All the towns

Special Pluses

• Weather, weather, weather.  (There’s a reason the richest people in the world want to live here.)
• Rich culture:  all the museums and arts you could want, with the special Nicoise flavor of the food and life
• Italian influence gives Nice it’s own dialect and style (It changed hands between Italy and France over history).
• The Mediterranean  (mostly rocky/pebbly beaches here, so not for the sandy loving types)

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

Special Pluses

• A larger river(Lot) town in the area of Dordogne and the Lot. If you like this region but want a bigger town, Cahors is a handsome, affordable small city/ big town. not mobbed by tourists nor unfriendly to newcomers, “We live halfway between Cahors and Albi. Property here is not expensive, the climate is approx. one third warm but cloudy Atlantic weather, one third Mediterranean, with sunny days and warm nights, and one third Continental (sunny days, cool nights). The countryside undulates, so views change all the time, but not so much as to make cycling impossible; roads are super quiet food and wine are delicious, lunches out cheap, French people are kind and often generous. We don’t hear a great deal of English spoken, though there are expats around if you seek them out, and many are Dutch, also Danish, Swedish… Flights to the UK abound from Toulouse, also Rodez and Brive.?”
• Cahors now remains as the only French region that produces Malbec-based wines.
• The Valentré Bridge is listed as historical monuments in the 1840 list and since 1998 a UNESCO World Heritage site, as the paths of Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle in France.
• There is a market on a Wednesday and Saturday morning in the old town

   

Special Pluses

Quiet Normandy village with some local stores.  Beautiful architecture and cathedral

Special Pluses

• Alan M. on FB: ” I’ve lived in the Pau area for most of my life since the 80s and have never regretted it. A well balanced mix of access to the sea and the mountains, a humane town, and if you miss the city, Toulouse and Bordeaux are easily accessible. Some criticize the « lack » of cultural activities in Pau. To me that’s a lazy view because there is an enormous amount going on, and the Parvis in Tarbes is among the best sources of new performing arts in France. I would say that the main negative aspect of Pau and area is the availability of housing. Over the last few years (following the famous article in Forbes saying Pau was amongst the best places in the world to retire to) there has been a big wave of new arrivals. So you won’t be the only one looking !”
• Angelique C. on FB: “Pau is the opposite to the south east on so many levels… People are friendly, respectful and calm here in general. And also when they drive (sometimes to calm to my liking!!)n Pau, you have nature at your door step…. Mountains and the ocean. Life is very much smoother here. Less stressful energy from just the everyday exchanges”
• Jane on FB: “So far, I appreciate the bus system as I have no car, and also how walkable everything is. As an older, single, retired woman I feel quite safe, certainly more safe than in the US. I love the trains…. always travel to and from Paris by train. And the weather suits me as well. And when it’s clear the mountains are so spectacular.”

Special Pluses

• Really lovely town with a substantial English-speaking town and a well-established social scene.
• About the St. Etienne collegiate church “Like a lighthouse in the middle of the vineyards, the collegiate church is visible from afar. Its enormous proportions intrigue the traveler… fine example of southern Gothic architecture
• From “The Good Life France” website: ” One of the best places to enjoy its full glory is in the medieval village of Capestang in the wine growing region of Saint-Chinian. Here you can stand on an ancient bridge arched over the canal, admiring a selection of sun drenched riverboats and lazy coypu and contemplating just what a marvel this Canal is.”
• From the website “That’ s Hamori”You drive up towards the town square, through little light colored row houses, along twisting and turning narrow streets towards the church steeple peeking above the rooftops. Once there, the church reveals ruin remains, with a story to discover, and stands on guard with strength in the square. Cafés with outdoor seating, people with baguettes under their arms scurry away; giving a sense of life here.”

Special Pluses

• Out Chasing Stars:  “Definitely the highlight of La Rochelle is the Vieux Port, or Old Port.  Guarded by three towers, Vieux Port has an incredible medieval atmosphere.  In fact, La Rochelle is very well preserved, even though it was heavily occupied by German forces during WWII.  Walk along the promenade as a day or nighttime to enjoy the towers of La Rochelle all lit up.”
• The Travel.com: “From sailing, hoverboarding, kiteboarding, jet skiing, and just plain old boating, La Rochelle is one of the best places for water sports in France. La Rochelle is actually so famous for its water activities that this coastal hub has even earned the moniker ‘the city of sailing’.”

Special Pluses

• ” …it’s a town that rewards strolling—the village center is off-limits to cars, so it’s easy to wander the cobblestone streets, popping in and out of the many charming shops…It has all the things that you look for in a Provençal town—shady squares, winding cobblestoned streets, fascinating historical sites, and great restaurants. Situated by vineyards and olive groves and right next to a small mountain range that is perfect for hiking and biking. It’s a paradise for outdoors lovers” “(Perfectly Provence)
• “I think the locals appreciate that it’s a real French town. Of course, it’s busy with tourists in the high season, but it is far from a tourist town. Surrounded by agricultural lands, you will occasionally see someone riding a horse or driving a tractor through town. St Rémy does a brilliant job of maintaining its traditions, like the sheep that parade through town once a year or the abrivados where French cowboys show their stuff. And while there is plenty to do in town, if you would like the beauty and solitude of a substantial nature preserve, there’s one right next door—we go there often for hiking and biking.”(Perfectly Provence)

Special Pluses

• “Pezenas is a very old, typical village in a wine-growing region of Languedoc, France. The old part of town, which is most of it, winds up and down a gentle hill and is full of artisans shops, colorful shutters, beautiful Renaissance architecture (Moliére (sp?) lived here) and some of the friendliest people I have met in France. It is surrounded by other hilltop villages, each with their own flavor and uniqueness. There is even an association of “circular” hilltop villages! The sea is only 10 minutes away and the mountains, 15 minutes! You can walk through the vineyards to the next village in 20 minutes, wine-tasting on the way if you go in the right direction”  Anita on TripAdvisor
• “Pézenas is a small city of about 9,000 inhabitants, located between Béziers and Montpellier, 20 minutes from the Mediterranean Sea. The well-kept pedestrianized historic center, its vivid lifestyle and its picturesque streets make it a must-see in the Herault region.”(Besides The Obvious)