I wanted to share a list of words that I’ve compiled over the past few years that will definitely be helpful when buying real estate in France. I’ll update this list as I stumble upon new words. Enjoy!
French
Definition
À rafraîchir/ À revoir
Coming from an (real) estate agent, it could encompass many things. To be safe, the property will need renovation, but some existing materials are ok. Have a handyman on speed dial for your 2nd visit of the property!
Acte de propriété/authentique
The final deed to the property
arboré
Tree-lined or wooded (often used to describe a property with many trees).
assainissement
Water draining system
auvent
Awning
avec fort potentiel
Needs a home makeover (i.e., absolutely fresh paint, usually flooring is intact, but may require some attention in damaged spots, or electricity needs to be rewired, components of the house need renovation or simply rebuilt like a balcony or a terrace.)
Bail
Lease agreement
Bailleur
Landlord
Bibliothèque
Bookshelf
Bonne affaire
Bargain
Cave
Cellar or basement (often used for storage or wine cellars)
Charges comprises
Utilities included (e.g water, heating, garbage collection)
Charges non comprises
Utilities not included
Comble
Attic (often unfinished or used for storage)
Compromis
Engaging with a seller/buyer morally; you plan to proceed to buying or selling the property.
Cuisine américaine
A traditional or cozy kitchen style that gives into another living space. Features a large island and/or bar seating. (photo below)
Dépôt de garantie
Down payment
DPE (Diagnostic de Performance Énergétique)
Energy Performance Certificate (mandatory for property sales or rentals; rates the property’s energy efficiency from A to G)
Dressing
Walk-in closet
Écusson
signifies an area, usually snail-shaped, which was the old city center and filled with pedestrian cobblestone streets. Houses/apartments tend to have ancient stone walls, arches, and wood beams that might date to the medieval ages.
Enchères
Auction
État des lieux
A site-visit. The (real) estate agency charges a small, flat fee to do an inventory of fixtures and run-through the entire property to assess its condition. (First, when you move-in and again when you move-out.)
F1/P1
Same meaning for F or P; it denotes the number of rooms, not counting: bathrooms, laundry closets, screened-in porches, kitchens, mezzanines, etc. Usually composed of: living rooms/dens, bedrooms/guest rooms.
FAI
Frais d’agence inclus dans le prix. No extra fee to a realtor; price includes the fee.
Garant
Guarantor (someone who guarantees rent payment if the tenant cannot)
Honoraires
Agency fees (often paid by the seller). Required to be listed on the front page of the agent’s website.
L’eau grise
Sink, shower, washing machine, dishwasher water
Locataire
Tenant
L’orientation de l’appartement
The main direction the property is facing. (North, South,etc.)
Loyer
Rent
Mandat
Exclusive or non-exclusive contract to sell or rent a property.
Meublé
Furnished (property comes with furniture)
Non-meublé
Unfurnished (property does not include furniture)
Frais de notaire
The notary’s fee to officiate the signing of the final deed and read it to you will always be a percentage of the sale price ~ 7% or 8%. For drafting the compromis/ preliminary agreement ~EUR 500.
PaP
Particulier à particulier; for sale by owner.
Pallier
Landing
Petit débarras or un cagibi (pronounced KGB)
Broom closet
Piscine/jardin piscinable
Swimming pool. A swimming pool can be built in the existing garden. In France, a pool costs around EUR 35 000 to build.
Pool house
Pool house
Préavis
A notice which says to your landlord you’re moving out. 1 month before you plan to move out.
Propriétaire
Homeowner
Quittance de loyer
Rent invoice
Rénové
Renovated (property has been updated or modernized)
Expropriation
Eminent domain
Surface habitable
Living area (total floor space available for living, excluding walls, staircases, etc)
Tantième
Share of co-ownership (applies to apartments in co-owned buildings; determines voting rights and share of common charges)
Taxe d’habitation
Residence tax (previously paid by occupants, but being phased out for primary residences)
Taxe foncière
Property tax (paid annually by the property owner). For 100 m2 in Nîmes in 2025 ~ EUR 1 350 per year.
Un quartier très recherché
A sought-after neighborhood. In Nîmes, it would be the expensive neighborhoods like where La Maison Carrée is situated in Les Jardins de la Fontaine/Écusson neighborhood, think beautiful surroundings with ample green spaces.
Viager
Life annuity sale (buyer pays a lump sum + regular payments until the seller’s death).
I hear plenty of horror stories from Facebook, news articles or from youtubers of foreigners who weren’t able to crack the code. Whether it’s purchasing a little chateau, farmhouse in Dordogne, or a Hausmannian building, this guide will bring you closer to your goal of starting your new chapter abroad. In it, I’ll tell you how the French buy a house. For a summary skip here.
