Secrets of the South of France: The Most Affordable Regions, Towns and Villages

An International Living Australia report

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An International Living Australia report • www.internationalliving.com/au

The Most Affordable Regions, Towns and Villages

�Secrets of the South of France

Secrets of the South of France: The Most Affordable Regions, Towns and Villages

An International Living Australia report

Author: Barbara Diggs

Cover photos: © istockphoto.com/espiegle

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©Copyright 2017. International Living Australia Publishing Ltd., Woodlock House, Carrick Road, Portlaw, Co. Waterford, Ireland. All rights reserved. No part of this report may be reproduced by any means without the express written consent of the publisher. The information contained herein is obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Registered in Ireland No.285214

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Imagine if you could wake up every morning in a stunning 18th-century stone house with cornflower-blue shutters...bright red geraniums in the windows...a view of the gentle peaks of the Pyrenees in the background.

You walk to your favourite village café and settle on the sunlit terrace...locals stroll by with wicker baskets on their arms...and from your perch you can see the farmer’s market on the cobblestoned main square, each stall bursting with tempting mounds of fruits, vegetables, meats, herbs, spices and more.

Maybe you’ll wander over there later to pick up a poulet rôti for lunch...or see what the chef at the bistro down the road has whipped up.

Think this good life sounds out of reach? I’m here to tell you it’s not.

Granted, a trust fund would come in handy if you want to live among the glitterati in Saint Tropez, Cannes or in high-profile areas of Provence. But there’s a whole “other” South of France that most foreigners don’t know about.

These “sweet spots” fly under the radar of most people, but we at International Living have scouted them out for you. And we’ve profiled four of the choicest locations in this special report.

If you love city living, we’ll tell you about a beautiful, historic South of France city that’s packed with Roman ruins...chic boutiques and cafés...tranquil stone fountains...and it’s only two hours away from Paris on the high-speed train.

If the classic French village is more your style, we’ll tell you about a postcard-perfect medieval one made almost entirely of exposed stone, centred around an idyllic river with crystalline blue-green waters.

We’ve been showing readers like you the best places to live in the world for more than 30 years now. We know that you’re looking for good value...an outstanding healthcare system...safety...beauty...and, almost above all, excellent quality of life. The

Introduction

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South of France perfectly embodies all these things. Yet too many people who would love to live there write it off as too expensive without ever investigating whether they could truly afford it.

Here’s the bottom line: The South of France isn’t just for celebrities and the mega wealthy. The region is full of regular people like you who dared to seek, and find, the best-value opportunities available there.

Read on and find out how you too can afford to live in the mesmerising South of France.

Jackie Flynn,

Publisher, International Living Australia

P.S. The rate of exchange used in this report is €1 = AUD$1.41.

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Roquebrun is a magnificent medieval village in the “Haut Languedoc” region of southern France. Lying just above the dreamy Orb River and nestled close to a mountain range, Roquebrun offers its 545 residents spectacular views and

plenty of opportunities for hiking, biking, canoeing, swimming and other outdoor activities. Given that it has an average of 300 days of sunshine per year, you’ll have ample occasions to take advantage of all these outdoor activities.

The village enjoys a mild Mediterranean micro-climate that allows oranges, lemons, pomegranates, agave and other exotic plants to thrive. One of its most popular tourist attractions is the Mediterranean. Yet, unlike many other South of France towns, because of its location at the base of a mountain range, it is fairly well-protected from the dreaded Mistral—the cold, dry, fierce wind that blows down from the north along

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the lower parts of the Rhône River valley and out toward the Mediterranean Sea.

Despite the village’s small size, Roquebrun is big on amenities: it has a bakery, small general store, pizzeria, two restaurants, a post office, wine co-op, tourist office and a bar. Every Friday, it has a small outdoor market where you can buy some of that legendary French produce, as well as charcuterie, cheese, plants and flowers.

The village’s primary economic source is a local wine cooperative, but also the sale of locally grown fruit and vegetables. A number of artists and musicians live in the village, and it often hosts craft exhibitions, as well as concerts, dances and feasts. One of Roquebrun’s most special events is the annual Mimosa Festival, which is held the second Sunday of February.

Real estate examples in Roquebrun• Just outside Roquebrun is a two-bedroom, one-bathroom village house with

lovely rural views from the 25-square-metre outdoor terrace. This propertycould do with a bit of a facelift, but it is structurally sound and is very liveableas is. The indoor living space of 76 square metres includes a large kitchen area

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plus a 33-square-metre cellar. The property has air conditioning and electric heating, plus one covered car space. Price: €105,000 ($148,050).

