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Where in SW France to live?

2K views 15 replies 9 participants last post by  SoleilCouchant 
#1 ·
My wife and I have for many years planned to move to France. However, despite reading many books on the country and researching online we would be grateful for some advise as to where to visit when we are over this year on a sortie.

We live near Edinburgh and are only able to fly to Bordeaux and Bergerac airports in our chosen area. We would like to restrict our search to somewhere in the middle of the two if possible.

We plan to buy a property which is detached and with a bit of land, as like most of you we would like peace and quiet. We are both physically fit and in our mid to late 50's.

We are planning to come over for the whole of September/October this year and would like advise on which areas and towns we should visit and consider settling. Any advise regarding accommodation during our stay would be welcome too.

Thank you in advance.
 
#2 ·
A couple further question that might help folks come up with relevant suggestions:

How well do you speak French?

What other requirements are there for your "ideal" location? Thinking of things like: do you plan on returning regularly to Scotland? (So near an airport that is convenient.) Do you require/expect English speaking medical personnel or (particularly) specialists in the area? Do you need access to public transport or are you happy to drive most places? (shopping, activities, etc.) What activities and other amenities do you want to have close by?
Cheers,
Bev
 
#4 ·
I only speak basic French and my wife even less. I attended the French Institute in Edinburgh for 6 months to learn it.
We would travel back to the UK and would have to collect visitors from the UK at Bordeaux and Bergerac.
We would require English speaking medical personnel although have no existing problems.
We do not use public transport at home but would like to have access to railway as we would like the option of using the train and for our visitors to use the train. We would have a car.
We are keen cyclists and cycle in excess of 200 miles each month. We would like to be able to do this off roads where possible.
We would like to be within a short walk/cycle of a village with basic amenities and within a short drive of a town with supermarket etc.
I hope this answers your questions.
Thank you.
 
#3 ·
Another couple of questions:

Are you thinking of a long-term home or are you happy to relocate if your health declines and you need easy access to medical facilities, shops, whatever - France has some medical deserts in areas that you may find attractive, younger people moving to the cities for work has meant that in quite a number of villages local shops and other facilities have closed?

What kind of leisure activities do you have in mind?

Are you able to provide a rough idea of your proposed budget?

And a couple of comments:

Property prices in France historically do not rise quickly and not uncommonly fall (with a few possible exceptions such as Paris and currently Bordeaux, both of which are expensive). Any future actual Brexit (I mean the real thing) could potentially result in property prices falling.
 
#5 ·
We would require a long-term home and English speaking medical personnel although have no existing problems. If we became very ill or needed medical care we would still have our home in the UK and could come back here.

We are keen cyclists and cycle in excess of 200 miles each month. We would like to be able to do this off roads where possible.

I would rather not discuss our budget on here but from the searching I've done online we would obtain a suitable property in the region for our budget.

We just need advice on the best areas/towns to visit.
I hope this answers your questions.
Thank you.
 
#8 ·
I wish you good luck in your planned move to France. I've been here for 15 years _ I'm now over 70. I've enjoyed (nearly!) every minute of it. But life is what you make it?

1. You really must learn French and be prepared to use it. Don't expect your Fr GP or hospital staff, ( or the nurses that do blood tests etc etc) to speak French. If you really try and have looked up some the keywords you will be ok.....but the emphasis is on trying!

2. We (French wife and I) moved to the S of France 5 years ago - big house and big garden. I expected to be able to manage the house and garden for 15 years. We will be moving this year to somewhere easier to manage. Ill health can creep on you very quickly!
3. Airports....a word of caution. The airlines -especially the budget ones- change their Fr destinations as part of a negotiations for cheap landing fees. I would not chose a location in France based on airports!
4. To be blunt - why move to France and live in an expat bubble? Integrating into French life is, most people here will tell you, difficult and not quick.

5. I've spent many happy hours cycling round Normandie between Dieppe and Rouen. I found French car drivers more respectful and safety conscious than those in the UK!

6. As I think you have said.....there is no substitute for coming over and looking at a town/ village. Do it slowly - avoid the tourist frame of mind. Preferably do it out of summer - winters in France can be miserable - even here in the south.

Good luck.....DejW
 
#12 ·
3. Airports....a word of caution. The airlines -especially the budget ones- change their Fr destinations as part of a negotiations for cheap landing fees. I would not chose a location in France based on airports!
My wife and I did not move to Annecy just because of the nearest major airport (Geneva). But it was a factor that ruled out many other towns. The French notion of 'international airport' generally means London, Frankfurt and Morocco. We need the US, S.E. Asia, the US. So Geneva, 40 minutes drive away, is perfect.
 
#10 · (Edited)
As somebody who uses both Bordeaux and Bergerac airports on a regular basis because I live midway between the two:

1. Bergerac airport almost shut down over last winter, very few flights around. Bordeaux is now planning a third terminal because it is so busy. We need decent airport access so I think it reasonable to use one regularly and have at least one backup. La Rochelle could be a possibility, or Toulouse.

