France Made Simple

One of the things that comes up time and time again when I’m chatting to people about moving to France or even just visiting, is speaking the language. You can’t really make the most of everything that France has to offer unless you speak French but becoming fluent can be a challenge. Immersion is one of the best ways to develop your confidence and your vocabulary - fast!But finding well run and interesting courses isn’t easy. So I’m delighted to be chatting to Patricia who has come up with a great solution. The all inclusive three week program is a very reasonably priced and for a limited time she’s offering a promotional rate of just 1850€.There’s even an extra 10% discount if you mention the podcast- valid for 30 days! Enjoy or as we say here, Profitez bien!3-weeks-program-2026Bienvenue à Rennes – Support for International Studentscontact@bienvenuearennes.com+33 07 74 18 17 02

In this episode I’m talking about 5 reasons why you need to move to France. Although I actually ended up with seven - without even trying too hard!If you are thinking about moving to France or even just planning a holiday here, hopefully, this short episode will enthuse and inspire you.As always please keep your suggestions and comments coming. I love getting your feedback!

In this episode I’m talking to Paul Robson, a France based UK chartered accountant who understands both systems. And…can explain what to do and not what to do in an idiot proof manner. Which is exactly what I need when it comes to anything related to money and finances!Hopefully it will prove helpful to lots of you lot too.You can get in touch with Paul directly via email advice@houxservices.fr or take a look at his site www.houxservices.eu and if you contact him within the next 30 days and mention the podcast, you’ll get a 10% discount off the first set of any fees should you go ahead and use his services!

I hope you enjoy this short episode. It’s by popular request so to speak…!Plus, I thought it was probably about time that I gave you, my lovely listeners, a bit of background and explain why I podcast about life in France.I really hope that you all enjoy listening and do keep sending your questions in. I absolutely love getting them.Have a lovely weekend everybody!Cat x

In this episode we’re talking about how to go about your French tax return. And honestly, it’s really not that bad!First off - here’s the link to the FREE tickets for the French Property show this weekendThen here are the useful links I mention in the show :Here’s the link that shows WHEN you need to file - https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/simulateur/calcul/DeclarationImpotsHere’s the simulator - https://www.impots.gouv.fr/simulateursHere’s the tax information hotline number - 0809 401 401

Buying a property in France can be a minefield and stressful to boot. Apart from anything else, the system is simply not the same and this can be hugely frustrating. This is especially true if you come to it from a North American perspective and trying to persuade a seller to accept your hard earned cash can seem like an uphill battle. And that’s if you’ve even got past the “incompetent agent” stage!But never fear, this week we’re talking to a property finder, Paul Simper who specialises in tracking down the perfect property for you AND making the process as stress free as possible. If you are even thinking about buying in France, you should definitely give this one a listen and if you’d like to know more you can get in touch directly :www.luxurybuyersagentfrance.comM: +33 (0)7 69 40 01 20    O: +33 (0)5 47 66 21 81UK: +44 (0)77 99 07 28 02paul@luxurybuyersagentfrance.com

In this episode we’re looking at all the different options you have when eating out in France. From the humble ‘menu du jour’ to Michelin starred restaurants, France has something for everyone and every budget!Listen in and make sure you get the most out of your French dining experience.Here are the sites I mention in the podcast:Les Routiers https://www.relais-routiers.com/Flunch https://www.flunch.fr/Crescendo https://www.crescendo-restauration.fr/Michelin https://guide.michelin.com/fr/enAnd don’t forget you can get your free tickets for the French property show here :https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-french-property-exhibition-london-2026-tickets-1590912625489?aff=survivefrance

I thought it would be nice to start the New Year with a bit of positivity! This mini episode is my personal take on what you need to do to get the most out of your time in France.The advice applies whether you’ve been here for ages, have recently landed or are simply toying with the idea. And actually it applies even if you have no intention of moving to France! 😂And… I’m also talking about the amazing French Property exhibition held in London at the end of January.You can get your get your FREE tickets here :https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-french-property-exhibition-london-2026-tickets-1590912625489

To get you into the Christmas spirit I’ve devised a little Christmas quiz, so that you can see just how French you have become!Enjoy and bonnes fêtes to one and all!

A very short video where I explain a bit about the Survive France website and reveal what it can do for you!

The French are well known for their love of debate and discussion!And in this episode I’m talking about the subjects they love to discuss. And no, it’s not just food - although obviously that is a major topic1Give it a listen and tell me which are the ‘hot topics’ that you’ve noticed coming up time and time again?

