5 Places to Live in France—and 2 to Avoid

5 Places to Live in France; 2 To Avoid
From vineyard towns to coastal cities, France offers many ways to live well—if you choose wisely.|©iStock/pawel.gaul

France remains at the top of Americans' wish lists for life abroad, and for good reason. But here’s the truth most glossy brochures won’t tell you: not every charming French town makes a good place to actually live. Some of the most famous names come with crowds, high prices, and daily frustrations that wear thin fast.

The good news? France is full of lesser-known regions that offer the same beauty, culture, and lifestyle—without the headaches. In this guide, I’ll share five places where expats are thriving right now… and two popular choices that many wish they’d skipped.

Green Provence

Lavender fields, stone villages, and an outdoor lifestyle thrive in Provence Verte.
Lavender fields, stone villages, and an outdoor lifestyle thrive in Provence Verte.|©iStock/DuchesseArt

Many moons ago, the author Peter Mayle put the region of Provence, France, on the map with his iconic ode to the land of blond-stone villages and lavender fields, A Year in Provence. What probably wasn’t on his radar at the time was the amount of attention and popularity his tome would bring to this tucked-away corner of southeastern France.

Folks moved to the region in droves.

The golden towns of the Luberon (where the book is set), and outliers like Aix-en-Provence, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, and Avignon have been decades-long favorites of both Brits and Americans alike.

Along with the well-deserved excitement came a rise in housing costs and a decrease in availability. They remain amazing places to visit, especially in the off-season, but are increasingly more difficult to settle in.

Provence is still that picture-perfect fairytale detailed by Mayle, if you’re willing to go a bit further afield, specifically to an area called Provence Verte, or Green Provence.

While not completely unknown, thanks in part to George Clooney, who lives in Green Provence part-time, it’s still a relatively under-the-radar destination for many expats considering a move to France.

First off, it’s not the easiest place to get to, which arguably contributes to its charm. About an hour’s drive inland from the coastal city of Toulon, Green Provence quickly lives up to its name.

Interspersed with incredible natural landscapes, rolling vineyards, and the odd golden-stone abbey or two, the area is a nature lover’s and food lover’s paradise.

A collection of Provençal villages, wine estates, hiking trails, cycling paths, and some incredibly scenic lakes and river canyons, life is meant to be lived outdoors under the 300-plus days of sunshine that have always been a top draw for southern France.

Trips to the farmers market, café mornings with friends, long gourmet lunches, and balades (walks) to a local waterfall are the ordre du jour on any given day. Home to 43 villages, several classified as les plus beaux villages (the most beautiful villages in all of France), it’s easy to fill up your social calendar with art shows, jazz concerts, village festivals (rosé wine in Cotignac), and tempting bistros scattered around the region.

A few village favorites to consider include Cotignac, Lorgues, Carcès, Aups, Tourtour, and Entrecasteaux.

Housing prices run 15% to 20% less than coastal neighbors, and move-in-ready village homes can still be had for under $200,000 in several areas.

Montpellier

A youthful Mediterranean city blending historic streets, modern design, and easy living.
A youthful Mediterranean city blending historic streets, modern design, and easy living.|©iStock/RossHelen

Often considered “the other south of France,” Occitanie (formerly known as the Languedoc) is the French Riviera’s kissing cousin, albeit with a more subdued, down-to-earth personality.

For those seeking the same easy-living, sunshine-filled lifestyle as the glitzy Côte d’Azur, without the bling-bling attitude or the eye-popping price tag, the city of Montpellier could be a perfect fit.

Located in Occitanie along the sunny A9 freeway, which runs from Provence to the Spanish border, Montpellier is the administrative and social capital of the Hérault department. A cozy warren of neighborhoods branches out from Place de la Comédie. This southern charmer has something for every taste and budget.

As one of France’s fastest-growing urban areas, you can have your pick of places to live. The city mixes classic French architecture (Haussmannian-style apartments) with eye-catching modern structures like L’Arbre Blanc (the White Tree) apartment building and the Hôtel de Ville, Montpellier’s town hall, designed by Jean Nouvel and François Fontès in striking geometrical, dark-glass forms.

In a destination that lives between antiquity and modernity, there is no shortage of cultural activities. Place de la Comédie houses the famous Opéra Orchestre National, while the nearby Corum concert and exhibition hall hosts guest lecturers, conferences, comedians, and festivals year-round.

Beyond the lively social scene, the real draw of Montpellier lies in its laid-back, hair-down lifestyle. This isn’t your stuffy south of France. You’ll find residents out and about at the many cafés, bistros, and restaurants around town, living in the joy of the moment. In one of France’s sunniest cities (frequently in the top five), the most important order of the day is sitting on a local terrace with a glass of rosé, a cheese plate, and watching the world go by.

The town’s well-known hospital network, the CHU, is made up of six different hospitals, two clinics, and one medical institute. Residents can access the website in French or English.

Although Montpellier is pretty slow-moving compared to North American standards, it’s easy to take a break from the city at any of the nearby beaches. The closest beach, Carnon Plage, is eight miles from town. As a gateway to the Camargue natural preserve, a visit to a resort town like La Grande-Motte is a fantastic way to spend a lazy afternoon along the Mediterranean.

