Where to Live in France
Mar 7th, 2011, 02:54 AM
#2
Since I live in France, my reply is not valid -- all the more so since I prefer the north and the east while
95% of people prefer the west or the south. I like the north and the east, because the people take full advantage of life all year long. Obviously, they appreciate the nice summer weather, but they don't let bad weather stop them during the other seasons -- there are festivals and cultural events and exhibitions all through the 'bad' months. In the south, life just stops during the cold months, lots of places are closed and the people are grumpy until the temperature rises above 20°.
95% of people prefer the west or the south. I like the north and the east, because the people take full advantage of life all year long. Obviously, they appreciate the nice summer weather, but they don't let bad weather stop them during the other seasons -- there are festivals and cultural events and exhibitions all through the 'bad' months. In the south, life just stops during the cold months, lots of places are closed and the people are grumpy until the temperature rises above 20°.
Mar 7th, 2011, 03:09 AM
#3
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I'm going to skip over the usual questions/advice about whether you have the right to live in France or the finances to support you (or a job offer) yadda yadda.
Our number one preference is the city of Angers at the western end of the Loire Valley. A big enough city to have things going all year round, but still very green, gardens everywhere. Pleasant people, excellent food. Tourist-oriented activities abound in the Loire Valley, but Angers' economy isn't driven by tourism (you don't have the hordes of tour buses pounding through like you do in Amboise, for example). The weather is mild, no extremes in summer or winter. 90 minutes by train from Paris, about the same (maybe a little longer) to the coast. Apartments are not expensive and you can choose between very modern buildings or traditional, Hausmann-style buildings.
I understand Kerouac's pov about the north, but after 5+ years in Brussels, we now like a little more sunshine between November and March.
Our number one preference is the city of Angers at the western end of the Loire Valley. A big enough city to have things going all year round, but still very green, gardens everywhere. Pleasant people, excellent food. Tourist-oriented activities abound in the Loire Valley, but Angers' economy isn't driven by tourism (you don't have the hordes of tour buses pounding through like you do in Amboise, for example). The weather is mild, no extremes in summer or winter. 90 minutes by train from Paris, about the same (maybe a little longer) to the coast. Apartments are not expensive and you can choose between very modern buildings or traditional, Hausmann-style buildings.
I understand Kerouac's pov about the north, but after 5+ years in Brussels, we now like a little more sunshine between November and March.
Mar 7th, 2011, 03:47 AM
#4
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The Périgord, where I've owned a home for 20 years. I am considering selling the place and buying something in or near La Rochelle, however. I would also say if you don't absolutely for sure know the answer to the question you're not ready to do it.
Mar 7th, 2011, 04:38 AM
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Mar 7th, 2011, 04:40 AM
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www.internationalliving.com good research site.
Do lots and lease B4 you buy
Tax cost of living can eat you up if not careful..
Do lots and lease B4 you buy
Tax cost of living can eat you up if not careful..
Mar 7th, 2011, 04:42 AM
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Here, in MY south west of France, there's more cultural events and exhibits than I can visit in a lifetime.
No grumpy people where I live, even in the winter
And life definitely goes on even while the temperature drops.
The south of France isn't only those seaside resorts where half of the town is closed during winter. It's a very big region, with lots of things to see and do, and learn.
Hope that you were joking Kerouac. Don't think you are one of those people that generalize.
I have lived near Paris, in Lyon and now near Toulouse.
Liked Paris, liked Lyon, but love Toulouse and the people, and the culture, here in the southwest.
No grumpy people where I live, even in the winter
And life definitely goes on even while the temperature drops.
The south of France isn't only those seaside resorts where half of the town is closed during winter. It's a very big region, with lots of things to see and do, and learn.
Hope that you were joking Kerouac. Don't think you are one of those people that generalize.
I have lived near Paris, in Lyon and now near Toulouse.
Liked Paris, liked Lyon, but love Toulouse and the people, and the culture, here in the southwest.
Mar 7th, 2011, 05:04 AM
#8
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This is a question which can't be answered by simply dropping the name of a town or region.