*Disclaimer, this blog post is updated as of January 2026.* The post assumes that you have lived in France for over a year, hence paid taxes in France.
Step 1: The Property Search, tips for scouting, & how agents operate
Plan as much as you can in advance, the housing market (as I write this) is not in the best shape and most houses will still be available when you arrive for your scouting trip. Also, learn as much history of the city as you can while also familiarizing yourself with the surrounding areas. Lastly, keep in mind each city has a website, and if you have any questions you can always contact us.
If your French isn’t top notch, I’d recommend, if possible, to find a chasseur immobilier (personalized property searcher) that speaks your language. We not only help you find listings, most importantly we foresee problems to make sure the deal happens. On top of that, we negotiate the price and serve as an interlocutor. And hiring us is simple. We draft a mandat de recherche. It’s a short document that says if we introduce you to the property, then we’re due a commission. Usually there is no additional fee as the commission is shared between the listing agent and the chasseur, but be wary some agencies might tack one on.
I’m here to provide this service and want you to feel safe with what is a major life decision. I’m someone who has made the move so I know how to manage the speed bumps along the way. When going from one language to another. Things will be lost in translation. A main pillar of doing the deal is a clear communication channel, so here are some terms used in l’immobilier that you will find useful.
Some things to point out: the (real) estate agents in France are generally paid by the seller as they are the ones who hire them. For the buyer, from the point the offer is accepted, your notaire will enter to draft the preliminary contract (compromis de vente). One of the reasons buyer’s agents aren’t as common is because the notaire will insure the deal is done in good faith and is an added protection for the buyer for an additional fee. Some agencies are able to draft them, but most delegate this part of the process to the notaire chosen by the buyer.
Going about it the French way/on your own makes it so you’re not tied to one agent. With translation apps and AI it makes it very possible to proceed without a chasseur immobilier, just make a prompt in your favorite AI along the lines of “les differences entre un achat immobilier en France par rapport aux USA“.
Frankly, agents are not a necessity (only 60% of deals are done with us ;))
You have access to (practically) all the listings online for free in France (here are mine). There isn’t a multiple listing service for agents. We sign a listing agreement (most of the time non-exclusive). It includes all the details of the house, including price and commission, etc. Then we post the info on sites most commonly used for finding properties like Le Bon Coin and Bienici. The equivalent in the US is Zillow, StreetEasy, etc. and Zoopla in London, 591 in Taiwan, etc. After publishing the listing, we receive messages directly from the potential buyer.
When you find your future home, verify a DPE has been conducted, termite diagnostic and asbestos too. Usually, they do the DPE before putting it on the market. As of 2021 it has been preordained that ads publish the score as it is illegal to let (be a landlord) a flat with a failing one. For example at the time of writing this post the lowest allowed is D, but remember that’s just concerning landlords.
Step 2: Visiting a Property – make a checklist
You have narrowed it down and have a list of viable properties that you unearthed from one of the major real estate sites in France (or found by your chasseur immobilier).
I suggest making a checklist and noting down the pros and cons during the visit, so that when you think it over, you won’t need to rely on memory. Be wary of the agent’s time. In France, you shouldn’t request more than 2-3 showings. Also with the notes, you can easily compare it with the other showings.
The second visit is normally done with an artisan(remodel expert) to see what work is to be involved and at what cost. Then you make an offer accordingly. EUR 10 000 – 20 000 less is a good rule of thumb.
Once you come to an agreement, you sign an offre ferme or a formal offer. It serves as a predecessor to the compromis de vente. It secures your agreement for a limited time (1 week) until you get in touch with your notaire.
Step 3: The notaire/compromis de vente (preliminary contract)
It is common for both buyer and seller to use the same notaire who may insist that you hire an interpreter, if they feel your French isn’t good enough as they have a legal duty to ensure that you know what you are signing. (long sentence, sorry)
Finding a notaire in my experience isn’t hard. If you don’t already have one in mind, then ask the seller for theirs. When they purchased the house they also needed one. You can ask them to put you in contact, so it’s more smooth. It is commonplace. Otherwise, you can ask/call around. I’ve noticed their buildings are blazened with a gold sign outside their office like this one (see below).
Plaque de notaire
They will request a slew of documents called a dossier de vente which will include the DPE (diagnostic performance énergétique). It’s essential to get eyes on this before getting too excited about the deal. The DPE grades your house based on its consumption of gas and electricity in relation to others in terms of efficiency. It will also give insight on the costs associated with heating/lighting up your future home. And remember, the grade of your house needs to be at least an E if you ever wish to rent it. If this looks good, then congratulations! You are through the hard part and ready to request an appointment to sign a preliminary contract.
