Care homes in France: EHPAD, costs, APA and aide sociale explained
Care by country · 4 min read · Last updated 30 October 2026
France has one of the most structured care home systems in the Mediterranean region. Most older people who need round-the-clock care live in an EHPAD (établissement d'hébergement pour personnes âgées dépendantes), and the bill is split into clearly defined parts. Public support exists, but it depends on residence in France, an assessment of dependency, and your resources.
At a glance
- Main type of home: EHPAD, a medicalised care home.
- Other types: USLD (long-term care units, for heavier medical needs) and résidences autonomie (for more independent residents).
- The bill: accommodation, dependency and health care, charged separately.
- Public support: APA for the dependency part, and aide sociale à l'hébergement (ASH) for accommodation.
- Average price: about €2,164 to €3,345 a month in 2024, depending on the type of home and whether it accepts aide sociale.
How an EHPAD bill works
- Hébergement (accommodation): room, meals, housekeeping and activities. Paid by the resident, or by social assistance where eligible.
- Dépendance (dependency): the cost of help with daily life. It is set by the resident's GIR level, a score from 1 (most dependent) to 6 (most autonomous) based on the national AGGIR grid. APA can help pay this part.
- Soins (health care): nursing and medical care, covered by Assurance Maladie, the public health insurance.
APA: help with the dependency part
APA en établissement is open to people aged 60 or over with stable, regular residence in France who are assessed at GIR 1 to 4. It is paid by the département, either directly to the home or to the resident. According to the official health information site Santé.fr, residents with monthly income below €2,846.77 (2026 figure) pay the lowest dependency tariff, the GIR 5-6 tariff, and APA covers the difference. Above that level, what the resident pays depends on their income. APA is tax-exempt and cannot be recovered from the estate.
Aide sociale à l'hébergement (ASH)
ASH helps people whose own resources, and those of their family, cannot cover accommodation costs. As summarised by France Assos Santé:
- The applicant must be over 65 and live in France stably and regularly.
- The home must be authorised to accept ASH residents (habilité à l'aide sociale), such as EHPADs, résidences autonomie and USLDs.
- 90% of the resident's income goes towards the accommodation costs first.
- Relatives, known as obligés alimentaires, are asked to contribute. These are children, grandchildren and sons- and daughters-in-law. They can dispute the amount, and disputes go to the family court judge (juge aux affaires familiales).
- The département can recover what it paid from the estate, from heirs and from gifts made within ten years before the application.
- Applications go to the local social action office (CCAS) or the town hall. The president of the departmental council decides, and aid can be backdated to admission if the request is filed within two months.
Average prices (2024)
| Type of EHPAD | Places eligible for aide sociale | Places not eligible | Share of places eligible |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public | €2,125 | €2,267 | 98% |
| Private non-profit | €2,242 | €2,630 | 82% |
| Private for-profit | €2,139 | €3,345 | 10% |
| All of France | €2,164 | €3,128 | 73% |
Source: CNSA, Repères statistiques no. 27 (March 2026). The monthly figure is the accommodation price plus the GIR 5-6 dependency price over 30 days, before any aid. Higher dependency levels cost more. See our guide to care home costs.
These figures show why it matters whether a home accepts aide sociale: only about one in ten places in private for-profit homes is eligible, against nearly all places in public homes.
Tips for families abroad
- Ask whether the EHPAD is habilité à l'aide sociale, even if you expect to pay privately: your situation may change.
- Ask for the full price list, including the dependency tariff for your relative's GIR level.
- French homes provide a welcome booklet (livret d'accueil) and a residence contract (contrat de séjour). Ask for both before deciding, and have the contract translated if needed.
- APA and ASH both depend on stable and regular residence in France. If your relative has recently moved or is not a French national, ask the département about the conditions that apply.
- Plan visits using our visit checklist and read our guide to moving a parent abroad.
Ready to look? Browse care homes in France.
Frequently asked questions
What does GIR mean?
GIR is the dependency level from 1 (most dependent) to 6 (most autonomous), based on the national AGGIR grid. It sets the dependency part of the EHPAD bill and decides eligibility for APA, which covers GIR 1 to 4.
Can my children be made to pay?
If a resident applies for aide sociale à l'hébergement, the département lists the obliged relatives and can ask them to contribute. They can dispute the amount, with disputes decided by the juge aux affaires familiales.
What is the difference between an EHPAD and an USLD?
An EHPAD is a medicalised care home for people who need regular support. An USLD is a long-term care unit for people with heavier, ongoing medical needs.
Sources and further reading
This guide is general information only, compiled from the public sources listed above as of the date shown. It is not legal, medical, tax, financial or care advice, and we cannot guarantee that it is complete, accurate or up to date. Rules, thresholds and prices change and differ by country and region, and some sources describe other countries' rules as examples. Check details with the authorities and care homes named, and take professional advice for your own situation before you act. If you spot an error, please email [email protected] and we will correct it.