Where to live in France?
 

I have friends who have two preschool children ( 4 yr. olds) who want to move to France for a year. They are gathering information. They don't want to be in Paris. Where would you suggest?

Some questions to ask before anyone is able to provide input

#1. Do they have a right to live in France for a year? If not, it's a moot point.

#2. Do they plan to work? If so, do they have the right to work in France, and do they have a job lined up?

3. France is a big country - what are their interests?

J62
I think that there should one more item for the list.

Q/ Why?

Blackduff

2 observations:

If they come from the US, I would suggest keeping to the south.

Here in Canada, our short winter days leave me feeling light-deprived.

Many do not realize that Toronto -- our southernmost large city -- is roughly on the latitude of Nice. In other words, days are shorter almost everywhere in France than in the most populated Canadian areas. Yikes!

Second, some of the areas that are loveliest in the summer (Provence, for one) empty out in the winter and restaurants and sites close down. Our hosts in the Luberon told us all their local restaurants but one shut down, as do many of the shops. Depressing!

A small(ish) city might be a better bet than a village or the countryside....

Did you really expect good responses from such a vague post?

HI DJ,

>They don't want to be in Paris. Where would you suggest?<

Somewhere outside of Paris.

((I))

I suggest they continue to gather their own information and you remain above the blame line in case things go horribly wrong.

Well this has provoked quite a response. Yes, they have the right to live in France. I don't know the technical stuff, but the family has dual citizenship. I believe the work stuff is up in the air at this point, but they would legally be able to it if they so chose. What I'd hope was that people would speak of the advantages of a particular region or town. I'm aware that the south is not a favorable area in the winter, but are there other smaller cities in other parts that would offer a young family the richnes that France has to offer? I assumed, perhaps incorrectly, that Fodorites would be able to share their vast knowledge to inform this family with their expertise. I hope I have clarified the reason for this post.

It is sort of like saying that friends were coming to the US to live from France, what is a good place? There are so many lovely areas of France. Personally, if I was going to live in France for a year, it'd be in Paris. That is such a wonderful city. I have not been to the south of France, just to more northerly locations. Brittany is great, I loved Dinard. There are tons and tons of tiny towns though - just soooo many. Each region is different. If they nailed down at least an area (or as someone said, listed some interests). it would be easier.

Without knowing the job information, I would think anywhere along the Mediterranean coast.

The lower Atlantic costal cities are okay but the weather is colder and more stormy. Bayonne pleased me when I was looking for a house but the weather turned me off.

Toulouse is a good city but it's mostly driven by the aircraft building companies. This has brought higher prices for that area.

The various grape growing regions have good cities where it's nice to live. This gives a large variation though. Grapes are grown many parts of France.

Living Paris or the suburbs would please me but most wouldn't. A big city does offers which are not allowed in smaller cities.

We really more information about the people who would come to France. Just knowing if this family can speak French. This will give a big advantage in selecting a new place to live.

Blackduff

I wouldn't hesitate for a minute to live in the city of Angers. It's a beautiful city, active cultural life year round, it has plenty to keep children and adults happy, wonderful food, lots of parks. People are very friendly and according to a poll of French teachers (in France), the people of Angers speak the "best" French in France. It's not an expensive place to live and apartment availability is reasonable.
The climate is generally mild, although there are four seasons. Summers aren't as hot as in the south; winters aren't as cold or blustery as in other regions. Spring and fall are delightful.
From Angers, you are 90 minutes from Paris by TGV. It's also not a long drive to the coast.

It does strongly depend on what you want in France where you live. I live in rural NW France where I have peace and quiet on 4 acres of land surrounded by open countryside with a large village 4 miles away. The idea of living in Paris or any other large town with all the problems associated with that (people are the same the world over) horrifies me.


True the weather could be better here but you are never going to get all you want.

Lyon

France is a big place... perhaps Toulouse would orth looking into. Definitely I'd avoid Clichy-sous-Bois for a while.

Hi dj,

>I assumed, perhaps incorrectly, that Fodorites would be able to share their vast knowledge to inform this family with their expertise.<

How? We know nothing about these people other than that they don't want to live in Paris (we don't know why) and that they have 2 4-yr old children.

I shall ask you a question: I'm thinking of moving from Madison, GA, where in the US should I go?

((I))

If they like to ski, suggest the Alps region. Unfortunately, it may be more expensive due to its proximity to Geneva.

I'm sure I could suggest a few places, having myself lived in Paris, Brittany, Tours, Toulouse and Lyon.

However, as others have mentioned, it's very hard to reply without more information (e.g. Do they speak good French? what sector would they be seeking work in?)

Without further info, I'd tentatively suggest the Lyon area, as it's got good transport connections, lots of cultural activities (including English language bookshops and several cinemas showing films in original version - not the case in many French towns), lots of wonderful parks, a mostly pedestrianised city-centre... And of course it's within easy access of the countryside, Provence and the south, and the Alps for skiing. And accommodation is much more affordable (and easy to come by) than in Paris.

Paris is a sprawling metropolis full of immigrants, tourists, and people generally rushing about. Traffic is of course a nightmare. You will be paying a lot of money to live there and everything is definitely not on your doorstep. I can easier get to one of my two large supermarkets in a village 4 miles away from me than Parisians can walk 10 minutes to a small grocers where they wioll pay too much. With few exceptions, shops are not grouped together in Paris and it can mean a lot of walking or an expensive taxi (if available). A car is not an option in Paris other than when you need it (no parking). There is a fair level of crime in Paris as well as pollution and noise. Like many capital cities in the West, I suppose. Living there is not the same as spending a day or a week there.

Having lived in towns (including London) and in rural areas, I don't want to go back to living in town again.

I would try to get the best of both worlds! Somewhere in Haute-Normandie, about one hour from Paris. My first pick would be a nice little medieval town built by Guillaume the Conqueror's son, called Verneuil sur Avre. One can buy a five bedroom , 17th century house for the price of a Parisian two rooms flat. Yet you can go see a play at the Comédie française any night you feel like it.

I won't make any particular suggestion, but do want to correct a few of the posters here about the idea that the south "empties out" or "closes down".

We all manage to live very nicely down here in Provence year round ! Since we LIVE here, we don't care if the hotels and the tourist shops and restaurants are closed. There are many that close for November, reopen for the Christmas season - when it's considered high season here and then close again for a couple of months.
The cities like Avignon and Aix and Arles don't shut down at all... and neither do the supermarkets.

The weather is nicer in winter here than up north, that's for sure. Today it was 27 C and sunny for example, yesterday it was 30 C. We've had picnics on the beach, in the shelter of the dunes, in early February.

So although we discourage tourists in winter..... we manage to tough out the winters.

Patricia