The Rendez Vous Chez Le Notaire
It will take a little over an hour, longer if you are someone who likes to flip over every stone. At the end of this meeting, you will be charged a small fee, ~ EUR 500, payable by card. Afterwards, the notaire will explain to you your next steps. Deals will differ in this regard so listen up! My deal was contingent on a loan offer, so the down payment which is called la versement du dépôt de garantie, was to be posted at the time they received the offer. The buyers received it within 12 days and put 5% down. The amount shouldn’t matter, but I wouldn’t post less than 5-10%. Had they been denied the loan, they would’ve been given 2 months to find another bank. If you’re paying cash, then your deposit should be wired upon signing the preliminary contract.
Afer the meeting, a 10-day cooling-off period kicks off (your final chance to withdraw from the deal without penalty). The next step is you wait and see. Mainly, for the notaire to confirm there aren’t plans for the city to invoke eminent domain. In total, from the first to the second/last appointment, we waited 10 weeks! Note: the deal happened in the summer. Average wait times are around 8 weeks.
Step 4: Sign the acte de vente/l’acte authentique or Final Deed
The day starts off with the visite contradictoire at the property to make sure everything is in order (i.e. the seller has moved out and/or the furniture you requested remains). During this visit, it is necessary to record the gas and electricity meter at the time of ownership change.
Now onto the appointment, much of what is in the acte authentique or final deed was already discussed/agreed upon when signing the preliminary contract. The delay between the two appointments seem to be for moving, financing, and the dreaded possibility of eminent domain. The city has a month to decide to purchase the property voiding the sale. Finally, the handing over of keys is done and the payment of arrears (la taxe foncière1) will be calculated by the notaire.
Takeaways
Looking back, the deal was unofficially “a done deal” following the preliminary contract, we met at the house with a bottle of rosé and there wasn’t anything to deter the buyer or seller from withdrawing. You could feel it, it was beautiful and the wine was delicious.
The whole buying process usually takes around 3 months from when you first visit the house to when you get the keys. Our deal took 3 and a half.
If you need housing for the short-term I’d advise to use services like Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com.
Purchasing a property can be straight forward. A mix of frustration and lack of professionalism can screech a deal to a halt, but I’m here to reassure you that it takes time. Some nuances don’t exist anywhere but here. My style is to always stay positive and work with what we know. In turn, making sure that your deal has the highest chance of closing and uncorking a bottle of rosé.
Passez une belle journée,
Chandler BELL
Real Estate Agent
chandler@lesterrassesimmobilier.fr
+1 423 488 1063
+33 7 89 05 64 06
RECAP
The Timeline of Buying a House in France in 2026
1️⃣ Property Search & Offer (1–… months)
Find a property, visit, and negotiate the price. Sign a compromis de vente (preliminary contract) with a 10-day cooling-off period.
2️⃣ Cooling-Off Period (10 days)
Buyer can withdraw without penalty within 10 days of signing the compromis. Buyer typically pays a deposit (dépôt de garantie, usually 5–10%) upon signing the compromis, held in escrow by the notaire.
3️⃣ Mortgage Application (1–2 months)
Apply for a mortgage (if needed) and receive a binding offer from the bank. Buyer has a 10-day reflection period before accepting the mortgage.
4️⃣ Notaire Due Diligence (1–2 months)
Notaire checks property title, liens, and legal status, including any risk of eminent domain (expropriation for public use) or local preemption rights. Seller provides required diagnostics (DPE, termites, asbestos, etc.).
5️⃣ Signing the Acte Authentique (Final Deed)
Buyer and seller sign the final deed at the notaire’s office. Buyer pays remaining funds (including notaires fees and taxes).
6️⃣ Keys Handover & Move-In
Buyer receives the keys immediately after signing. Property is officially transferred, and buyer can move in!
⏳ Total Time: ~3–6 months (Can be faster for cash buyers or slower if financing/legal issues arise.)
Note on Eminent Domain in France:
Called expropriation pour utilité publique, it allows the government to take private property for public projects (e.g., roads, schools). The notaire will check if the property is subject to any planned expropriation during due diligence.
La taxe foncière or Tax Foncier is the equivalent of UK rates and is paid annually in arrears by the owner of the property on 1 Jan, ↩︎
When considering the villages in the vicinity of Nîmes you are going to want to start with these: Caissargues, Manduel, Rodhilan, Calvisson, Caveirac, Marguerittes, which all have better value per square meter on average than Nîmes. Just a short drive straight from the French Rome on a widened 4-lane road that makes for a smooth ride on the modernized Via Domitia, now known as the route de Beaucaire.
