After a day trip to Carcassonne, Theresa and her husband decided to relocate here from the States. The year was 2009, their children were grown, and the time was right. 

She tells us what life is like in this corner of France…  

LIOS: What made you choose Carcassonne over any other town in France? 

Theresa: We wanted a mid-size town with historical significance and the ability to walk to the train station. We can walk to the train station and take day trips without worrying about a car park.  

(Theresa added in a later conversation that she takes the train quite regularly to Narbonne, or other places of interest, on her own and has also flown solo from Carcassonne to take a trip to London.) 

Carcassonne has been the perfect choice for us. We enjoy the south of France for weather and cultural events.  

LIOS: What are the best things about living in Carcassonne? 

Theresa: The best part of living here is the return to a simpler life. We eat healthier foods as we shop every day. A trip to the post office or the bakery is always begun with a greeting of “Bonjour.” We enjoy the attention to detail from restaurants to flowers being wrapped with ribbon. 

LIOS: What don’t you like about living in Carcassonne? 

Theresa: We thought and thought and couldn’t come up with anything we don’t enjoy. This doesn’t mean that things are always smooth, but we make it work. 

LIOS: Is the windy weather a problem? Carcassonne is known by many to be windy… 

Theresa: It has never been a major concern for us. We appreciate the breeze that cooled our apartment and the fact that we never have to use air conditioning. 

LIOS: What type of property do you own, and is it in the Bastide or La Cité? How many months of the year do you spend in Carcassonne? 

Theresa: We own a two-story, two-bedroom town house in the Bastide. We spend about five months in total each year in Carcassonne. We are usually in here for summer and then return in the fall and winter and maybe the following spring…  

We again thought about how we wanted to live while in France, we have a garage (where we can leave our Citroën deux chevaux of course!), and a small courtyard. It was the first place we looked at and when we realized what our limited budget would buy, we knew we had a winner. 

LIOS: Do you rent your property out when you are not there? 

Theresa: We do not rent out the property. It’s truly our second home (though we have been told we could rent it out). 

LIOS: How did you find your property? Would you recommend a particular realtor? 

Theresa: Buying property in France is much different than in the United States. It’s important to find a realtor to work with you that understands both markets.  

We hired a lovely couple who were realtors and expats. They not only guided us through the experiences but reminded us of the differences and did not allow us to make assumptions based on our knowledge of American real estate.  

We stuck to our budget and recognized that finding what we were looking for would need some flexibility. For example, we were able to move in but it has taken some time to make things as we want.  

Nothing happens quickly in France, and you must be prepared to relax. Our home is just what we wanted but it is next to a restaurant, which I think was a stumbling block for others; it was a compromise we were willing to make.  

The restaurant owners now look out for our property when we aren’t there. Our realtors were worth every penny and are now dear friends.

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LIOS: Do you think it’s necessary to learn French in order to get by? Did you speak French before coming here? 

Theresa: My husband was born in France and is a French citizen. He has lived in the States for 45 years, and I had never heard him speak French until our first trip many years ago.  

He speaks French fluently, but I do not. You need to know some French before you live in a city like Carcassonne, however, you can get by.  

We try to speak only French at least one day a week, which we have been told is a good way for me to improve. The experience is much richer when you can communicate… and a little wine can always ease your tongue! 

LIOS: Are there any Anglophone expat groups? 

Theresa: We’re not aware of any formal expat groups, but we have met many English-speaking people on vacation. One of the reasons for living in an historical city is you will meet English speakers and hear English, especially in the summer. 

LIOS: What about the cost of living? How does it compare to back in the States? 

Theresa: You can live well for very little in Carcassonne.  

Fresh fruit and vegetables are reasonable. Restaurants can be pricey so searching out inexpensive options is necessary but certainly possible. Internet and TV are inexpensive as we don’t have a million channels like in the States.  

We don’t use air conditioning so utilities are reasonable throughout most of the year; heat is electric and can be pricey if used constantly. Taxes should also be considered.  

LIOS: Could you comment about the availability, price, and quality of medical and dental care? 

