registration and insurance, this will require regular return trips to the UK. You can drive on your English licence until it expires, at which stage you must obtain a French driving licence from a Prefecture or Sous-Prefecture. Considerable paperwork is involved. You'll need photocopies of your birth certificate, passport and proof of a French address.
Acquiring French registration is comp-licated. First, get a Certificate of Conformity from the garage representing your car's manufacturer. Then change your head-lights and pass the Contrôle Technique – the French version of the MOT. After this, ask for the tax certificate, or Quitas Fiscal, from your local Centre des Impôts.
You can then apply for your French log book – the Carte Grise – from your local Prefecture or Sous-Prefecture. Take all your paperwork with you, plus your French chequebook. They will give you an exportation slip, which you must send to the DVLA immediately.
Your new Carte Grise will arrive by registered post within a fortnight. You can then change your English car registration plates to French ones.
YOUR INCOME
If you are on a fixed income or pension from the UK, remember that conversion rates fluctuate. It is useful to establish a relationship with a good currency exchange company. Don't make the mistake of calculating your income when the euro is high.
A FINAL WORD
Regulations may differ by département, so it's always worth seeking expert advice, especially for financial questions.
See Leggett Immobilier website for more helpful advice