I am French and I love your videos. I really like the way you adapt to the French life in the countryside. You are really good in this - I am so impressed.
Pharmacists are also knowledgeable about mushrooms, if you pick up some during a hike in the forest and want to be sure they're safe to cook it's good to make a small detour by the pharmacy to get an expert's opinion...
Yes and the pharmacist tell you that all your mushrooms are dangerous and he will keep them for himself. Don't trust à pharmacist and ask the question to à friend and then share with him an omelette aux cèpes and few glasses of wine 😊
That was true decades ago. Unfortunately the study of mushrooms has been drastically reduced in recent years so if the pharmacist is under the age of 65 I wouldn't bet on it 😁
Interesting and rarely discussed point for people considering moving to France. Too many people in my view overromanticise the "French village", which is no longer the place it was 60 or 70 years ago. Places with the 5 businesses or services you mention are no longer villages, they are "bourgs" or small towns. Also, good point from one of your viewers on having a local gendarmerie, which is directly connected to the town's status in the administrative map of France : in rural France, it means such a place is the head of an administrative unit called the canton (chef-lieu de canton).
I live 15 miles from LE MANS (140 000 people), outside of a village of 500 people, . It's far enough to be in the countryside but close enough of the main city. This way I have the best of both world. Close to larger villages with doctors and supermarket. You cannot be far away from a larger city otherwise you're stuck. I love your videos !
C'est vrai mais t'as rien sans un emploi qui te paye 3 fois le loyer (j'envisage même pas l'achat) Et le permis de conduire car aucune auto-école ne coûte moins de 1200€ et encore.... Car ils t'ajoutent des heures de conduites 200€ l'heure, sinon ils ne te présentent pas à l'examen, c'est normal ?). Donc oui loin de la ville mais pas trop, être payé 3fois le loyer et avoir le permis sont les conditions essentielles pour à peu près bien vivre en France.
@spiderd9158 oui le salaire est important , j aimerai bien aller vivre en France mais quand je vois les petits salaires de 1800 euros par mois, ca donne a réfléchir deux fois
@@countryman569Où donc vis-tu? Dans quel pays où les salaires minimaux sont mirobolants? Parce que moi, c'est ça que je gagne par mois (retraite) grosso modo, et je peux t'assurer que je ne vis pas mal. Bon, je n'irais pas faire des folies, hein... Pas de restaurants tralala gastronomiques toutes les semaines, mais ça me paye le gîte, le couvert, l'indispensable entretien-voiture et, hélas de nos jours, le budget informatique. Soit, je vis seule. Ça aide? Ben, ça dépend.
@@countryman569 Oh mon Dieu non... Le mieux est de chercher des conseils en ligne, d'entrer en contact avec des personnes comme celles qui font des videos comme celle- ci... Par contre, je suppose que, étant Californien donc habitué au climat chaud vous êtes attiré par le sud de la Fance, méfiez-vous: vous risquez de trouver l'immobilier très cher. Ou alors de tomber sur de vieilles fermes à rénover mais là... travaux épuisants et /ou coûteux, tâche interminable... Renseignez-vous, auprès du couple qui a fait cette video! Je suis sûre qu'il pourront vous aider. Bonne chance!
I moved to France 8 years ago. Actually the MOST important thing is access to medical CARE; access to doctors, dentists, other medical professionals, hospitals and Urgent Care facilities. If you live in a village or far from a large city access to the nearest doctor or medical facility might be an hour or two away, even by ambulance. The other things mentioned in the video are nice to have but, if you are near or over retirement age access to a doctor in an emergency is an absolute necessity. Another thing they don't mention is the price of gasoline in France. Gasoline costs about 6.90€ ($7.50) a gallon in France, which means if you drive a lot, it will get expensive. Add to that the price of toll roads (the major roads running throughout the country) and you will find traveling by car is very expensive, so access to public transportation should be high on the list. If I drive from Marseille (very south) to Paris and back by car it will cost me between 350€ - 400€ just for gas and tolls. My senior bus pass costs me 20€ a year, which means I can travel to many cities and towns for far less than it would cost to drive there myself. My senior train pass gives me 70% discount. Public transportation is wonderful in France. I love how people have this ideal picture of life in France, and while I will not live anywhere else, please do some RESEARCH before you make the decision to move here. Lastly, if you have investments in the US, then I highly recommend you find a French accountant, preferably one that has offices in both France and the US because you will be required to FILE taxes in both countries, but you only pay taxes in one country due to the tax treaty.
This is true everywhere. Medical and dental care are non-negotiables. You don't realize how important these are until you need them and do not have them, or you can't get into a local doc or dentist when you need one.
Be certain to go to "la mairie" and "la poste" to introduce yourself and your family to "le maire" (the mayor) and the postal workers, respectively. The mayor can help you with an abundance of questions and needs. Sometimes, if the postal workers don't know you and where you live, you won't get your mail at all. The postal system will return the item as undeliverable. We've found that rural France relies heavily on social networking, and making connections -- starting with your neighbours -- is crucial to integrating successfully into life in France. Your neighbours and others in your network can point you to all the people you will need -- from the best bakery to plumbers and builders, etc. etc.
French mayor here (small village, 300 people). A very good idea to introduce yourself to "la mairie" when arriving. Not only to the mayor, but to the far more essential person : "le/la secrétaire de mairie" (town hall secretary). Often at this position for decades... 🙂
I guess the French postal system works as the Belgian one : they deliver on address, not on name. Except for "signed for" items such as registered letters and some parcels.
Nice ! I can also only recommend the presence of a train station, but yes less small village then. Useful for traveling across France and Europe without a car and also for children who will continue their studies at high school or university.
We 1000% agree, but found that limiting the search to only villages with train stations we could walk to in rural France narrowed it so much it made a house search exceedingly difficult. Also, at least in our area, some of the villages and towns with train stations were less charming in areas close enough we could actually walk to the train. But I totally agree and it's literally the only thing we don't have I wish we did in our current village. Although we can take a bus a couple times a day to the nearest one. And maybe someday...train lines are expanding all the time! 🙂 Thanks for watching!
A train station is a plus, otherwise you'll have to drive to the nearest one. I live in a small town without. I've to drive 30 km to the nearest regional train station. but it's a very nice country city with all shops. We're at about 2 h from Paris (car+train), in Normandy country side. Very calm and pleasant, but not too far.... I often work at the capital. You can had other shop, such has a butcher (very important to have good quality meat, except if you're veggie), and a "primeur" (vegetables shop). As markets are usually once a week, you need these to get fresh product the rest of the week.
Some same or additional tips from a french : You might consider a small city (10-20k inhabitant) instead of a village, but villages are great too. So, true, look out for those things : - A Bakery - a local market (or several) - your neighbors farms - Epicery and or a small (or big) supermarket. (but honestly the local market and farmers can replace it ... should replace the "industry") - Pharmacy, Doctors, dentists, hospital nearby, etc... (France is very centralised around Paris and around big cities and the governement is not letting enough doctors filliing the gap everywhere). - Schools - Post office - some MJC (youth house), and centre culturels, - and lots and lots of "associations" that will provides activities from art and culture, to sports, to helping people in need, etc... its true it will let you know if the place is lively, young, etc. - One good bookstore - Some cool bars - at least one official or unofficial music venue - a bus or train station - being able to ride your bicycle or by walk, instead of doing everything by car - finally the scenery , that's up to your money and your taste
We are also in our preparation phase of moving to France. This information is so valuable. I am anxious about moving and being completely isolated and miserable. So this is so helpful to listen to with my husband so we can learn from those with experience. So grateful to have come across you guys, and if you are still in France when we get there (some day) we’d love to be friends! ❤
It's normal to be a bit anxious before making such a big change. But if you try to learn the language and follow these guys advice (getting into associations), you will meet many friendly people. Of course, moving to a big city will get you a completely different experience. But you will also find many associations there.
