Where's the best place to live in France?

Question

I know - an impossible question to answer! But I have around 1Million Euro's to spend on a French country house but have only visited Paris a few times - nowhere else! The Auvergne must really be something very special to have inspired Joseph Canteloube to write such beautiful music ( 'Chants d'Auvergne' ) about the place! But where else should I consider?

Answer 1

I've been all over France, and I wish I had your opportunity!  Anyway, it depends on whether or not you prefer a large city or a small town.  I love Strasbourg,  Lille is a nice town.  I like the South of France near Nice.  About 6 miles north of Nice there are mountains with very old villages that are just beautiful. I could day dream about this all day.  France is so versatile, that you really do need to visit it again to choose.

Answer 2

if u want to visit france u have to visit paris and leon

if u interest in wine u have to go to bordoxe i dont know if i spell it right any way man u can go any were in france its all fantastic and nice

Answer 3

Nice for the sea and the weather (= LA)

Lyon, near the Alps, 2hours from paris, and not far from Sea,

Biarrits on the Ocean

With 1000000 euros you will have a luxury house in France

a middle house cost 200000 euros

You can buy too a little castle or manor with vines in burgundy or bordeaux

Answer 4

The Auvergne is amazing.  But if I was going to spend a million euros on a country house, I'd go further south where the climate is mild.  A million probably wouldn't get you very far in the Alpes-Maritimes, and from the sound of it you wouldn't put up with the frequent snobbery there.  The English prefer the Dordogne (almost to the detriment of the region, as now there are enclaves which are inhabited solely by British expats); I personally love the Languedoc-Rousillion and the Tarn.

Answer 5

GENEVA - NEAR THERE THE ALPS

Answer 6

St germain en laye

I used to live there and it is close to paris.

there is also a RER stop in town by the really good restaurants thet can get you anywhere else by train. They have an Aswome school there (K-12) with many people from almost every country!!

Answer 7

i'm from the south so i'd recommend the luberon region, or somewhere in between avignon and marseille. near sisteron is great and there are loads of vineyards...and of course the food's brilliant.

not too sure about house prices tho...

Answer 8

It really depends on what you are looking for.  I'm not sure if you're British but be aware that many people in France are starting to resent 'hotspots' (such as Brittany, the Dordogne etc) where lots of British people have moved in.  If you are looking for somewhere with nightlife and shopping close at hand then somewhere up in the hills of the French Riviera would be good.  If you're after a city, I used to live in the city centre of Lyon and really liked it, but the suburbs left something to be desired.  However the Beaujolais region just outside Lyon is great and you may be able to pick up a bargain farmhouse in the middle of Beaujolais vineyards.  The Lot region is gorgeous, as is Provence and La Rochelle on the West Coast is particularly attractive.  Avoid the North if you want to escape a British-esque climate.  Bordeaux is pretty sparsely populated and you would want to be sure you have a car if you're out there (it's a one-bus-a-day in parts!) but lovely all the same.

Hope that helps.  Why not buy a guidebook to France and check out the pros and cons of each region?  Try the Rough Guide, or, for nice pictures, the DK Eyewitness Guide is good.

Answer 9

I fi were you i'b definitely buy in the south, in the french riviera or near the italian border or near Pyrenees so you can enjoy both the seaside, nice weather and the proximity of the mountain for skiing etc in winter (and occasional trips to nearby Spain or Italy). Well, that's where i'd go.

Answer 10

The Aquitaine , Limousin, and Auvergne regions are all lovely, they are my favorite areas of France. Have you looked at the web site www.bluehomes.com?  I wish you the best in your search for a French country home.

Enjoy,

Paula

Answer 11

hi buddy  noone seems to understand what you want: countrylife , savoir vivre and set in a nice place where you can have lifestyle with horses and all.

i live in the south on riviera : a million euros will buy you nothing of your dream except a regular house with perhaps a nice neighborhood and mild climate, real estate is expensive here and for what you d want count three million euros at least.

buy in burgundy or charentes maritimes real estae is cheaper than here or england and for a million you can be way more picky

i own houses in burgundy close to beaunes and food is remarkably good,wines excellent and landscapes in summer beautiful!!!!!pick a castles with a few acres at that price !good luck

Answer 12

Villeneuve in Serre Chevalier in the French Alps. It is heaven on earth. Good luck, hope you find what you are looking for.

Answer 13

It depends what you like. The wine country like Bordeaux is nice and hilly, if you prefer a rural type of setting. Lyon and Paris are good for citylife if thats your thing. Marseille and Nice are nice on the Mediterranean if you prefer a southern French environment (although Marseille has many Islamic extremists causing riots). It all comes down to what you enjoy. France has a lot to offer.

Answer 14

Lyon. Beautiful cosmopolitan city with great culture and food. Only 2 hours away from Paris. Only 1 hour away from skiing in the Alps. Only 1 hour away from Mediterranean beaches. What more could you want?

Answer 15

When will the English be happy with their own country!?  Deserting, all of them...?

Answer 16

in the south, marseille, cannes

Answer 17

Hi

The South is the place to be. Better weather, relaxed lifestyle.

Cote d'Azur and Provence is expensive.

The stretch from Nimes to Spain is cheaper and less developed.

Perhaps the best area would be the lower Cevennes with about 300 sunny days per year.

Further North into the mountains increases rain and brings very cold winters (-15C in Lozere last week).

1m Euros buys a decent house with plenty of land.

Weather reports : http://www.the-languedoc-page.com/langue...

Photos of the area : http://www.the-languedoc-page.com/photos...

Peter