When French life beckons, they think of the Netherlands. You have more pleasant things to occupy yourself with. Who thinks of a ’retirement scenario‘ at such a moment, which could actually lead you into the most bizarre situations? You are busy creating your dream place, and that dream place is your future.

For illustrative purposes, here is a brief sketch of the average emigrant moving to France. They tend to be older, have always worked hard, and their finances are usually reasonably to well-off. The average age for permanently settling in France is around sixty, with some outliers in their early seventies.

After the search and completed renovations, having gone beyond and above physically to realise that dream spot, enjoying your French wine and cheese on your terrace, there will eventually come a day when sober common sense kicks in again. Or not...
When your sober mind kicks in, the human brain often still has to deal with the phenomenon of ‘procrastination.’ First, enjoy yourself a bit, and then we'll see what happens. But life wouldn't be life if time didn't catch up with you. Life decides to take a different turn than you had just planned. Something happens to your partner, something happens to your own health... After all, you were going
Physically beyond your limits? Then your body deteriorates just because you're getting older. Even worse, you become demented. Unfortunately, we can't sugarcoat it.

Often, the first tentative thoughts of returning arise during the aperitif. Someone nearby is dealing with a situation that shakes you awake. Or, as we recently experienced, a sudden return. A situation that no one could have foreseen, because life took a very different turn than expected.

Do your children ever ask how things will be managed when you get older in France? Or are you thinking to yourself as you read this, I don't have any children who can sort things out for me? You are certainly not alone!

A monumental task to arrange for yourself. What applies to you and what doesn't, what are you entitled to and what not? Where should you live, do you need care? Have you made any arrangements with a notary? What situation are you actually in? For your children, usually with busy jobs and small children, it's almost impossible to assist you in far-off France and sort everything out.

Naturally, there's the handy checklist of things you need to arrange if you want to remigrate on nederlandwereldwijd.nl/terug-naar-nederland, a government website which provides a step-
the plan is described. Experience shows that many questions remain unanswered precisely because
your situation, like that of many others, is structured differently. What applies to your neighbour, or to your acquaintance from the Dutch club, just doesn't apply to you.

In other words, remigration cannot be packaged as a one-size-fits-all solution. Food for thought, then… And don't forget, after this awakening, to also enjoy that delicious French bubbly and, for as long as you still can, your French home.