Don't forget to check the type of connections to the net you can have in your new home, FTTH, ADSL or 4 or 5 G, some remote village are still in the desert.
Merci a tous ❤ we are very much struggling to find the “where” in France. There are so many lovely places, but the considerations for schools, climate, medical care, work, outdoor activities and how to fit into the community are real. My spouse grew up in a small village in Eastern Europe, and very much wants to return to the land. But I am nervous that in a small town where everyone knows everyone for generations, that we may never fit in. And having a sense of community is so important to us. We want to welcome people into our home and drop by to visit others.
I just came across your channel this morning and we greatly appreciate you sharing your thoughtful insights. We're a retired Canadian couple and are moving to SW France this coming September/October. I had spent months planning a move to Spain but after really having an honest hard look at everything there, we have shifted our focus to France. The southwest seems to check off a lot of our boxes. I think that we'll start our search in and around Périgueux and Bergerac.
How exciting to be moving to SW France, I agree with that area, much like you and Raina and Jason. As a Francophile and French tutor I feel I could settle anywhere in the Lot or Gironde, natural beauty plus small enough cities or villages in which to speak French with the locals- with a major city Bordeaux to easy travel. Hope things are well with the plans, still thinking about Périgueux/Bergerac ? Would love to connect as email "pen pals" if you have the time.
I'm French and moved to Australia in 1963... Today I live in a village in Tasmania, where we have a small independent grocery store, a butcher shop, a bakery, a hardware shop, a medical centre, and a pharmacy. AND a petrol station. Bliss... But it's not France!
I have been watching your videos for weeks now and I think they are great ! I am an American that has been living in Bordeaux for over 50 years ! There are 2 towns that you must absolutly see ! Sarlat " in Dordogne " and Saint Emilion " in Gironde ! From what I guessed, you live in Lot et Garonne ! Two hours drive from where you are to both places but it is worth it ! Once in Sarlat , try a "magret de canard avec pommes de terre Sarladaise , a glass of red wine : heaven on earth !!!!!
My village has all of the five essentials plus a "cave c-operative" which sells the local wines ( we are in Burgundy) plus jams and other local produce. It is also a bonus to have a café and/or restaurant.
Most french people in countryside go shopping once a week in nearest big hypermarket... and freeze food at home. A fresh warm baguette freezed at home reborn brand new in owen or on top of a toaster. Same for croissants... All cheeses freezed reborn very well too.
I totally agree with you on all the points. I would also add an ATM. Despite having a post office in our town hall, there's no ATM which means I have to drive to the next town over if I need cash. There was an epicerie when we moved from Biarritz to Saubrigues 3 years ago but it closed. So again - we have to drive 7 km to get groceries. On the bright side though, there's a restaurant, bakery, small library and a concert hall with shows. I can also walk to my weekly yoga class held inside the concert hall.😊
Very good points. A village can be TOO small. The village shop closes, the baker retires, with luck the Mairie may have part time post service. Too small for public transport, so you need to drive a few miles for supermarket, pharmacie, medical center etc, Which is fine for holiday home but not convenient as permanent residence, especially for older folk. Oh and you did not mention A SCHOOL, which is important for families with children.
I'm French and I really like live videos. You are very friendly, you have a great open-mindedness (which is very pleasant) and a good analysis! This allows us to discover your culture too! Thank you very much! 👍🥰
Épicerie!! When you first said this, I thought there's a French word I don't know yet! But no, I just never heard it spoken before. I love that about foreign languages.
You inspired me to write a list of all the services my very small town has 2,000 people in the whole commune). Surprisingly , It has probably around 50 "services" and in that term I include everything from La Poste to vetinarians, dentists, schools, etc. The ones we considered vital in our decision to buy a house here are: a public library, a gendarmerie and a train station (its small, about 12 trains a day). Glad you mentioned the associations - they are a fabulous way to make friends and useful connections.
Hello! Nice to see you again. One tip to find a sizable village with (at the very least) all services you listed: look for the ones where a Gendarmerie (a State Police station would be a US equivalent) is located, not that it is needed, but as the famillies of the (at least 10) troopers live in the village, they need all those services. If you have alredy been in contact with the gendarmes, while on the roads in your nice car or any other occasion, it would be interresting to know what is your take on this very old (1536), typically French, rural law enforcement agency .
Gendarmerie nationale is the oldest law enforcement in France, it's part of the army. Gendarmerie area are mostly on the rural France, the police nationale ( civil officer) on towns. They have the same duties, except the roads which are mostly a gendarmerie duty. For enquiries the judge decides between the two for convenience as both can do the job. They even have both a "swat" branch ( GIGN or GIPN)
I love them. Very reassuring. They have a well keep an eye on your house while you're away policy. I once called them because some young bulls had got out and were going towards the main road. Got put through to the closest town because it was lunchtime. Guy apologised because he didn't know the name of the farmer.
Interesting to compare this with the tiny rural Cotswold town (population about 3,300) I moved to 8 years ago here in England, as I had a checklist too. Some cross-over, some do not. 1) public transport. We are very lucky as we have two bus services and a train station. Not super frequent, but amazingly useful. I would say that is very useful in any European country. 2) a grocery store, which in our case is a down-sized supermarket, not dissimilar to the French one. It also doubles as a Post Office (there used to be a separate business, but they are closing at a high rate). It is also where a lot of government type bureaucracy can be done, but in the UK online rules for that sort of thing. 3) a medical practice in town (and a pharmacy) 4) a pub and places to eat. We are incredibly lucky that way, with a bistro, gastropub, two traditional pubs, a hotel/restaurant and a deli/cafe. Pubs are closing at an alarming rate, but they are often the centre of social life, although maybe a generational thing. 5) societies and meeting places with events. We are very lucky, with lots of volunteer groups, meeting hall, sports centre not to forget an annual street fair, beer festival and free music festival. 6) not important for me, but it will be for many, and that is a walkable school up to primary level (up to 11 in the UK). At high school level, then kids are a lot more independent and can uses buses, cycle and so on but not when young. The rule was this all had to be walkable. I am sure that there are many other things, but I would say in general in Europe, then try and cover the basics and keep them walkable. The method by which they are delivered might vary, but you want those services there. It is very easy to fall in love with some idyllic little place and find you are dependent on a car for everything. The days when tiny villages all had their populations of agricultural workers and could sustain local services have largely passed. They are now often the territory of the gentrified with a Range Rover or two, not places for communities. Maybe France is a bit better at hanging onto that agrarian society feel, but where I am it has gone.
Almost top of my list when my partner and I were looking for our house in France was ''it must be walking distance to a Boulangerie'' .. and we were lucky enough to find a village with all 5 of the things on your list (Boulangerie/Patisserie, Epicerie/Charcuterie, Tabac, Pharmacie, La Poste) as well as a Bar, two Restaurants and a Chasse/Peche shop too (in case you want to buy a gun or a fishing rod) !