Beyond beach getaways, Spain is only a few hours’ drive away, and the Montpellier airport offers direct flights to many European countries as well as the U.K., with connections available to Charles de Gaulle International Airport.

The average price for a two-bedroom, furnished rental in the center of the city starts at around €1,000 ($1,180) per month.

The Dordogne

Rivers, medieval villages, and affordable countryside living define the Dordogne.
Rivers, medieval villages, and affordable countryside living define the Dordogne.|©iStock/RolfSt

Both a département and a river, the Dordogne is the golden heartland of the southwest, part of the huge region of Aquitaine. Just to confuse us foreigners, many French people use the name Périgord when talking about this incomparably lovely area.

Call it the Périgord, call it the Dordogne, call it heaven. For many prospective homebuyers, this is quintessential rural France, the dream place to go shopping for a little maison de village or a honey-colored stone farmhouse with a steeply sloping roof of russet-brown tiles. Everywhere here seems just so pastorally perfect, right down to the clouds of bright blue butterflies and the lines of fluffy ducklings paddling downriver.

The Périgord summers are gloriously warm and sunny. Under resplendent blue skies, the countryside is a feast for the eyes—a harvest festival of vineyards; fields full of sunflowers, tobacco plants, and corn; shady walnut groves; and stands of oak trees that often hide an underground treasure trove of black truffles. Casting reflections in crystalline rivers, a fairytale château is perched on top of wooded cliffs. There are dozens of picture-perfect villages, each one seemingly more enchanting than the last.

And it’s here in the Périgord that you discover that France’s reputation for culture dates back to Paleolithic times. Valleys are honeycombed with caves, passageways, and hidey-holes. In a number of these subterranean refuges, the prehistoric people who once lived the troglodyte lifestyle have left their mark on the walls.

Another feature of the area is the numerous bastide (fortified) towns, though “towns” is a misnomer—some are little bigger than villages. Most of these fortified settlements date back to the 13th and 14th centuries, the time of the Hundred Years’ War. Some bastide towns have French origins, others English. The Aquitaine region once belonged to England’s Plantagenet kings, and the two enemies scrapped for it like dogs over a bone, building new strongholds with each bit of ground gained. It wasn’t until 1453 and the decisive Battle of Castillon that the English were finally driven out of the Dordogne.

Nice

Sea views, palm-lined promenades, and a vibrant city life on the French Riviera.
Sea views, palm-lined promenades, and a vibrant city life on the French Riviera.|©iStock/Eva-Katalin

As France’s fifth-largest city in terms of population, and the second largest city in the fabled Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region (Marseille takes the top spot), Nice has long been considered one of the most attractive cities to live in the country. On the edge of the Italian border, a mere 18 miles away, and facing the deep blues of the Mediterranean Sea, the living is easy, and the weather is near perfect.

It’s hard to imagine a more beautiful setting than this sparkling gem nestled between the mountains and the sea.

The iconic pedestrian walkway, La Promenade des Anglais, runs about four and a half miles along the coast and passes some of Nice’s most majestic buildings to the north (Hotel Negresco, Le Royal Hotel, and the Masséna Museum) and large swaths of prime sunbathing territory to the south. Beachside restaurants, bars, and cafés line the elegant boulevard, with the pedestrian zone laying claim to a daily parade of walkers, joggers, and cyclists. Blue-and-white umbrellas add a chic French touch to the pebbly beaches of Beau Rivage, Castel, and Opéra (just a few of the numerous public and private beaches along La Promenade).

Long home to a loyal set of international tourists, Nice also has a dynamic expat community—with strong Italian, North African, and even English influences. More and more Americans have also moved to the area, enamored with the idea of retiring along the French Riviera. With a host of outdoor activities, an arts scene second only to Paris in size, and one of the most attractive climates in all of France, it’s easy to see why.

Lyon

France’s food capital pairs riverside beauty with big-city culture and livability.
France’s food capital pairs riverside beauty with big-city culture and livability.|©iStock/tichr

To the uninitiated, beautiful Lyon, France’s third-largest city, is often thought of as a runner-up to Paris. But for many of those who live there—natives, former Parisians, and international residents alike—Lyon stands in a class of its own.

Populated by a half-million, Lyon has all the usual offerings of a large, sophisticated city. With its wide assortment of excellent museums, theaters, and festivals, you’ll never suffer from a shortage of cultural events. It has an extensive and inexpensive public transportation system. There are farmers' markets and restaurants galore. You’ll have your choice of doctors and pharmacies, bookstores, boutiques, galleries and gyms… Lyon has it all.

But there’s a reason Lyon’s slogan is “Only Lyon.” Outwardly, it might seem like your typical big city, but upon closer look, you’ll see that it’s got dozens of fascinating elements that make it a truly unique and special place.

