France Made Simple

Is France still affordable in 2026 and what should you budget if you’re planning to move in 2027?
Well, affordable for whom? Living where? And doing what?
In this episode of France Made Simple, I’m looking beyond bargain properties and inexpensive wine to explore what everyday life in France actually costs. From heating a large house to running a second car, paying for healthcare and visiting family back home, it’s often the less glamorous expenses that decide whether the sums work.
Drawing on my own experiences (including buying rather more house than was sensible!), discussing:
• Renting versus owning, and why neither tells the whole story.
• How a cheaper rural property can mean higher everyday costs.
• Food shopping, eating out and budgeting for your actual habits.
• Healthcare, insurance, property taxes and the bills people forget.
• Earning in pounds or dollars while spending in euros.
• Illustrative monthly budgets for a couple renting or owning outright.
• Why your first year needs a separate budget.
France can still offer good value. The trick is working out whether you can afford the life you actually want here—with enough left over for when the washing machine packs up.
The household budgets discussed are invented examples, not official averages or estimates for your circumstances.

With thanks to our sponsors, Fab French Insurance

Moving to France isn’t all paperwork, language struggles and worrying about money. Sometimes it’s homemade ratatouille, freshly caught sea bass and a dog running around the bay lit up like a Christmas tree.
In this episode of France Made Simple, I’m celebrating some of the everyday pleasures that make life here so rewarding. From growing our own vegetables and preserving the harvest to fishing in the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, I share how we’ve been enjoying the outdoors and cutting our supermarket spending along the way.
There’s also the story of the remarkably persistent gendarmes who finally persuaded me to exchange my British driving licence (including the one who arrived at my door with a single sheet of printer paper!)and a chat about finding the confidence to speak French, mistakes and all.
An honest, occasionally muddy look at the good life in France, with plenty of laughter along the way.
Enjoyed the episode? Please follow, leave a rating or review, and share it with someone dreaming of a life in France.

That gorgeous French farmhouse looks perfect online. But what can you actually do with it? And what’s happening in the field next door?
This week, I’m joined by Philip, the software engineer behind French House Check, a tool designed to bring scattered property information together into a plain-English report.
We talk planning restrictions, agricultural land, flood risks, septic tanks, energy efficiency and why a beautiful listing only tells you part of the story. Philip explains how his own search for a renovation project led him down a rabbit hole of French government websites, and inspired him to make the process easier for other house hunters.
Having bought a few properties I probably shouldn’t have, I know how useful it is to ask the right questions early. If you’re buying in France, planning a viewing trip or selling a property, this episode will give you plenty to think about.

Find Philip at https://frenchhousecheck.com.
Or email him - reports@frenchhouse-check.com
With thanks to our sponsors, Fab French Insurance.

That beautiful stone house might come with stunning views. But how far is the school, how much will it cost to heat, and are you about to become a full-time taxi service for your children?This week, I’m joined by my friend Natasha, who moved from Croydon to Normandy with three children aged thirteen, eleven and seven. We talk honestly about moving with older children, finding supportive schools, making friends and building a working life in France.There’s also rural isolation, freezing houses, teenage soirées involving raclette machines, and the peculiar expat competition over who’s lived here longest.If you’re planning a move, this is a reminder to look beyond the lovely property and think about the everyday life you actually want. As Natasha puts it: you can’t live off a view.With thanks to our sponsors, Fab French Insurance.And you can get in touch with Natasha here:https://ournormandylife.com/category/our-business-life/www.ournormandylife.comOr on Facebook :https://www.facebook.com/share/19nrgAbYYU/Or follow her on Instagram :https://www.instagram.com/ournormandylife?psln=NGFua2tydzR2dDZ3

Need a French bank account but already stuck on the proof-of-address problem? Welcome to France.
In this episode of France Made Simple, I explain what new arrivals need to know about French banking, from opening an account and gathering the paperwork to understanding your RIB, direct debits and the difference between immediate and deferred debit cards.
We’ll look at traditional banks versus online options, fees to watch out for, moving money from overseas and why opening a French account doesn’t sort out your tax residence. And yes, we’ll talk about cheques. They’re still a thing here.
A practical, jargon-free guide to getting your banking organised, without assuming that what worked for somebody on Facebook will necessarily work for you.