France

VLS-TS 'visiteur': show ~€1,450+/mo resources and agree not to work; renewable annually toward 5-year residency. Straightforward by EU standards.

Foreigners buy freely; notaire system makes title extremely secure; rural bargains abound.

PUMA covers residents after 3 months — arguably the world's best system; out-of-pocket costs are trivial vs US.

Aggressive national fiber rollout reaches even villages.

Paris and cities fine; rural France runs on French — and making the effort matters culturally.

Paris is Paris, but Dordogne/Brittany/Occitanie village life is cheaper than most US suburbs.

Safe overall; usual urban awareness in parts of big cities.

TGV, nuclear-solid power grid, fiber to the village — enviable everywhere.

TGV + regional rail + metro systems — among the most car-free-friendly countries anywhere.

Excellent network; priorité à droite will surprise you once.

UTC+1: ~4h of a 9–5 Pacific workday falls in local waking hours.

EU standard; dogs dine in restaurants like citizens.

Strong institutions, theatrical politics, strike seasons.

Nuclear-clean grid, strong ag-land protection.

Still the reference civilization for arts infrastructure.

French cuisine plus real depth in North African, Vietnamese, West African eating.

Rural France is one of Europe's great secrets: character homes for less than a US car.

Nonstops to Paris from many US cities including the West Coast.

Naturalization at 5 years with B1 French; dual fine.

Long-established Anglo communities (Dordogne, Provence, Brittany, Paris).

Marriage equality, strong civil liberties, fiercely secular public sphere.

Low seismic/hurricane risk; heat waves are the growing concern.

Illegal; small possession = on-the-spot fine (€200) in practice; medical program still in pilot/limited rollout.

The US-France tax treaty is uniquely favorable: US-source pensions, Social Security, and even Roth treatment are protected from French tax — a hidden gem for American retirees.