1.  THE DORDOGNE
2.  LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON

For the Francophiles among us, the thought of living in France has never been more attractive -- and more possible!  Whether falling in love with the glistening “city of lights”  -- Paris, or rambling around in the gnarly countryside, an incredible adventure is waiting for you when you move to France! 

 
France is multi-faceted. You can experience the highest of culture in the major French cities, or choose to stop at a local vineyard for degustation, where sipping samples of vintners’ wines is expected.  Shop at open air markets for fresh vegetables and bread still warm from the ovens, rest for a few minutes at a street-side café while sipping latte, nap in the afternoon and then sit down for dinner at nine PM – these are just a few of the realities of life when you live in France!

With thousands of English speaking people having chosen to retire in France, the country is now appealing to younger expats who thirst for a quality of life unobtainable elsewhere. The establishment of the EU has made living in France, as in all of Europe, much easier.  Crossing the border is a non-event.  And the steady value of the Euro across all the EU countries makes travel that much easier.   When Britain’s newspaper, “The French Post”, recently announced its debut in France, it spoke to the abundance of English speaking people in the area. One estimate gives the number at 200,000 English speaking expats living in France and another 200,000 owning holiday homes in the country. 

Living in France, as with all other countries, requires an adjustment.  It is a country where life comes first, and “the office” is further down the list.  Where else can you dine in a restaurant and slowly digest a five course meal, without the waiter pushing you to leave so that he can seat other customers?  Yet, that is the custom in France.  Your table is yours for the entire night, and you are expected to take at least four hours to fully appreciate your meal, and the experience. Your bill will not be presented until you ask for it.  No longer will a tab be placed under your nose before you even decide if you want dessert and coffee! Now that’s civilized!

Steeped in history, every village in France has its own story: a castle, an ancient church, narrow streets and a hilltop crown.  People walk.  Neighbors speak.  Pets are welcomed at the local café, and aged farm workers are found drinking their Pastis with breakfast!

Southern France is the most popular region for relocation.  Weather plays a key for those who wish to live in France, and the Languedoc-Roussillon Department boasts 300 days of sunshine each year!   It is also out of the way and protected from the winds of the infamous Mistral.  The Dordogne is adjacent to France’s famed Bordeaux Valley and offers rivers, castles, cave paintings and an appreciation of all that is beautiful in life.

Whether you are attracted to village life in France, or a town busy with commerce and students, you will adjust with ease if you make an attempt to be “French” when first coming into contact with the people of France.  Open a sentence by speaking French, no matter how rough your pronunciation, and before you can finish, it is likely to be finished in English. The French are just happy that you tried. 

France has been selected as the “best place in the world to live” by the International Living’s Quality of Life index.  Offering the best medical care in the world (Michael Moore’s film “Sicko” raves about health care in France) it also boasts exceptional rail service, fast access across the English Channel to the U.K., and cheap air flights within the country and to the rest of Europe. 

Did we mention the multitude of parks, the museums and galleries in every village? The history, the sea, the lavender, the Canal du Midi stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean, the wine, the food, the open-air markets, the fields of sunflowers, the country lanes lined with plane trees forming a canopy entrance to many villages?  It’s no wonder that the most famous of artists chose France in which to create their masterpieces.

The palette of France is glorious, steeped in hues beyond the basics and rich in pleasant aromas. If you long for a lifestyle that emerges from “the land” and its products, and want to be surrounded by a tapestry of elegance, history, color, light and fragrance, then France is waiting for you to discover your Change of Lifestyle.  

                      Au Revoir Pour Maintenant !