Moving to Languedoc - Where? How? What paperwork?

Where to live?

If there’s a problem with moving to France, it’s the fact that relocators are spoiled for choice.

The largest country in western Europe, France is divided up into 22 regions; its land mass is more than double that of the UK. With a vast array of landscapes, three (count ‘em) coastlines, mountains, Mediterranean beaches, forest and farmland, it is still largely rural.

However, France is also dotted with busy cities like Montpellier, Marseille, Toulouse, Lyon and Lille. Served up with a dollop of ineffably Gallic chic, these metropolitan hubs are ideal for city slickers who fancy a taste of la vie en ville.

For anyone not sure quite where to start looking, Joe Laredo’s The Best Places to Buy a Home in France (published by Survival Books) is required reading (buy it here https://creme-de-languedoc.com/Languedoc/books-magazines-sites/).

Or you can take our word for it and plump for Languedoc!

It’s the world’s largest single wine-producing region, and with over 300 days of sunshine per annum and a coastline that stretches all the way from the Camargue down to the Spanish border, Languedoc-Roussillon has a lot going for it.

The region is well served by low-cost flights into Montpellier, Nîmes, Carcassonne, Perpignan, Béziers and (just over the Spanish border) Girona, and has a high-speed TGV train connection to Paris. It’s no surprise that a fair number of foreigners have already settled here.

Other parts of this site provide in-depth background about each and every aspect of Languedoc-Roussillon and its five constituent departments. To start drilling down to the detail, check out the “Where’s hot and where’s not” pages by clicking here.

Fitting in: how to integrate

According to Patricia Mansfield-Devine’s “Living in France”, there are thought to be about 300,000 Brits living in France on a permanent basis, and another 200,000 are estimated to own holiday homes there.

Languedoc-Roussillon has its faire share of English-speakers too. If you’re concerned about being to meet and socialise with your fellow countrymen when in Languedoc, relax: visit the Crème de Languedoc Forum pages (click here https://creme-de-languedoc.com/board/) to find details of anglophone clubs, associations, mother and baby groups and the like.

While most Brits moving to Languedoc hope to assimilate, some are more successful than others.

Face the facts. To work in France, you need to understand the new language, culture and environment, and possess the relevant qualifications. That’s quite a tall order, and possibly one of the reasons why so many anglophones end up self-employed (if you can’t get hired, become your own boss).

To live in France, you don’t have to understand the language, culture etcetera… but it certainly helps. See the “Before you move to Languedoc” pages in Relocating to France – le rêve et la réalité for hints on how to go about this.

A popular belief is that having young children or a French partner (or both!) will aid your integration into French society. This may indeed be so. However, it’s not very helpful for those of us who, for whatever reason, don’t boast the requisite offspring or Other Half.

If you don’t feel up to mastering the language, procreating or dating Johnny Foreigner, fear not: many Brits based in Languedoc (and other parts of France) settle for feeling accepted rather than integrated. See “After you move to Languedoc” for practical tips about fitting in and making friends.

Paperwork

Dull, but oh so essential. France is notorious for its paperwork, so ignore it at your peril. Here’s the low down on the red tape associated with relocating to Languedoc.

First, let’s reiterate what we’ve said before: there is no longer an EU requirement for you to obtain a residency permit (Carte de Séjour) if you’re an EU citizen (if you want to read up on the detail, and your French is up to it, see www.service-public.fr under the section Etrangers en France).

If you’re asked for ID, simply produce your passport. A French driving licence would do just as well (or any other document that has your address and photo).

If any of your family members is not an EU citizen, different residency rules apply and they are legally required to obtain a residency permit. Contact the relevant embassy for full details (find foreign embassies in France at www.embassyworld.com).

If you live legally in France for a continuous period (holidays abroad don’t matter) of five years, you’re entitled to an automatic right of residency – as are all your family members (even if they are not EU citizens).

So much for residency permits: read on for a briefing on the other, essential paperwork you’ll encounter if you move to France.