Paul G. Says:
My wife and I will be going to France soon to scout potential retirement destinations. Do you have any recommendations for areas to visit?
IL Executive Editor Jennifer Stevens Says:
Hi Paul,
The trickiest thing about France will be deciding which part of it holds the most allure for you. It could be the wild, rocky shores of Celtic Brittany, steeped in heritage and tradition… or sun-drenched Provence, with its rolling hills and lavender fields, broken by the turquoise sea of the Côte d’Azur… or the castles and sleepy villages of medieval holdings in the Dordogne…
Here are some must-see places to consider (of course this will depend on the amount of time you have to spend in France):
Brittany
France’s most westerly region, Brittany shares a heritage—and a similar climate—with Wales, Ireland, and Cornwall. In fact, it wasn’t until 1532 that Brittany actually signed the Act of Union with France.
No place in Brittany is more than an hour’s drive from the ocean. The western coastline is characterized by stunning rock formations, the north by secret bays and little harbor towns that in a former lifetime were feared as pirate strongholds. The slightly warmer south has huge expanses of sandy beaches and mysterious Neolithic monuments.
It must be said that Brittany won’t suit everybody. Other regions of France are a lot dryer and have much more in the way of sunshine. However, if you don’t mind some rain, especially in the winter months, Brittany is likely to capture your soul.
The Dordogne
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 use the name Périgord when talking about this incomparably lovely area.
This is the quintessential rural France. Everywhere here seems just so pastorally perfect, right down to the bright splash of dainty butterflies and the occasional fluffy duckling paddling down river.
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, with shady walnut groves and stands of oak trees that might hide an underground treasure-trove of gourmet black truffles.
The Côte d’Azur (French Riviera)
Boats bobbing in the harbor, villas draped with bougainvillea, and the turquoise sea sparkling in the sunshine…who can resist Provence’s Côte d’Azur—the French Riviera? Certainly not the large international community of expatriate retirees, drawn here by the mild winter climate. Strung out between Hyères and the Italian border, 26 resorts line this turquoise coast of rust-colored cliffs.
The Other Provences: Aix, Arles, Avignon, and More
Here you’ll find a lavender-scented landscape of starry nights and sunflower fields made famous by artists like Van Gogh and Cézanne. Daydreaming under the southern sun, this is a world where life is still lived at a pleasant, civilized pace.
While Provence is not France’s most inexpensive region, it does have some of the loveliest towns, villages, and styles of architecture–and great weather, too.
For a more detailed travel plan, you should check out our France Scouting Trip Itineraries And Travel Guide. This guide will show you how to have the trip of a lifetime while you’re there. This helpful, timesaving resource contains three highly-researched France travel itineraries you can follow along the next time you visit. All you have to do is determine how long you’d like to stay in France. Get it on the IL Bookstore here.
Got a Question?
Send your thoughts to mailbag@internationalliving.com. We’ll post and respond to as many of your emails as we can right here in the e-letter.