Property, people and practical France
France,
examined.
A source-led journal for people making serious decisions about moving, buying, renovating, financing and living in France.
Lead report
VLS-TS Arrival Guide: Your First Months in France
A comprehensive guide to the mandatory administrative steps you must take after arriving in France with a VLS-TS, including visa validation, healthcare registration, and driving licence exchange.
Relocation · 20 July 2026
The desks
Five ways into the French transition
01
Relocation
Visas, residency, administration, healthcare, education, and the practical work of moving to France.
02
Property
French property markets, buying processes, legal context, locations, and ownership decisions.
03
Renovation
Planning, construction, energy performance, trades, budgets, and the realities of restoring homes in France.
04
Finance
Cross-border money, taxation, banking, mortgages, market indicators, and financial administration.
05
Life in France
Regions, culture, public services, transport, community, and the lived experience of making France home.
Flagship decision guides
Start with the whole decision.
Five primary-source dossiers connect the official rules, practical checks, professional boundaries and detailed reporting for each stage of a transition to France.
Open all five guidesRelocation dossier
Relocation to France: The Essential Decision Guide
Read the guideProperty dossier
Buying Property in France: The Complete Decision Guide
Read the guideRenovation dossier
Renovation in France: The Complete Decision Guide
Read the guideFinance dossier
French Property Finance and Taxation: The Complete Decision Guide
Read the guideLife in France dossier
Life in France: The First 90 Days Decision Guide
Read the guideOriginal planning tools
Turn the reporting into a working plan.
Use a source-linked checklist and your own euro figures without creating an account or submitting personal details.
Latest reporting
Latest reports
Topic pathways
Build your France decision file
Move from a broad question to the relevant official rules, practical checks and professional conversations through five connected editorial desks.
Relocation
4 reportsVLS-TS Arrival Guide: Essential Administrative Steps for Your First Months in France20 July 2026Mastering the Schengen 90/180 Rule: How the Rolling Window Actually Works20 July 2026Essential Documents to Gather Before Choosing Your French Relocation Route20 July 2026
View all Relocation Property
4 reportsFrench Property Due Diligence: Essential Checks by Asset Type20 July 2026How to Read a Copropriété Information Pack Before Committing in France20 July 2026Using Official Transaction Data Without Mistaking It for a Valuation20 July 2026
View all Property Renovation
4 reportsRenovation in France: How to Verify Your RGE Contractor and Protect Your Energy Aid20 July 2026Renovation in France: Permis de Construire or Déclaration Préalable?20 July 2026MaPrimeRénov’ for a Real Project: The Eligibility Questions to Answer Before Budgeting20 July 2026
View all Renovation Finance
4 reportsThe 183-Day Myth: Why French Tax Residence Is Not Decided by One Number Alone20 July 2026Understanding French Property Taxes: Taxe Foncière and Second-Home Taxe d'Habitation20 July 2026Demystifying French Property Acquisition Costs: Beyond the Notaire's Fee20 July 2026
View all Finance Life in France
4 reportsNavigating French Healthcare: Registration Routes by Status20 July 2026Navigating French Property Risks: A Guide to Official Heat, Drought, and Flood Alerts20 July 2026Driving in France: When to Keep or Exchange Your Foreign Licence20 July 2026
View all Life in France Research & Data Library
Methods before headlines.
Original indices and company-supported research are published with named sources, date ranges and methodology notes.
Open the library