First, there’s its beauty. Lyon is not a city of grim skyscrapers, perpetually clogged with traffic and impatient city-dwellers. Rather, it’s a tranquil city filled with elegant buildings painted in warm Mediterranean hues of yellow-orange-ochre. Not one but two rivers—the Saône and Rhône—cut right through the center of town, and locals often picnic, stroll, and bike along their banks. Few big, thriving cities offer the calm and loveliness of Lyon.

Then there’s the food. Paris may be the capital of France, but Lyon is the capital of French gastronomy. The Lyonnais are deeply proud of this role and take great care in preparing their food with the highest-quality local ingredients.

Places to Think Twice About

France has no shortage of wonderful places to live, but popularity doesn’t always translate into livability. The following locations remain beautiful and well known, yet many expats find they come with trade-offs worth considering carefully.

Orange, South of France
Historic monuments and vineyards surround Orange, but daily life here can feel limited.
Historic monuments and vineyards surround Orange, but daily life here can feel limited.|©iStock/SvetlanaSF

The south of France region known as Provence is an engaging collection of hilltop villages, rolling vineyards, and beautiful towns like Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, and Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. It also includes a host of romantic, lost-in-time destinations which attract international travelers, and retirees, the world over. Made famous by British author Peter Mayle, the area known as the Luberon Regional Park includes the villages of Ménerbes (the author’s one-time home), Gordes, and stunning Fontaine-de-Vaucluse—a classic Provençal village bounded by a river and watermill.

Known for its perennially sunny weather, whitewashed beaches (St. Tropez falls within its borders), and rich French cuisine, Provence has seemingly everything one might look for when choosing a home abroad. Although, as the locals will tell you, it’s important to choose your South of France “home-away-from-home” wisely. While generally well-connected and dynamic, some villages and towns are quite isolated or lack the diverse social and cultural activities that make living in Provence so attractive. Some, unfortunately, are missing both.

Surprisingly, the town of Orange would fall into this category. Even though it has enormous potential due to its unique historical heritage (the Roman theater and Arc de Triomphe are both listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites), Orange lacks a varied social calendar and the dynamism of similar destinations in the south. Residents praise the quality of downtown restaurants but feel Orange is missing key amenities—citing a lack of public gardens, movie theaters, shopping venues, and a historic center that lacks nightlife.

Aside from the city bus, public transportation options are limited, and some residents complain of pollution from the RN7 national highway, which runs almost directly through town. As in other areas of southeastern France, unemployment is high, and unfortunately, Orange has not attracted a consistent level of economic investment. Several residents have also cited the need for more medical services and doctors’ offices in Orange proper.

On a positive note, the town makes for an interesting side trip for fans of Roman history, and the summer months see an influx of visitors and a more active social calendar. Orange is near the vineyards of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and a 30-minute drive from Avignon.

Mulhouse, Alsace
An industrial Alsace city with museums and transit links, but fewer lifestyle draws.
An industrial Alsace city with museums and transit links, but fewer lifestyle draws.|©iStock/Jef Wodniack

The city of Mulhouse is quite large by French standards, with the most recent census putting the metropolitan area at around 110,000 inhabitants. As the second-largest city in the Alsace region of France, Mulhouse is near the German and Swiss borders and, unlike the city of Orange, is well served by public transportation. Known for its scientific contributions, this important center for manufacturing and development is home to several industries, including chemical companies, electronics, and engineering firms. Peugeot’s Mulhouse factory is the region's largest employer.

While Mulhouse’s technical prowess is to be admired, the city itself fails to transmit the ephemeral magic of the Alsace region—one of the most beautiful and captivating areas in all of France. A place of half-timbered villages laden with flowing flower-boxes and colorful wooden shutters, places like Colmar, Riquewihr, and Kaysersberg seem plucked straight from a fairytale. A strong German influence is found throughout the region, from the fabled wine route (serving up crisp Rieslings and fragrant Gewurztraminers) to Alsace’s world-famous Christmas markets. Huddling around a gingerbread stand, hot wine in hand, in the shadows of Strasbourg’s majestic cathedral is an unforgettable holiday experience.

Although Mulhouse has a charming historic center that mirrors its neighbors' attributes, the rest of the city feels largely industrial. A mish-mash of towering apartment blocks and commercial zones, it’s difficult to find the “heart” of downtown or define an agreeable public zone. Moreover, crime rates are high compared to cities of similar size in France. On the lifestyle websiteVille Ideale, residents rated the city 4.4 out of 10 for safety.

Other concerns include a lack of social activities, especially in the evening, and the feeling that certain neighborhoods have been abandoned over the years. A general sense of “degradation” is a recurring theme, with many calling for revitalization of urban areas.

In addition to the infrastructure issues, the weather in Mulhouse poses a particular challenge—characterized by cold winters (temperatures frequently dip below zero) and hot, humid summers. Many other towns in Alsace experience similar climates, and this condition is not limited to Mulhouse.

As a side trip, Mulhouse offers interesting activities for history and science buffs, with the Museum of Electricity and the Cité de l’Automobile (a museum featuring a large collection of classic cars) attracting visitors from around the country. The Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg airport, a short drive across the Swiss border, connects the city to destinations in France and abroad.

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