YouTube Videos, Podcasts, Articles and Important News…About Living in France

RED ALERT

I arrived in Nice Friday afternoon after suffering this past week in Paris with record high temperatures. Even my portable air-conditioning units couldn’t match the chaleur (heat) and my beautiful red geraniums burned to a crisp, in spite of watering them almost daily.

That morning, as I was dressing in front of the fans, France 24 reported on why Nice was recording much lower temperatures than the rest of France.

“Three quarters of mainland France is under a ‘red alert’ for the heat. And it may seem odd that the southeastern Mediterranean coast is not under that highest level of warning. So why doesn’t the mercury climb as high on the Côte d’Azur in the middle of a heatwave? The Mediterranean Sea allows the south-east of France to maintain lower temperatures than the rest of the country, as it cools the flow of hot air that builds up over the north-west.”

Every time I hear a client say, “I don’t want to live in Nice; it’s too hot,” I beg to differ!

“Au contraire, mon ami.” It’s one of the coolest spots in France in the summer! And that’s the truth! Now that I’m here, it is its usual warm self, but really pleasant in the evening with the mini-split AC units in my apartment keeping me cool as a cucumber.

The beach in Nice on both Saturday and Sunday afternoons was perfect. The water was calm and warm. The sun was out and hot. The beach was packed with vacationers, from every country known to man. The people watching was fabulous.

Those who don’t know the pebbled beaches in Nice mostly look at them with disdain, complaining that they aren’t sandy and therefore undesirable. I admit to having thought the same thing until I got to know them…and the pebbles.

With rubber-soled water shoes, a lightweight folding aluminum armchair that adjusts from straight up to straight back, a floating “noodle,” and a wide-brimmed hat, an afternoon at the Nice beach is heaven. One doesn’t get sandy. The sand doesn’t get dragged into the apartment. It’s tough for people to steal your stuff and run on the “galets!” It’s practical.

Meanwhile, the water is relatively clear, very buoyant, warm by mid June and on most days, pretty calm. When I float out and look back at the Baie des Anges, see the beautiful curve of an eclectic array of architecture against the blue sky and aqua water, I just want to pinch myself and think, “yep, this is heaven.”

So, before you disparage the pebble beaches in Nice, try them out for yourself…but be prepared with the right equipment for the best experience. Then, people watch like made, because it’s fascinating.

WORKING REMOTELY FROM FRANCE

Don’t freak out. I’m talking to all of you considering a move to France and wanting to work remotely, while living in France on a Carte de Séjour Visiteur.

On June 23rd, the Assemblée Nationale published a specific (yet, very vague) response about this topic: “Télétravail et statut visiteur.”

It says:

“Il n’existe aucun texte relatif au droit du séjour des ressortissants étrangers en télétravail sur le territoire français au profit de l’économie d’un autre pays étranger…”

Most importantly:

“Si un ressortissant de pays tiers n’est pas salarié en France ou n’exerce pas d’activité professionnelle en France au bénéfice d’une entreprise située sur le territoire, l’activité qu’il exerce dans le cadre du télétravail au profit d’un employeur de droit étranger doit conduire à le considérer comme non-actif au regard du droit français.”

In plain English: it means that if the person is not employed in France and is not working for a company located in France, remote work for a foreign employer should be treated as “non-active” under French law.

And what does THAT mean? The official French government language is not specifically about “telework.” It says the visitor status is for people staying in France as inactive/non-working residents.

A prefecture form for a visitor residence permit says the applicant must commit to “n’exercer aucune activité professionnelle sur le territoire français”—not exercising any professional activity on French territory.

France-Visas’ professional-purpose page separately says that if someone is coming for salaried or self-employed/professional activity, they fall under professional visa categories, not visitor status.

Bottom line is that there does not appear to be a clean official government text saying: “Remote work for a foreign employer is forbidden on a visitor visa.”

What exists is broader language saying visitor status does not authorize professional activity in France.

You should have seen the emails and text messages flying around among all of our professional resources! Our tax attorneys, financial advisors and of course, our trusted immigration attorney, Daniel Tostado, were all in the loop.

Daniel’s interpretation is that remote work for a foreign employer, with no French clients or French business activity, remains a gray area and may be tolerated if the work has no connection to France: no French employer, no French clients, and no French market activity.

Daniel has already published several announcements on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.

And here’s my take on it:

There is the law and then there is the reality. Remember these key facts and then do what makes you feel comfortable.

When you’re on a visitor visa, and it comes up for renewal, there is no obligation to show a French tax return in order to renew the visa. I am certainly not suggesting that you don’t submit a tax return once you are tax resident in France, but the FISC won’t even know you exist until you declare your presence and your income.

When you are on a visitor visa, and you have not earned any income in France, you are not taxed on your U.S. retirement benefits or dividends.

If you do submit a tax return and declare your U.S. earnings—having worked remotely—and you pay tax to France, the tax authorities won’t care what kind of visa you have. Do you seriously think they will tell you to take back your money, revoke your visa and tell you to pay the tax to the U.S. instead?! LOL! I doubt that seriously.

