Kingdom
Essaouira Ranks Among the World’s Top 10 Destinations for French Retirees in 2026
In its ranking of preferred destinations for French seniors to retire abroad, the specialized platform Retraite sans Frontières placed the “City of the Trade Winds” in 10th place worldwide. The list highlights destinations where it is pleasant to live “happily and in peace,” confirming Morocco’s continued appeal to international retirees.
Essaouira, a leading tourist destination on the international stage, ranked among the world’s ten best destinations for French retirees in 2026, according to the annual ranking published by the specialized website Retraite sans Frontières.
In its list of preferred places for French seniors to retire abroad, the platform placed the City of the Trade Winds in 10th place worldwide. The ranking identifies destinations where it is pleasant to live “happily and in peace” and confirms Morocco’s continued appeal to international retirees, alongside European and tropical destinations.
“The most captivating city on Morocco’s coastline offers us the charm of its alleyways, its white houses with blue shutters, its fishing port with brightly colored wooden trawlers, its powerful crenellated ramparts, its medina with fish, spice, and fabric markets,” notes Retraite sans Frontières.
“Let us add, finally, a long fine-sand beach that stretches for several kilometers south of the city. Often swept by the trade winds, it enjoys a relatively mild climate all year round,” the same source points out.
This recognition comes as retirees’ preferences are increasingly shifting toward destinations that combine authenticity and well-being, with Essaouira appearing in a ranking dominated this year by the Greek island of Paros, followed by Tavira in Portugal and Trou aux Biches in Mauritius.
Moreover, Morocco rose to 5th place in the top 10 most attractive countries for retirement, behind Thailand, Greece, Spain, and Portugal.
“Morocco has many strengths, including geographic proximity, an affordable cost of living, the widespread use of the French language, the legendary hospitality of Moroccans, favorable taxation, a Mediterranean climate marked by mild winters, as well as a great wealth of cultural and architectural heritage,” the same source specifies.
This ranking is the result of compiling public and private statistics based on twelve criteria considered decisive by retirees planning to move abroad, including the cost of living, real estate, climate, quality of medical care, gastronomy, the natural environment, cultural heritage, sports and leisure, safety, integration, accessibility, and infrastructure, supplemented by the views of French retired correspondents living abroad.
