You can renegotiate a French mortgage with your bank or move it to another lender, but it only pays when the rate gap is meaningful and the capital outstanding is large. Early repayment charges are capped at six months' interest and 3% of the capital, and a new lender adds its own guarantee costs. Releasing equity from a French property you own outright is possible against a mortgage charge, though few lenders offer it to non-residents. Private banks are the main option for larger amounts.
Renegotiating or refinancing
There are two routes. You can ask your bank to lower your rate (renégociation), or another bank can repay your loan and replace it (rachat de crédit). Your own bank may agree to avoid losing you, and it saves the cost of a new guarantee.
Either way, the saving has to outweigh the costs. That usually means a meaningful gap between your rate and today's, and a large capital outstanding with many years left. September 2026 loans averaged 3.40%; the rates page has this month's figures.
Early repayment charges
A French bank may charge an indemnity when you repay early, capped by law at six months' interest on the amount repaid and at 3% of the capital outstanding. Many offers waive it. Check the clause in your loan offer before you ask for quotes.
Ask the broker to set the indemnity, the new guarantee and the fees against the saving over the remaining term. The net figure is the one that counts.
The cost of moving to another bank
- A new guarantee. The new lender wants its own charge on the property, registered by the notaire. Budget around 1–2% of the loan.
- An arrangement fee, from several hundred to a few thousand euros.
- New insurance underwritten at your current age and health. Beyond €200,000 insured per person, or a loan ending after your 60th birthday, expect health questions.
A new loan also brings a new offer, and the 10-day reflection period applies again before you can accept it.
Releasing equity from a property you own
If you own a French property outright, a French bank can lend against it with a mortgage charge (hypothèque conventionnelle), registered by the notaire. It costs more than the lender's charge used on a purchase, because it pays the land registration tax. Few lenders offer this to non-residents, especially when the money is not for French property or works. Expect the bank to ask what the funds are for.
Private banks are the main source above roughly €1 million, usually in exchange for assets placed with them, and can offer interest-only (in fine) loans. The 35% ceiling and the legal rate cap apply to any new loan.
Next step
Gather your current loan offer, the latest statement showing capital outstanding and your income documents. For equity release, add a recent valuation and a note of what the funds are for. Then use the eligibility check, and a broker who handles non-resident refinancing will tell you whether a move makes sense.
Questions
Is it worth remortgaging a French property?
Only when the rate gap is meaningful and the capital outstanding is large. Early repayment charges, a new guarantee and fees can absorb a small saving.
How much are early repayment charges in France?
They are capped at six months' interest on the amount repaid and at 3% of the capital outstanding. Many loan offers waive them.
Can I release equity from my French home as a non-resident?
It is possible against a mortgage charge, but few lenders offer it to non-residents. Private banks are the main option for larger amounts.