Yes a bakery is so important. I can live on just good bread and cheese. But beware because a lot of traditional bakeries are shutting down. More industrial and less authentic outlets are starting to take over. Lots of small businesses are shutting down because of higher costs since Covid. But don’t worry there are still many good traditional bakeries still running
Surtout évitez d’acheter votre pain en supermarché ou dans ces ”boulangerie ”! Périphériques 😢 Celle-ci sont seulement des fours la pâte arrive Congelé😢et les viennoiseries sont au beurre marié avec de la margarine où de l’huile de palme 😢😢
Great videos! We have a place in the southern Vendée and love the tips - must pick up on the services of La Poste! No Pharmacy in village but lots of other things. Love the community spirit in villages
I'm new to your channel and find it informative as I'm planning on moving to French Polynesia. From viewing your videos, I get a sense of belonging and community in those French villages, something solely missed here in the States ❤.
Your comments about "Tabac" remembers me a small picture from one of the french comic book "Les Bidochon" (named after a french family really "picturesque" and, yeah, laughable). We can see a "bar-tabac-PMU-boulangerie-épicerie-plombier-dentiste-garagiste-assureur-charcutier"... If you're struggling with 2 jobs, those people have 10.
5:55 Also, you can ask your local Pharmacist to check your mushroom pickup (granted you separated mushrooms kinds while picking them up). They are MDs, except they specialized in preparing medication. From the ground up. They have a complete course in phytotherapy and several other fields. Definitely not your average CVS.
Other things that make a village/town/small city great (that you could cover): walkability, acceptance of foreigners (esp. retirees), tolerance (hey, maybe even embracing of LGBT folk), transit--for those of us who don't want/have a car. :) Thanks for this video!
Oh my goodness, the more videos I watch and the more I read, the more I am certain I want to move to France. It's been an idea of mine for quite some time. I've been putting in consistent work to learn French and doing research on what it's like to live there. This whole video was helpful, but you mentioned 2 things that I just love. 1.) The Pharmacies: they are owned by the local pharmacist and they can only own one. No more pharmacy chains! 2.) La Poste: I don't need the senior services, yet anyways haha, but the fact that they offer this for 20 euros is fantastic and just another way that France makes sure to provide services that take care of its citizens. I love it.
@ I love the French language so it’s been an enjoyable task for me. Not an easy one that’s for sure but it is easy for me to commit to it because I enjoy the language. I fell in love with the language 20 years ago in high school when I took French instead of the more popular Spanish. Then I found out that I got lucky with my choice because I also really like what I’ve learned about the French culture as well. I’ve been using a combination of tutors, groups, Duolingo, books, music, and TV/movies. Next step is a trip to France.
What I miss most in the US is the vast choice of dairy that we have in France like the many kinds of individual plain yogurts In the US everything is so sweet
Great episode! Very informative. I did not know about the additional La Poste services, now I will be checking those out! just moved to the Mayenne in NW France and my tiny village has all of these things. Not a particularly beautiful village and there are more dynamic places 30 min away but in a pinch I can get a decent baguette, get some basic medications, take my dog to the vet, send or pick up a package, buy a bottle of wine or some kindling wood and if it's working (5050 shot) get a pizza from a vending machine! I haven't been brave enough to infiltrate the associations but as my French gets better I will!
Be careful not to idealize too much: - where are you going to work? Is there fast internet access (fiber optics?) for distant work. There's little work in these regions apart from agriculture, construction and personal and medical services. - Are you less than 30 minutes from a hospital and doctors (dentists, specialists)? - have access to a supermarket or two within 15 minutes by car, otherwise life will quickly become expensive for you.
Totally disagree. Where I live, it's actually easier to get work than Paris. The factories industries there are are surprising. Was once on the train back with oil men, in Burgundy! There are many unfilled jobs. My neighbouring town can't get English teachers. I was travelling 50km to do the classes because they couldn't find anyone . I'm closer to the hospital than in Paris. Last time I went to emergency I waited half an hour (and they apologised!). In Paris I had to wait 8 hours for 3 stitches in my knuckle.
I'm French and we moved to a village even further in the countryside. We have a long walk to the bakery but we have a short drive to a very close by supermarket for extra stuff and I miss being able to walk there and just pickup an oreo pack or a donut or a bottle of wine. So yeah, definitely agree on the grocery store argument !! Some Tabac (you can call them Marchand de Journaux sometimes) can have all of those 5 you mention are the most important things : a baker from a further away bakery sell bread using the tabac as a retailer, a postbox can be around there and they can get you La Poste services, as you said, they can serve breakfast or lunch or also have canned foods as well. As for the last one, all the associations people are usually active at the bar part of the tabac, even if they don't smoke because they're the founder of the football club association who cut down on booze and smoke to be a good example to the kids 😂😂
A bar/bistro is also a fab thing to have locally. Sadly our local one is closed but the one in next village up the hill is place of joy. Great vids by the way.
It really depends on what you want. We live in the pyrenean mountains in a two house hamlet 5 km from the village. It's a choice. We do have a bakery In the village but it only opens for 2 hours a day and only at 10:30 am. Which doesn't bother me since I moved here to be off grid and bake our ownead. As far as an epicerie we have one two villages down the road. We only go shopping for groceries once a week and I normally don't run out of matches or anything vital. Happened in the beginning but lessons taught, lessons learned! Our doctor does make home visits if it's urgent. Last year had bronchitis and he came by three times to chek on me. Our next real shopping town with an enormous farmers market 18 miles away((even though we live in the sticks our farmers market won place nr 16 in all of france, where normally it's the larger cities who carry the top notch spots and our little town only has 6490 inhabitants, it's because it is rather isolated and draws in numerous small villages of a widespread area). I go the day I do my weekly shopping and you get most vegetables, groceries like cheese, meat, locally brewded beer, vine, soap, spices Tisanes and whatever etc... . It has 21 different fastfood stands, prepared before your eyes, paella, thai, vietnamese, marrocean, libanese, brazilian, creole, vegetarian, vegetalian, curries, sushis, you name it, you get it... so it largely compensates living in a town, looking forward to it every week, trying out phantastic new foods for really low prices. But , if you need all these things in a walking distance, our little town can offer anything you could dream of. For the more frugal people the numerous villages who have all the commodities mentioned in the video is about 8 miles away, with a pharmacy , the several doctors, a dentist, a small supermarket and the tabaco and several cafés and restaurants and those kind of villages with around roughly 500 inhabitants are spread around rather evenly in most french rural areas. Our village ( 174 inhabitants)has a gradeschool, (which five of our kids went to before going to the collège in the town metionned above for further schooling)a post office, a restaurant/café and a bakery, but an epicerie would not survive here. There were several tries to open oe,, but it never really paid a good enough salery to make it worthwhile. There is a foodtruck that makes a tour around the hamlets twice a week for dire necessities and also a butchers and fishtruck which stop in the villages in our valley twice a week, so old people who don't have a car and live isolated will still be served.
