The prêt viager hypothécaire is France's version of a lifetime mortgage. A homeowner aged 60 or over receives a lump sum secured on the property and makes no repayments while alive. Capital and interest are repaid only when the home is sold or the last borrower dies, and the debt can never exceed the value of the property.
Regulated by the French Consumer Code since 2006, it remains a niche product. It is offered almost exclusively by the Crédit Foncier under the name Foncier Reversimmo and, in 2026, distributed by some Caisses d'Épargne and Banques Populaires. It is designed for the retiree who is asset-rich but income-poor and wants to stay at home. British readers will recognise the logic of UK equity release, with its no-negative-equity guarantee, though the French market is far smaller and the choice of lenders very limited.
Who can apply in 2026?
The conditions published by the Caisse d'Épargne Bretagne Pays de Loire and the Banque Populaire Grand Ouest are identical: you must be a private individual aged 60 or over, with no upper age limit, and own the property outright, not through an SCI (a French property-holding company). The home must be in mainland France; it may be your main residence, a second home or a let property.
The minimum sum is €50,000. The money can fund any personal purpose, such as topping up a pension, paying for home care or helping children, but not a business. No life insurance is required and no health conditions apply, since death is precisely the event that triggers repayment. Owners who live part of the year abroad should ask the bank directly whether their residence status affects the file, as the published conditions focus on the property rather than the borrower's country.
How much can you raise on your home?
The amount is a percentage of the value set by an expert. It rises with age and varies by sex: because women have a longer life expectancy, a woman obtains a lower percentage at the same age. The examples published in autumn 2026 show this clearly.
| Profile (age 75) | Property value | Maximum amount | Projected term | Total cost after 10 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Couple, Marie-Claire and François | €330,000 | 28.7 %, i.e. €94,710 | 21 years | €89,872 (APR 7.05 %) |
| Woman alone, Françoise | €450,000 | 31.6 %, i.e. €142,200 | 19 years | €134,230 (APR 6.99 %) |
| Man alone, François | €450,000 | 36.3 %, i.e. €163,350 | 16 years | €153,985 (APR 6.98 %) |
These examples use a fixed borrowing rate of 6.75 % from the Crédit Foncier scale in force on 1 October 2026. Costs include a €1,000 entry fee and about €1,600 to €2,400 of mortgage registration costs; the valuation is paid by the lender.
How does the debt grow over time?
Interest is rolled up every year: it is added to the capital and itself earns interest. In the couple's example, the €94,710 received at 75 becomes a debt of about €184,600 after ten years, almost double, and about €332,600 after twenty, more than the current value of the house.
The guarantee that protects your heirs
This is where the core rule applies: the bank's claim is capped at the value of the property on the day of repayment. If the debt exceeds the sale price, the lender bears the loss; if the property is worth more, the surplus goes to the heirs. They can also keep the house by repaying capital and interest.
From first meeting to signing at the notary's
- Ask your Caisse d'Épargne or Banque Populaire branch whether it distributes Foncier Reversimmo: availability depends on the regional bank and branch.
- Request a simulation based on your age, your spouse's age and a first estimate of the property.
- Let the expert appointed by the lender value the home; the report sets the maximum amount.
- Receive the loan offer, then observe the ten-day reflection period required by law before accepting.
- Sign the authentic deed before a notaire, who registers the mortgage and pays you the sum in one go.
- Maintain and insure the property for the whole life of the loan, as the contract requires.
What brings the loan to an end
Repayment falls due on the death of the last borrower, on sale of the home, or at your request if you repay early. According to the broker Partners Finances, the loan also ends if ownership of the property is split (démembrement) or it is no longer maintained. Moving into a care home does not force a sale: the home can stay empty or be let.
Including your spouse in the contract
If only one spouse signs, his or her death makes the debt payable while the survivor still lives there. Making the spouse a co-borrower lowers the percentage lent, because the projected term grows longer, but guarantees that he or she can stay. For unmarried partners this precaution matters even more.
A trade-off for a widow of 82
Hélène owns a house worth €260,000 and receives a €1,300 pension. She wants to pay for 30 hours of home help a month. A lifetime mortgage would give her more than the €50,000 minimum, yet she needs only €600 a month. Investing the capital and drawing on it gradually avoids paying interest on money that would sit idle, but the rolled-up interest still runs on the whole sum from day one, so she weighs it against a smaller secured loan.
Common refusals and mistakes
Applications fail first for reasons linked to the property: held through an SCI or in an unresolved joint ownership (indivision), located in Corsica or overseas, worth too little to reach €50,000, or an isolated house that is hard to value. An existing mortgage must be cleared, if necessary with part of the funds, because the new mortgage must rank first.
On the borrower's side, the most common mistake is taking the maximum at 65: at that age the percentage is low and the debt has decades to accumulate. Another misstep is not telling your children, who then discover the mortgage when the estate is settled. A family meeting with the notaire before signing prevents many disputes, and is especially useful in families spread across several countries.
Alternatives to compare before signing
Selling in viager occupé (a French life annuity sale while you stay in the home) brings a lump sum and a lifelong income, but you are no longer the owner. Selling the bare ownership (nue-propriété) while keeping a life interest raises a larger sum. A conventional mortgage-backed cash loan often costs less but requires repayments. Finally, the prêt avance rénovation finances only energy works and is repaid on sale or inheritance.
Why the usury ceiling works differently here
The lifetime mortgage has its own quarterly usury ceiling, separate from that of ordinary amortising property loans. It is therefore normal for its APR, around 7 % in the 2026 examples, to exceed the cap on a standard mortgage. Compare it instead with the cost of selling the bare ownership, which involves a discount but no interest.
Frequently asked questions
Will my children have to pay if the debt exceeds the house price? No. The debt is capped at the property's value at repayment; the bank absorbs any shortfall.
Is the sum received taxable? No, it is a loan, not income. If you invest it, any gains are taxed normally.
Can I take a lifetime mortgage on a let flat? Yes, Foncier Reversimmo accepts second homes and rental properties held directly; you keep receiving the rent.
Can I repay before death? Yes, at any time, for instance from a sale or an inheritance; interest then stops.
Do I need a deposit or minimum income? No. As there are no monthly repayments, the bank examines neither your debt ratio nor your remaining income, only the property and the borrowers' ages.
Organisations and offers to contact
- Caisse d'Épargne Bretagne Pays de Loire : Caisse d’Épargne Bretagne Pays de Loire page on the prêt viager hypothécaire: eligibility from 60, eligible properties and costed examples.
- Banque Populaire Grand Ouest : Banque Populaire Grand Ouest presents Foncier Reversimmo, with conditions, the €50,000 minimum and representative examples at the current scale.