France Made Simple

Catharine Higginson
  • 4.6 (10)
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  • Updated Weekly

Thinking about moving to France, retiring in France, or already living here? France Made Simple is the practical podcast for English speakers navigating life in France. Host Catharine Higginson has spent more than 20 years living and working in France. Each week she shares honest advice, real experiences and practical guidance on buying property, renovating French homes, visas, healthcare, taxation, bureaucracy, learning the language, culture, and the everyday realities of French life. Whether you’re planning your move, buying your dream home, starting a business, or simply trying to understand how life really works in France, France Made Simple helps you avoid costly mistakes and make confident decisions.

  1. 18h ago

    French Car Insurance: Don’t Listen to Steve on Facebook!

    French Car Insurance: What You Really Need to Know Car insurance in France is one of those subjects surrounded by endless urban myths, conflicting advice and the inevitable “my friend down the road does it this way” stories. In this episode, I’m joined once again by Fabien from Fab French Insurance to cut through some of the confusion and explain how French car insurance actually works. We talk about the bonus-malus system and how your no-claims history is transferred from another country, why French insurers can be particularly demanding when it comes to proving your insurance history, and what can happen if the information on your application doesn’t match your previous insurance record. We also look at foreign-registered vehicles, including UK cars being driven in France while their owners are waiting for the import process to be completed, temporary French registration plates and the increasingly strict approach to cars that remain permanently on foreign plates. Another big difference is that in France the insurance generally follows the vehicle rather than being based solely around named drivers. So what happens if you lend your car to a friend, neighbour or family member? And what happens to your excess, your no-claims discount and your cover if they have an accident? We also get into the thorny subject of foreign driving licences…Including British licences after Brexit, EU licences and the different rules that can apply depending on where you originally obtained your licence. The main message? Don’t assume that because something was perfectly normal in the UK, US or elsewhere, it works the same way in France. And perhaps most importantly: don’t rely on Steve from Facebook. As Fabien says, “You don’t know what you don’t know.” Sometimes paying for the right advice at the beginning can save you a lot of money and headaches later. Fabien has been working with expats in France for many years, and we’ve worked together for more than a decade, so this is a particularly useful episode if you are moving to France, have recently arrived, are importing a vehicle, or simply want to make sure your existing French car insurance is doing what you think it is. France Made Simple — demystifying life in France and telling it like it is!

  2. 5d ago

    5 Reasons NOT to Buy a Property in France!

    Buying a property in France can be exciting, romantic and, occasionally, a spectacularly expensive mistake… In this episode, I go back to one of the earliest topics I tackled on France Made Simple, finding a property in France, but with a rather different approach. After nearly 30 years of looking at French properties (and buying quite a few!) , I look at the five things you really shouldn’t do when choosing a French property, based largely on mistakes I’ve made myself. From getting carried away by how much house you can get for your money, to ignoring the realities of rural life, underestimating renovation costs, falling in love with a staircase and buying the wrong property out of sheer desperation, there are plenty of lessons to be learned. I also talk about how Survive France started back in 2009, the early criticism of its rather tongue-in-cheek name, why feedback from listeners is changing how I approach the podcast, and my recent discovery that an all-inclusive holiday involving sun loungers, swimming pools and absolutely no exploration whatsoever can actually be rather wonderful. As always, I’ve made the mistakes so you don’t have to!

  3. Sep 2

    French Healthcare Explained: What Is a Mutuelle and Do You Need One?

    French health insurance can leave you facing a maze of unfamiliar terms, confusing reimbursement percentages and potentially expensive gaps in cover. Choose the wrong policy or misunderstand what it pays, and a hospital stay, dental treatment or even a pair of glasses could cost far more than you expected. So what exactly is a mutuelle? Is it private health insurance, or something different? What does “top-up” cover really pay for? And when a policy promises 100%, 200% or even 300% reimbursement, what does that actually mean in euros? In this episode of France Made Simple, I’m joined by Fabien from Fab French Insurance to take a deep dive into the French healthcare system and, in particular, the sometimes baffling world of complementary health insurance. We discuss how French public healthcare works alongside a mutuelle, why this is very different from the private health insurance systems many of us are used to in the UK and US, and one particularly important point: why existing medical conditions generally don’t prevent you from taking out complementary cover. We also talk about hospitalisation, glasses, dentistry, physiotherapy, osteopathy, alternative treatments and some of the things you might be surprised to discover your policy covers. Fabien explains what those confusing reimbursement percentages actually mean, why the cheapest or most expensive policy isn’t necessarily the right one, and why understanding your own needs is far more important than simply choosing the policy with the biggest numbers attached to it. We also look at the French parcours de soins — the healthcare pathway — and why knowing how the system works can make a real difference to what you pay and what gets reimbursed. And, perhaps reassuringly, if you still find French healthcare and insurance confusing after all this… you’re not alone. As Fabien points out, plenty of French people don’t fully understand it either. If you’re moving to France, newly arrived, or have lived here for years and still find yourself staring blankly at your mutuelle documents, this episode should help make sense of one of the most important, and misunderstood, aspects of life in France.

