All the towns

perpignan3
Town: Perpignan
Department: Aude

Sunny: Most sunny

Wind: : Windiest

Click for more details on: Perpignan

 including climate, transportation, welcome, health, safety + reviews and recommendations. 

Special Pluses

“Five great things about Perpignan”

  1. Transport – You can hop on a bus and travel to anywhere in the whole department for just 1 euro!
  2. Rugby – With two famous teams (USAP and the Catalan Dragons) you can’t help but be caught up in the excitement on match day.
  3. The Canigou – The majestic mountain that dominates the skyline.
  4. Le ‘Casty’ – One of my favourite restaurants (just opposite Le Castillet).
  5. The weather – 300 days of sunshine per year!” (France Today) 

” I also can’t forget to mention the warm hospitality of the residents here; people here seem to be kinder to strangers than in the bustling Parisian capital or maybe it’s just the musical Southern accent!….From the city center you can take the bus, rent, a car, and/or cycle to the beaches less than 15 kilometers away. Eager to escape on a hike after visiting the city? You can take a bus for 1€ and be transported into the heart of the Pyrénées catalanes(Baguettes & Bicycles)

“Perpignan boasts about being only 20 minutes from the Mediterranean coast, and particularly from the colourful, Catalan town of Collioure, where anchovies are caught, processed, and sold. Easily reached by car, but you can also take the one-euro bus, which will drop you off around the corner from the 14th century Château Royal overlooking one of Collioure’s beaches.” Etravel Mag

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Castelnaudary2
Department: Aude

Sunny: Most sunny

Wind: : Windiest

Click for more details on: Castelnaudary

 including climate, transportation, welcome, health, safety + reviews and recommendations. 

Special Pluses
  • “not a large city by any means, we found the center to be charming and tranquil. Cassoulet restaurants cover the city, and the riverfront sets as a centerpiece with all sort of boats floating on their journey across this great canal.”(https://girlinflorence.com/)
  • “it is a medium city and quite a few English expats and a good standard of living. Maybe you should visit if you’re looking for a place to settle in France that’s not too expensive.”(https://joinusinfrance.com/episode/castelnaudary-cassoulet-and-canal-du-midi/)
  • “Its a region thats not too populated so kind of traditional in its values and cultures. For me, theres a feeling of isolation in the Aude, and in this isolation, there’s not the blemish of globalisation, hence old school. France before the sell out. Perhaps thanks to the wind or that there’s no big city in the area.” Stephen McCartney,
  • “”Lovely town with everything you need.It’s more than just the cassoulet festival every year” Ian Black
  • I know Castelnaudary very well. In my view, this city has its positives and negatives. On the positive side, it’s populated by modest and generally pleasant people, offering a human-scale environment with accessible locations on foot and by bicycle. The surroundings, including a lovely lake, scenic views of the Pyrénées and Montagne Noire, and an active community, contribute to its charm. A sunny climate, proximity to places like Toulouse and the Mediterranean, and ample parking are also pluses.Hugo Szpak
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Ancien_hôtel_près_du_lac_à_Bagnoles-de-l'Orne
Department: Orne

Sunny: Least Sunny

Wind: : Least windy

Click for more details on: Bagnoles-de-l’Orne

 including climate, transportation, welcome, health, safety + reviews and recommendations. 

Special Pluses

The town developed and prospered as a health resort around its thermal spa waters and grand buildings such as the ‘Grand Hotel’ as well as the picturesque lake, gardens, riverside walks, cascades, and forest as well as many other attractions including good sports facilities. It is perhaps the fine examples of the “belle-epoque” (approx. 1884-1914) architecture that Bagnoles de l’Orne is best known for.

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granville4
Town: Granville
Department: Manche

Sunny: Least Sunny

Wind: : Least windy

Click for more details on: Granville

 including climate, transportation, welcome, health, safety + reviews and recommendations. 