@@kirikoucortex7042 The Shortage of doctors in certain regions, esp rural areas makes that some dodctors won't accept new patients and can refuse to accept your booking. This in itself is more a problem than the distance to said doctor
I leave in a village with 366 inhabitants of course we do not have a doctor in our village… but in the next village 3 km north ( 1800 inhabitants ) there is a médical house with 4 doctors, a dentist and a physiotherapist. 4 km,south another village 2500 unhabitants we have several doctors, a medical analysis laboratory, several dentists, several physiotherapists, … so no in very small,village of course you will not have a doctor but it’is’easy nearby…
I would also add a close proximity to a DIY store. Ours is 10 mins away and I literally go there 2 or 3 times a week. Also for those with children, they should check out how far the local school are. There will certainly be a local primary school, but the collège or particularly the lycée may be quite a distance away.
Many people move to small villages in France because they want the peace and solitude, they don’t find it necessary to keep popping out to the shops,or constantly seeking involvement or entertainment. Go to a small town if that is what you want. I have everything within 7 km radius - that is enough.
Oh my gosh, before getting really serious about a research, we always thought we wanted to be in the countryside. Then bam, exactly what you're talking about here, we realized we don't want to drive everywhere for *everything! 😊
Unfortunately many post offices in small villages have been closed by the government because of their cost and people send less and less letters a sending colis is more expensive than by relay colis. I would say that you must check where are the gas stations and banks. Sometime you must drive 20 km or more🇫🇷❤
Excellent episode. And is correct that you can buy bus tickets in la tabac or it serves as the bus stop for the local bus? Also, if you have purchased a house that might need updates to roofing, insulation, heating or if you need a car repair and don’t know who to call, is le tabac or la bureau de poste the place for reliable information and recommendations. I’ll be in the Loire river valley and plan to see a house for sale that evidently needs some work. Thank you for informative channel and your advice. Joe and Gigi retired in Cape May.
you hyou have pretty well summed up what you would find in a regular French village although you have forgotten the ever so iportant local café or bar which is usually the centre of French social life! Still,* you are doing such a great job at explaining how to live in France when you are an expat! Keep the good job, you guys are awesome! ave
My husband and I love your content. I was thinking that you could create a collection of scenarios and solutions into a book while linking to these great videos for interactive content. Maybe that’s just what I’d hope you would do, so I think of it. Under the Pharmacie heading, one section could be on how to transfer prescriptions overseas. I really enjoyed the finer details on La Poste. The bread vending machine is a testament in itself. Anyway. A bientôt! Bisous!
Thanks very much for helpful advice. I live in a village with nothing but the Marie. In winter it is isolated and not much happens. Fortunately we are a few kilometres from a town with everything you need (including a network of friends who live in the town). It is walkable or accessible by bicycle!
We are very seriously considering moving to France and your videos have been so helpful! We did go to the "Beauty and the Beast" villages in the Alsace region in June, I hope you've been to Eguisheim and Riquewihr, if not, take a few days and go! Hameau d'Eguisheim has a beautiful 2 bedroom Gite that would probably be perfect for your family, we were in the one on the top floor, I think it was the Guillaume Gite. A Bientót from Seattle!
Hello! This was a wonderful and pertinent video regarding the size of the "village" that we want to have our 10 year-old to experience. A place small enough where you might run into people you know, where there are favorite spots to gather, and the feeling of some safety. Literally, "It takes a village" Joey and I also want to experience that - a far cry from San Antonio, TX! We were really thankful for the "Associations" for adults. So neat to be able to find others who enjoy the same activities! QUESTION FOR RAINA AND JULIANA: This video was so helpful for us "girls" because we wondered about skincare/makeup lines at the Pharmologie. We paused the screen when you had the various shelves in the background - did some research on prices and reviews, etc. Hope and I have started ordering products from "La Roche-Posay" to start getting used to the skincare. What products do you beautiful women like? And...what hair care products are most popular there - and do you buy them where you get your haircut/colored, or at the Pharmologie as well? Maybe a video on all things "Girly"? Hope and I are so not "Girly Girls", so we are pretty clueless. But we'd LIKE to know about favorite French makeup lines, too. Where to get them. Manicures? Extra dry martinis with olives? (HA HA)
1) Basic medical clinics & hospitals within 60-90 minutes ; 2) pharmacies for all medicines, prescriptions & non-prescriptions, as well as basic CNA health care for colds, etc, as well as skin care; 3) Small basic grocery stores (bigger than Dollar stores, but smaller than large US grocery chain stores). This is because most French people shop for food almost daily, due to smaller refrigerators & smaller storage spaces in their homes or apts. 4) Tabac shops -- community gathering places to have parcels left for pickup, do basic govt services, eg tax bills, etc; 5) Le post (office) -- for mailing packages & letters to family & friends back in the USA. French post offices also have basic banking services & referrals for community workers (plumbers, electricians, etc)!!
Infrastructure is so important! I would need... #1 a gas station - I don't want to drive 20 miles to get gas #2 a grocery store - of some sort #3 a pharmacy - when you need bandaids, you need them NOW! #4 a bakery/formagerie I can live on bread and cheese for a long time #5 a tobacconist - great place. Almost like a 7/11 #6 a post office - combination post office and social services #7 a Leroy Merlin - local Home Depot
Très bon résumé ! (Boulangerie + Épicerie + Pharmacie + Bar-tabac-maison de la presse + Poste) et associations loi 1901. J'y ajouterai : un vétérinaire, une maison de santé ou un médecin, une mairie avec un accueil (dans les communes trop petites, la mairie est fermée définitivement), une maison de retraite (ehpad), un supermarché, un restaurant, une gare de trains ou de bus, une déchetterie, une école, une bibliothèque/médiathèque, une caserne de pompiers, des terrains de tennis et des terrains de foot ... Mais c'est un peu illusoire 🙂 En général, les 5 choses indispensables dont vous parlez dans la vidéo, on les trouve dans des villages de + de 700 / 1000 habitants (juste pour information, la définition d'une ville en France, c'est une commune de + de 2000 habitants, en dessous c'est un village).
je rajouterai l'école si t'a des enfants . autant au collège il peut prendre le bus seul, autant prendre la voiture tous les jour pour dépose / prendre les gosses dans le village d'a coté c'est vraiment chiant a la longue .
I am very fortunate to live between 2 Towns/villages, Lauzun and Eymet on the Dordogne/Lot et Garonne border. Both towns are lively with good amenities. This is not always the case, but we are in a tourist area, with many foreign home owners and holiday home owners, with disposable cash. This seems good for the local businesses. Doctors and Dentists are harder to find. I expect it is more desirable for these professionals to live in a city, not rural France.
I like the pieces of information. I would add doctors. Or choose a village nearby a physician. Doctors in the countryside are also different from city doctors.
I have to ask......do you ever miss 610, 59 or 45??? Lol... I'm from Houston but now live in Minnesota. Looking to move to France in the next couple of years. I just love your channel!!! ❤
Are you living in Eymet or close by. We have moved to Lauzun which has everything you state plus bank, coiffure, Boucherie and much much more. We are very happy with our choices. Love your your UA-cam sessions...
This is an EXCELLENT video. Had no idea about La Poste or Marie website for associations. Thank you. We move to far SW France in a month. We are starting in a larger city but have no idea where we will ultimately settle. Really great advice.
Oh wow, good luck!!! This is a great move by the way. A larger city will give you time to explore and settle in while being able to easily find what you need. There are literally a million villages, all with their own character, so it takes time (and it's fun) to explore them. And who knows, you might love being in a little larger place and end up staying there! Thanks for watching!
