Afraid I can't help you on the specifics of the area, but honestly nothing beats walking around a neighborhood yourself to see if it will meet your requirements. When you visit the area in October, be sure to drop in to the mairies (town halls) to see what sorts of social and cultural information they have available. (Usually there is a rack or table with pamphlets of all the local associations and upcoming events.)

You should also ask about transit maps - living on a handy bus route can also reduce the need for a car for day to day travel.
Cheers,
Bev