French law sets no maximum age for taking out a mortgage. The lending rules cap repayments at 35% of income and the term at 25 years, with no age test. In practice the limit comes from the bank and the borrower insurance: many lenders want the loan repaid by the time you are 75, and some go to 80 or 85. Older borrowers therefore get shorter terms, and the cost and availability of insurance usually decide the file.
What the law says
There is no legal age limit. Société Générale puts it plainly: there is no legal maximum age for taking out a home loan (Société Générale, October 2026). The rules of the Haut Conseil de stabilité financière, which every French lender applies, limit repayments to 35% of income and the term to 25 years. They contain no age criterion.
Borrower insurance is not compulsory by law either. The bank may require it, and almost always does (service-public.fr). That requirement is where age starts to count.
What banks accept in practice
Banks look at your age at the end of the loan, not at the start. Société Générale describes the market standards as follows:
| Age when you sign | Usual maximum age at the end of the loan |
|---|---|
| 60 to 69 | 75 to 80 |
| 70 or older | 80 to 85 |
Source: Société Générale, 29 October 2026. Each bank sets its own policy.
Guides for foreign buyers are more cautious: FrenchEntrée reports that most lenders only approve a loan that ends before the eldest borrower turns 75 (FrenchEntrée, May 2026). A buyer aged 62 should therefore plan on a term of about 13 years with most lenders, and longer only with some.
A shorter term means a higher monthly repayment, and that repayment still has to fit within 35% of your income. For retirees, banks count pension income, which is stable and easy to prove. The guide for retirees covers how pensions and investment income are assessed.
Insurance usually decides
Insurers set their own age limits, and they vary. Published examples: Generali accepts new borrower cover up to age 84 (Generali, December 2025). Disability cover stops much earlier than death cover, often around 65 to 70.
Three rules help older borrowers:
- You can choose your insurer. Until you sign the loan offer, the bank cannot refuse another insurer's contract that gives equivalent cover (Code de la consommation, article L313-30). You can also change insurer at any time afterwards.
- No health questionnaire for smaller loans. Insurers cannot ask health questions if your insured home loans total €200,000 or less and the loan ends before you turn 60 (service-public.fr). Most borrowers over 50 fall outside this rule because of the age condition.
- The AERAS convention. If a health problem leads to a refusal, your file is re-examined automatically. The full procedure applies to loans up to €420,000 where the insurance ends before you turn 71.
Some French insurance contracts are only open to people who live in France. If you live abroad, ask early which insurers accept non-residents: it narrows the choice more than age does. See the guide to borrower insurance.
If insurance is refused or too expensive
A bank can accept other security in place of insurance. The official list includes an existing life insurance policy, a pledged portfolio of investments, or a mortgage on another property (service-public.fr). The bank decides whether to accept them.
Other routes that brokers use for older buyers:
- A larger deposit, which shortens the term and lowers the amount to insure.
- A younger co-borrower, where the purchase is a family one.
- An interest-only loan backed by savings placed with the bank. See the prêt in fine explained.
Questions
Can I get a French mortgage at 65?
Yes, with many lenders, but usually over 10 to 15 years, because most banks want the loan repaid by the time you are 75 to 80. The repayment must still fit within 35% of your income.
Can I get a French mortgage at 70 or older?
Some banks lend to borrowers aged 70 or more, with the loan ending by 80 to 85. The choice of lenders is smaller and insurance costs more, so a larger deposit or other security often helps.
Is borrower insurance compulsory in France?
Not by law. The bank may require it, and almost always does. A bank can accept other security instead, such as a pledged life insurance policy or investment portfolio.
Do retirees need a medical exam for a French mortgage?
Usually a health questionnaire. The exemption from health questions only applies to loans of €200,000 or less that end before age 60.