Theresa: We have not needed medical or dental care. The local pharmacies are terrific for minor issues such as colds. We contacted our U.S. insurer (Blue Cross – Blue Shield) and take paperwork with us if we need medical care in France. 

LIOS: What about the surrounding area? Are there particular villages that you would recommend visiting? 

Theresa: We would recommend driving through the Corbières Mountains, train trips to Avignon and Toulouse. Limoux is fun at Carnival time. We try to take a Sunday drive in any direction and stop for lunch. We have found some gems that way—Castelnaudary being one that comes to mind. There are some of the aptly labelled “most beautiful villages in France” close by. 

LIOS: If you could offer any other insider knowledge to someone considering moving to Carcassonne, what would you tell them? 

Theresa: Carcassonne is easily explored in a few days as a tourist, however living here requires a dedication to the French lifestyle. 

Bonne route,

The post From A Day Trip To A New Life In Southern France appeared first on Live and Invest Overseas.

Out of the hundreds of emails we get from readers every day, at least a dozen are to do with international health care—how do you access it, how much is insurance, what about age limits, etc.?

In fact, our recent survey shows that 6 in 10 Live And Invest Overseas readers are considering going overseas for medical or dental care due to cost.

Health care in Europe (and overseas in general) is typically a fraction of the cost as in America, and access is usually universal—even for foreign residents.

So ask yourself… what would your retirement look like if health care weren’t something you had to worry about…?

When you move to Europe, you’ll discover that a routine doctor’s visit costs less than dinner out, prescriptions are a fraction of U.S. prices, and health insurance no longer dictates your life…

For Americans used to navigating high costs, complicated insurance, and the fear of an unexpected medical bill, Europe can offer a very different experience.

But “European health care” isn’t one homogenous thing, and figuring out any given system takes a little bit of know-how.

This month’s issue of Europe Uncovered is dedicated to giving you just that…

This is an in-depth guide to health care in five of the most popular countries for Americans abroad—France, Spain, Greece, Italy, and Portugal.

But we go beyond the basics of the simple process—that is, how each system works—and dive into the reality of what it’s like to be an expat seeking medical care in a foreign country.

Five sets of expats who have actually used the systems in each country weigh in on their experiences and how they compared to back home—including insider details on access, quality of care, copays, costs, and comparisons.

They share what surprised them, what worked beautifully, where they ran into frustrations, and what they wish they’d known before they needed care.

Because it’s one thing to read about health care overseas (or ask AI for a summary of a foreign health care system)…

It’s another thing entirely to know what it feels like when you actually need it.

Here’s a few snippets of stories expats have shared with me for this report…

What It’s Really Like

Mary’s France Story

Mary Kisinger moved to Montpellier in the South of France in late 2025. Even though she hasn’t even celebrated her one-year anniversary, she’s already had plenty of experience with the local health care system…

“In April I had an unexpected trip to the ER in France.

“I did not yet have my Carte Vitale (French health card), which meant I would pay for this emergency visit from my own pocket. I was very worried about the cost.

“No payment was required that night at the hospital, so I was still dreading that bill.

“Two weeks later I received that dreaded bill… for 257 euros for all the medical services, including the two scans, hospital-administered pain meds, and doctor’s consultation.

“I literally laughed out loud! My previous U.S. hospital procedure was a colonoscopy (granted, not exactly comparable, but the only thing I have to compare), and my bill, with Medicare, was $14,000! I did not add an extra zero to that amount.

“I’ll take the French system any day over the U.S.!”

Micah’s Spain Story

“For our specific visas to live in Spain, we were required to purchase private insurance. Private insurance! Oh no! In the U.S. insurance is crazy expensive, but as it turns out, that is not the case in Spain. For a family of four, for an entire year, the bill was about $2,800, or to put that in terms of American health care, about 2.5 months of what it would cost us through my wife’s employer.

“But there’s more! Or rather, there’s no more! Whereas in the U.S. you are still on the hook for co-pays, deductibles, and the like, in Spain, for the most part, our plan required very little additional out-of-pocket expenses.

“Here’s a specific example—our son needed to have ear surgery. We decided to have this done in Spain, and we spent exactly zero dollars on the procedure, which included pre- and follow-up appointments as well as a one-day hospital stay.