Like in Nîmes, these villages will likely have ferias, with a lot less draw of a crowd. They often happen at the change of the season or during bank holidays. For those who aren’t familiar, you’re in for a treat. It’s your chance to meet and get a feel for the community and its locals in a festival atmosphere which normally involves a bull. My favorite part of this is the abrivado. You have to experience it at least once.
A passage is made about 15 to 20-feet wide (5 metres) and 3 football fields long and at each end is a horse trailer. One is filled with bulls and the other one empty. Here is where it gets sketchy. An audience accumulates along this passage. Each side is shielded by ‘gates’ but not your typical gate. These are designed to let you pass safely through and just wide enough to make a fat man squeeze. Introducing your contestants (drum roll) who has also the moniker as the crowd who are feeling brave and whimsical to pass through the barrier the day of.
Like I heard growing up in Kentucky/Tennessee – mess with the bull, and get the horns.
However, if you look closely enough you’ll see that the bull’s horns are shielded with cases to guard the gardian. He or she is the leader of the manade that raised the bull. His horse and band of farmhands escort the bull in a V-shape from one side to the other as youthful contestants sprint alongside trying their hand at manhandling the beast and if they’re lucky can have a moment to spar/wrestle the horns. The team on horseback are fitted in traditional flowery dress shirts and vests as they gallop sometimes at full speed down the street. Finally if all is done soundly the bulls are ushered into the trailer and tied down tight by their colleague positioned atop the trailer.
As they dazzle on the streets on their trusty steed, you might be asking yourself, isn’t this France? Yes, but not the France you learned about in High School. I’m no way a historian but geographically speaking Spain is not that far away, and I’ve met a fair share of Nîmois who have Spanish heritage. Next door to the Camargue which is where you will find the majority of manades, also largely contributes to the craze.
This is all part of the experience! Like the southern French accent you might not love it at first, should you stay however, you will become accustomed to it and learn to live with it. For newcomers who don’t see themselves getting into such events, beware mainly of the corrida. This is where you WILL certainly witness animals being harmed. Also, locals you meet will want to know where you stand on the issue, (i.e whether there is a place for it in today’s crazy world for bullfighting) and this might make for a dreadful, minefield of a convo. Most people I’ve met are generally against it and prefer events like the one below, the course camarguaise or like I mentioned above the abrivado.
course camarguaise
On to a lighter topic – the climate. I referenced Wikipedia for a comparison to Nîmes. Redessan receives less rainfall than Nîmes and there is less risk of flooding. Which could be one of the reasons property tax is lower. The downside like with most villages surrounding Nîmes, the capital of the department, they tend to be windier. With that in mind, the average temperatures remain lower which won’t add up to much after all as the summers are boiling!
Other fun facts : There is a changing of the guards for the mayor of Redessan. The sole candidate, as of writing this blogpost, for 2026 is a middle-aged, taxi driver who when asked about his project for change, he answered to install solar panels on public buildings. And if any of you are thinking about making the move with children, for middle school, your closest one is in Manduel.
The local economy lives by the vine, agricultural based : wine, abricots, olives, and peaches. The go-to eatery is Le relais de Canard from what I’m told it’s a cheap, great place to dine. Interestingly enough at Cureboussot, caddy-corner to the restaurant, there is a strip of land where an ancient Roman road marker used to sit. The artifact was relocated to be admired in front of the city hall in Manduel. Finding things to do in Redessan seems tough, like I mentioned most events take place in the 500-seat arena or at one of the many local sports clubs.
What I think you will find is missing from Redessan (apart from the UNESCO listed La Maison Carré), are the wonderful cafés and restaurants that fill les places and cannot be found anywhere but in Nîmes.
Finally, Redessan is home to its very own TGV station, called Nîmes Pont du Gard station. I had the pleasure of taking a OUIGO train from there to Paris. For those unfamiliar with OUIGO, it’s the low-cost, high-speed rail option. Ticket pricing varies like on the normal TGV service. But, you’ll find way better deals can be had (as low as EUR 16 tickets in the off-season!). The catch is you have to pack a snack/brown bag and water as there is no café car and for the best deals, consider arriving outside of big cities like Marne-La-Vallee (Disney) versus Gare de Lyon when traveling to Paris.
Thanks for reading and feel free to reach out at my email address, phone number or comments below! I’d be happy to learn more about your journey and answer any questions.
Hope you’re having an excellent summer. I wanted to share with you my new listing in Nîmes. It is the largest to-date at 135 m2 (1,450 sq ft).
