attracted us near one of the big rivers and the canals which are still commercial. Real! not contrived for the tourists.

France. Both are good, but northern France in particular has a very similar feel to the south of England. If you want mountains, there is a plethora of resorts in the Alps or non resort towns and villages nearby where there are a range of affordable properties.

The not driving bit makes a huge difference. The point of retiring to France is to be in the countryside, which means little or no public transport. In Spain, people tend to retire to seaside resorts where you don't need a car. You can of course retire to a seaside resort in France but I just don't see that many Brits in Deauville or Le Touquet!

I've bought a retirement home in France and currently use it as a holiday home. The neighbours are friendly, the rural area is well run and its bliss really. There are many, many Brits here but they tend to be more integrated and less living the expat life. Ironically I was put off buying in my own country, Scotland, due to the unstable political situation and growing resentment of second home owners, plus the extra stamp duty and council tax. In France, the council tax equivalent is around 20% of what it would be for a similar second home in Scotland.

In France, you are also very central to the rest of Europe, if you want to drive to Scandinavia for your summer holiday, or get the boat back to the UK for some shopping. But Spain is lovely too.

It would be France for me mainly for culture. I love cycling over there, I find drivers so respectful and I feel really safe. The food, the wine, and I'd find many parts of Spain too hot to 'live' rather than holiday. My parents had a second home there and were really welcomed into the community - invited for dinners and birthday parties. Someone in the small commune turned 21 and everyone was invited! My dad is Arab and was a bit worried about middle of nowhere Normandy but there were no issues.

To retire to France you need a minimum income of €19,000 pa before tax.

OP doesn’t say she wants free healthcare, just ‘good’ healthcare, and she can get an EHIC.

France, right down the very bottom near the Pyrenees

Well I live in Spain, I'm not retired but DH is.
We chose Spain because of the lifestyle and the cost of living is much lower. Spanish healcare is on a par with the UK, we are both on the system.
BUT we are both Irish citizens, so Brexit hasn't affected us at all, we took spanish residency.

You get a one year visitor's visa by applying in advance and visiting the French embassy in your local country, renew it each year for 5 years and then are entitled to a 10 year carte de sejour, also renewable. Citizenship is difficult to obtain but can be done.

You get private healthcare insurance (200 euros per month for DH and I) and once you get permanent residency, can join the French healthcare system.

For retirement you need to be able to prove that you can support yourself without taking a job (the visa many obtain doesn't allow you to work) so your pension or funds would have to be at least 1258 euros per month for a single person (I think thats the current amount) and somewhat less than double for a couple.

I can relate to that! I studied french and love the language. Worked in France for a few years but would prefer to retire to Spain!
There is something of an attachment and pull to Spain and I don't know why. However I would be happy in France too in a semi rural region.

Kurdish why is this? My sister has a property in Spain and France. Don't know which she prefers though

Spain. I love France, but I love Spain even more. The moorish culture, the slightly more cosmopolitan feel, the siestas, the little town squares all lit up, the sangria, I could go on.

I like Nerja. 45 minutes from malaga airport, beautiful beaches, the mountains are just behind the coast so an ideal spot. And easy to get to other parts of Spain and the rest of Europe (although that's probably true for a lot of France too!). The language is easier to learn than French imo, although, if you're fluent in French, maybe not!

It's where I'd go if I won the lottery. Or was ever able to retire!

What a wonderful dilemma.

My sister lives in a tiny village between Limoges and Poitiers, on the River Charente. It is absolutely beautiful, very low population density, so lots of open space, cheap property, she is very impressed with the health service, her husband has a heart condition so they need this , lovely medieval villages and towns in the area. She would struggle without a car as it is remote. No sea. But lots of lakes and the river for watersports. She loves living there. Not that many brits, but enough to give her a social life. Property prices are relatively low. Don't forget, if you retire abroad your state pension is frozen at the rate when you leave, and with high inflation forecast this could be a problem.