Buying a restaurant in France 2026: audit, valuation and the business sale
Acquisition audit, business valuation, asset vs share deal, registration duties, financing and lease: the complete guide to buying a restaurant in France.
76 articles in this category
Acquisition audit, business valuation, asset vs share deal, registration duties, financing and lease: the complete guide to buying a restaurant in France.
A buyer under time pressure does not always have 8 weeks for a full due diligence. Here is the express 3-week method from Hayot Expertise: 15 accounting, tax and employment red flags to analyse in 21 days.
Full sale, MBO, Dutreil family transfer, share contribution to a holding company, LBO: how to select the right transmission structure based on your profile, fiscal objectives, and the buyer's profile. 2026 comparative analysis by Cabinet Hayot Expertise in Paris.
The business sale is signed. What remains is equally critical: managing your net capital, choosing between PFU and progressive income tax, leveraging deferral or purge mechanisms, building a durable wealth allocation and aligning retirement with transmission. This guide maps the decisions to take in the 24 months after closing.
Cap, de minimis, basket, GFS duration aligned with LPF art. L169, GSS aligned with CSS art. L244-3, escrow, W&I insurance, disclosure letter, claim procedure: the French GAP warranty analysed from both seller and buyer perspectives by Cabinet Hayot Expertise in Paris.
Before transferring your business to 2026, what diagnostics should be carried out? Finance, legal, human, commercial, tax and management.
Location-gérance — France's business lease management arrangement — lets a business owner hand over operations to a prospective buyer before committing to a final sale. Properly structured, it tests the incoming manager, protects asset value and organises the seller's exit. Done poorly, it triggers joint liability for debts and can undermine the commercial lease. A practical guide for 2026.
Anticipating a business transfer (60,000 sales per year in France): Dutreil agreement at 75%, retirement allowance of EUR 500,000, valuation of 4-7x EBITDA — prepare the file and the seller in advance.
Sector benchmarks, EBITDA multiples 3-7x, DCF, adjusted net assets and earnings capitalisation: the five methods to value a French goodwill and the role of a chartered accountant in Paris in 2026.
2026 method for identifying a serious buyer: sourcing channels, financial qualification, NDA, data room and warning signs to monitor throughout the process.
Information Memorandum (IM) for a French M&A sale: 8-section structure, normalised EBITDA, Vendor DD, NDA, EUR 35-110k cost and 12-month timeline. Cabinet Hayot Expertise method, Paris.
Transfer of business assets: transferred éléments, formalities, lease, pre-emption, taxation and points of vigilance to secure the operation.
Transferring a business in France takes longer than most owners expect. From the initial 360° diagnostic through to closing and post-sale planning, this guide covers the structured method, key decision points and French tax rules you need to know for a successful 2026 transfer.
A business transfer has to be prepared on both sides: the company itself and the owner's personal timing, income needs and transition objectives.
Chartered accountant (expert-comptable), lawyer, notary and M&A adviser: who to call on, at what point and for what purpose — and why the order of involvement matters as much as the choice of professionals in a French business transfer.
Our articles provide general guidance. A discovery meeting with Samuel HAYOT allows us to analyse your specific case.