Where would you live in France if you could choose?

[toddlerhip]

I am a SAHM of a 16mo and we suddenly have the chance to move to SW Europe. We would pick France, but where...?

the Dordogne

And why! (PS - dh would need to be near an international airport.)

where are you coming from? outside europe? do you speak french? how rural?

i like brittany but you may prefer to go for nicer weather, so lower down. atlantic coast would be lovely.

Coming from UK, speak French, not sure how rural yet. But definitely somewhere with a big park, green space or garden.

Warm weather would be nice!

Normandy

Or is that too far north?

I think it is a bit far north. i stayed in Rouen for a few weeks once. Lovely architecture, but a bit chilly.

Normandy is pretty warm and lovely in the summer...

Perpignan/Carcassonne (sp?) supposed to be beautiful. (DS2 going to P on an exchange in Sept - will know more after that)(possibly)

In the Charente if you are wanting to be in a rural area.

DH is keen on Perpignan /Carcassonne...

Don't know anything about the Charente, or tbe Dordogne for that matter - what're they like?

I always think the Dordogne is a bit like the Cotswolds but with sunflowers and less rain.

The Languedoc - Toulouse as nearest airpost. pretty reliable weather, amazing history, much cheaper than Provence, not as far away as Perpignan.

I live in Bordeaux. Tis wonderful.

Very beautiful and festive city - lots of celebrations and cultural events. Unesco listed. Lots of gorgeous countryside in surrounding areas. 40 mins to the sea. Possible to do a days skiing/go to Spain/hike a mountain in a day. An hour from uk by plane. Ditto Paris and Marrakesh;

Good schooling, great people; britpack if you are into in, not heaving with brits if you are not.

Very useful points charitygirl - i will tell dh, thank you!

ggglimpopo - sounds very tempting. And i do I think the ideal might be a town near the sea. dh would love that and great for ds. Rural might be a bit too isolating as dh will be away all week. I was in Bordeaux once staying with an old boyfriend's parents but can't remember much about the town as we were at the house a lot. I do remember him saying it was very conservative??? (this is about 15 years ago) What is the best way to integrate into French society if you're a SAHM with a toddler (but speak French)?

Port Grimaud - south france near to Nice. It's lovely (and quite expensive) but designed by one architect who loved venice so little water ways.

Or Paris - i loved living in Paris, but not sure I'd want to live there with a small child

Haven't heard of Port Grimaud - sounds lovely but dh is rather obsessive about rising sea levels - and i think i'd become a bit like that about my toddler with so much water around!

I lived in Paris for 3 months and did find it very hard to meet people but do love it and have since worked there a lot. Agree about small kids there though.

The Charente is beautiful in the summer. Very green and lush with fields of sunflowers and huge blue skies. There are lots of pretty but very sleepy little villages. In the winter it's a bit grim. Fields of mud and grey skies. There is very little to do with toddlers and toddler groups are few and far between. You could feel very isolated.

Bordeaux is fab. I think I'd live there if I had to live in France. The Gironde and Landes coasts are stunning and easily accessible, and the charente and Dordogne countryside closeby. As a city it is quite lively and cosmopolitan.

Paris is fine with small children, especially for anglophone expats - lots going on and plenty of support providing you can afford to live in the western arrondissements...

Think you are right mimizan. Winter in the country on own for 5 days with a toddler and no family / friends could be quite grim...

I can see there could be lots to do in Paris with small children Anna & a good support network as you say. I love cities but we moved to Scotland from central London last year to get out of the pollution & to buy a place in a medium sized town by a large park and with more space. The idea has worked out pretty well for us in practice so i don't think big city life is going to be right for us just at this point.

A warm regional town near the sea sounds about right. I'm sure people have said La Rochelle is nice too. Anyone been there?

Isn't Nantes supposed to be one of the best cities in France for quality of life?
I have only passed through, I have to say.
For me it would be la Belle Normandie, every time. Spent a very happy year there as a student and love the province and the people.
Caen I think.
If not Normandy then...Calvi in Corsica. Or La Rochelle...or Clermont..or Toulouse...or Strasbourg...or Lille...or Saintes...or St Lo... what a horrific dilemma toddlerhip

La Rochelle is nice. I'd go for Saintes personally though - you are inland from the major seasonal tourist hustle and bustle but still in lovely Charente