Relocating to France: residence, tax, schools and homes for international families

Published 3 November 2026 · ATLAS MAISON editorial team

Non-EU residence

Long-stay visas and the multi-year Talent Passport, depending on your route

Tax incentive

The impatriate regime (article 155 B) for qualifying employees recruited from abroad, up to eight years

Where families settle

Paris and its west, the Riviera from Monaco to Cannes, Lyon and the Alps

Schools

International and bilingual schools; apply early for September

Lead time

Plan six to twelve months for a full family move

France offers families an exceptional life: Paris, the Riviera, the Alps, superb schools and healthcare, and a culture that rewards those who settle in properly. Moving well means getting a few decisions right in the right order: the residence route, tax, the home and the schools.

The right residence route

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens may live in France without a visa. Others need a long-stay visa or residence permit that matches their situation: visitor status for those who will not work in France, family routes, salaried employment, or the multi-year Talent Passport, which covers categories such as company founders, investors, highly qualified employees and people of international renown. Each route has its own conditions and documents; licensed immigration lawyers confirm the right one for each family member.

Tax: plan before you arrive

France taxes its residents on worldwide income, and the date and manner of arrival matter. Employees recruited from abroad may qualify for the impatriate regime under article 155 B of the tax code, which can exempt part of their remuneration and some foreign passive income for up to eight years, subject to strict conditions. Wealth held in French real estate falls within the IFI. Every family’s position is different: review it with French and home-country tax advisers before the move, not after.

Where to live

Paris’s 7th, 8th and 16th arrondissements and the western suburbs of Neuilly and Saint-Germain-en-Laye suit families who want the city and its schools; the Riviera from Cap-d’Antibes to Cap-Ferrat offers villas, the sea and Monaco next door; Lyon and the Alps combine business with the mountains. Many families keep two bases from the start.

Schools

International, British, American and bilingual French schools in Paris and on the Riviera have limited places and deadlines in the winter for a September start. Apply to several at once, and plan language support for children joining the French system.

The home

Most families rent first, then buy once they know the neighbourhood. Purchases go through a notaire, with transfer costs of roughly 7–8% on older properties. Staff, security, insurance and utilities should all be ready before the family arrives. See our guide to buying on the Riviera.

The first 100 days

Registering with the tax office and health system, local bank accounts, car registration and insurance, doctors and dentists, clubs and a social circle for the whole family. A single point of contact who coordinates lawyers, accountants, agents, schools and movers turns a complex move into a calm one. See our relocation concierge and company formation in France.