Retirement is taken very seriously in France and many towns and villages around us are building new facilities. Our own village of Montblanc, which is less than 3,000 people is building a new complex and even a special road to make an “electric raceway” straight to the village center (shops and bar) – I know of several other small towns and villages within a few miles of us who are doing the same. This is part of an official initiative to make sure that services will be in place when they are needed, this is in France, the only Western country with a rising birthrate and a population which is actually getting younger on average.
I believe all are offering restaurant facilities and medical care in France is second to none.
Recently my mum was recovering from a hip replacement, after the operation she had two weeks in a superb new building only a few minutes drive from us, with views to the mountains and to the sea – we went along for a Sunday lunch with her and had a wonderful venison stew, wine with every meal, of course. All paid for by a simple and inexpensive medical insurance and the health services (as visitors we had to pay a supplement of 7 euro each for out five course lunch, which included the wine)
Retirement and health services are obviously going to be increasingly important to us all over the next fifteen years. In France, care of the family, all of the family including the senior members, is very important.
This is something I will look into in detail and perhaps I can make a reference and advisory website to be a part of my new initiatives.