Getting Ready for 2025!

PUT ON YOUR MASK AND COME TO THE NICE CARNAVAL!

From February 12th to March 2nd, 2025, the Côte d’Azur capital will vibrate to the rhythms of the “Roi des Océans,” or “King of Oceans.”

On the program for what the promoters call a “multi-generational event” is “Le Grand Charivari de Richelmi” (free) on Wednesday, February 12th, the “Bal Veglione” on Friday, February 14th, or the popular and free “La Carnavalina” day on Saturday, February 15th where the everyone is invited to gather in large numbers on Place Masséna to celebrate carnival traditions. Naturally, there are the traditional parades—the opening illuminated “corso” on February 15th at 8:30 p.m. is the main event, and that’s what the rush is for to get good seats. There are four additional illuminated night parades (February 18the, 22nd, 25th and March 1st), a daytime “Corso Carnavalesque” (February 23rd at 2:30 pm) and four daytime “Batailles de Fleurs” (Battle of the Flowers, February 19th, 22nd, 26th and March 1st).

The tickets went on sale for the Nice Carnaval last Wednesday. Almost immediately I got on the website to get two premier seats. With several years of experience attending the annual festival, I’ve learned from where to see the parade as best as possible. I like to be in Zone A, at the very heart of Place Masséna, facing west toward the large Ferris Wheel, from which you can see the parade turn into the Place from the south, pass right in front of you, and then turn out of the Place toward the west. With seats about midway up the bleachers, you can see both the action on the ground and the highlights of the floats at eye level. (People in full costume may enter the promenades free of charge [subject to availability] at all carnival promenades during all Corsi Carnivalesques.)

The Carnaval de Nice dates back to 1294, when Charles of Anjou, Count of Provence, described his visit for the “joyful days of Carnival.” In 1873, Andriot Saëtone founded the “Comité des Fêtes,” under municipal patronage, to organize and expand the festivities. That year marked the arrival of Carnaval 1 on February 23rd, featuring float processions, illustrators, paid viewing stands, and theatrical staging by Alexis Mossa. Alexis and his son Gustave Adolf shaped the Carnival’s unique character until 1971, blending allegorical myths, contemporary themes, and grotesque elements. Their spectacular float designs, recognized by UNESCO as tangible intangible heritage, bridged tradition and modernity.

In 1876, the Flower Battles began, evolving from simple flower exchanges into poetic displays of local horticulture, inspired by poet-gardener Alphonse Karr. On February 14, 1882, “His Majesty Triboulet,” a puppet of straw and rags, joined the procession for the first time on the Royal Chariot. Processions traveled diverse city routes, with celebrations continuing in neighborhoods featuring smaller floats. The first official Carnival poster appeared in 1889.

Carnival paused during the World Wars and again in 1991 due to the Gulf War, preventing the “King of Fools” theme. Since 2005, the Flower Battles have aligned with the Carnival’s main theme, and street arts have become its hallmark. Today, 50 local and international artist troupes bring rhythm and color to parades and Flower Battles, replacing the traditional large Carnival heads. This transformation has made the Nice Carnival one of the world’s most celebrated and tourist-attracting events.

But, don’t equate this with Mardi Gras à la Nouvelle Orléans style. While it’s still very much a festival with a lot of the same costuming, floats, merriment, etc., it’s very much in French style and that’s very, very different. The float themes are highly intellectual (you need a PhD to understand the nuances of each of them), formal (you can no longer see the parades for free just standing in a cools spot) and everyone is very well behaved (not drunk or rowdy), just as one might expect. You don’t go to let go, like you might at Mardi Gras, but it’s a spectacle worth seeing!

Stay tuned for the full report after the February 15th opening parade, but don’t hesitate to make plans to come participate and see it for yourself!

REDFIN’S SARAH FORD HAS 13 INSPIRED IDEAS FOR YOUR PARISIAN DECOR (NO MATTER WHERE IT IS!)

Want to know how to recreate Parisian style in your own home, wherever that is? Redfin’s Sarah Ford has a few answers in her article from December 16th, “Timeless Elegance: 13 Inspired Ideas for Parisian Apartment Decor in Your Home.”

I was quoted in the article and Sarah ran a photo of one of our client’s apartment, decorated by Martine di Mattéo: “French real estate consultant Adrian Leeds captures the essence of Parisian apartment decor, noting, ‘Furnishings should have lots of curves and feminine lines. Add molding to the ceilings, walls and cabinetry. Adorn the doors and cabinetry with classic handles and knobs. Additionally, don’t be afraid to use crystal chandeliers and wall sconces. And voila! Your Parisian home anywhere in the world.'”