• Just nine kilometres from Roquebrun is this very pretty two-bedroom, onebathroom house in the village of Vieussan. The house is tastefully renovatedand offers stunning views of the surrounding countryside from the 40-square-metre terrace. An old stone-built house loaded with character. Price: €169,000($238,290).

• A delightful, three-bedroom, one-bathroom house in a hamlet close toRoquebrun. The total living area is 120 square metres, including an outdoorpatio of 32 square metres. The property has been totally renovated to ahigh standard. The stone-built house dates back to 1890 and has lovely wellestablished gardens. Price: €199,000 ($280,590).

• If you are considering running a B&B, this spacious vineyard house inRoquebrun would be perfect. It has over 280 square metres of living space, sevenbedrooms, two bathrooms, several workshops, a large fully equipped kitchenand vaulted cellars. The property is currently undergoing some renovation butalso needs redecorating throughout. It has loads of character, plus a spaciousoutdoor terrace. Price: €239,000 ($336,990).

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Nîmes may be a city in south-east France, but while walking around there, you might think you’ve wandered into Rome. That’s because, over 2,000 years ago, the ancient Romans made themselves at home in Nîmes while building

the road between Rome and Spain. As a result, the city strongly bears their handprint, including a spectacularly well-preserved 20,000-seat amphitheatre, an enormous ancient temple to rival Rome’s Pantheon and a stone tower that offers a lovely panoramic view of the city.

While the Roman ruins are Nîmes’ claim to fame, this attractive, elegant city in the Gare départment, has many contemporary offerings as well. Home to some 140,000 residents, Nîmes is studded with boutiques, restaurants, cafés, bars and museums, and never lacks for special events, from science fairs to hip-hop festivals to bullfights. There are many English speakers in the cohesive expat community—a good place to start networking is Britsnimes.com, a social group which welcomes people of all nationalities.

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Adding to Nîmes’ attraction is its location: It’s just two hours away from Paris by high-speed train. But you’ve got plenty to keep you entertained closer to home.

Nîmes is in the Languedoc-Rousillon region, which means that you’re within easy driving distance to the sprawling white beaches of the Camargue, the Cévennes mountain range, countless vineyards and numerous other intriguing southern France cities and villages, including Montpellier, Avignon and the medieval walled port city of Aigues Morte.

Real estate examples in Nîmes• A charming one-bedroom apartment located in a former convent in the heart

of Nîmes. The apartment is located on the third floor and is filled with naturallight. It has one bathroom, a separate kitchen, living room, balcony and comespartly furnished. Price: €97,000 ($136,770).

• Right in the heart of town, in the St Paul District, is this two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment. The 51-square-metre apartment consists of a living roomwith kitchen and mezzanine, a bedroom, a living room, extra toilet, a cellar,balcony and double glazed windows. Price: €120,000 ($169,200).

Evidence of the Romans is obvious in the Arena de Nimes, which is still used for public events, including bullfighting.

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• A two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment that is tastefully renovatedthroughout. Located on the third floor of a residence that has a lift andswimming pool. A large balcony opens off the living room. The 65-square-metre apartment has air conditioning, double-glazed windows, a modern galleykitchen and a single garage. Price: €172,000 ($242,520).

• A three-bedroom, one-bathroom house on 215 square metres of land is for salejust outside Nîmes. The property is fully renovated, with a modern kitchen andcombined lounge/dining area. The house has a single garage and double-glazedwindows. Price: €183,750 ($259,087).

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The city of Montpellier, which lies on the cusp of the Mediterranean Sea, has both an Old-World charm and a forward-looking attitude that its inhabitants find intoxicating. Capital of the Languedoc-Rousillon region, Montpellier is the

eighth-largest city in France and one of the fastest-growing, as more and more people in northern France discover its allure.

A university town, Montpellier has a youthful air and energy that grabs you immediately. Students throng its broad, leafy boulevards and spacious squares. In any given month, you can expect to find a range of musical concerts (from jazz to classical to experimental), art exhibitions, dance festivals, rallies and demonstrations, and other activities typically associated with university life. You won’t lack for bars, cafés and restaurants either: The nightlife is bubbling and you can find good food for relatively

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little money—though there are plenty of chic, upscale places too.

The city is encircled by a sleek tramway network that serves multiple neighbourhoods within the city and suburbs. The tramway has created much excitement over the years as it is the longest tramway in France and the most stylish—it has two psychedelic cars designed by the famous designer Christian Lacroix. The tram is a great way to get around this city.