I joke that they can talk about this till they are all blue in the face, but the bottom line is whether you are taking a job away from a French national or not, and if they get the taxes or not. And that’s why they can’t get their heads around this.

Remote working is not going away. The problem doesn’t lie with the work. The problem lies with where the tax is paid. Everyone has their hands out. Which palm is going to get greased?

I can teach you how set yourself up so that you can do all of this and reduce your taxes on both sides…the legal way. I know because I was taught more than 10 years ago how to do this by professionals, and it’s been successful for me ever since. I remain under the guidance of professionals, too.

The bottom line is that it is possible to do, as long as you understand the realities and are willing to take certain small risks. Let me show you how.

THE DREAM OF LIVING IN FRANCE

Daniel interviewed me about a year ago—one that you might like to view now, if you didn’t way back then…

“The Dream of Living in France”

Quoting the site: “Adrian Leeds—property consultant and one of the most recognizable voices in the Franco-American community—has called France home since 1994.

In this episode, she joins Daniel for a thoughtful conversation on life in France, the changes she’s witnessed over the decades, and the reasons she chose to stay. Together, they explore the practical and personal sides of making a life here—from the realities of property in France to the broader question of what truly makes a place feel like home.

Whether you’re considering a move, dreaming from afar, or simply curious about the experience of living here, this episode is an honest conversation about place, lifestyle, and the idea of home.”

You can also just listen to it as a podcast.

APRES-MIDI IN PARIS ON THE 7TH (INSTEAD OF THE 14TH)

Just a note to let you know that because July’s Après-Midi falls on Bastille Day, July 14th, we’ve moved it to July 7th, 3 to 5 p.m. Mary Duncan, coordinator of the Paris Writers Group, which she created in June 2008, and author of Henry Miller is Under My Bed: People and Places on the Way to Paris, will be speaking and reading excerpts from her book.

Mary lives in both Paris and La Jolla, California. Her memoir, Henry Miller is Under My Bed has been praised by Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Hugh Hefner, San Diego Magazine and the Mail on Sunday. A native of San Diego, California, she taught at San Diego State University for twenty-five years. Her academic subjects ranged from terrorism and the Irish Republican Army to leisure and work in contemporary society. As a professor, she published numerous articles on these subjects and has been interviewed on CNN, NBC, CBS and ABC. She has also lectured at the Smithsonian Institution and Oxford University.

Don’t miss it just because of the new date! Find out more by visiting our site.

SPEAKING OF NEW DATES…MARK JULY 9TH!

Our June 24th free webinar, “Is Fractional Ownership Right for You?,” was cancelled abruptly due to unforeseen circumstances, but is back on the calendar for July 9th, 7 to 8 p.m. France time! (10 a.m. to 11 a.m. PDT, 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. EDT)

Hosted by Pacaso’s Head of Europe, Joey Byrne, and myself, this is your chance to learn about the benefits of Fractional Ownership, and whether or not the concept is right for your second home. Plus, we’ll preview a few of our available properties in France where shared ownership might suit you perfectly.

Visit our site or register directly.

CELEBRATING JULY 4TH IN NICE

The political climate in the U.S. is not stopping Democrats Abroad in Nice from celebrating this special occasion.

Join fellow Americans on July 4th at Nice’s Statue of Liberty on the Quai des États-Unis as we, the people, come together to mark our country’s founding, celebrate our independence, and reaffirm our commitment to essential freedoms. The gathering begins at 11 am, and the short program will begin promptly at 11:15 am. It’s free and there is no need to register.

Afterwards, you’re invited to continue the celebration at an all-American lunch at Le Napoléon (Place Garibaldi) starting at 12:15 p.m.

Learn more and book your lunch by visiting Democrats Abroad.

AMERICANS IN FRANCE: ESTATE PLANNING, CULTURE SHOCKS AND FRENCH SURPRISES

Read the recent article in The Local, “Americans in France: Estate planning, culture shocks and French surprises,” in which the manager of our Regional Division, Jennifer Parrette is quoted: “It’s much easier than you think—and a less expensive place to live—contrary to what you might hear. Look and listen, slow down, take a moment to understand what is really happening, what you might really need, or how to ask for help. The cultural norms about how to approach people are much gentler and less direct than in the US.”

THE YANKS ARE BACK!

Another very comprehensive and great read is writer and journalist Edward Girardet’s recent article in Global Geneva titled, “The Yanks Are Back!“.

He wrote: “Worsening politics, healthcare and quality of life in the United States are prompting growing numbers of Americans to make France—and Europe—their home. And their numbers are accelerating.”

And he quotes me: “What we are witnessing is a complete re-surge of Americans seeking to make France, and other EU countries, their base,” says Adrian Leeds, an expat relocation and property specialist with The Adrian Leeds Group in Paris. “Our business has more than doubled since COVID. Americans are very unhappy about what is happening under Trump and are freaking out. They feel America is no longer the country they grew up in.”

Editor of Global Geneva, Edward is a foreign correspondent and author. Based in Cessy, a French village in the Lake Geneva region, he has reported conflict, humanitarian and environmental issues worldwide for more than 40 years.

Hope you enjoy his article as much as I did!

A la prochaine…