Le French Blog - Expert Advice, Guides and Tips
Search the Blog by Category
Income Tax Return for 2022
Do you live in France and need to declare your income in France for the last year? If you were residing in France in 2022, you must complete and submit your annual tax return for income and gains made in that financial year.…
Best Resorts to Buy Ski Property in the French Alps
France is the leading ski destination for Brits, with around 10 million British tourists visiting this French Alpine region yearly. The Alps are renowned for their breathtaking beauty, world-class ski resorts, and a vast…
April Antics in the Southwest
Here is the latest piece from Beth in heart of rural France , dealing with a typical April so far with a wet and cooler spring this year, and a few ideas of events if you’re travelling or already live in this glorious…
French Income Tax
French rental income is always taxable in France, even if the landlord lives outside of France. To calculate the taxable income, actual property expenses are deducted from the total rental income. Deductible expenses include…
Reasons to Visit and Buy Property in Avignon
Avignon, once the Capital of the Christian world, still boasts an impressive architectural heritage that is now part of UNESCO World Heritage. Visitors flock from far and wide to discover the Palace of the Popes, the Pont…
The Love of Irish Tradition, Pubs, Folk Music and Ireland
This new blog post is all about Saint Patrick’s Day in France, and why the French love a pint a Guinness in a traditional pub with good music and company. Being a Patrick myself, I asked our reliable (and neutral)…
Bureaucracy and Prefectures, Merci France Services
We've recently posted about overdue improvements made by the French government services and online systems, which prompted us to think about those who are not online or live in rural areas of France . Most people will know…
How to Change Name or Surname In France?
If you’re wondering how to change your name in France, you’re not alone. This is a frequently asked question for owners of British passports and expats living in France . There are several reasons why someone…
Provençal Living in Vaucluse
Why you should consider buying a property in Vaucluse ? Considered the beating heart of Provence, Vaucluse is a French region known for its world-class heritage sites, beauty, food and culture. Capturing some of the most…
Paris à la Carte Service
Paris à la Carte is a dedicated property finder service for professionals and families wanting to purchase real estate in one of the most iconic and dynamic capital cities in the world. In 2022 Paris retained the…
Lyon à la Carte
Lyon has a population of 516,000 residents with an average age of just 37 years. It is the second university town in France counting 140,000 students learning in 37 different Universities and Campuses including 20,000 from…
Avignon à la Carte
Located in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region , the city of Avignon counts more than 91,700 residents. With it's gorgeous cobblestone lanes bordered by plane trees, it's numerous cultural…
How to Apply for French Citizenship with NATALI
There are more and more settled expats who have been living in France for a while, wanting to become French and are applying for ' la Nationalité Française ', post-Brexit. This can be a daunting and long process;…
Bordeaux à la Carte
If rental investment in Bordeaux is so interesting, it is largely thanks to its economic dynamism and diversity. Thanks to the excellent demographic development of the capital city of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region , Bordeaux's…
Tax Declaration for All Homeowners in France
Why all French property owners including those with second homes must complete a new form on the French tax website this year? And why it could be good news in the future. Anyone who owns a property in France - either a…
Follow the Steps of Emily in Paris, the City of Love
Following the release of the much-acclaimed Netflix TV series Emily in Paris , we have witnessed an increase in enquiries from Americans asking about the City of Love (and Light), and where to buy a home here. Valentine’s…
What is a Livret A Saving Account in France?
Livret A is a simple savings account with instant withdrawal access that's historically been very popular in France . It is a kind of on-demand , tax-free savings account similar to an ISA account in the UK. In September…
Top-Class Currency Transfer Service for France
Here at MFH we believe in team work and transparency. We didn't setup in business to charge for ad space or collect data to pass on to third parties, we enjoy keeping our clients happy and care about their privacy. We fully…
Buy à la Carte in Toulouse
Capital of the Occitanie region , Toulouse is home to more than 485,000 residents (intra-muros) and more than a million overall making it the fourth most populated city in France. Les Toulousains - the people of Toulouse…
Occitanie is the New Provence
If you are looking for a region brimming with culture, easy to reach, and beautiful beyond measure, Occitanie delivers in spades. Situated in the south of France, " Le Midi ", between the Mediterranean Sea and the…
Buy à la Carte in Montpellier
Montpellier is a young and vibrant city that attracts many people from various backgrounds, it is often called the "Paris of the South". A modern metropolis located in the Hérault department in Occitanie , it attracts…
Our Guide to Telephone Numbers and Area Codes
This new article is about phone numbers in beautiful France , all telephone numbers and how to use them. France uses a 10-digit system with the first two digits indicating a mobile phone, a non-geographic number or…
Buy à la Carte in Nice
Are you looking for a home in Nice or a property for investment on the Côte d'Azur but you are not able to be there or don't have the knowledge to carry out your project alone? Don't panic, whether for your second…
Angers à la Carte
Elected " best city to invest " by real estate specialist SeLoger in 2019, Angers is not lacking in assets. Angers stands out for the quality of its excellent inner city public transport system with trams and a large…
Guide for Australian Citizens Buying Property in France
This is our Essential Guide for Australian buyers wanting to buy property or invest in real estate in the main cities of France. We have witnessed increased interest from Australians looking to buy property in beautiful…
Buy à la Carte in Rennes
Rennes, a city that feels just right ... the capital of Brittany with more than 200,000 residents, Rennes is famous for its lively atmosphere while keeping alive old Breton traditions. If the Rennes real estate market is…
Learn about Ameli, the French Online Health Service
Ameli is an online platform for the Assurance Maladie , the health insurance system in France. The name Ameli is an acronym for 'assurance maladie en ligne ', meaning 'health insurance online'. A digital service has been…
Christmas Carols French Style
This month Beth shares a strange post Christmas holiday story and unusual tradition to kick start la nouvelle année on a high note. "Christmas carol singing in January? Unusual timing. Then again, all sorts of strange…
Brexit Guide for British Buyers
Now that the UK is out of the European Union, retiring, working, studying and travelling to France has become more complicated, and the same applies to buying property . To help you understand the main points post-Brexit,…
2022 Annual Market Report
The Notaires de France have published their annual market report for 2022 and the trends for the start of 2023 (for residential sales only, not commercial or business real estate). To summarise their report, 2022 will be…
Guide to the French Tax Foncieres and Taxe d'Habitation
Here are a few Q&As to learn about how Taxes Foncières and Taxes d'Habitation work for owners of property and real estate in France . If you own, rent, or have the right to occupy a property in France, you…
Learning French Language, the Linguistic Dilemma
This month Beth shares her experience of learning and improving her spoken French, but despite all the best intentions and tools available, this is usually not as easy as it should be... It's never too late to learn a language…
Our French Chateau Escape from Everyday American Life
Following on from Sharon's chateau story , this week's article is from a couple of happy France-loving American customers who secured their dream chateau in Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes this year. Their love of…
Compulsory Boiler Service and Thermostat Check
Here's some property news concerning all owners of French property, expats living in France and future buyers. There are new rules coming into place to improve boiler efficiency, this is part of the winters energy saving…
How to Manage your Paris Apartment from Abroad?
In our previous post, we spoke about the challenges of finding reliable service providers for the renovation of your property in France . This is made more difficult if you are not there day to day and need to manage everything…