For all its contemporary touches, Montpellier is an ancient town. Unlike most large French cities though, Montpellier has no Roman history. It was founded in the 10th century, but didn’t come to prominence until the 12th century, when it became known as a trading centre. Around this time the University of Montpellier was built, housing Europe’s first medical school and cementing its status as a university town.

This medieval legacy is present in the city’s historical centre, which is full of delicious twisty backstreets lined with stylish 19th-century hôtel particulières (private mansions) and other buildings. Here, you’ll find a great variety of boutiques and shops plus some excellent museums.

Montpellier’s majestic cathedral adds to its Old-World charm.

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The climate of Montpellier is mild with summer temperatures lasting well into October. The mild weather allows residents to enjoy the beaches (only a 50-minute bike ride away on a specifically-designed cycle path from the city), and hiking/biking trails in the Pyrenees mountains year-round. The city is close to towns and cities such as Perpignan and Carcassonne, and the Montpellier train station has direct links to international cities such as Barcelona and Geneva.

Real estate examples in Montpellier• A bright and sunny one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment with views over

the red-tiled roofs of neighbouring buildings. This 34-square-metre apartmenthas a kitchenette and a balcony and is just a five-minute walk to the tram. Price:€117,000 ($164,970).

• In the Herault area of Montpellier is a fully renovated, one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment. The apartment has a new bathroom, a kitchen and livingroom, plus an outdoor terrace that overlooks a park. It has parking for one carand is a 10-minute walk to the tram. Price: €169,000 ($238,290).

• A cosy, one-bedroom apartment in the Herault area of Montpellier has exposedstone walls, and a large, bright open-plan kitchen, dining and living area. Theapartment is located in an old-style building on a quiet street in the area ofFiguerolles in the centre of Montpellier, only a few minutes from a lively marketsquare. Price: €188,000 ($265,080).

• A stone-built, renovated village house centrally located on the pilgrimage routeto Compostela. With 165 square metres of living space, this house offers threebedrooms, a top floor office with skylight window, kitchen with dining room,living room, shower room, workshop, laundry, storage room, terrace withbarbecue and a cosy bar-lounge area to entertain family and friends. Price:€185,500 ($261,555).

• A three-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment in the District of Fine Arts inMontpellier. The 80-square-metre apartment is on the fifth floor of a six-storeybuilding. The living room opens on to a balcony that offers lovely town views,and the property has private parking and a cellar. A tram stop is just a two-minute walk from the apartment. The apartment has good rental incomepotential, and is currently rented at €1,200 ($1,693) per month. Price: €245,000($345,450).

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Sauve is an astonishingly pretty medieval village that overhangs the crystalline-green waters of the Vidourle river in the Gard départment of southern France. The village is composed almost entirely of exposed stone, including a stunning 11th-

century bridge, remains of an ancient rampart, vaulted passages and a fortified gate, making it one of the most idyllic villages in the region.

The village is home to about 1,800 residents and has a good selection of shops, restaurants and cafés, as well as a weekly outdoor market. It even has a small museum/workshop that focuses on the local tradition of making pitchforks from the nettle-tree (which may sound dull, but it gets rave reviews).

Sauve is probably best known for “La Mer de Roches” (the sea of rocks), a dramatic

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and unusual limestone formation located in the hills just above the village. This formation was created by millions of years of wind and rain, which blew and chiselled away at the stone until it found its striking shape. This natural phenomenon attracts visitors from far and wide.

Sauve will enchant those seeking a quiet life in the South of France, yet who don’t want too rural an existence. Larger cities, such as Nîmes, are 40 minutes away by car.

Real estate examples in Sauve

• A gorgeous village houselocated in the centre of Sauvehas stone walls with visibletimber beams. The house offers150 square metres of living spaceover three storeys and has twobedrooms and one bathroom,a fully equipped kitchen anda mezzanine. There are lovely views over the village from the balcony on the second floor. Price: €159,000 ($224,327).

• A tastefully restored character house with views of the river and the mountainshas potential as a B&B or gite. With four bedrooms and three bathrooms, thehouse has stone walls with arched ceilings and exposed beams. Cornflower-blueshutters lead onto a large patio overlooking the river. This two-storey house hasloads of space, with potential to create additional bedrooms. It has a spaciouskitchen, an office, garage and two living rooms. Price: €184,000 ($224,327).

