Here goes then .......
renloup ...
We've lived hear for over 18 years now, purchasing our property in 1989, so comparing living in general with the UK is difficult for me, as I don't visit that often.
House prices have of course increased over the years, but the property market here is nothing like the UK . For a start anyone wanting a mortgage (a bank credit) needs to find about a third of the price for a deposit, normal maximum loans are in the main for 15 years. Renting is by far a more popular choice, as in many parts of mainland Europe. In a lot of instances, people who do own their own properties have inherited them down the generations, and because properties are kept within the family, this again has an effect on the market. Some families own several properties which are handed out amongst children, grandchildren etc. There are retirement homes, but on the whole it is normal for elderly parents, grandparents and even great grandparents (or elderly relatives) to live within the family unit. An extension to the family home, or a new build in the vast plots that most of them have. A home for the French in the main is not an investment but a place to live, thus there is not the same onus placed on ownership.
Average temperatures : France covers a huge area, and temperatures differ obviously north to south, east to west .... we are well south in the west, our 'normal' average temperatures are say ...March to May ... mid 20's Celsius ....May to September mid to high 30's September to November mid 20's again ...Dec..Jan..Feb. are what we call winter and these can vary vastly. Our heating requirements therefore are much less than they were in the North west of the UK (we have a wood burning stove in the larger lounge) .... we have tiled floors not fitted carpets ..... no heavy curtains -we have shutters which keep both the heat in and out as required !!
Food ! I find in our region food prices are very good. ( We note that Tourist areas have higher prices. ) Quality excellent. I personally buy only French reared meat, we have the advantage of excellent local markets every day if we want one, offering fresh produce at reasonable prices. We live in a rural working area, where the work is wine, in the most famous Appellation area in the world, and of course wine is of high quality and cheap.
Clothing, well you've asked the right person
I'm assuming you mean prices of clothing ? It depends what you want to pay. You can get a perfectly decent, fashionable pair of shoes from the larger supermarket chains ie Leclercs, Auchan, Carrefour ( I suppose like Tesco, Asda etc) for on average 12 Euros ..... or you can go to Charles Jourdan, Dolce & Gabbana, La Croix etc..shops in Bordeaux and pay what you are mad enough to pay
Public Transport is plentiful, punctual (usually) clean and prices are reasonable. You can get half price offers by booking earlier on trains. Internal flights e.g.. Bordeaux to Paris 32 Euros.
I personally use the tram system here to go into the City (Bordeaux) I drive to a park and ride station..... about 20 mins ..... return ticket 3 Euros ....parking included, and the 3 Euros covers any passengers too .... each get a return ticket which is valid for an hour, so an onward journey can be taken either on another tram or a bus ... The service is excellent with a tram every 8 minutes.
Taxation is a little difficult for me to comment on, apart from local taxes such as council tax. We retired here 18 years ago (hubby was 47 at the time. and took an offer we would have been foolish to refuse - ) we already owned the house here which we'd used for holidays for 4 years. Our income is taxed in the UK. The income tax system here is quite involved, but each person is taxed in their own right then different allowance made to couples, for children, depending on age, and of course income. Quoting from our rural situation ..... our own 'council tax' was in 2010
One 5th of that we were paying in our rural situation in the UK before the end of July 1993 and includes weekly, and TV licence.
Health care is second to none. On arrival in France 1993 we had a private health care cover with a UK company. In 2000 we were obliged to join the French health system, and obtained our ‘Carte Vital’ …. we paid a percentage of our income, which was considerably less that the private health cover ! Once I became eligible for a UK state pension in 2008 we ceased to pay as the reciprocal agreement with the UK came into force. Like most people here, we have a Complimentary Insurance (Top Up) ..... so for example ... a fee is paid for a visit to the GP .....you present the GP with the carte Vitale .which he inserts into his computer; the health service (CPAM) refund a percentage of that fee automatically to your bank account, , and the top up pays the rest. A top up is designed to your requirement, the more cover you want e.g. ..... GP, pharmacy, dentist, opticians etc. ..... obviously the more expensive it is, but the choice is yours.
This system applies at the pharmacy; in general you ‘register’ with a pharmacy, thus using the same one, the ‘reimbursement’ from the CPAM is deducted and either you or the Top Up pays the balance, You have a card for the Top Up as well. We have just signed up for a system within the Pharmacies throughout France, whereby if you are on holiday and have a health problem your medication details are on record on the pharmacy computer system, accessible with your Carte Vitale. Useful if you lose or forget any medication !!
A level of Surgeons fees are set by the CPAM ..... and they reimburse that fee ..... if the surgeons fee is higher than this level, then the Top Up make that up. So, the minimum you want from a Top Up is surgery fee cover. Hospital patients are usually in an individual room, the maximum (perhaps a in very busy department) is two patients, with bathroom. Food of course is included, TV's are payable at 2 Euros per day. Our GP is about 3 kms away, he answers his own telephone, no receptionist, his surgery is at his home, you turn up and wait ... he has an open morning surgery .... appointments in the afternoon .... Thursday is his home visit day .. he is always available at the end of the 'phone. Ambulances are on the whole privately run, reimbursed by the CPAM .... but for any emergency the paramedics are the ones to call and these are part of the general emergency services on a two digit number.
Welfare system; follow up home / or home care is put in place by the hospital and/or the GP concerned . As part of the welfare system there are transport tickets available (2 Euros per ticket) for elderly (over 65’s) or infirm or people living alone …. These can be used for hospital visits, shopping etc. The state pension age, for men and women, is 60 at the moment, this will increase in 2018 to 62. Home help, meals and wheels etc are all available, they are subject to payment, but again can be covered either by the CPAm or Top Up.
We have seen many changes over the years, as the country has flourished. Motorways are subject to charge, unless there is no alternative national route. Rail routes are available to many village areas. School buses are plenty. There is no road tax for private vehicle owners. Walk around any car park and you will find that at least 90 of the cars are French made.
Overall, the French pay for their services, they expect service and they get it.
That gives a brief
idea of the things you mention. I would stress, we didn’t move to ‘escape’ the UK ; We owned our property already, had travelled backwards and forwards as often as possible for four years and had built up a knowledge of the area and culture, made French friends (who have been added to over the years) . My ill health in the UK (chronic asthmatic) was deteriorating at a pace. We were aware that in a warmer/dryer climate I had no problems at all, and on our first visit to France in the 1970’s I knew I could live here, our decision to buy was therefore made easier, as was our decision, and ability, to move a lot sooner than originally anticipated . We decided that we had to give it 5 years, moving countries is not like holidaying, and 18 years later we have no regrets. I do not use any asthma medication (or any other for that matter) at all, which has been a new lease of life for me. We are, by choice, well integrated into French life with some superb near neighbours. We are in contact with only two English couples, one lives 20 kms away and the other 2 hours away. French is fast becoming a first language, and through that ability we have achieved a quality of life that suits us very well. I would never pretend that it is utopia, of course there are social problems; we are retired, self supporting and living in a rural situation and therefore shielded from any trials and tribulations that might affect the ‘banlieus ‘ (suburbs) of the big cities.
Well, you did ask
I hope I haven’t bore you all
