✉️ Retire To Europe™ Weekly

Issue #2 – Seaside Bliss, Hilltop Views & a Free Workshop​
(Skim it. Bookmark it. Plot your escape.)

🇫🇷 France: Hidden Gem of the Week – Collioure, Occitanie

This picture-perfect Mediterranean village blends French charm with Catalan spirit. With pastel houses, sea views, and cobbled streets, it’s a paradise for painters, beach lovers, and wine sippers. Just 30 minutes from Perpignan by train.

🔗 Visit Collioure tourism site »​

🇮🇹 Italy: Hidden Gem of the Week – Offida, Marche

Set on a panoramic ridge with sweeping vineyard views, Offida is a wine town with soul. You’ll find great food, artisan lace-making, and fewer tourists. It’s 25 minutes from Ascoli Piceno and just over an hour to the Adriatic coast or Ancona airport.

🔗 Explore more about Offida »​

💸 Affordable Finds

🇫🇷 Collioure – 2BR apartment with sea views – €259,000 ($291,600)​
Overlooking the bay, outdoor patio for eating. Walk to restaurants.

📸 View the listing »​

🇮🇹 Offida – 4BR in town center with terrace – €195,000 ($219,600)​
Center of town with views of the church of Santa Maria and surrounding countryside.

📸 See the listing »​

🏥 Healthcare Highlight

In France, the emergency room is called “les urgences” (say: lay zur-ZHONSE). In Italy, it’s “pronto soccorso” (say: PROHN-toe soh-KOR-so).

Want peace of mind before you move? Search “[town name] + hospital + emergency” or check Google Maps for hospitals with 24/7 urgent care. Look for facilities labeled Centre Hospitalier (France) or Ospedale (Italy).

🗣️ Phrase of the Week

🇫🇷 “Il bricole dans le jardin.” (say: eel bree-kol dahn luh zhar-dahn)
“He’s puttering around in the garden.” — Use it to describe your dream retirement routine, tinkering with plants or fixing up the patio in your little French village.

🇮🇹 “Che bello!” (say: kay BEL-lo)
“How beautiful!” — Use it when gazing at a vineyard, piazza, or your new backyard.

🧾 Tax Tip Tuesday… On Saturday

France only charges a wealth tax (IFI) on real estate, and only if your net worldwide real estate exceeds €1.3 million. The 2025 rate on the first €800k is 0%, then runs from 0.5% to 1.5%, applied progressively.

Italy’s wealth tax hits foreign assets — including real estate and financial accounts held outside Italy. For 2025, it’s:
• 1.06% on foreign property (IVIE)
• 0.2% on foreign financial assets (IVAFE)

Note: You avoid all wealth taxes in Italy if you retire using the 7% Flat Tax Regime, which we'll discuss in the Expat Tax Clarity™ Workshop on May 21st at 7pm EST.

🎟️ Claim your spot now »

💬 Reader Q&A

Q: Is it hard to buy property in Italy or France as an American?​
​A: Nope! No citizenship or residency required to buy in either country. Just bring a passport, a notaire or notaio (notary), and some patience with the paperwork.

👣 Final Step

Send this to someone you’d split a bottle of wine with and say:
​“Let’s pretend we want a vacation home in Europe. Which of these houses are we buying?”​
(It’s more fun than Zillow. And it might just spark a plan.)

Tommy

PS- Don't forget the Expat Tax Clarity™ Workshop has limited seats. I don't want you to miss it!