But before I get to the rest of the photos, first some exciting news: my very first listing since I started in French real estate has successfully gone under contract (sous compromis)! I had the pleasure of representing both the buyers and sellers. On top of that, they were both French couples.
Key takeaway – most of the houses/condos in France are rich in history and the more you familiarize yourself with it the better.
That said, here are some more photos of the new condo for sale in downtown Nîmes.
Address: Rue du Chapitre
Size: 135 m2
Price: $467,824 ; EUR 405 000
Size: 135 m2 ; (EUR 3 000/m2)
Info: 2 bedrooms (1 large), living room, den, walk-in closet, high ceilings with wooden beams circa 17th century. Den receives excellent natural light (2 sides of exposure). A nook/office sits off the bedrooms. There are a mix of hardwood floors and tile throughout.
Surrounding points of interest include:
The Saint Castor Cathedral (circa the middle ages) surrounded by 3 places : La Place aux Herbes, La Place Bellecroix and La Place du Chapitre. The former features a contemporary fountain and a French garden which belongs to the conservatory of music though open to the public (pictured below). Here are some more photos.
Note: the location of the condo is indicated by the purple arrow.
Okay, so you’ve got your new French bank account and you’ve successfully transferred some of your dollars to euros. Time to celebrate—grab a drink, you deserve it!
Are you ready to find an apartment? The easiest way to find one in France, a country where the people tend to veer towards the low-tech side of things, is through word of mouth, ads at a bakery, etc.. Seriously, you should try it. Don’t be shy. People in the South are often more than willing to help you. I’d put them up against your run-of-the-mill real estate agency any day. That said, most random people will just point you towards the nearest immobilier agency/realtor but who knows you might just find a landlord within arm’s reach.
NETWORKING
Make a connection then you don’t need to worry. This would be an atout if you pull this off. If you are more internet savvy I recommend using PAP.fr as a starting place. PAP (or particulier à particulier) is the English equivalent of for sale by owner, but here in France it is used for rentals as well as sales. You’ll have direct access to hungry landlords who are searching for tenants for their apartments. I believe this is the quickest surest solution to what can be a David & Goliath battle. Plus, it would serve as an auspicious start for your new chapter abroad.
Going about it on your own
While you’re in this pre-search/search mode of your journey – it’s tempting to use this as a way to voyage through listings. Sorry to burst your bubble but you have no idea if these same listings are available to you. The elephant in the room is the infamous French landlord. Before determining viability or vibe-ability, will the owner even consider renting to a non-French person? The answer is likely not the one you want, Why? It’s fairly simple – the laws. I find France like New York in the sense that housing is regulated and most laws are slanted to help tenants.
Always remember too that you’re competing with the French renters/buyers, and to save you some time, try not be too picky when you start your search. If you can, up your budget a bit, settle for funky over new and sleek, next thing you know, voilà! a first flat with an interested landlord.
The dossierstandard for them includes : a contrat de travail (salaried worker contract, seasonal work, etc.), 3 recent pay stubs, last year’s taxes, and ID. The work contract is an essentiel layer of protection and it’s non-negotiable for lots of landlords. If you don’t have one of these 4 documents, it’s going to be a struggle competing with the field of prospective tenants.
I’ve learned working in sales at the end of the day everything is a numbers game. Think of the landlords as buyers and you are a stock. They would like the most information possible before investing in you. What speaks to them are the documents they are familiar with. I thought the number in my BoA account would hold more value. I was mistaken. It helped, but with my landlord, he wanted something that said I was here to work, simple as that.
Feel free to contact me, if you are unsure what to submit, and I’ll look it over with you. I specialize in selling but I’ve also been in your situation and am willing to do what I can.
I know what you’re thinking – isn’t there a shortcut to finding landlords who rent to expats/immigrants (a sort of green book for foreigners would be useful, huh?)
It is an idea that is worth pursuing. But for now, if you’re still looking for answers then I’m here to help as I have experienced the struggle of finding a place as a foreigner. It’s one of the reasons I changed careers from commercial to residential real estate – to help others in need.
Follow my blog to receive more info from an American licensed to sell/rent/manage French real estate. Our business ushers an international clientele to the door to their next Home Sweet Home in the south of France. Also, I’m constantly uncovering properties.
If you don’t see a listing that interests you, please let me know where you would like to be and I’d love to help you personally or by connecting you with a specialist in the area.
And if you don’t have one you’ll need an Attestation d’Hebergement2.
Choose bank
Justificatif de domicile in other words is a utility bill. Unlike in the states where it’s possible to use a variety of bills as proof of address, here in France this justificatif de domicile is really asking for your EDF (national energy provider) account with your name on it.