The funny thing is that most of the younger French have shied away from traditional decor and are largely filling their homes with IKEA furnishings, Italian design bathroom and kitchen fixtures and opting to make their Paris apartments look more like lofts in New York. We Americans want just the opposite—if we’re living in France, we want to feel French style all around us. And it really is easy, just like I suggested to Sarah. Personally, I like traditional textures, like molding, old-fashioned hardware and feminine shapes, just like I sad, but contemporary nonetheless.

DF-DIRECT PRESENTS: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO FRANCE

Mark your calendar for January 8th at 7 p.m. France time to join Brian Dunhill, of Dunhill Financial, and me for a different kind of forum than we’ve presented in the past…known as “DF-Direct.” Brian will ask questions of me that will help you make decisions toward your move to France, or investing here. The conversation will focus on real estate and navigating the French property market, covering topics like planning a move, exploring investment opportunities, or understanding the process. Our goal is to keep it engaging, insightful, and valuable for you, the audience.

The webinar will conclude with an interactive Q&A session, and all attendees are welcome to participate.

Visit our site page or go direct to Zoom to register now.

LIKE HIM OR NOT, DONALD TRUMP MAY BENEFIT EXPATS

We’ve been complaining about it for years…the unfairness of citizenship-based taxation that has all Americans, even those that were born in the U.S., but never lived or worked there, scrambling to submit a tax return year after year after year, even if no tax is due. In a recent promise by Trump, with Republican Illinois Representative Darin LaHood at the helm, a congressional proposal to reduce the tax burden on Americans living abroad is advancing. The plan introduces a residence-based tax system, a big and welcome departure from the long-standing citizenship-based taxation model. I’m shocked!

Under the proposed legislation, U.S. expatriates would only be required to pay taxes in their country of residence, freeing them from U.S. taxes on worldwide income. The bill, unveiled last Wednesday, may be included in broader tax reform expected in 2025.

“There’s a fundamental unfairness in the current system,” said LaHood, a member of the Ways and Means Committee. “This proposal offers a clear remedy by making it easier for Americans abroad to comply with tax laws.”

OMG! Maybe that lobbying by the RBT Coalition is paying off! The U.S. tax system for expatriates, dating back to Civil War-era financing, is unique among major nations. Only two other countries in the world (Eritrea and Myanmar are the others) tax its overseas citizens. While most countries tax residents on domestic income, the U.S. taxes citizens regardless of where they live. This means a U.S. citizen in Paris must navigate both French taxes and U.S. tax filing requirements, a burden not faced by, say, a French person living in Los Angeles.

Currently, expatriates can exclude up to $126,500 of foreign earned income and claim credits for foreign taxes paid, but many still face significant tax preparation costs. The tax treaty between France and the U.S. is one of the best in the world, but still…High-income earners, retirees, and investors bear the brunt of the tax burden, and even those with no U.S. tax liability must file returns. To offset potential revenue losses, wealthier individuals entering the system—those with net a worth above the estate tax threshold ($13.61 million)—would pay a departure tax, treating their assets as sold before leaving the U.S. The plan, endorsed by Trump during his campaign, aligns with other targeted tax reforms Republicans aim to pass, including eliminating taxes on tips, overtime pay, and Social Security benefits.

Exemptions to Departure Tax would apply to individuals who haven’t lived in the U.S. since turning 25 or since March 2010 and individuals living abroad for three of the past five years who are tax-compliant. Expats have long called for reform, citing heavy compliance burdens. Groups like the Association of Accidental Americans, led by Fabien Lehagre, welcomed the proposal. Still, expats are a dispersed constituency with limited political clout. Expats have no direct representation in the U.S., as expatriates, but only as a voting citizen. LaHood hopes to attract bipartisan support, emphasizing fairness and practicality in his outreach efforts.

As I said, whether you like DT or not, this is a positive change for all of us living outside the U.S. What’s next?

NICE24 MAGAZINE GOES ONLINE

Believe it or not, French cities publish their own magazines that they distribute free of charge to their citizens to let them know what’s going on in their own community. U.S. cities do not do this, you might have noticed. Nice’s city magazine came to my mailbox, just like always, but now there is an online version and it’s an app so you won’t miss a thing, even from far away. And believe it or not, you can find the magazine in an audio version for “those who cannot read with their eyes.”

What Nice is doing to improve its quality of life for its citizens is beyond imagination. I’ve watched it come of age since 2011…and in 14 years, it’s made a complete transformation. It’s just one of the reasons we love Nice so much! It just gets more beautiful and more desirable all the time. Read all about it now online (in French).

For great translations, try DEEPL, “The world’s most accurate translator.”

Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah to all!

A la prochaine…