@Jacob
I'm Irish, ( world's best passport
)* so no problems at all ( apart from France being like Mars ( bureaucracy gone mad ) as I've mentioned elsewhere ). Apart from some french who can't tell the difference between Irish and British ( mum was British ), or think that there isn't one.One guy in our village told me "the Irish and the English all vote for the queen, so it's the same country" ( he wasn't talking about Norn ) but some french tend to be a bit like some USains when it comes to geography.If they 've never travelled they have no idea outside of what they see on TV.
TV here at the moment is "wall to wall" investiture of Charles, telling everyone how all the Brits ( without exception are overjoyed ).SWMBO said to me today the entire local old folks home ( a very good one, waaay cheaper and nicer than the UK ones ) is waiting to see the live TV coverage.
I've actually spent more years here now than I did in the UK ( travelled a lot over the years as a kid RAF brat, and as an adult ( freelance artist designer ) before arriving in France, met SWMBO ), I have a registered business here, our adult ( 27 ) son was born here. If you make the effort here with the language, most people are helpful. I actually found the french more "open" when we lived on the Côte d'azur, here it can be more like being English in North Wales used to be, but the Brits in the centre of Brittany seem to make out OK. As my Breton neighbour Hérve says "if it wasn't for the British in the centre of Brittany, it would have died , especially the schools, without a school, a village dies".
Many Brits retired here and stayed despite Brexit, as as long as you can prove a certain income level ( I can look it up ) and are owner of where you live, and have health insurance, you can be resident.There are language requirements ( must be capable of basic conversational french, but I know many who are not ) , but these are relaxed for the over 60's. Most watch UK TV and so never learn enough french to really integrate... shame..
SWMBO used to look after a Scots guy ( Malcolm ) who was 10 years or so older than you, he had looked at the quality of care ( and cost ) in the UK and here, compared them, decided that he was much better off here, cost and quality of life.His children agreed when they came to see him. You could sell up in the UK and spend your "sunsets" between France and somewhere like Thailand ( for the sun ), and still have money to spare.
* I also have / had a UK passport, when Brexit happened ( I could see it coming since before I was last in the UK , I left in 87, not been back since, no desire to ) I didn't renew it, nor will I ever.
ps.I agree with BucksDad, I had a look around your site a while ago, very nice place you live in.I wish you luck with selling.You could down size and buy a smaller place there and a place in France with workshop space.That way no residency problems as you'd also have a UK address.
One thing here, what you'd think of as "exotic woods" the Sapeles etc are harder to find here unless you are a business, was talking with someone from UKW ( via pm and email ) who has retired to France about this.France has so much really nice native wood that unless you are in business as an ebeniste or similar it can be hard to find anyone who will sell you "non french native species" .Sawmills ( I have a mate who owns one ) tend to saw what grows here, as do wood yards.You can get non french native woods, but it is harder as the reps contact the registered businesses. The big DIY chains have 99% native species, No idea how timber prices compare now with the UK, UK used to be cheaper prior to Brexit ( especially sheet goods ) so most Brits brought wood with them.I don't do furniture construction , so can't compare. I tend to deal with tree surgeons, use reclaimed, or fell what I need.
Our local ( Brico-depot ) screwfix group, put a flyer in our letter box this week advertising a 2.10x 2.10 x 2.10 shed ( metal with wooden floor ) cost €649.oo..also pine for terrasse floors ( the striated stuff ) "green treated cat 4 ) €22.99 per sq metre packs of 3.60m x 14.4 cm x 27mm.I would n't buy the stuff, but it gives an indicator of DIY prices..
I'm Irish, ( world's best passport
)* so no problems at all ( apart from France being like Mars ( bureaucracy gone mad ) as I've mentioned elsewhere ). Apart from some french who can't tell the difference between Irish and British ( mum was British ), or think that there isn't one.One guy in our village told me "the Irish and the English all vote for the queen, so it's the same country" ( he wasn't talking about Norn ) but some french tend to be a bit like some USains when it comes to geography.If they 've never travelled they have no idea outside of what they see on TV.TV here at the moment is "wall to wall" investiture of Charles, telling everyone how all the Brits ( without exception are overjoyed ).SWMBO said to me today the entire local old folks home ( a very good one, waaay cheaper and nicer than the UK ones ) is waiting to see the live TV coverage.
I've actually spent more years here now than I did in the UK ( travelled a lot over the years as a kid RAF brat, and as an adult ( freelance artist designer ) before arriving in France, met SWMBO ), I have a registered business here, our adult ( 27 ) son was born here. If you make the effort here with the language, most people are helpful. I actually found the french more "open" when we lived on the Côte d'azur, here it can be more like being English in North Wales used to be, but the Brits in the centre of Brittany seem to make out OK. As my Breton neighbour Hérve says "if it wasn't for the British in the centre of Brittany, it would have died , especially the schools, without a school, a village dies".
Many Brits retired here and stayed despite Brexit, as as long as you can prove a certain income level ( I can look it up ) and are owner of where you live, and have health insurance, you can be resident.There are language requirements ( must be capable of basic conversational french, but I know many who are not ) , but these are relaxed for the over 60's. Most watch UK TV and so never learn enough french to really integrate... shame..
SWMBO used to look after a Scots guy ( Malcolm ) who was 10 years or so older than you, he had looked at the quality of care ( and cost ) in the UK and here, compared them, decided that he was much better off here, cost and quality of life.His children agreed when they came to see him. You could sell up in the UK and spend your "sunsets" between France and somewhere like Thailand ( for the sun ), and still have money to spare.
* I also have / had a UK passport, when Brexit happened ( I could see it coming since before I was last in the UK , I left in 87, not been back since, no desire to ) I didn't renew it, nor will I ever.
ps.I agree with BucksDad, I had a look around your site a while ago, very nice place you live in.I wish you luck with selling.You could down size and buy a smaller place there and a place in France with workshop space.That way no residency problems as you'd also have a UK address.
One thing here, what you'd think of as "exotic woods" the Sapeles etc are harder to find here unless you are a business, was talking with someone from UKW ( via pm and email ) who has retired to France about this.France has so much really nice native wood that unless you are in business as an ebeniste or similar it can be hard to find anyone who will sell you "non french native species" .Sawmills ( I have a mate who owns one ) tend to saw what grows here, as do wood yards.You can get non french native woods, but it is harder as the reps contact the registered businesses. The big DIY chains have 99% native species, No idea how timber prices compare now with the UK, UK used to be cheaper prior to Brexit ( especially sheet goods ) so most Brits brought wood with them.I don't do furniture construction , so can't compare. I tend to deal with tree surgeons, use reclaimed, or fell what I need.
Our local ( Brico-depot ) screwfix group, put a flyer in our letter box this week advertising a 2.10x 2.10 x 2.10 shed ( metal with wooden floor ) cost €649.oo..also pine for terrasse floors ( the striated stuff ) "green treated cat 4 ) €22.99 per sq metre packs of 3.60m x 14.4 cm x 27mm.I would n't buy the stuff, but it gives an indicator of DIY prices..
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