Hi Jess,
Lovely to hear about your plans, it sounds like you’ve already put a lot of thoughtful consideration into this next chapter. I retired to the Algarve (Portugal) a few years ago after decades in healthcare, and I’m happy to share a few reflections based on both my experience and what I’ve seen others navigate.

Residency & Citizenship:

• Portugal tends to be the most straightforward in terms of residency options. The D7 visa (for passive income earners) has been a popular route for retirees, and the path to permanent residency and citizenship is clear and relatively low-cost.
• Spain offers a similar passive income visa, but I’ve heard the bureaucracy can be more cumbersome. Citizenship also takes longer, usually 10 years unless you qualify through ancestry.
• France is wonderful but tends to be more administrative-heavy. You’ll want to be patient with paperwork. Language proficiency is also more formally required for long-term residency and naturalization.

Lifestyle & Location:
Since you’re not beach people and prefer something with amenities in a cooler climate, I’d suggest looking at:

• Northern Portugal - places like Braga or Guimarães have charming town centers, good healthcare, and a growing expat community.
• Northern Spain - areas like Galicia or parts of the Basque Country are beautiful and a bit cooler.
• France - southwest regions like Dordogne or even around Limoges could fit your desire for market-town life with access to services.

Language:
You’ll likely be fine - especially if you already speak French and Spanish. Portuguese is a bit tricky at first, but very doable with time (and local kindness!).

If you'd like a bit of structure to the process, when comparing visa types, citizenship timelines, and financial requirements - I found Global Citizen Solutions (GCS) to be a very clear and helpful resource. They work with retirees like us and offer detailed comparisons between different countries’ residency/citizenship programs. You can connect with their team here if you want a personal assessment: Contact us

 

It would be very difficult to narrow down and within these countries there are also huge differences, be it local services, administration and housing affordability.

You could look to Olot, it is a bit cooler with seasons but you are still not too far from the Med and France. Of course Catalan is spoken but in general you can manage with Spanish.

 

We went through a similar decision before settling in Portugal, happy to share a comparison based on our experience:

• Portugal: Northern towns like Braga or Viana do Castelo have a mild climate, friendly communities, and great public services. Portuguese can be tough at first, but locals are welcoming and many speak English.
• Spain: The north (like San Sebastián or Oviedo) offers cooler weather, rich culture, and is very walkable. Spanish makes day-to-day life easier if you already speak it.
• France: Beautiful countryside and excellent healthcare. Some areas like Brittany feel like market towns and offer a slower pace, but day-to-day life tends to require more French.

Wishing you the best on your journey!