Many people can never believe the land that gave the world the likes of Versailles, Chanel and the term “haute cuisine” could be anything other than prohibitively expensive.
Don’t let France’s glittering reputation blind you. Outside of high-glamour zones like Paris, Provence and the sun-soaked towns of the Riviera, the cost of living and real estate can be surprisingly reasonable… yet the quality of life remains very high.
You see, for most French people, high-quality living does not necessarily translate into spending huge sums on large houses or fancy gadgets. In France, “the good life” is about simpler things: laughing with friends over a carafe of red wine, finding that perfect sweet melon at the market or even sitting alone on a café terrace in the sun.
This realization was brought home to me several years ago, shortly after my husband and I moved to France. We were strolling through an isolated meadow when we spotted an enormous dangerous-looking man and his equally enormous dangerous-looking dog making their way toward us.
As we approached one another, the man’s tough-guy face broke into a big smile. He held up a clutch of freshly picked wild asparagus and waved it at us. “I’m going to make an omelette!” he shouted delightedly. “Do you see them? Look around, they’re everywhere!”
The moment struck us as quintessentially French: the frank appreciation of nature’s bounty, the joyful anticipation of a good meal, the certainty that we’d share in the beauty of the moment.
As we parted ways, we felt certain that the man’s wild asparagus omelette would be tastier than any a Michelin-starred restaurant could produce. And, of course, we began looking for wild asparagus of our own – literally and figuratively.
France itself makes it easy for you to enjoy day-to-day life. A land of immense geographic, climatic and aesthetic diversity, it offers something to please everyone: snow-white Alpine ski slopes, golden beaches and bright blue skies, rows of vineyards rippling up and down hillsides, picture-perfect medieval stone villages, vibrant cities brimming with museums, galleries and restaurants.
It’s hard to be bored here, even if you tried.
But there’s another reason France makes life easy to enjoy. The country offers universal healthcare to its citizens and legal residents who qualify (it takes five years of permanent residence to become eligible). What’s more, pre-existing medical conditions are irrelevant to your ability to be covered, and out-of-pocket costs are extremely low.
Even if you aren’t a part of the national system, reasonably priced private health insurance is available. For example, at the Association of American Residents Overseas, gold-standard medical coverage is available for 50- to 59-year-olds at a cost of about $5,000 a year.
And you can still benefit from France’s excellent health professionals and many state-of-the-art facilities and equipment. Expats I’ve spoken to report paying $6 for medications that would cost $180 in the States.
Where you choose to enjoy life in France depends on your personality and finances, of course. But when it’s time for me to retire, I’m putting the Languedoc-Roussillon region in the south on my short list.
Warm and sunny, with stunning landscapes that range from rugged to rustic, the Languedoc is often described as the “untouched” version of Provence, its famous next-door neighbor. It offers the same kinds of beaches, lavender fields and relaxed vibes… but it’s vastly more affordable.
General expenses in the Languedoc are very reasonable. I know of an expat couple from the U.S. who lived in a small beautiful village on just over $2,000 a month – and this was when the dollar was weak.
They rented large furnished vacation homes during the off-season for $800 to $900 a month and lived simply and comfortably, mostly preparing their own meals with fresh, local products. Still, they could afford to eat at the local café regularly and occasionally rent cars to travel around the region and into Spain.
Monthly rent for an unfurnished residence can be even lower. In the classic Languedoc town of Béziers, for example, you can find large, sunny, unfurnished two-bedroom apartments for about $650 to $750 a month.
Of course, you’ll get the best value in the Languedoc if you can buy your home outright…
That possibility is more feasible than you might imagine.
Attractive two- or three-bedroom homes are on the market for $175,000 or less. At time of writing, I saw a listing for a charming three-bedroom house, with exposed stone walls and a lovely tree-filled garden, in a calm village near the medieval city of Carcassonne for 138,000 euros ($151,800).
For a little more, in the pretty Mediterranean town of Cerbère, you can get a large two-bedroom apartment with a beach view for 165,000 euros.
With prices like these, the French good life seems well within reach, non?
Sincerely,
Barbara Diggs
For The Non-Dollar Report
P.S. If you’d like to learn more about living in France, or about any of the fascinating publications produced by International Living, check out International Living: France.
The post France: Pleasantly Affordable, Great Quality of Life appeared first on Non-Dollar Report.