First, you have to specify your preferences:
What kind of climate do you prefer?
Do you prefer the countryside or big cities?
How important is culture and entertainment?
Do you want to stay near the sea, a lake or in the mountains?
How important are traffic connections?
etc.
Here a few more thoughts to consider:
Living in a place is completely different from visiting a place as a tourist. You might loving spending a few weeks in the solitude of a cottage in a secluded village but after your first winter and experiencing that the natives do not stop cutting you might see things differently.
Second, the climate question. Some regions in France which are lovely in spring, fall and summer, get pretty nasty in wintertime. E.g. in Provence, you will encounter strong icy winds and most houses there are poorly insulated and heated.
Here a few characteristics of regions:
- Paris. A real metropolis, huge, crowded, noisy, full of vibrant urban life.
- Ile de France. A lovely region, kind of suburban ring of Paris, with lots of castles, residential neighbourhoods and still in communting distance to Paris.
- Val de Loire. Mild, lovely, zillions of castles, wine, mid-sized towns and small villages. Excellent TGV connection to Paris. Not far from the Atlantic.
- Brittany. Pretty much the same weather in winter and summer. Rugged coast. Remnants of Celtic culture.
- Normandy and Picardie. Flat, lots of agriculture, Channel coast with short summer season. Seaside resort towns which are dead in winter.
- Alsace. Cosmopolitan region with lots of history, cultural life, food, wine. Just stonethrows from Switzerland and Germany. Would be one of my favourites.
- Burgundy. Wine, food, history, cultural life. Medium-sized towns and picturesque villages. Excellent TGV connections both to Paris and to the Mediterranean. Mild climate. Would be another favourite of mine.
- Provence. Tons of history and cultural life. Picturesque villages, most of them kind of dying, with foreigners buying the crumbling houses to settle there. Lovely in summer, nasty in winter.
- Cote d'Azur. Mild climate, mild winters. Close to skiing areas. Beaches. Cultural life. However, very, very expensive.
- Savoie. Steep mountains, deep valleys. Excellent skiing. Lots of snow until May.
- Languedoc. Mild climate, close to Spain. Mediterranean beaches, which are crowded in summer.
- Périgord. Mild climate, picturesque, not too far from the Atlantic.
- Atlantic coast. Dramatic beaches, wine, access to Spain. Mixed weather, even in summer.
Hope that this is a bit helpful.
First, you have to specify your preferences:
What kind of climate do you prefer?
Do you prefer the countryside or big cities?
How important is culture and entertainment?
Do you want to stay near the sea, a lake or in the mountains?
How important are traffic connections?
etc.
Here a few more thoughts to consider:
Living in a place is completely different from visiting a place as a tourist. You might loving spending a few weeks in the solitude of a cottage in a secluded village but after your first winter and experiencing that the natives do not stop cutting you might see things differently.
Second, the climate question. Some regions in France which are lovely in spring, fall and summer, get pretty nasty in wintertime. E.g. in Provence, you will encounter strong icy winds and most houses there are poorly insulated and heated.
Here a few characteristics of regions:
- Paris. A real metropolis, huge, crowded, noisy, full of vibrant urban life.
- Ile de France. A lovely region, kind of suburban ring of Paris, with lots of castles, residential neighbourhoods and still in communting distance to Paris.
- Val de Loire. Mild, lovely, zillions of castles, wine, mid-sized towns and small villages. Excellent TGV connection to Paris. Not far from the Atlantic.
- Brittany. Pretty much the same weather in winter and summer. Rugged coast. Remnants of Celtic culture.
- Normandy and Picardie. Flat, lots of agriculture, Channel coast with short summer season. Seaside resort towns which are dead in winter.
- Alsace. Cosmopolitan region with lots of history, cultural life, food, wine. Just stonethrows from Switzerland and Germany. Would be one of my favourites.
- Burgundy. Wine, food, history, cultural life. Medium-sized towns and picturesque villages. Excellent TGV connections both to Paris and to the Mediterranean. Mild climate. Would be another favourite of mine.