The French love their paperwork and if you’re in the position to change your mailing address for your US bank to your French adresse do it! It’s definitely not mandatory but will help make your case when you go to submit your paperwork.
The best way forward however is to have a native-French speaker accompany you on meeting your potential banker. The royal flush that will most definitely secure you an account. Not in the cards? Try striking a balance when communicating that you are serious, assertive yet not pushy.
EDF provides the justificatif de domicile to customers on-demand and can be accessed easily via their website.
Attestation d’Hebergement
But, let’s take a step back and say you aren’t an EDF customer yet. As a non-resident there’s the option of providing an attestation d’hebergement to serve as your justificatif de domicile. This will however involve another person – think of your current landlord or sublandlord that has already provided you accommodation. And if that’s not an option and you’re in Nîmes, contact me! This person will need to draft a letter saying you are staying with them and they will need to give you a copy of their passport/ID and utilities bill (EDF).
What’s a securité civile assurance?
Ok, so now you’re on your way to have your account finalized. Don’t be shocked if you are advised by your new banking rep to include their securité civile assurance as it’s illegal to not have one. You can account for ~EUR 50/year. Just so you know, it’s to protect you from the so-called hazards of life. Some classic examples, if your dog bites someone you’re covered for the victim’s medical expenses, or if you’re riding your bike and you hit someone, it’s covered.
Choosing a Bank – brick and mortar or mobile?
No matter which you choose in France they will charge you a fee to hold an account with them. It shouldn’t be more than EUR 5/month for debit, for credit ~ EUR 10/month.
Try the largest banks first – Crédit Agricole, Société Générale, BNP Paribas, Banque Populaire, Caisse d’Epargne, etc. Good Luck! There’s a likelihood the first bank might be reluctant to open one for you depending on your banker, keep at it and you will succeed.
For mobile banking, I recently helped an American/Indian couple open an account at Bunq. It took about a week to setup and all of the paperwork was done online.
If you want to discuss in more detail your new chapter in France or banking and real estate needs, feel free to give me a call, or email.
chandler@lesterrassesimmobilier.fr
+1 (423) 488 1063
+33 (0)7 89 05 64 06
EDF – the main provider of electricity in France, another large one is ENGIE. ↩︎
Attestation d’Hebergement – here is a template that I used to write mine. (link) ↩︎
Today, I’m sitting at the Museum of Roman Culture café, which has a perfect view of the world’s most well-preserved arena! There’s no feria1 on the docket for today so I started this week’s blog post. In it, we’ll discuss another battleground: how to choose your ideal landing spot among the many small cities in France, and eventually why I chose Nîmes.
The obvious choice for someone who doesn’t speak French is to head to the nation’s capital – Paris. Coming from New York, I decided that changing metropolis for metropolis wasn’t why I moved. My main goal was to learn the language quickly and cheaply. And surviving in a lesser known city as a first time immigrant was in hindsight the best way to do it. That brings me to the next point – affordability. Using ChatGPT or a Google search will uncover the top 10 cheapest places to live in France by price per square meter. A large difference between the US and France outside of cost of living is – France has countless small cities that are all unique.
Seeing other Americans is it good, bad, or both? It depends on you. Nîmes is very French, so you won’t have many run-ins with us. It’s difficult to put my finger on why it has not absorbed its fair share. Speaking from experience I’d take a typical exchange with les nimois over les parisians.
On the other hand, the diversity is uncanny in Nîmes and in general in cities spread across the south.
Moroccans, Algerians, and Brazilians to name a few nationalities that I’m meeting constantly in Nîmes, the expat community is ramped. It also consists of family members of foreign legionnaires (1,300 officers and legionnaires based in Nîmes). These families can come from anywhere, but I noticed lots of South Americans from my 4 years here. Next you have retirees from all over Europe and US/Canadians. Finally Ukrainians, Iranians and don’t forget West Africans, islanders from Mauritius, Madagascar, Tahiti, Martinique. The amount of implants made me freak for such a small city ,~ 150,000. Very refreshing as an American from a mid-sized city in the southeast.
Visit first! Before booking a short-term Airbnb/Booking/VRBO in your dream city.
My arrival in Nîmes wasn’t my first time visiting. I had vacationed here several years ago and saw its vibrant, touristy charm. Comparably, I was living in Tennessee and I found its size perfect. My hometown had twice the population and didn’t hold a flame to the amount of interesting features like film/music festivals, roman days week, and the previously mentioned Feria.
The city really left a lasting impression on me and so several years later when I started to search around the region for a base camp while searching for my forever home, it was an easy decision. Even more so as I had experienced NYC (Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Jersey). Where I learned more about myself in 6 years than I had the previous 20+ years on this earth – I prefer to not be on a first name basis with everyone and run into acquaintances everywhere you go. It goes without saying its size was my main concern. Subsequently the cost of living was too affordable to turn down.
