This may seem obvious, but many people move abroad without having done the careful research necessary to ensure that it is a viable, or even an attractive proposition.

We made the move three years ago, whilst in our early 60's and have never looked back, but it wasn't done without asking ourselves a lot of questions.

So, if you want to retire to France, these are some of things we considered:

1. Why do you really want to go? Better weather, lifestyle, standard of living, less stress, more freedom, less traffic, French food, French wine? Just how important are all these things to you when weighed against the loss of old friends, familiar places and habits, and the infrequency of seeing family? Some people want to make a fresh start, but are you sure that your troubles won't follow you to your new destination?

2. Look on the web for stories of people who have already moved to France. You will read many 'warts and all' accounts - and these are invaluable. Visit the country frequently and speak to as many expats as you can - of all ages. Some will give you a glowing account and mean it. Some will give you a glowing account and NOT mean it - (It's called cognitive dissonance) - because they don't want to admit they made a mistake. Others will quite openly admit they made a mistake, and will be keen to tell you why. If you speak to enough of them, you will get a balanced view.

3. If you are not already familiar with France, read as much as you can about it, and have a really good look round. It is so huge (about twice the size of the UK but with the same population), and so diverse. Make a list of the things which are important to you: countryside or town, on the coast or inland, flat or mountainous landscape, similar climate to UK or hotter, proximity of shops and amenities, community/social life, type of house, a renovation project or ready to move into, size of garden or land, good view, other expat residents, proximity to airports, channel ports, etc., etc.

4. Make sure you have your finances in order before you move. Amazing how many people think they can survive in another country by having a vegetable garden and a couple of goats! It is no longer true that the cost of living in France is lower than in the UK. Food has rocketed in price, and apart from local wine, the price of most other goods is comparable with the UK. Indeed some things cost considerably more. The one big advantage is that, depending on the area you choose, you get much better value for money in housing, and generally speaking the tax fonciere (equivalent of council tax) is much lower.

5. Get really, really clued-up on the French tax and health system. We did a lot of research online and also spoke to several professionals who gave us good advice. Don't wait until you move and hope that it will all 'fall into place'. On the other hand, don't be phased by it; our experience was that it was no more complicated than the UK equivalent. In fact, we chose to pay our income tax in France, and find the tax declaration form easier than the one in the UK! By the way, if you to choose to pay your tax in the UK, you will still be required to fill in a French tax form every year, and there are stiff penalties for failing to do so, or submitting it late.

6. Don't be put off if you don't speak the language, but it's really important to tackle that as soon as possible. There are several courses on CD and they are just so easy to listen to when you are in the car. But there is no substitute for immersing yourself into the local French community. In our own experience, I found that my husband was more than happy to let me do the talking, but I do now push him into doing it himself. We live in South West France where the local people, mostly farmers, speak a strong dialect. We have adopted this; there is no point being precious about having a good accent if the local people don't understand you! So how good are we now, 3 years later - not very good at all, but good enough to get by and improving all the time. My husband carefully rehearses what he is going to say when he goes to the 'Brico' (DIY store), but is then completely flummoxed when he gets a stream of very fast French in return! Without exception, all the French people we meet are helpful and understanding.

MORE TO COME.....