Farm transfers in industrialised countries are a major element of the structural change seen in agriculture today. In France, farm transfers represent a key strategic issue with half of all farm heads being over 50 years old in 2010 and therefore due to retire in the next ten or fifteen years. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to our understanding of the issues and problems associated with the farm transfer process, taking the French region Brittany as a case study. A review of the literature, rounded out by interviews with public and professional stakeholders involved in the transfer and settling processes, identifies certain key aspects, which are borne out by a survey of 15 farmers established for less than five years and 25 farmers eligible for retirement in the next ten years in Brittany.