WHY RETIRE TO FRANCE?

Because it has some of the most wonderfully varied scenery in Europe from the ski slopes of the Alps to the surfing beaches of Aquitaine and between them, forests and plains, fast rivers and sleepy canals, a wealth of medieval towns and villages and magnificent cathedrals under a sun that shines for three hundred days a year over much of the country.

And because everything in France, even its commercial life, is arranged to allow the pursuit of style and pleasure. France is not an experience, it is a lifestyle.

But if you intend to make your home in France and take advantage the French way of life you must learn the language before you leave the UK and continue lessons there. If you do not you will be excluded from everyday life whereas an attempt to speak French - however poor your vocabulary and terrible your accent - will be appreciated.

Visitors or residents who cannot or will not make the effort to speak French should not be surprised if French people do not make an effort to accommodate them.

To stay in France for longer than 90 days in succession you will need a residence permit of which there are two kinds.

A carte de séjour or short-stay residence permit is supposedly only necessary for people from outside the EU but the law is ambiguous and it's a good idea to check with the departmental prefecture of the area in which you plan to live to see if they insist upon it as you can be fined up to €1,500 for failing to apply for one.

Whether or not you need a carte de séjour you will still need to prove you can adequately support yourself financially and have private health insurance or that you qualify for state health benefits. It becomes automatically invalid if you spend over six months out of the country.

No- EU retirees intending to stay in France for longer than 90 days must obtain a long-stay visa - visa de long séjour - before arriving in France and must apply for a residence permit within a week of arrival. These are temporary and must be renewed each year.

Once you've lived in France for five years you can apply for a carte de resident providing you are practising a profession or have adequate finances to support yourself and dependents. You must also be able to demonstrate a commitment to living in France for a considerable time and that you have sufficient knowledge of the language and constitution.

EU retirees who are eligible for a state pension can continue to receive it in France and are entitled to the same health benefits as French retirees although any tax-free lump sums from a pension fund will be regarded as taxable income in France. Americans who retire to France can get their pensions and other benefits through the social security department of the American Embassy in Paris.

WHERE?

If you are intending to be a semi-permanent or permanent resident in France on retirement think long-term both in practical terms and from the point of view of investment.

While some areas of France such as the Côte d'Azur have enjoyed spectacular growth in the value of property, and property in general is currently increasing in value faster than inflation, it would be unwise to expect a quick profit. The fees involved in buying are high - up to 40% of the home's value - and this will have to be recouped from the resale as well as paying tax on capital gains.

However, a home which is accessible from your own country can provide you and your family and friends with rent-free holiday accommodation while increasing in value and there's the possibility of letting it when it is not being used to generate income.

And it's perfectly feasible to buy a property purely for investment - to achieve capital appreciation and a regular retirement income from letting. But look at the market, the areas and take advice from several different sources.

On the practical side, while rural properties offer great value and often come with large amounts of land try to anticipate the problems of maintaining it when you are less active or living in an isolated area without regular public transport if you develop mobility problems.

For details of Social Security Benefits in France, Health Insurance and other aspects of living in France look at Buying a Home in France or Living and Working in France, published by Survival Books.

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