• A five-bedroom village house dating back to the 13th century is located in theheart of the village of Sauve. With 250 square metres of living space over threestoreys, this large house could do with a cosmetic makeover. The house hasloads of character and is bright and airy. Price: €220,000 ($310,200).

The buildings in Sauve’s streets are almost entirely of exposed stone.

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La belle France (beautiful France) seems to have more than its fair share of good things—not least of which are food, wine and haute couture. Whether you’re looking to retire to Europe, relocate or simply plan an extended adventure,

France should be at the top of your list of possibilities.

And it’s not just property that can be affordable in France. Despite popular belief, living here doesn’t have to break the bank. In this section, we’ll take a look at how much it costs to live in France and how you can access healthcare while you’re there.

Cost of living in FranceHow much do things in France cost?

It’s an important question when you’re contemplating moving to another country. Your monthly living costs will depend on your lifestyle and where you plan to live. Opting for the high life in Paris is likely to make larger holes in any budget than modest tranquillity in a quiet corner of France, such as in the towns we talked about earlier.

Here are some monthly costs for running an apartment for two people:

Euro Dollar

Gas for heating and a stove €55 $77.55

Electricity €45 $63.45

Telephone rental fee €20 $28.20+ cost of calls

Unleaded super petrol (per litre) €1.41 $1.99

Diesel (per litre) €1.35 $1.90

Broadband internet fee €30 $42.30

Pay TV €35 $49.35

Two tickets for the movies €18 $25.38

Lunch for two with wine €30 $42.30

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Your weekly food costs will depend on whether you shop at an out-of-town supermarket chain such as Carrefour or at a more expensive local grocer. Stores in most towns are small, quirky and individual—not dedicated to one-stop shopping. If you want a baguette, you go to the boulangerie. You buy cigarettes from the tabac, meat from the boucherie, chocolate from the confisserie.

Although there’s nothing wrong with doing some of your bulk buying at a supermarket, one of the great pleasures of France is its markets. You won’t find fresher fruit and vegetables—and you won’t find goodies such as farm cider in a supermarket.

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The French health system is excellent, and as of the start of 2016, foreign retirees living in France may be eligible to apply for public healthcare under a new system. This is great news for retired expats. The new national healthcare

system, known as Protection Universelle Maladie (PUMA), grants an automatic and continuous right to healthcare for those who legally reside in France in a “regular and stable manner.” This means that if you’ve lived in France for a minimum of three months and legally reside there at least six months a year, you are eligible to apply for public healthcare.

This is an enormous change. Previously, expats in France were generally eligible to apply for universal coverage only if they were legally employed in France and paid into the social security system, or if they legally resided in France for one to five years. During this period, expats were required to have private health insurance, which is significantly more expensive than the French system. Thanks to this new law, expats might be able to get French healthcare coverage in less than a year, saving thousands of dollars.

If you are not yet eligible to apply for French healthcare coverage, you must have private health insurance. You have two options here: one is to take out a travel insurance policy with an Australian provider; the other is to take out an international health insurance policy.

A travel insurance policy is by far the cheaper option (Travel Insurance Direct quoted $1,128 for a comprehensive 12-month policy for a single 60-year-old) but there are drawbacks. You’ll need to take out a new policy every 12 months, and most insurers will not renew policies after 24 months. If you contract an illness or sustain an injury during the first 12 months, that becomes a pre-existing medical condition for the second year and will most likely be excluded from your cover. You’ll also have trouble getting cover once you reach the age of 70.

International health insurance is vastly more expensive, although you can opt for a higher excess and co-payment to reduce the premium. Policies vary significantly–the best advice is to shop around and read the fine print, particularly when it comes to pre-existing medical conditions. You could start with a site such as Medibroker to compare many different insurers. Alternatively, you can try one of the big U.K.-

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based companies such as Cigna, BUPA or Health Care International who provide a comprehensive range of health insurance packages.

By way of example, for a single female aged 60 with no existing medical conditions, a Cigna global healthcare policy will cost $382.75 per month for basic cover with no extras, up to $598 per month for top of the range cover. The policy excludes cover in the U.S. (as do most policies), and includes cover for 90 days in Australia.

It’s important to note that Medicare may not cover you during trips back home once you’ve been away for more than two years.

The cost of a doctor’s visit in France depends on whether you elect to see a médecin non conventionné— a private doctor—or a médecin conventionné, a doctor who works within the French social security system. The sécurité sociale sets standard fees—currently €23 ($32.41) for a visit to a general practitioner, and €25 ($35.22) to see a specialist. Neuropsychiatrists charge more—€39.70 ($55.94).