If you’re looking for an expat guidebook, perhaps this will help. Moving to France is like any other move. You have to pack up your stuff to get there.
In my case, that means getting rid of 40 years’ worth of stuff before I pack. I should have gotten rid of most things years ago. Instead, I’ve gone from place to place, schlepping all this with me. It went into storage if it didn’t fit in the new location. Today is a new day. Stuff isn’t as important as it used to be. It’s time to start fresh.
Moving to France looks like this.
Since I have to furnish the apartment in Uzès, I think a few things that will be useful are going with me. I’ll buy furniture and other items when I get there, probably second-hand, and sell them when I leave. I’ll be done with one storage place. (Down from 4!) Everything else is being sold.
Estate sale. Done!
A new home for Bentley
Sometimes, love means saying you’re sorry and moving on alone. Even though I could take my beloved labradoodle, Bentley, to Uzes (France loves dogs), I don’t think he would survive the journey. Bentley weighs 65 pounds, so he’d have to ride under the airplane along with the luggage for the long flight. He’s frightened by lightning, so noisy airplane sounds would scare him to death. It wouldn’t be fair to put him through the stress. He will live with my son and daughter-in-law, who have a Goldendoodle, Maddy. He’s been visiting with them since my trip to France and is happy as a clam.
Renting an apartment
As you remember, I cut my travel adventures short when I decided to move to France. Instead of exploring Barcelona, I returned to find an apartment in Uzès. As fate would have it, a perfect place in the center of the historic village became available for rent. I couldn’t believe my good fortune! The rental agent from the Fonzia agency spoke English well enough to lead me through the process. First, I had to open a bank French bank account. Then, I had to sign a 3-year lease, customary in France, and an insurance agreement for the apartment. (The lease can be broken anytime for various reasons, including relocation.)
I brought the legal materials home so my attorney could check the details. One crucial fact to know about renting in France, which is different from the US, is an “honorarium.” It’s a “finders fee” owed to the agency for handling the rental transaction, and it’s shared between the property owner and the renter. It’s pretty expensive. In fact, it cost more than a month’s rent for my share.
After the papers are all signed, I’ll inspect the apartment to ensure all is in order. Then it’s mine!
Getting a Visa
An extended stay visa is required for anyone from the US visiting France for more than 90 days. A US passport allows you to be there only 90 days every six months. With a long-stay visa, you can stay for 12 months. Getting a visa is easier said than done in SC. You have to go in person to the French Consulate in Atlanta to start the application process, which can take a minimum of 21 days to complete.
When I first investigated the consulate website, I discovered you can only make visa appointments through their online tool. The online calendar showed there were no appointments available until October. So I did what the website said not to do. I called the office. After I explained what I wanted to the lovely lady who answered the phone at the consulate, and I told her that I was planning to spend money in her wonderful country, she said she’d call me when there was a cancellation. I have an appointment on August 8.
The move
After sorting out my stuff, all that’s left for me to do is get back to Uzès. The timeframe for finishing the visa process is up in the air. But if it goes smoothly, I should be in France by early September. Stay tuned!