South West in an excellent choice, but it is quite large… It goes from Bordeaux to the Pays basque, and from Rodez to Foix ! If I may, visit the Lot (be careful, it is the name of the river, not an English word 😉) also known as Quercy (the most beautiful of our Département), with two medium cities, very beautiful : Figeac and Cahors. Try also Pau and the Béarn, the sumptuous Albi, the Pays basque and the Ariège (quite austere but magnificent).
@@heliedecastanet1882 thank you so much for this wonderful information. There are so many places we need to explore. We visited, and loved Pau, Prades, villages near Carcassonne, Bordeaux and Toulouse. There are so many wonderful options. We will begin in Perpignan for six months. It will be our home base as we explore further.
@@nyegregThe Lot is a bit far from Perpignan and Pyrénées Orientales but still, try to get there. I am pretty sure you won't regret it. Make a quick research on Google (Lot, Figeac, Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, Notre-Dame-de-Rocamadour) and have a look ! Anyway, all my best for the future !
Quand j’écoute Tim Kennedy parler du Texas et combien les usa sont un endroit magnifique où vivre, ou comment bien vivre avec sa communauté est essentiel, etc, je me dis qu’on devrait faire de même en France. Oh shoot ! That’s exactly what we do in France, moreover both of them have the same size!! Vous deux devriez postuler pour le ministère du tourisme 😅😅 You both are fantastic! When American efficiency takes over the promotion of France 😉🇺🇸🇫🇷
It seems it's a big village you're living in. Maybe more a little town than a village. One important thing you forgot is... The doctor. Check if there's a doctor around. If not, be ready to make dozen of kilometres to find one, coz some places are real "medical deserts"...
It's not the case that most villages will have a mairie. There will only be one mairie per commune and the size of the commune is indeterminate. My commune has 26 hamlets - 50 to 200 people except for the chef-lieu ( village where the mairie is located ) which has about 700.
I loved loved this video, thank you from the bottom of my heart!! I have four months to go and found it extremely helpful! Im about to change my airbnb right now!
This info is soo helpful as you mentioned a couple of things I hadn’t thought of. My list includes a weekly market and train station. I’m hoping to find that place where i can get buy without a car and only rent one as needed… I never considered the need for la poste or un tabac! And the recommendation to look up the mairie! Thank you!
Having a train station is huge!!! For a long time we resisted looking anywhere without a train stop, but many of the villages we loved just weren't on a train line with a stop (some areas in the SW dont have many). Or they were, but something else was missing we were looking for. We finally expanded the search and I don't regret it. Our closest train station is about 25 minutes. We can take a bus or a taxi to get to it if we don't want to drive. But I'm not giving up hope of expanding rail lines yet to our village yet! 😉
The MOST IMPORTANT is that you have a home and what you have is nice and comfortable in the size and the garden looks realy good. The next important is that you have the MOST IMPORTANT shops you need ! The third important is that you have people living around you ! The fourth important is for to get use to and be friend with the old houseses (kind of spirit ) which when you got use to it it gives and means a lot even if it is OLD You have time for to repair it to what you want or furninshed. You are lucky with all those inhereted old wines (they cost a furtune if you would buy it in the shop ...but be careful because older the wine is - it get strnger ... you need only a sip for to already get a bit drunk... or put you in the laugh or realax mood.
3:36 Wifey call those "Card'Bordeaux". We live in the Bordeaux area so it makes more sense. Also, way more French Fancy than they needs to be. 😂 But if I have brand to recommend, "Gerard Bertrand" from Carcassonne. Even their non organic wives are fine.
I would add as a requirement: a train station. Getting to a larger city or airport via rail is a requirement. Being car dependent on Europe makes no sense.
Hah! We just moved to France 2 weeks ago and bought our house (well, in the process) in the town that has everything! Charm too! But we almost bought the perfect house-in a village 15 min from anything. We said after a day, no way! thanks for the video!
I'm french and i totaly agree with you. A place to drink a cofee is very important for meeting local people.. possibly a café ( a bar ) but the bakery or the tabac can be allright.. In some village, there's one bar and it's horrible.. totally unfriendly except for local hardcore alcooliques and dumb people.. In other place the bar is a sympathic mixed place that is part of the local life..
Great video. New to the idea of moving to France and your channel. Hunting and fishing were mentioned several times. As someone that does that (in the states) did you find the process difficult to follow to be able to hunt and fish in France. Thanks for the tips.
You should ask the hunting or fishing associations of the village you aim. Anyway you will need a permis de chasse or permis de pêche, they will give you tips on this
I am French and I love your videos. I really like the way you adapt to the French life in the countryside. You are really good in this - I am so impressed.
pareil, ils sont trop mimi tous les deux :)
Pharmacists are also knowledgeable about mushrooms, if you pick up some during a hike in the forest and want to be sure they're safe to cook it's good to make a small detour by the pharmacy to get an expert's opinion...
Yes and the pharmacist tell you that all your mushrooms are dangerous and he will keep them for himself. Don't trust à pharmacist and ask the question to à friend and then share with him an omelette aux cèpes and few glasses of wine 😊
Some are: not each pharmacists. Hopefully they won't tell you if they don't know.🤣
@@jeanyves5380 normaly he need to learn them to have his diploma ... now yes he may forgot with time
That was true decades ago. Unfortunately the study of mushrooms has been drastically reduced in recent years so if the pharmacist is under the age of 65 I wouldn't bet on it 😁
Pharmacists can't take the risk of a mistake. Mushroom studying is a science in itself.
Interesting and rarely discussed point for people considering moving to France. Too many people in my view overromanticise the "French village", which is no longer the place it was 60 or 70 years ago. Places with the 5 businesses or services you mention are no longer villages, they are "bourgs" or small towns. Also, good point from one of your viewers on having a local gendarmerie, which is directly connected to the town's status in the administrative map of France : in rural France, it means such a place is the head of an administrative unit called the canton (chef-lieu de canton).
I live 15 miles from LE MANS (140 000 people), outside of a village of 500 people, . It's far enough to be in the countryside but close enough of the main city. This way I have the best of both world. Close to larger villages with doctors and supermarket. You cannot be far away from a larger city otherwise you're stuck. I love your videos !
C'est vrai mais t'as rien sans un emploi qui te paye 3 fois le loyer (j'envisage même pas l'achat) Et le permis de conduire car aucune auto-école ne coûte moins de 1200€ et encore.... Car ils t'ajoutent des heures de conduites 200€ l'heure, sinon ils ne te présentent pas à l'examen, c'est normal ?). Donc oui loin de la ville mais pas trop, être payé 3fois le loyer et avoir le permis sont les conditions essentielles pour à peu près bien vivre en France.
@spiderd9158 oui le salaire est important , j aimerai bien aller vivre en France mais quand je vois les petits salaires de 1800 euros par mois, ca donne a réfléchir deux fois
@@countryman569Où donc vis-tu? Dans quel pays où les salaires minimaux sont mirobolants? Parce que moi, c'est ça que je gagne par mois (retraite) grosso modo, et je peux t'assurer que je ne vis pas mal. Bon, je n'irais pas faire des folies, hein... Pas de restaurants tralala gastronomiques toutes les semaines, mais ça me paye le gîte, le couvert, l'indispensable entretien-voiture et, hélas de nos jours, le budget informatique. Soit, je vis seule. Ça aide? Ben, ça dépend.