- Provence. Tons of history and cultural life. Picturesque villages, most of them kind of dying, with foreigners buying the crumbling houses to settle there. Lovely in summer, nasty in winter.
- Cote d'Azur. Mild climate, mild winters. Close to skiing areas. Beaches. Cultural life. However, very, very expensive.
- Savoie. Steep mountains, deep valleys. Excellent skiing. Lots of snow until May.
- Languedoc. Mild climate, close to Spain. Mediterranean beaches, which are crowded in summer.
- Périgord. Mild climate, picturesque, not too far from the Atlantic.
- Atlantic coast. Dramatic beaches, wine, access to Spain. Mixed weather, even in summer.
Hope that this is a bit helpful.
Mar 7th, 2011, 05:50 AM
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I am about 45 minutes south and west of Toulouse and very happy here.
We looked in the Dordogne which is lovely but my husband, who is British, ruled it out as being overrun with Brits! And, in truth, it's a bit too expensive for us. Normandy and Brittany are beautiful but we wanted a drier, warmer climate.
There are so many factors to consider, we looked at varoius departments, towns, villages and houses before focusing in on Haut Garonne and the Gers. Some of our criteria were a view of the Pyrenees, access to a large city and choice of airports, reasonable weather year round, a village with services (our village didn't meet that criterion) and proximity to local markets. We have no school-age children so didn't have all those considerations.
All the best if you decide to pursue moving here.
We looked in the Dordogne which is lovely but my husband, who is British, ruled it out as being overrun with Brits! And, in truth, it's a bit too expensive for us. Normandy and Brittany are beautiful but we wanted a drier, warmer climate.
There are so many factors to consider, we looked at varoius departments, towns, villages and houses before focusing in on Haut Garonne and the Gers. Some of our criteria were a view of the Pyrenees, access to a large city and choice of airports, reasonable weather year round, a village with services (our village didn't meet that criterion) and proximity to local markets. We have no school-age children so didn't have all those considerations.
All the best if you decide to pursue moving here.
Mar 7th, 2011, 06:31 AM
#11
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I am also about 45 minutes south of Toulouse but a little to the east. There are towns that can be very dead and quiet in the winter but we are amongst the lucky ones. Our nearest town of Castelnaudary has a buzz all year around and we are also very close to the fabulous city of Carcassonne.
Plus with the Pyrenees to ski in during the winter and the Mediterranean coastline for days out in the summer, it suits us down to the ground. To be honest we really don't have to even get in a car for amazing views and country scenery. Pretty lucky we think. Shame we still have to work to make a living really, otherwise it would be like a permanent holiday.
Plus with the Pyrenees to ski in during the winter and the Mediterranean coastline for days out in the summer, it suits us down to the ground. To be honest we really don't have to even get in a car for amazing views and country scenery. Pretty lucky we think. Shame we still have to work to make a living really, otherwise it would be like a permanent holiday.
Mar 7th, 2011, 07:56 AM
#12
I have a very close friend who moved to the area outside Agen and bought a 250+ year-old farmhouse with acreage. I've visited him and can see wht he loves the area. He speaks French fluently which obviously doesn't hurt.
Last time I visited him we had a conversation about why he chose this particular region/spot (given his proclivities I would have thought Paris and environs would be a much better fit). When I asked about all that he responded that Paris is, indeed, wonderful, but he felt that, "...Parisians, like New Yorkers, tend to be 'hard'"
Yesh, I gather.
Last time I visited him we had a conversation about why he chose this particular region/spot (given his proclivities I would have thought Paris and environs would be a much better fit). When I asked about all that he responded that Paris is, indeed, wonderful, but he felt that, "...Parisians, like New Yorkers, tend to be 'hard'"
Yesh, I gather.
Mar 7th, 2011, 09:47 AM
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Rachel, advertising is not allowed on Fodor's. I'm sure you don't intend to be pushing your business, but when you include your business web site sddress at the bottom of every post, it comes off that way.
Mar 7th, 2011, 09:54 AM
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OOPS !!
I was very very close to buying a house in a village called Lore, on the Normandy/Loire border.