Also, the location made it a no brainer. Near the sea, mountains, and TGV stations make it a two-stop train to Paris Gare de Lyon. My wife loves being near the sea, and what that entails – eating fresh fish and seafood on-demand. Just take a 5-minute stroll to the best wet market in the south of France- Les Halles de Nîmes (photo taken recently picking up some fish with my family visiting from Tennessee).
You could argue bigger cities like Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, Bordeau, Nice, etc. had more to offer on the culinary front but for what I saw in the market of Nîmes flabbergasted me and was ultimately what won me over.
The earth rotates differently today, everything does, but me I stay the same.
That said, why I chose Nîmes doesn’t have much to do with why I am here 4 years later. That comes with living here and meeting the people, watching it improve year after year yet still maintaining its boutique charm. The value compared to other southern cities remains very unrivaled.
Why not Montpellier?
My wife’s parents were still living there at the time of our move. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the region. Nîmes is not far from Montpellier about a 45-minute drive, close enough to visit every once and awhile. The two cities have a colored past time fighting at every turn for relevance in changing times. Today it seems Montpellier, given its population explosion either won, or lost sight of the goal. I’d argue Nîmes was able to maintain its charm while Montpellier wasn’t. Sorry in advance, as you can see I’m starting to have a little biasness come out while writing this.
Back to it – the main highlight for me wasn’t the life Montpellier had to offer, but its proximity to the sandy beach cities that are not overrun with tourists – Palavas-les-Flots and La Grande Motte to name a few.
As far as an expat community goes, it’s there but not overflowing if you get what I mean. Since the university takes up a chunk of the population you won’t have any problem finding language exchanges. Which for me was a struggle in Nîmes. I love the climate. Hotter the better. Mild winters that rarely, if ever, see snow.
People seem fairly open minded. Voting more left. As someone who is married to a Montpellieraine, I might be biased. But there are barriers when meeting new people, like most bigger cities. As it is an area that receives lots of tourism, people come and go, but I think once you’ve established that you’re there and staying, people seem more endearing, warm.
Some more fun facts about Montpellier.
The TGV station connects you to bigger cities like Paris, Lyon, and Marseille.
Microsoft and Ubisoft have offices there.
No subway, but a tramway that can make life a hell of a lot easier.
In the beginning I seeked to immerse myself in the culture in every way. I wanted to blend in. So when I came across Americans I initially tried to keep my distance and focus on my strict diet of being French. Of course I learned that this was short-sighted and seeing other Americans should have been warranted the opposite reaction.
This makes me think of a story. I saw an American lady at this very café that I’m writing this. She was checking out the arena, holding her phone in one hand and a glass of white wine in the other and speaking English. But the photo she was taking was actually pretty interesting. Here’s a recreation that she inspired me to do.
The moral of the story is that no matter where you land in France, you’ll find something to spark your interest and hopefully get your creative spirits flowing. Whether you like it or not, there will always be people, like this American lady who venture for what seems like trivial photo ops, and instead of gawking let’s spread positivity and who knows you might find a new cool perspective like I did. Plus, it’s another excuse to have a glass of Picpoul de Pinet, like you didn’t already need one.
Feria – an activity that occurs twice yearly (more if you’re a diehard) where the main boulevards/arteries of Nîmes become pedestrian filled with sangria and their stands, paella and gardianne de taureau (bull meat) (a plate that is similar to a boeuf bourguignon, served with rice). It’s a block party that lasts 4/5 days and nights with live music, bullfights, running with the bulls and lots of dancing to Gypsy Kings. ↩︎
American life in New York and French life in the south of France might not seem all that different at first glance. However, nothing can prepare you for the hardship of asking for legal status to live and work in another country.
My experience has been filled with challenges, learning experiences, and ultimately, immense rewards. In this blog, I share my personal story of navigating them. My aim is to merely entertain and add some perspective for those who have yet to decide if the Mediterranean lifestyle is worth it.
The French government is a behemoth of an administrative machine. I cannot stress enough that what you are about to read is my personal testament. If you are seriously interested in joining me, you need to guide yourself not by my anecdotal experience, but by an official French source. Even better would be the specific city’s prefecture’s website where you desire to set down your roots.
Pardon my French, Learn the language
Before you dig in, please know this: learning the language is incredibly important. It will not only allow you to ask insightful questions, but it will also strengthen your case throughout your integration process. My French was very limited, like Joey from Friends, which would have made things impossible. So, I started learning the language and, in the meantime, relied on my native French-speaking girlfriend for help.