@@marie-claudeguegan32194 je vis en Californie depuis 20 ans et j aimerai bien vivre dans le Sud de la France.
avez-vous des conseils ?
@@countryman569 Oh mon Dieu non... Le mieux est de chercher des conseils en ligne, d'entrer en contact avec des personnes comme celles qui font des videos comme celle- ci... Par contre, je suppose que, étant Californien donc habitué au climat chaud vous êtes attiré par le sud de la Fance, méfiez-vous: vous risquez de trouver l'immobilier très cher. Ou alors de tomber sur de vieilles fermes à rénover mais là... travaux épuisants et /ou coûteux, tâche interminable... Renseignez-vous, auprès du couple qui a fait cette video! Je suis sûre qu'il pourront vous aider. Bonne chance!
I moved to France 8 years ago. Actually the MOST important thing is access to medical CARE; access to doctors, dentists, other medical professionals, hospitals and Urgent Care facilities. If you live in a village or far from a large city access to the nearest doctor or medical facility might be an hour or two away, even by ambulance. The other things mentioned in the video are nice to have but, if you are near or over retirement age access to a doctor in an emergency is an absolute necessity. Another thing they don't mention is the price of gasoline in France. Gasoline costs about 6.90€ ($7.50) a gallon in France, which means if you drive a lot, it will get expensive. Add to that the price of toll roads (the major roads running throughout the country) and you will find traveling by car is very expensive, so access to public transportation should be high on the list. If I drive from Marseille (very south) to Paris and back by car it will cost me between 350€ - 400€ just for gas and tolls. My senior bus pass costs me 20€ a year, which means I can travel to many cities and towns for far less than it would cost to drive there myself. My senior train pass gives me 70% discount. Public transportation is wonderful in France. I love how people have this ideal picture of life in France, and while I will not live anywhere else, please do some RESEARCH before you make the decision to move here. Lastly, if you have investments in the US, then I highly recommend you find a French accountant, preferably one that has offices in both France and the US because you will be required to FILE taxes in both countries, but you only pay taxes in one country due to the tax treaty.
This is true everywhere. Medical and dental care are non-negotiables. You don't realize how important these are until you need them and do not have them, or you can't get into a local doc or dentist when you need one.
Fuel is sold by the litre in France . . .
@@TRPGpilot I converted the euro price per gallon to dollars. NOT the per liter price.
Be certain to go to "la mairie" and "la poste" to introduce yourself and your family to "le maire" (the mayor) and the postal workers, respectively. The mayor can help you with an abundance of questions and needs. Sometimes, if the postal workers don't know you and where you live, you won't get your mail at all. The postal system will return the item as undeliverable. We've found that rural France relies heavily on social networking, and making connections -- starting with your neighbours -- is crucial to integrating successfully into life in France. Your neighbours and others in your network can point you to all the people you will need -- from the best bakery to plumbers and builders, etc. etc.
And as a rule of life, being nice and getting along with your neighbors helps alot anyway.
Introducing yourself to the Mayor and your next-door neighbours is an excellent idea.
French mayor here (small village, 300 people). A very good idea to introduce yourself to "la mairie" when arriving. Not only to the mayor, but to the far more essential person : "le/la secrétaire de mairie" (town hall secretary). Often at this position for decades... 🙂
I guess the French postal system works as the Belgian one : they deliver on address, not on name. Except for "signed for" items such as registered letters and some parcels.
It sounds very weird and backwards. But maybe that's the charm...
Been to France many times and I still learned a few things today...thanks!
Nice !
I can also only recommend the presence of a train station, but yes less small village then.
Useful for traveling across France and Europe without a car and also for children who will continue their studies at high school or university.
We 1000% agree, but found that limiting the search to only villages with train stations we could walk to in rural France narrowed it so much it made a house search exceedingly difficult.
Also, at least in our area, some of the villages and towns with train stations were less charming in areas close enough we could actually walk to the train.
But I totally agree and it's literally the only thing we don't have I wish we did in our current village. Although we can take a bus a couple times a day to the nearest one. And maybe someday...train lines are expanding all the time! 🙂
Thanks for watching!
A train station is a plus, otherwise you'll have to drive to the nearest one. I live in a small town without. I've to drive 30 km to the nearest regional train station. but it's a very nice country city with all shops. We're at about 2 h from Paris (car+train), in Normandy country side. Very calm and pleasant, but not too far.... I often work at the capital. You can had other shop, such has a butcher (very important to have good quality meat, except if you're veggie), and a "primeur" (vegetables shop). As markets are usually once a week, you need these to get fresh product the rest of the week.
Some same or additional tips from a french :
You might consider a small city (10-20k inhabitant) instead of a village, but villages are great too. So, true, look out for those things :
- A Bakery
- a local market (or several)
- your neighbors farms
- Epicery and or a small (or big) supermarket. (but honestly the local market and farmers can replace it ... should replace the "industry")
- Pharmacy, Doctors, dentists, hospital nearby, etc... (France is very centralised around Paris and around big cities and the governement is not letting enough doctors filliing the gap everywhere).
- Schools
- Post office
- some MJC (youth house), and centre culturels,
- and lots and lots of "associations" that will provides activities from art and culture, to sports, to helping people in need, etc... its true it will let you know if the place is lively, young, etc.
- One good bookstore
- Some cool bars
- at least one official or unofficial music venue
- a bus or train station
- being able to ride your bicycle or by walk, instead of doing everything by car
- finally the scenery , that's up to your money and your taste
We are also in our preparation phase of moving to France. This information is so valuable. I am anxious about moving and being completely isolated and miserable. So this is so helpful to listen to with my husband so we can learn from those with experience.
So grateful to have come across you guys, and if you are still in France when we get there (some day) we’d love to be friends! ❤
It's normal to be a bit anxious before making such a big change. But if you try to learn the language and follow these guys advice (getting into associations), you will meet many friendly people. Of course, moving to a big city will get you a completely different experience. But you will also find many associations there.
Don't forget to check the type of connections to the net you can have in your new home, FTTH, ADSL or 4 or 5 G, some remote village are still in the desert.
@@etorepugatti9196 True but ADSL is being phased out so it's mostly fiber optic or 4g/5g.
Merci a tous ❤ we are very much struggling to find the “where” in France. There are so many lovely places, but the considerations for schools, climate, medical care, work, outdoor activities and how to fit into the community are real.
My spouse grew up in a small village in Eastern Europe, and very much wants to return to the land. But I am nervous that in a small town where everyone knows everyone for generations, that we may never fit in.
And having a sense of community is so important to us. We want to welcome people into our home and drop by to visit others.
@@babelbabel2419😊
I just came across your channel this morning and we greatly appreciate you sharing your thoughtful insights. We're a retired Canadian couple and are moving to SW France this coming September/October. I had spent months planning a move to Spain but after really having an honest hard look at everything there, we have shifted our focus to France. The southwest seems to check off a lot of our boxes. I think that we'll start our search in and around Périgueux and Bergerac.
Yay, so glad you found us. 🙂 Good luck with the research and thanks for watching!
I'm native from this exact region (Sarlat) and speak fluent english, if you need any advice you can hit me up.
