The dream is clear. The decision is made. Now comes the part nobody warned you about — the visas, the bank accounts, the healthcare system, the schools, the administration that never quite works the way you expect it to.
Moving to Provence as an expat involves a series of practical steps that are entirely manageable once you know what they are — and genuinely stressful if you try to figure them out alone, after you arrive, without a map.
This section is that map. It covers the essential practical questions every expat faces when moving to the south of France — from your first visa application to opening a French bank account, from joining the healthcare system to finding the right school for your children. Straightforward, honest, and built around the real experience of expats who have been through it.
All our practical guides for expats in Provence
Visas & residency for Americans and Brits moving to France
Healthcare in Provence for expats
Opening a French bank account as an expat
International schools in Provence
Opening a business in France as an expat
See also: Living in Provence & the French Riviera: the expat guide
