YouTube is OurTube, Too

The seller of my new Nice apartment failed to provide a decent set of keys to the apartment.

What else is new? It’s not unusual, especially when the apartment hasn’t been occupied for a long time (as in this case).

The key to the main entry door is for a “porte blindée”—an armored door that has greater security than a standard door. It’s not just the lock that’s made more secure, it’s the whole door shell that’s reinforced—the frame and the door itself. With them come keys the likes of you may have never seen before and they can be very expensive…but so is the door! And the keys are not simply duplicated like an ordinary key…there is security built in just by the fact that you must either have the original “card” that came with the lock/key or provide proof of residence and an I.D. so that not just anyone can duplicate the key! This is great for security, but poses challenges and expense.

The first day arriving in Nice I headed over to see the condition of the apartment as they had already begun the work, this after a real fiasco trying to get in with the wrong set of keys that the agents gave us! Once I obtained the right keys, I set off to find a locksmith to make duplicates. Without the card, I was able to come up with the brand new electricity contract as proof of residence, an I.D. and 250€! Yep…all that for just one key!

If you’ve ever gotten yourself locked out of a French home or apartment and called a locksmith, then you know this is good business as it costs an arm and a leg to get into one of these doors, change their locks or even make new keys. If it’s happened to you once, you’ll never do it again. Some people fail to double-lock the doors thinking they are super secure, but the truth is, if not all three-to-five points are locked, you can open the door using X-ray film with one swipe. I’ve done it myself…so be sure to double lock it at all times.

France’s fascination with locks likely traces back to King Louis XVI. Without the pressures of royal duties in his youth, Louis was drawn to more solitary activities like lock-making and carpentry. He formed a close bond with François Gamain, the royal locksmith, who taught him how to craft locks from scratch. In time, Louis broadened his skills to include furniture-making, even designing pieces himself. If not for his royal fate, one might imagine him as a modest craftsman rather than a king. However, his status allowed him to pursue these hobbies on a grand scale, with Versailles serving as his personal workshop. And now we’re left with lock mania!

New keys are in the works and meanwhile the destruction of the apartment is seriously in full swing in preparation for the renovation. While I was there they were swinging away and knocking down all the walls! I now have two apartments in such serious condition—Paris and Nice! Yikes!

YOUTUBE VIEWERS

Our clients tell us they watch our YouTube videos with real interest. That’s good to know because there’s so much good information in them, especially the webinars we’ve done on particular subjects. They (and you) can learn a lot! Subscribe and you’ll see why.

GIVE UP YOUR U.S. CITIZENSHIP? IT’S NOT RECOMMENDED!

Last Thursday evening we co-hosted our North American Expats in France Quarterly Financial Forum—3rd quarter 2024 with Brian Dunhill of Dunhill Financial along with special speaker Daniel Tostado, Immigration Attorney, on the subject of “Why You Don’t Want to Give Up Your Citizenship.”

We had a lot of fun with this subject, because there was the serious side of what makes sense from a tax perspective, but then there’s the less-than-serious side just being an American living in France and what a gift that is. We all had much to say on this subject, so if you’re contemplating a move to France, you won’t want to miss this.

We had a lot of interesting questions, too! Most of them seemed to be centered around medical care and medical coverage, even if off topic. Clearly this is a big concern for Americans, as it should be. Once you’re on the French health care system, if you’re no longer living in the U.S., then you don’t need insurance or Medicare in the U.S., which is a savings for your new life in France. My “mutuelle” policy (top-up insurance) will cover emergencies traveling in the U.S., but at French scheduled rates which is one-tenth of the cost in France…so that won’t cut it. To ensure the coverage, I simply take out a travel policy and have used IMG International Health & Travel Medical Insurance. Fortunately, I’ve never had to test it out!

I loved this question: “Just to be clear, if you are living in France but NOT as a citizen, do you get full medical coverage just as a citizen would?”

YEP! As long as you have a visa, the French government will cover up to 70% of your medical costs. Medical care in France is not a privilege, it’s a right!

Here’s another one: “Do you know if there is a tax advantage to establishing residency in a more retiree-tax-friendly U.S. state before one moves to France?”

YEP! Pick a tax-free state and you’ll pay less taxes living in France than you did living in the U.S.

And one more: “I would love to move to France but the inheritance tax is so much more than the estate tax in the U.S.”

Yes, it is, but there are ways of planning in advance to circumvent/reduce the tax burden for your heirs. And I’d also ask, are you living your life for your heirs or for yourself?

You don’t have to miss the entire webinar, because you can watch it on our YouTube channel.

IMMIGRATION ADVICE PLUS, ON YOUTUBE

Immigration Attorney, Daniel Tostado, also has his own YouTube channel. He’s been posting a variety of really interesting videos as part of his “How France Works” series. He interviewed me for his “How to Buy Property in France” video a few months ago. Now we both share it with you. Watch it on our YouTube channel or on Daniel’s.

CROSSING THE CULTURAL DIVIDE

We have a webinar with the Federation of Alliances Françaises USA coming up December 12th. I know it’s a long way from now, but mark your calendars because it’s going to really be a fun one!:

“Crossing the Cultural Divide—It’s the Toughest Part of Moving to France!”

During this one hour you’ll get the inside scoop on how to successfully cross the cultural divide between life in North America and life in France. Much has been written on the subject by a long list of journalists and authors! As the subject line says, “It’s the Toughest Part of Moving to France!”

The French…they may look like you, but they don’t think or behave like you! You may have noticed, even if you only visit France from time to time. But, if you can’t bridge the gap, you’ll have a much tougher time acclimating to life in this beautiful country.

I’ve been watching the newest season of Emily in Paris. The writers are doing a better job of approaching the subject than they did in the beginning, but it’s a highly stylized view on life in Paris, so don’t believe too much!

Forget Emily! I will share my 30 years of real experience shedding my U.S. “default mode,” for looking at life much in the same way as the French do and effortlessly maneuvering through the French mentality and complicated systems in France to create the quality of life you hope for. You can bet I’ll be poking fun at both the American and French sides of the coin!

So, mark your calendars now for Thursday, December 12th (11:00am Pacific/12:00pm Mountain/1:00pm Central/2:00pm Eastern/8pm CET France).

To register, visit our webpage. or the AFUSA site.

APRES-MIDI AND BEYOND

Then, there are the videos from our monthly coffee gatherings, Après-Midi, which are just pure fun and would make you feel as if you’re there with the rest of us. Pick and choose which speakers you’d like to see and hear from!

This coming Thursday, we’re hosting Après-Midi in Nice. And of course, we’ll be videoing this one, too.

Après-Midi is a great way of meeting people, but in Nice there’s another way, too…unofficially. Just head down to the Handiplage du Centenaire at #1 Promenade des Anglais on Friday evenings about 6 p.m. for an “apéro” unofficially hosted by our staff member, Ella Dyer. Bring a bottle of whatever you want to drink and some snacks if you’re so inclined…and then just mingle. You’ll be sure to make tons of new friends!

A la prochaine…