2. I speak good French, but my OH doesn't and we have both needed medical care. The higher levels of medical staff often speak English well because they need to attend American medical conferences as part of their continuous development. Lower grade staff probably don't. English is not a dominant second language, Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian all have their speakers here. Finding an English speaking doctor/dentist may mean travelling to a neighbouring town, but it doesn't take long to find out once you recognise a fellow resident expat.

3. I used to have periods of working in Northumberland, whilst weekly commuting from the South Coast. DejW trust me, the winters here are nothing like as grim as Northumberland's and OP will consider Northumbrians to be southern softies. February is the worst month, the rest are like autumn.

4. Weather is affected both by its proximity to the sea or major river and its height above sea level. Choose low and winter will be much milder than OP is used to.

5. I would build in to the equation proximity to autoroutes and railway lines. Bordeaux will soon be linked into the LGV SEA rail network with Paris only 2 hours away.
6. Shopping: if OP is used to shopping in Edinburgh city centre then he needs to be around Bordeaux, Bergerac only has busy market town shops and restaurants but with lovely wine chateaux on the outskirts. One of my friend's recently said he can find hypermarket shirts no problem, and designer ones but there is nothing in the middle so he goes back to the UK for mid-range ones. The women find it harder still.

7. Towns to consider: any of the prefectures or sous prefectures in 16,24,33,or 47 departments. You will spend a lot of time sorting things out with officials so you may as well be reasonably close by for when you have to sort things out in person.
Just edited to add finding a house with some land is not difficult near the towns with railways on the Bordeaux to Toulouse line. I think the same is true north of the Garonne too.

Happy home hunting
 
#11 ·
Re medical care and English speakers. Agree some Fr doctors have some English (particularly the younger ones). I've had several (too many!) stays in hospital here - and some doctors and nurses want to practice their English. I said that I really only wanted to speak French to reinforce my nursing /medical vocabulary. Some words are very similar...some very different.

(silly example.....if you male and in hospital you should know what the word "pistolet" means. Your pocket dictionary will say "pistol", but that is NO help whatsoever.)

DejW
 
#13 ·
I am so sorry to sound like Debbie Downer but I feel I have to ask some questions and make some comments.

First, why move at all? Are you planning to stay in France for the rest of your lives (as best as one can say?) Can you achieve what you are looking for by moving part-time and still maintaining important ties with the UK? What exactly are you looking for?

Second, you do realise France is not what is presented and edited on all of those real estate shows... I don't mean to sound rude, but I am shocked at how many people from the UK just head on over here like it is a suburb and then are surprised no one speaks English. On that note, replace France and English and imagine reading... 'I am thinking of moving to Scotland as I heard the people are amazing and I love the history... However, I don't speak English and need to have my doctor visits etc. all done in French. Where should I go?" Again, I apologise if it sounds cranky but in that scenario people would think you were mad. The French are the worst in Europe for speaking English and yet this myth continues that they all speak English. Where does this come from?

I am trying to be kind because I have had to deal with administration, have worked in French offices, and must deal with daily situations such as home repairs, insurance agencies etc. Even with my decent level of French it is exhausting and some days I am extremely grumpy and at times driven to tears. It is easy for me to be brushed off because people can brush me off since I don't have the confidence I have engaging in English and in my home country where I know the 'rules'. I bring this up because I am not sure how things function in Scotland but it may leave you with a sour taste in your mouth when you are having to learn a new language and new cultural codes. Throw in doctor appointments when one can be frightened and it becomes more important to have accurate information and to be able to express yourselves. All the sunshine in the world will not take away those daily little injuries to one's sense of self.

I hope you find what you are looking for and it works out very well for you... I really do! I am expressing a word of caution as you have not provided a lot of details and with a survival level of French, and at your age, there are certain serious considerations to be aware of. I would suggest a visit, through the winter, to really test the waters and DO NOT BUY anything! The market here is incredibly different than Canada and from what I understand the UK. People do not really see housing as an investment and people do not move often with an eye to 'moving up the property ladder'. The cost to buy/sell is very expensive and property prices do not rise/fall as was mentioned earlier so thinking you can make equity in a short to medium period of time to cover costs is not going to happen. Rent for at least a year and then make a decision as to whether to continue renting or to buy.

Again, I apologise if I sound harsh, but I am truly trying to present some insight so that you don't get into a situation and feel stuck. :)
 
#14 ·
Well, dear Canucky G starts her post with "I am so sorry...."

.....and I'm so sorry to say that I completely agree with her. France is NOT like the UK, but with good wine, excellent cheeses and more sun. It's a lot of other things too...some lovely, some unlovely...and it takes time to find out which is which.

Have you tried a 3 month rental?

DejW
 
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