It was a lovely house with everything I wanted, quite close to the channel ports quite traditional area and quiet.
Small towns close by.
Unfortunately the £/€ exchange rate died a death and has never really recovered.
I will re visit one day, but it will be in the Loire region that I look.
Muck
I was very very close to buying a house in a village called Lore, on the Normandy/Loire border.
It was a lovely house with everything I wanted, quite close to the channel ports quite traditional area and quiet.
Small towns close by.
Unfortunately the £/€ exchange rate died a death and has never really recovered.
I will re visit one day, but it will be in the Loire region that I look.
Muck
Mar 7th, 2011, 10:21 AM
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I don't think anyone was offended. It's just that every now and then we get hit by blatant advertisers who are offensive (I'm NOT saying you are one of them!), so it's best to adopt the Caesar's wife strategy if you have a travel or expat-related business.
Mar 7th, 2011, 05:39 PM
#18
Original Poster
Wow, I need to study these replies - thanks to all of you. This is a serious question and you've risen to the occasion! I lived for a time - many years ago - in Besancon. I consider France my second home and I speak French fluently.
My plan is to spend part of the year in France after I retire and my husband, although not quite the dyed in the wool francophile as I am, is supportive and actually excited about the prospect. Both of us are born and raised Americans, but thanks to Italian law, we will soon both have an "EU" (Italian) passport which I think will make living and working in France easier than it would be otherwise.
Paris is my favorite city on earth, but we would prefer to live in a smaller city or town for a number of reasons. I kept the question vague, but I'm actually not surprised that most of you (actually all of you) suggested areas outside of Paris. Can't wait to delve into your suggestions, and please keep them coming - Merci!
Ellen
My plan is to spend part of the year in France after I retire and my husband, although not quite the dyed in the wool francophile as I am, is supportive and actually excited about the prospect. Both of us are born and raised Americans, but thanks to Italian law, we will soon both have an "EU" (Italian) passport which I think will make living and working in France easier than it would be otherwise.
Paris is my favorite city on earth, but we would prefer to live in a smaller city or town for a number of reasons. I kept the question vague, but I'm actually not surprised that most of you (actually all of you) suggested areas outside of Paris. Can't wait to delve into your suggestions, and please keep them coming - Merci!
Ellen
Mar 8th, 2011, 07:58 AM
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Just a few examples how can live on the countryside and still close to Paris:
- My wife's cousin lived in a most beautiful house (large garden, outdoor pool etc.) in Senlisse within the Foret de Rambouillet. Driving time into Paris was about an hour (congestions included). There are many other location in the Ile de France which are similar (e.g. Chantilly, Fontainebleau).
- I had once a job at the Université de Tours. One of the professors lived in Paris and commuted daily to Tour (1:04 with the TGV). You can do it the other way round: live in the charming Loire Valley and visiting Paris when it you like.
- The Seine Valley is very scenic. You might a spot near Rouen which is a charming historical town (e.g. Jumieges). From there, you are both close to Paris and to the Sea (Honfleur, Deauville).
- I would probably look for a house in Bourgogne. The TGV ride takes 90 min from Dijon into Paris. And 3 hours to Avignon. And pretty villages, food, wine, reasonable climate...
- My wife's cousin lived in a most beautiful house (large garden, outdoor pool etc.) in Senlisse within the Foret de Rambouillet. Driving time into Paris was about an hour (congestions included). There are many other location in the Ile de France which are similar (e.g. Chantilly, Fontainebleau).
- I had once a job at the Université de Tours. One of the professors lived in Paris and commuted daily to Tour (1:04 with the TGV). You can do it the other way round: live in the charming Loire Valley and visiting Paris when it you like.
- The Seine Valley is very scenic. You might a spot near Rouen which is a charming historical town (e.g. Jumieges). From there, you are both close to Paris and to the Sea (Honfleur, Deauville).
- I would probably look for a house in Bourgogne. The TGV ride takes 90 min from Dijon into Paris. And 3 hours to Avignon. And pretty villages, food, wine, reasonable climate...