“The fact that we don’t have to pay any out-of-pocket costs to go see a doctor has made decisions to seek medical care much easier—we never have to weigh up whether we need treatment or if we should just try to “tough it out”—an occurrence that takes place far too often in the U.S., often with tragic results. Medicines are reasonably priced as well, most prescriptions we’ve had to fill have rarely if ever cost more than $20 if that.”

Su’s Italy Story

“In Italy, health care is generally more affordable than it is in the U.S., but the quality and availability of services vary.

“Every resident in Italy is entitled to a health card that entitles you to free visits with your medico di base (primary care physician) and free or discounted tests and procedures.

“If there is a fee for a service, it’s usually under 50 euros. You pay a ticket sanitario, which is a bit like a co-pay, but ultimately it is far less than the full price of the service. Many prescription drugs are free; others are heavily subsidized.

“The maximum expats pay is 2,788.87 euros per year currently.

“I have my general practitionerthrough the SSN system, so I don’t pay for visits. She’s also fairly responsive via WhatsApp, which is surprising to me, since no American doctor was ever reachable without an appointment! If I need a prescription without it being necessary to have a visit, I just text her, and she sends me the prescription.

“For appointments that are more urgent than the Italian health system can accommodate, I go to a private facility and pay out of pocket. I’ve done this for various imaging services, and I pay to see my gynecologist; otherwise, I’d end up seeing a different doctor every visit.

“Even paying out of pocket is so much more affordable than the private health care I was paying for in the U.S. as a freelancer.”

Joch’s Portugal Story

“Sleepless nights. Many sleepless nights.

“Anxiety about the costs of quality health care led to sleepless nights as I approached 70. Jeff and I lived in northern California. I feared I could not afford to stop working. If a catastrophic health issue arrived, would escalating costs bankrupt us?

“We did some research and decided a move to Portugal was the answer to our problems.

“Portugal’s health system is ranked the 9th best in Europe and 12th in the world.

Portugal’s hospital network offers modern, well-equipped units, and at least 90% of all doctors are English-speaking. Specialty consultations at a public hospital will cost you about 8 euros and emergencies about 20 euros.

“In 2019 residing in California, Jeff and I paid over $12,000 a year for health insurance (salary deductions plus co-pays). I’m told that figure today can reach $19,000 a year for an individual. Our Portuguese private medical insurance is less than $1,000 a year.

“Yes—we reduced our health care costs by 92%!

“My private health insurance this year is 32 euros per month. Specialty consultations are at least 50% covered by insurance, meaning you pay less than half the total cost of the appointment. For example, an average specialty consultation costs about 80 euros; with insurance you pay only 35 euros.”

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Jackie’s Greece Story

“I watched images on the monitor of my husband’s beating heart while the cardiologist completed the exam using modern computerized equipment. It was nearly 7 p.m., evening to our way of thinking, afternoon as it is considered in Greece.

“Back in Washington State, from where we hail, an appointment this late in the day would have constituted an emergency, but here regular office hours can run until 10 p.m.

“And America’s privacy laws would have certainly kept me in the waiting room, unlike here where it is expected that family members who accompany patients to appointments will sit in on them as well.

“There’s no doubt about it; our Greek health care has been different from that which we’ve experienced in the States.

“It is less expensive.

“More thorough.

“More expedient.

“Personalized and caring.

“Joel’s cardiology checkup was a prerequisite for his cataract surgery the following week. Such an exam is generally required prior to medical procedures (cataract surgeries, knee and hip replacements, for example) that might involve an anesthetic.

“This appointment included a dual blood pressure test, EKG, and an ultrasound of the heart, all of which took the better part of an hour. It was all conducted by the doctor and the cost was 70 euros (about $80).

“Joel’s recent cataract surgeries were performed a week apart in a recently opened eye surgery center in Kalamata. The cost of two surgeries was 2,500 euros, and includes three follow up visits—the final one six months from now. My eye exam was 50 euros.”

Bonne route,

The post The Ultimate EU Health Handbook appeared first on Live and Invest Overseas.