Chapter 1: THE DECISION
I spent a magnificent second half of my 20s in New York City. I loved it there, but then the global pandemic hit. The uncertainty and the need to adjust to a new normal scared me. But, I wasn’t alone “more than 300,000 New Yorkers had bailed from the Big Apple” [New York Post, 2020]. The bars, great restaurants, movie theaters, and all sorts of businesses synonymous with the city were put into a kind of self-induced coma, told to wait and see. Off I went across the Hudson River to West New York, New Jersey. Looking out at the New York City skyline from there, it hit me: I really made the most of my time in NYC. It truly was ‘one hell of a town’. Now was an excellent time to chase down my dream of living life abroad and learning a new language.
So, I decided to start with a note (actual note below) of why a move to the south of France seemed realistic.
I couldn’t think of any reasons against it. And lucky me, I had a golden ticket in a legal way to live and work there through the nationality of my French girlfriend.
So I made an appointment at Le Consulat général de France à New York, located on 5th Ave in the Upper West Side to get Pacs’d.1
Surprisingly, that part was easier than expected. It helped that we had already been living together for five years and had the documentation to prove it (bills, plane tickets, vacation rentals, etc.).
At the same time, I scheduled an appointment to obtain a 12-month Long Stay Visa – residence permit (VLS-TS) at TLSContact, formerly known as VFS global. It’s like the DMV for expats.
CHAPTER 2: RED FLAGS
Once everything was sorted out, I arrived in France as a long-stay visitor in October 2021. Well on my way to begin my new chapter in France.
The year came and went, and I confidently went to open my laptop to apply for a status change from a tourist to a member of a family of a French national (or so I thought). First red flag, I couldn’t complete the change online and when compiling my dossier, I realized I didn’t properly validate my VLS-TS. So my OFII medical visit that I was hearing about online was never triggered, and also the civics class with free French lessons.
Second red flag, I was denied a status change. Which is not what I was told would happen in the blog. Third, fourth and fifth red flags followed: why was I still using a blog? I never double checked with the office that gatekeeps the whole process! And they would have said this wasn’t standard, according to them I should’ve just applied for the visa I wanted in the first place.
Although, the visa that I wanted (vie privée et familiale), you need to have been in France for a period longer than 3 months to qualify. But to be in France longer than 3 months, you need a long-stay visa. Hence the need for a status change. Anyway, back to the story.
CHAPTER 3: BOMBARDED
The prefecture appointment was scheduled for the very day my visa was set to expire. The appointment itself was entirely in French, and while I had picked up enough of the language to be dangerous, it turned out to be a small advantage. At the time, it felt like wasted effort. Being in that stressful situation, trying not to misspeak amidst the rapid-fire French and bureaucratic jargon, made it difficult to think clearly. I mostly just responded with “ok,” “d’accord,” and “oui, madame.” I was doing my best, but it didn’t feel sufficient.
I left that appointment feeling disappointed and, worse, uncertain about when or even if I’d be called back. For the next year, my girlfriend and I made calls and drafted emails, hoping that persistence would pay off.
CHAPTER 4: SQUEAKY WHEEL
Finally, I received another appointment at the préfecture – the one I had been waiting for, where I could again demonstrate my commitment and willingness to do whatever it took to live out my dream.
At the end of this second appointment, I was given a récépissé (a receipt for the visa application), which meant I was legally in the country again, out of legal limbo, and would eventually be able to work!
In the end, the entire delay lasted about a year and a half. During that time, staying optimistic wasn’t easy, though I tried to remain as active as possible. To this day, I’m not entirely sure about the reason for the delay, especially since my French was not very good. Besides the excuse of a COVID-related backlog, I vaguely remember the representative saying something that implied I was suspicious. I don’t recall the exact words, but it was something like, “tu as grillé le système” (you’ve burned the system).
My message to you : Try to LEARN THE LANGUAGE!
Bonus content:
In conclusion, being extremely clinical, like making spreadsheets to organize documents allowed me to feel ready and confident. That said, the hardest part of all of this was breaking the news to my coworkers/friends and family.
You don’t realize how much a decision like this affects others until you include them in the conversation. I learned the sooner you do the better. It will always go down as one of the biggest decisions made in my life. Was it hard? Yes, was it worth it? Yes!
You will find below the actual spreadsheet I used to organize everything from getting Pacs’d to a Visa.
Ciao ciao
Chandler
Disclaimer Again: This sheets is NOT to serve as the real GUIDE to your visa and Pacs, but to help get you started. All links are active at the time of writing this.
To be PACS’d is what we Americans call a civil union, however it is only recognized in France. ↩︎
Les Terrasses Immobilier 