Using your search criteria, I've got 32 in Languedoc Roussillon- on the Med. There are another 84 in the Pyrenees Atlantique. there are another 32 on Pyrenees Atlantiques. If you have a look, and see somewhere you like, come back and we will advise

Sarlat and Périgueux are not villages, and you do not want to be in either one in August.

Hi if you dont have a car you have to go in a town or little town with subway or suburbs train. In city near paris you have all the train bus subway you need to go to paris.
The south is a little expensive in august but if you look now you can have good prices.
But if you rent a car there is a lot of city with wath you want for your birthday less expensive and more beautiful.
Sorry for my english and have a nice trip.

And these villages
Menton B
Antibes B
Albi
Sarlat la Caneda
Perigueux
Auch
Arles
St Jean de Luz B

None of the above are villages in any sense of the word but proper cities in most cases - some like Arles and Antibes and Perigeueux not small cities but these kind of cities may be what you are looking for - some border rural areas - like Sarlat or Albi but others are mainly in urban areas. and yes all those places will be inundated with tourists in August and much of July - especially Stu's B or beach cities.