Do equity release loans exist in France?

Not at present, unfortunately, since the Crédit Foncier bank which offered this loan, known in French as a prêt viager hypothécaire, is now defunct.

There is still a kind of loan called crédit hypothécaire, which is secured against your home, but it is repayable during your lifetime and the amount of the loan depends on your ability to repay, rather than the value of the home.