Special Pluses
  • Was once known as the Monaco of the North and still retains a kind of Belle Epoque glamour.  Hometown of Christian Dior
  • “Granville is one of those places that compels you to engage with the sea” …”Beautiful, old buildings with stone, render and timber-frame façades, a medieval gateway, a lovely old church, and lofty views over the harbor and far out to sea”(Finding Our France blog)
  • “The harbour has a marina for over a 1000 berths and there is a fleet of trawlers here. It is a popular place for shellfish the town has stalls and shops selling them everywhere.”A Taste of France
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2013-05-11 19.26.45
Town: Vence
Department: alpesmaritime

Sunny: Most sunny

Wind: : Mid-range windy

Click for more details on: Vence

 including climate, transportation, welcome, health, safety + reviews and recommendations. 

Special Pluses
  • Ideal access to shopping options in or near town without losing charm at the center
  • Nice mixture of nationalities, income, and lifestyle of inhabitants
  • One of the few towns in France well enough served by bus to live without a car
  • The fabulous weather: very few stormy days, mild winters and little or none of the winds that plague Provence
  • Feels like Provence (but easier to get to, not as overrun).  Many different squares in the medieval center with cafes.
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Chambery1
Town: Chambéry
Department: Savoie

Sunny: Mid-range sunny

Wind: : Mid-range windy

Click for more details on: Chambéry

 including climate, transportation, welcome, health, safety + reviews and recommendations. 

Special Pluses
  • Near to Switzerland and the Alps.   A culture that mixes the Alpine and Swiss with the French
  • “A good idea to get to know people would be to sign up to The Association de Quartier du Centre Ville which is a Community Centre with all sorts of activities where you will meet people of all ages and backgrounds and where you could learn French if you don’t already speak it – you could even do a language exchange. Chambéry is a University town and there are lots of cinemas, bookshops, shops, and theatres. Also swimming pools, sports centres.” Miracle Maid
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riberac5
Town: Riberac
Department: Dordogne

Sunny: Mid-range sunny

Wind: : Mid-range windy

Click for more details on: Riberac

 including climate, transportation, welcome, health, safety + reviews and recommendations. 

Special Pluses
  • Particularly good, big market of the region
  • Comments on various internet forums making the point that  “Riberac is only second to Eymet” in terms of how dense a population of expat Brits might represent a minus or a plus depending on your goals
  • Susan J.: “Riberac does not shut shops in winter as really there are no truely just for tourist shops!”
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L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue1
Department: Vaucluse

Sunny: Most sunny

Wind: : Mid-range windy

Click for more details on: L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue

 including climate, transportation, welcome, health, safety + reviews and recommendations. 

Special Pluses
  • World-renown antique market
  • Particularly charming river town
  • Central to seeing the Vaucluse in general
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nantes1-1
Town: Nantes
Department: Loire-Atlantique

Sunny: Least Sunny

Wind: : Mid-range windy

Click for more details on: Nantes

 including climate, transportation, welcome, health, safety + reviews and recommendations. 

Special Pluses
  • “The vast greenery …….it has been crowned the greenest city in Europe(green capital of Europe in 2013) and it lives up to its name completely …..It has a lot of gardens to stroll around and enjoy nature at its best ….:)” Quora
  • Lou Messugo: “It has a long history and complicated identity involving whether or not it is indeed part of Brittany, but that’s not what I want to write about.  I want to focus on the fabulous and absurdly original urban regeneration on the Île de Nantes (Nantes island) symbolized by a giant mechanical elephant. This area was once a thriving ship building district but when that industry fell into decline so did the island.  However, since 2002 it has been steadily revamped as a cutting edge creative neighbourhood mainly owing to the brilliant imaginations of two men, François Delarozière and Pierre Orefice. Delarozière and Orifice both come from performance backgrounds where they are actively involved in the renewal of street theatre.”
  • GoNomad: 
    • Nantes may be a place many haven’t heard of, but like me, once you’ve discovered the endearing town, it’s an immediate fall-in-love experience.
    • Impressive revitalization has changed the city, as once dreary industrial suburbs have transformed into a picturesque and charming place to visit.
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La Brenne à  Montbard, Côte d'Or, Bourgogne, France
Town: Montbard
Department: Côte-d'Or

Sunny: Mid-range sunny

Wind: : Least windy

Click for more details on: Montbard

 including climate, transportation, welcome, health, safety + reviews and recommendations. 

Special Pluses
  • Abbaye de Fontenay: This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a breathtaking example of Cistercian architecture, boasting its well-preserved Romanesque church, cloisters, and gardens.
  • Friday weekly market in the covered hall and in the streets
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