  4. Aug 25

    From Little House on the Prairie to Green Bean Hell

    From playing Little House on the Prairie in a London garden to fishing for mullet in the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel… how exactly did that happen? In this rather more personal episode of France Made Simple, I tell the story of how a little girl growing up in Streatham, dreaming of ponies, vegetable gardens, chickens and a cottage in the countryside, eventually ended up living in rural France and, somewhat accidentally, creating the very life she had been fantasising about for decades. There are childhood memories, Escape to the Country fantasies, derelict French houses, vegetable gardens, an alarming quantity of green beans, homemade preserves, dehydrated courgette crisps, fishing nets, tidal rivers, seals, and one slightly terrifying adventure in the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel. It turns out that becoming self-sufficient is actually much harder work than it looks on television. But there is something incredibly satisfying about sitting down to a meal made almost entirely from things you’ve grown or caught yourself. And perhaps that’s the real point of this episode: sometimes the life you dream about when you’re young really isn’t as impossible as it seems. Moving to France isn’t always easy. There are frustrations, tears, bureaucracy, homesickness and plenty of moments when you wonder what on earth you’ve done. But it is an adventure. And after more than 20 years here, I still wouldn’t change it. So grab a cup of tea, coffee, glass of wine or something stronger, and join me for a slightly chaotic trip from Streatham High Street to Green Bean Hell!

  5. Aug 18

    La Rentrée in France — What You Really Need to Know

    If you’re moving to France with children, already living here, or simply trying to understand what happens when the long summer holidays finally come to an end… this episode is for you. In this 30-minute episode of France Made Simple, I’m taking a proper look at La Rentrée — how the French school year actually works, when children go back, what happens in those first few days, and all the things that can catch English-speaking families out. We’re talking schools, dates, paperwork, supplies, lunches, uniforms (or rather, the lack of them!), school transport, after-school activities and the wonderfully French admin that comes with getting your children back into the system. And because this is France Made Simple, I’m also covering the things you might not discover until you’re already in the middle of it! And here are the promised links that might.…make your shopping experience slightly less painful! https://www.cultura.com/papeterie/fournitures-scolaires.html https://www.rentreediscount.com/

  6. Jul 28

    No Filter France: The Reality of Expat Life After 20 Years

    This one’s a straight-up, no-filter Q&A. No polishing, no “France is perfect” fantasy, just me keeping it real! I’m answering your questions about what it’s actually like living here: financial woes, the weird social codes, the small-town dynamics, and the stuff people usually dodge because it’s awkward or not very Instagram friendly. I’m talking about the reality of certain expat pockets, the cliques, the odd behaviour that can show up when people stay too long in their own bubble and yeah, some of it’s blunt. That’s the point. If you’re here for a dreamy “quit your job, move to France and live happily ever after” vibe, this isn’t that. This is the messy, contradictory, occasionally uncomfortable version, the one people talk about in private but rarely say out loud. But I do!

  7. Jul 21

    What Moving to France Does to Your Mind: A Therapist’s View on Expat Life

    In this episode, I’m chatting with Julia a therapist who made the move to France three years ago—and hasn’t looked back, despite the inevitable challenges along the way…! This is a really honest insight into what it’s really like to rebuild both your life and career in a new country. Julia shares her personal journey of relocating to France including the realities of settling in, and how expectations compared with day-to-day life. From navigating bureaucracy (and we all know about that!), and the cultural differences to managing isolation and building a new professional identity, this episode explores the sometimes less-visible aspects of expatriate life. We also look closely at what it means to work as a therapist across borders. She explains how she supports clients online as well as face to face, the types of issues people might encounter, and why mental health can become more complex when you’re living outside your home country. We’re talking identity shifts, relationship strain, loneliness, and the psychological impact of starting over. And most importantly, Julia explains the services she offers, including how she works and what people can expect from engaging with therapy in an online format. Whether you’re already living in France, planning a move, or simply curious about the potential impact on mental health when relocating, this episode will give you a a really practical perspective grounded in real life experience. This is a really interesting discussion of the ups and downs, with some very useful insight for anyone navigating life abroad. Give it a listen; you won’t regret it! And you can get in touch with Julia here via email Julia@safetherapy.co.uk  Or via her site - link below! http://safetherapy.co.uk/

  8. Jul 15

    Moving to France? The Visa Mistakes That Get You Rejected

    Moving to France sounds straightforward—until your visa gets rejected! In this episode, I’m chatting to immigration guru (!), or immigration GP as he prefers to be known, Fabien from FAB FRENCH INSURANCE and we’re going through the most common mistakes that cause refusals, and more importantly, how to avoid them. From incomplete documentation to weak financial justification, small errors can have major consequences. If you’re applying for a French visa (or thinking about it), this episode will help you approach the process with clarity and confidence. And if you’ve already applied for a French visa please feel free to share your experience - good or bad!

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About

Thinking about moving to France, retiring in France, or already living here? France Made Simple is the practical podcast for English speakers navigating life in France. Host Catharine Higginson has spent more than 20 years living and working in France. Each week she shares honest advice, real experiences and practical guidance on buying property, renovating French homes, visas, healthcare, taxation, bureaucracy, learning the language, culture, and the everyday realities of French life. Whether you’re planning your move, buying your dream home, starting a business, or simply trying to understand how life really works in France, France Made Simple helps you avoid costly mistakes and make confident decisions.

Information

  • Creator
    Catharine Higginson
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    149
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Catharine Higginson
  • Show Website
    France Made Simple

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