Living in France in the French Countryside

Summary: What’s it like to up sticks, quit the rat race and escape to live in France in the French countryside?

Picture the rolling hills, the quaint villages, the vineyards and the olive groves of France – as you can see in your mind’s eye, the visual appeal of the French countryside is hard to match.  Now, if you have your heart set on moving to France and living in France in the French countryside on a full-time basis, you’re certainly not alone.

According to the Delegation for Territorial Development and Regional Action, the draw of France’s countryside has been on the rise for quite some time.  It seems that more and more city dwellers are making their way to the country and the smaller towns and villages found outside the most populated regions of France.  This is because there is no denying the appeal of the type of lifestyle available in France’s rural interior.

Offering a distinctly slower pace of life, often lower property prices and certainly presenting landscapes that are hard to match in beauty no matter where in the world you travel to, life in the French countryside has become the conscious choice for many.

The rise of the French countryside’s popularity is often attributed to several main factors which include: -

• French Property Prices - it is generally much easier to find affordable accommodation in the less well populated areas – provided there are properties for sale where you desire to look.
• Telecommuting - many city dwellers and even self-employed expatriates are finding that as internet access comes to the French countryside it is more than possible to have their cake and eat it too by living in an idyllic setting and working from home.
• Lifestyle - there is a certain appeal to the slower feel of life in the countryside.  This is drawing in both families and retirees who want to be near the action and convenience of larger cities such as Paris, but not right in the middle of the hustle and bustle.

While many people find that living in France in the countryside and experiencing the inimitable lifestyle obtainable there is very much to their liking, there are some universal truths that all expatriates tend to pass on to those who are planning to follow in their footsteps - depending on the town and region, it is not at all uncommon for those who relocate to discover the following: -

• Finding employment locally can be difficult.  The smaller the town, the harder it generally is to find employment in France unless you’re a local.  This is fine for retirees on pensions, but it can prove difficult for families that wish to relocate.  Self-employment is an option that some expatriates pursue.
• Shops and amenities are not always open.  Even in some of the bigger “smaller towns” it’s not uncommon for shops, banks and even restaurants to just not be open on certain and even seemingly random days!  If you’re used to running to the supermarket at all hours to pick up a pint of milk, you could be in for a shock!
• The French language can be a problem.  While many city dwellers speak both French and English, this is not the case in the countryside.  So be prepared and go and live in the French countryside having learned to speak French already.

Living in the French countryside offers its own distinct advantages - with its rustic and often idyllic charm more and more expats are apparently choosing to move to live in France’s rural interior after spending too many years in the rat race.

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