For anyone who loves the idea of living on the Mediterranean, but is put off by the elevated prices of the French Riviera, the city of Perpignan, close to the Spanish border, with its neighbouring seaside resorts along the Cote Vermeille, might be an excellent alternative, offering a lovely climate, beautiful beaches, and a fascinating […]
Located on France’s eastern border, the Rhône-Alpes is named after the Rhône river and the Alps mountain range, and is made up of the following departments, clockwise from the north-west: Loire, Rhône, Ain, Haute-Savoie, Savoie, Isère, Drôme and Ardèche. This region is probably best known for its ski resorts, however, particularly in Savoie and Haute-Savoie, […]
These four rural departments make up the northern part of the Midi-Pyrénées region, in south-western France. Together they boast diverse and unspoilt scenery, vibrant medieval towns, fascinating caves and grottos, and some of France’s most beautiful and most visited villages and cities. Tarn Named after the river, Tarn enjoys varied and unspoilt scenery, and several […]
If you are buying a second home in France, the chances are you intend to travel a lot between England and France during the course of a year, and you’ll be wanting to take your car. So which ferry operators run crossings between the two countries, what onboard services do they offer, what are their […]
This year, the Tour de France starts on Saturday July 7th and finishes in Paris a gruelling 21 stages later on July 29th. This year’s tour includes six mountain stages, in the Alps and the Pyrenees, a brief visit to Spain, around 20 km on cobbled roads, and both an individual and a team time […]
When we think of the French Riviera, or Cote d’Azur, we tend to picture the beautiful coastline, with its glamorous towns and picturesque settings inhabited by billionaires, royalty and celebrities. Yet venture inland a little and you’ll find plenty of towns and villages that offer a simpler and less expensive way of life, all within […]
Is this going to be your first Christmas in France? Here’s an idea of what to expect, and even what not to expect, during the Festive Season. Christmas markets are a long-standing tradition, with many of France’s most popular located in the east, close to the borders of Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany. Usually starting in […]
Intro and Background France’s healthcare system is widely regarded as one of the best in the world. A 2014 Annual Global Retirement Index ranked it the world’s best for retirees, for being inexpensive, for covering a large percentage of costs, and for the number of English-speaking doctors in France’s main cities. French healthcare offers preventative […]
If you have your heart set on buying a property in France, but you still love Spanish traditions and cuisine, perhaps the easiest solution is to buy in the Pyrénées Orientales, the southernmost area of the French Mediterranean that is part of Languedoc Roussillon, and shares borders with both Spain and Andorra. Prior to 1659, […]
As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, some areas of the Loire Valley, as one might expect, carry a hefty market price – and Indre-et-Loire is no exception. That said, the practice of snapping up bargains is becoming more and more popular, especially for those looking to cash in on restoration and other commercial projects. And […]