In this episode we run through everything that you need to put onto your “Renovation Checklist”!Making a list like this when you’re viewing a property and before you sign on the dotted line, will help avoid making an expensive mistake. Or at least, give you an informed idea of what you’re letting yourself in for!I’m also talking about the French Property Exhibition being held in London at the end of January 2026. It is a ‘must’ for anyone considering buying in France and you can get FREE tickets here :https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-french-property-exhibition-london-2026-tickets-1590912625489?aff=survivefrance

Renovating in France can be super stressful and spiralling costs only add to that stress.In this episode we look at ways to keep a handle on your budget and make sure that you know what you are in for (in terms of cost at least!) before work begins.Joking aside, making sure that you don’t blow the budget simply because you have forgotten about a key element (and it can happen, trust me…), is something that happens all too often. This episode will reveal everything you need to consider when calculating your budget for a renovation project in France.And if you need to move money around to fund it, don’t forget our recommended currency exchange partners Lumon. They might not be able to help with the actual renovating but at least your currency transfers will be stress free!https://www.lumonpay.com/partners/survive-france/?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=Regional%20Associate&utm_campaign=Survive%20France

The episode is a short one but I’m covering an important subject for anyone thinking about moving to France. And if you’re already here you will know EXACTLY what I’m talking about!I’m talking about, for want of a better word, charlatans. That group of people who move over here and try to make a living from exploiting others - listen in so you know what, or who (!) to avoid.

This one is by popular request and I was delighted to be asked to talk about one of my favourite subjects - horses!Now I know not everyone moving to France will be planning to keep horses but a lot of people might be planning some type of small scale (or otherwise) agricultural activity and lots of the stuff I cover will apply.As I mention in the podcast - this is very much an overview (as always!) as it’s a huge subject - so if you have any specific questions, please do get in touch. And I will do my very best to answer them.Useful links:Equine import regulations - https://www.ifce.fr/ifce/sire-demarches/au-cours-de-la-vie-du-cheval/importation/Find a riding club / get a licence / find out all you need to know about competing in France - https://www.ffe.com/Declare keeping your equines - https://www.ifce.fr/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/SIRE-Fiche-Detenteur.pdfAnd if you want my farrier’s number - ping me a message!

In this episode I’m chatting to writer and film director Dave Hall about his first feature film, Passing Through;  an English-language family drama shot in and around the town of Agde in Languedoc. It tells the story of an Australian couple who have just moved there to start a new life together. It's just been released on Prime Video in the UK, after winning awards at various festivals and is due to be released soon in France and the US, on Prime Video and Disney+, dates TBC.You can watch here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FR4YPZJ4/There is a press release at www.davidwalterhall.com/press-release/amazon-prime-uk or you can watch the trailer at www.passingthroughmovie.com.

The most complicated part of moving your stuff here used to be packing the boxes and making sure they were all labelled correctly.Not any more!Thanks to changing regulations there are all sorts of hoops to jump through.But fear not! Here at France Made Simple we’ve got you covered. Listen in and you’ll find out how Moving To France Made Simple actually works 😉I really hope this is helpful and if anything isn’t clear, please do message me on Insta / Facebook or just leave a comment on the podcast. Enjoy!And here are the useful links as promised!Cerfa form 10070 https://www.formulaires.service-public.fr/gf/showFormulaireSignaletiqueConsulter.do?numCerfa=10070And useful info from the French customs official site:https://www.douane.gouv.fr/dossier/trouble-free-travel-french-customs 

If you’re in France you’ve probably noticed that the cost of living seems to be on a permanent upwards trend 😢And if like me, you’re struggling on a low income, you’re probably always looking for ways to trim your outgoings.Sadly I don’t have a magic wand or even a failsafe solution but, I do have a lot of experience of living cheaply but well. After all, life is for living and there’s nothing more miserable than worrying about every last centime. equally there’s nothing more stressful than wondering how you are going to pay the bills.In this episode I run through some of my tried and trusted money saving hacks for life in France.

These days many of the people who are moving to France do so hoping to make a big lifestyle shift. And very often, this involves some level of sustainable and even, off-grid living. You can do this simply and cheaply and you don’t have to go the whole hog. Making just a few small changes to the way you live and consume can have a big impact on your quality of life. and your budget!In this episode we run through some of the things you can do to live a more sustainable lifestyle and explain how to go about it when you move to France.

In this episode I catch up with Tom Marron from Blevins Franks who explains (in words of one syllable, so perfect for someone like me…!) how French inheritance laws differ.And what you need to know and eventually do, so that you don’t get caught out. And of course, so that no one pays any more tax than they need to!If you’re moving to France, planning to move to France or already living in France, this episode is essential listening.Estate planning isn’t a particularly sexy subject but it’s vitally important!If you’ve got questions after listening to the podcast, you can get in touch with Tom via email : thomas.marron@blevinsfranks.com  or Whatsapp : 0614246129