How exciting to be moving to SW France, I agree with that area, much like you and Raina and Jason. As a Francophile and French tutor I feel I could settle anywhere in the Lot or Gironde, natural beauty plus small enough cities or villages in which to speak French with the locals- with a major city Bordeaux to easy travel. Hope things are well with the plans, still thinking about Périgueux/Bergerac ? Would love to connect as email "pen pals" if you have the time.
Very nice! This is the simple kind of stuff that would take months to figure out on your own.
I'm French and moved to Australia in 1963... Today I live in a village in Tasmania, where we have a small independent grocery store, a butcher shop, a bakery, a hardware shop, a medical centre, and a pharmacy. AND a petrol station. Bliss... But it's not France!
I have been watching your videos for weeks now and I think they are great ! I am an American that has been living in Bordeaux for over 50 years ! There are 2 towns that you must absolutly see ! Sarlat " in Dordogne " and Saint Emilion " in Gironde ! From what I guessed, you live in Lot et Garonne ! Two hours drive from where you are to both places but it is worth it ! Once in Sarlat , try a "magret de canard avec pommes de terre Sarladaise , a glass of red wine : heaven on earth !!!!!
Don't forget the confit de canard avec pommes de terre sarladaises. The confit must have a crispy skin and tender meat. Lethally good!
TRUE !!
Sarlat is superb.
And eat in Sarlat c’est le Périgord Noir land of the black truffles !!!!!
@@babelbabel2419ooooh mam ma that it my appetite is coming back for foie gras de canard truffé (which I prefer to goose and by far)
@franciscouderq1100 of course but no truffles for me. Anyway, let's stop hijacking this thread ;)
My village has all of the five essentials plus a "cave c-operative" which sells the local wines ( we are in Burgundy) plus jams and other local produce. It is also a bonus to have a café and/or restaurant.
Most french people in countryside go shopping once a week in nearest big hypermarket... and freeze food at home.
A fresh warm baguette freezed at home reborn brand new in owen or on top of a toaster. Same for croissants...
All cheeses freezed reborn very well too.
A lot of villages also have small public libraries supported by le département. You can often volunteer there.
I totally agree with you on all the points. I would also add an ATM. Despite having a post office in our town hall, there's no ATM which means I have to drive to the next town over if I need cash. There was an epicerie when we moved from Biarritz to Saubrigues 3 years ago but it closed. So again - we have to drive 7 km to get groceries. On the bright side though, there's a restaurant, bakery, small library and a concert hall with shows. I can also walk to my weekly yoga class held inside the concert hall.😊
"Saubrigues" We are neighnors as I'm living in Capbreton x) (Born and raised in the Netherlands)
Lets try a small town, about 5k people, you will be sure to get everything mentioning in the video. 😀
Very good points. A village can be TOO small. The village shop closes, the baker retires, with luck the Mairie may have part time post service.
Too small for public transport, so you need to drive a few miles for supermarket, pharmacie, medical center etc, Which is fine for holiday home but not convenient as permanent residence, especially for older folk. Oh and you did not mention A SCHOOL, which is important for families with children.
I'm French and I really like live videos. You are very friendly, you have a great open-mindedness (which is very pleasant) and a good analysis! This allows us to discover your culture too! Thank you very much! 👍🥰
Dans les villages où la poste a fermé depuis la privatisation, c'est un magasin qui remplit le rôle: épicerie ou tabac généralement
Épicerie!! When you first said this, I thought there's a French word I don't know yet! But no, I just never heard it spoken before. I love that about foreign languages.
You inspired me to write a list of all the services my very small town has 2,000 people in the whole commune). Surprisingly , It has probably around 50 "services" and in that term I include everything from La Poste to vetinarians, dentists, schools, etc. The ones we considered vital in our decision to buy a house here are: a public library, a gendarmerie and a train station (its small, about 12 trains a day). Glad you mentioned the associations - they are a fabulous way to make friends and useful connections.
Hello! Nice to see you again. One tip to find a sizable village with (at the very least) all services you listed: look for the ones where a Gendarmerie (a State Police station would be a US equivalent) is located, not that it is needed, but as the famillies of the (at least 10) troopers live in the village, they need all those services. If you have alredy been in contact with the gendarmes, while on the roads in your nice car or any other occasion, it would be interresting to know what is your take on this very old (1536), typically French, rural law enforcement agency .
This is really interesting! Thanks!
Gendarmerie nationale is the oldest law enforcement in France, it's part of the army. Gendarmerie area are mostly on the rural France, the police nationale ( civil officer) on towns. They have the same duties, except the roads which are mostly a gendarmerie duty. For enquiries the judge decides between the two for convenience as both can do the job. They even have both a "swat" branch ( GIGN or GIPN)
I love them. Very reassuring. They have a well keep an eye on your house while you're away policy.
I once called them because some young bulls had got out and were going towards the main road. Got put through to the closest town because it was lunchtime. Guy apologised because he didn't know the name of the farmer.
Interesting to compare this with the tiny rural Cotswold town (population about 3,300) I moved to 8 years ago here in England, as I had a checklist too. Some cross-over, some do not.
1) public transport. We are very lucky as we have two bus services and a train station. Not super frequent, but amazingly useful. I would say that is very useful in any European country.
2) a grocery store, which in our case is a down-sized supermarket, not dissimilar to the French one. It also doubles as a Post Office (there used to be a separate business, but they are closing at a high rate). It is also where a lot of government type bureaucracy can be done, but in the UK online rules for that sort of thing.
3) a medical practice in town (and a pharmacy)
4) a pub and places to eat. We are incredibly lucky that way, with a bistro, gastropub, two traditional pubs, a hotel/restaurant and a deli/cafe. Pubs are closing at an alarming rate, but they are often the centre of social life, although maybe a generational thing.
5) societies and meeting places with events. We are very lucky, with lots of volunteer groups, meeting hall, sports centre not to forget an annual street fair, beer festival and free music festival.
6) not important for me, but it will be for many, and that is a walkable school up to primary level (up to 11 in the UK). At high school level, then kids are a lot more independent and can uses buses, cycle and so on but not when young.
The rule was this all had to be walkable.
I am sure that there are many other things, but I would say in general in Europe, then try and cover the basics and keep them walkable. The method by which they are delivered might vary, but you want those services there. It is very easy to fall in love with some idyllic little place and find you are dependent on a car for everything. The days when tiny villages all had their populations of agricultural workers and could sustain local services have largely passed. They are now often the territory of the gentrified with a Range Rover or two, not places for communities. Maybe France is a bit better at hanging onto that agrarian society feel, but where I am it has gone.
When i read the title of the video, first thing that pops in my mind was "un bar-tabac"...Without it your village is dead.
How depressed you'll feel if your village didn't get at least 2 of them, you won't be able to do the "tournée des bars"!
Almost top of my list when my partner and I were looking for our house in France was ''it must be walking distance to a Boulangerie'' .. and we were lucky enough to find a village with all 5 of the things on your list (Boulangerie/Patisserie, Epicerie/Charcuterie, Tabac, Pharmacie, La Poste) as well as a Bar, two Restaurants and a Chasse/Peche shop too (in case you want to buy a gun or a fishing rod) !
So we are planning to move abroad, but weren't even considering France until I found your videos. I am really loving watching your content. Thank you!
