Périgueux (Dordogne or Bordeaux?)

[MariaV]

Hi to everyone I already know and those I don't! So I took my first recon mission to France, and stayed in Antibes for two days and a night. Antibes was the first place that was mentioned to me way-back-when and, although I knew it was expensive, wanted to see it before I completely discounted it. Was it amazing? Yep, absolutely. Beautiful? Yep, gorgeous. But....something about it didn't do it for me a hundred percent. That, coupled with the fact that there is no way I could afford that town.

However. The feel I got, the vibe, it hit me. Even though the weekend I went was horrid weather. Storm came in the night I arrived, and trickled out the day I left, bathing me in sunshine as I waved goodbye

I was fine with that, though, because I think the best way to see if you would like a place is to see it at its "worst". Anyone can love anywhere on a coast if it's great weather! I've traveled enough in my life and lived in enough places that I truly don't think I've got that "vacation" mentality. You know the one -- "omigod it's amazing and wonderful and I must move here" because everything is great when you're visiting a place.

But where's next. I've been going through the board, looking to see where y'all have visited and where you've liked and why. I know it's NUTS to say "name me a town", but...one long-time France resident said to me "You want quaint town? Throw a dart on the map." But it's a little difficult without knowing anything, and you can't know if living in a place is doable if you have no car, etc. And I'm hearing stories and things, so I may do a separate thread asking about taxes and self-employment (not doing any business with France) and EU citizenship, etc.

So what'cha think? Ideas? Anyone living in-country and wants to push/recommend their town?

 

[MariaV]

Hi! I realize my previous post was kind of scattered. I apologize about that, but I'm just trying to narrow down a couple areas before deciding. I'm limited on how much "recon" time I can do also. I've been reading some posts about Barb and Art's upcoming trip and suggestions made, and places other have been, and I somehow zoomed in on Périgueux and was looking at the town. Rents seem lower there also. I was thinking of doing my next trip in that area -- of possibly landing in Bordeaux and visiting Pauillan and Figeac (both sort of affordable but in that mid range). Périgueux looks like it's relatively close to where the prehistory is and possibly able to visits prehistoric places on days off? And Brive-la-Gaillarde?

I think I could handle being in such a historical area for a year or so Any thoughts on these two, maybe in comparison with a bit further west to Bordeaux? Or would the Périgueux/Brive-la-Gaillarde area be better to live with no car but they both have train stations?

Thanks for any thoughts

 

[Pauline]

Hi Maria! I missed this post because we have been busy relocating ourselves too (to Dorset in England). The Dordogne area and north of it are very popular with British expats, which I think would be good because you would have other English speaking people around. They are also big summer holiday destinations for Brits. We went to the Dordogne valley but have not been to the northern area. I read a bit about Perigueux because we would like to go there, and it sounds like a very good town.

A recent article said that Bordeaux has one of the highest levels of pesticide in France, because of the nearby wine producers.

A British friend of mine had a second home in Figeac and liked that area.

For relocating to western France, I would look around Perigueux or in the Lot.

At one time we were considering moving to France and I spent a lot of time reading the Expat Forum. We decided to stay in England and do trips to France, but mostly because of me and my inability to learn a second language.

 

[MariaV]

Hi Pauline! I've been following your moves

What you say about Dordogne is pretty much what I thought -- while it's okay to be around other English speakers, I don't want to live in little America or little Britain, and I can take a good amount of tourists, but.....

I always seem to come back to Périgueux and Figeac when I weed out other cities and towns, so they are definitely on my next recon trip. I don't know why I keep thinking about Bordeaux -- maybe because I just equate it with wine ;-) From everything I see about the city, I can't afford it. But the smaller towns that can also be considered small cities...that could work! I'm on the expat forum and while I've gotten only a few replies, I do read a lot of the posts and threads! I wish I could've gotten some answers on there when I asked about Bavaria and the Black Forest, though -- that area was my first desire.

Thanks for the tips!

 

[Pauline]

I merged Maria's earlier post with this thread. If you don't need to work locally, that makes a big difference to where you choose to live.

But, what about weather? Do you like hot summers? If so, skip Provence (too expensive) but look in the other southern regions - Languedoc, Midi-Pyrenees, Aquitaine.

If you don't want hot summers, move north into the northern Aquitaine. In 2014 France changed some of the regions and now Aquitaine-Limousin-Poitou-Charentes covers what used to be three regions. Poitou-Charentes is less expensive than the Aquitaine, but also will lots of British expats.

I think you will find British expats everywhere in France (cheaper to buy there, better weather), but some towns are known as being very British. If you avoid those towns, you will be in more French areas.

You could even go further north to Normandy.

When you say you want well connected - well connected to what? A larger town? Trains to Paris?

 

[MariaV]

Let's put it this way...I like seasons. I don't like 90 and higher degree weather -- I come from Arizona, I've had enough of that kind of heat in my life! I can't deal with the summers in Rome, if that gives an indication. But I don't want the excesses of constant rain and cold or thirty feet of snow -- if I did, I'd have stayed in England or chosen Finland ;-) I thought perhaps that mid-region that I'm considering would have the range?

As for well-connected, I mean so that I can take side/weekend trips to places. Without a car, I need transportation connection of some sort. Oh and no, I won't be working locally, unless I were to do some private teaching.

 

[Pauline]

Then I think you are looking in the right area. Southern France can get very hot in the summer, so that rules out Gascony. Northern Aquitaine and up as far as the Loire would be the place to look.

 

[MariaV]

Yep! Although in the last few days I decided my next recon trip is going to be Dijon, Auxerre and something just over there to the east of Dijon and a smidge down....starts with a B...... (this was so much easier back in 2001 and 2002 *sigh*)

 

[Pauline]

Beaune is south of Dijon. We spent a week there a few years ago. It is a charming town, in the heart of the wine region.

We only spent a day in Dijon, but I really liked it. It might be nice to be based in a larger town like Dijon.

That area is close to Paris, also closer to Italy which might be good for you.

 

[Pauline]

That area is close to Paris, also closer to Italy which might be good for you.

Good for you meaning you may want to do trips into Italy because you have connections there. Not good for you as in healthy for you.

 

[MariaV]

I'm glad you made that little edit, because I was going to mention that I want to be away from here -- and being that close to Italy may be UNhealthy for me! Besancon was the "B" town -- although I might take a trip to Beune, since you said it was a wine town. And we know that my priorities in life now are wine and gastronomy!

 

[Pauline]

If wine is a priority, then Dijon and Beaune in Burgundy is a huge wine area. But, IMO, the best food is in Italy.

 

[MariaV]

Yeah yeah yeah ... but I've been eating it every single day for like fourteen years now....every....single....day....three times a day...every.....day.... ;-)