Yes a bakery is so important. I can live on just good bread and cheese. But beware because a lot of traditional bakeries are shutting down. More industrial and less authentic outlets are starting to take over. Lots of small businesses are shutting down because of higher costs since Covid. But don’t worry there are still many good traditional bakeries still running
Surtout évitez d’acheter votre pain en supermarché ou dans ces ”boulangerie ”! Périphériques 😢
Celle-ci sont seulement des fours la pâte arrive Congelé😢et les viennoiseries sont au beurre marié avec de la margarine où de l’huile de palme 😢😢
Great videos! We have a place in the southern Vendée and love the tips - must pick up on the services of La Poste! No Pharmacy in village but lots of other things. Love the community spirit in villages
I'm new to your channel and find it informative as I'm planning on moving to French Polynesia.
From viewing your videos, I get a sense of belonging and community in those French villages, something solely missed here in the States ❤.
Your comments about "Tabac" remembers me a small picture from one of the french comic book "Les Bidochon" (named after a french family really "picturesque" and, yeah, laughable).
We can see a "bar-tabac-PMU-boulangerie-épicerie-plombier-dentiste-garagiste-assureur-charcutier"... If you're struggling with 2 jobs, those people have 10.
5:55 Also, you can ask your local Pharmacist to check your mushroom pickup (granted you separated mushrooms kinds while picking them up).
They are MDs, except they specialized in preparing medication. From the ground up.
They have a complete course in phytotherapy and several other fields. Definitely not your average CVS.
Other things that make a village/town/small city great (that you could cover): walkability, acceptance of foreigners (esp. retirees), tolerance (hey, maybe even embracing of LGBT folk), transit--for those of us who don't want/have a car. :) Thanks for this video!
Oh my goodness, the more videos I watch and the more I read, the more I am certain I want to move to France. It's been an idea of mine for quite some time. I've been putting in consistent work to learn French and doing research on what it's like to live there. This whole video was helpful, but you mentioned 2 things that I just love. 1.) The Pharmacies: they are owned by the local pharmacist and they can only own one. No more pharmacy chains! 2.) La Poste: I don't need the senior services, yet anyways haha, but the fact that they offer this for 20 euros is fantastic and just another way that France makes sure to provide services that take care of its citizens. I love it.
Putting the work in for our language is your very best move. Congratulations
@ I love the French language so it’s been an enjoyable task for me. Not an easy one that’s for sure but it is easy for me to commit to it because I enjoy the language. I fell in love with the language 20 years ago in high school when I took French instead of the more popular Spanish. Then I found out that I got lucky with my choice because I also really like what I’ve learned about the French culture as well. I’ve been using a combination of tutors, groups, Duolingo, books, music, and TV/movies. Next step is a trip to France.
That post-office building is lovely, they kept it in great shape.
What I miss most in the US is the vast choice of dairy that we have in France like the many kinds of individual plain yogurts
In the US everything is so sweet
Greetings from Normandy! I live in a community like the one you describe in this video.
Great episode! Very informative. I did not know about the additional La Poste services, now I will be checking those out! just moved to the Mayenne in NW France and my tiny village has all of these things. Not a particularly beautiful village and there are more dynamic places 30 min away but in a pinch I can get a decent baguette, get some basic medications, take my dog to the vet, send or pick up a package, buy a bottle of wine or some kindling wood and if it's working (5050 shot) get a pizza from a vending machine! I haven't been brave enough to infiltrate the associations but as my French gets better I will!
Be careful not to idealize too much:
- where are you going to work? Is there fast internet access (fiber optics?) for distant work. There's little work in these regions apart from agriculture, construction and personal and medical services.
- Are you less than 30 minutes from a hospital and doctors (dentists, specialists)?
- have access to a supermarket or two within 15 minutes by car, otherwise life will quickly become expensive for you.
This!
Totally disagree. Where I live, it's actually easier to get work than Paris. The factories industries there are are surprising. Was once on the train back with oil men, in Burgundy! There are many unfilled jobs. My neighbouring town can't get English teachers. I was travelling 50km to do the classes because they couldn't find anyone . I'm closer to the hospital than in Paris. Last time I went to emergency I waited half an hour (and they apologised!). In Paris I had to wait 8 hours for 3 stitches in my knuckle.
Great videos guys. Lovely to see your enthusiasm for France. It’s the best country in the world in my opinion!
I'm French and we moved to a village even further in the countryside. We have a long walk to the bakery but we have a short drive to a very close by supermarket for extra stuff and I miss being able to walk there and just pickup an oreo pack or a donut or a bottle of wine. So yeah, definitely agree on the grocery store argument !! Some Tabac (you can call them Marchand de Journaux sometimes) can have all of those 5 you mention are the most important things : a baker from a further away bakery sell bread using the tabac as a retailer, a postbox can be around there and they can get you La Poste services, as you said, they can serve breakfast or lunch or also have canned foods as well. As for the last one, all the associations people are usually active at the bar part of the tabac, even if they don't smoke because they're the founder of the football club association who cut down on booze and smoke to be a good example to the kids 😂😂
A bar/bistro is also a fab thing to have locally. Sadly our local one is closed but the one in next village up the hill is place of joy. Great vids by the way.
I'm personally not francophone (germanic background) but greatly enjoy your vids.
It really depends on what you want. We live in the pyrenean mountains in a two house hamlet 5 km from the village. It's a choice. We do have a bakery
In the village but it only opens for 2 hours a day and only at 10:30 am. Which doesn't bother me since I moved here to be off grid and bake our ownead. As far as an epicerie we have one two villages down the road. We only go shopping for groceries once a week and I normally don't run out of matches or anything vital. Happened in the beginning but lessons taught, lessons learned! Our doctor does make home visits if it's urgent. Last year had bronchitis and he came by three times to chek on me.
Our next real shopping town with an enormous farmers market 18 miles away((even though we live in the sticks our farmers market won place nr 16 in all of france, where normally it's the larger cities who carry the top notch spots and our little town only has 6490 inhabitants, it's because it is rather isolated and draws in numerous small villages of a widespread area). I go the day I do my weekly shopping and you get most vegetables, groceries like cheese, meat, locally brewded beer, vine, soap, spices Tisanes and whatever etc... . It has 21 different fastfood stands, prepared before your eyes, paella, thai, vietnamese, marrocean, libanese, brazilian, creole, vegetarian, vegetalian, curries, sushis, you name it, you get it... so it largely compensates living in a town, looking forward to it every week, trying out phantastic new foods for really low prices.
But , if you need all these things in a walking distance, our little town can offer anything you could dream of. For the more frugal people the numerous villages who have all the commodities mentioned in the video is about 8 miles away, with a pharmacy , the several doctors, a dentist, a small supermarket and the tabaco and several cafés and restaurants and those kind of villages with around roughly 500 inhabitants are spread around rather evenly in most french rural areas.
Our village ( 174 inhabitants)has a gradeschool, (which five of our kids went to before going to the collège in the town metionned above for further schooling)a post office, a restaurant/café and a bakery, but an epicerie would not survive here. There were several tries to open oe,, but it never really paid a good enough salery to make it worthwhile. There is a foodtruck that makes a tour around the hamlets twice a week for dire necessities and also a butchers and fishtruck which stop in the villages in our valley twice a week, so old people who don't have a car and live isolated will still be served.
You forgot the most important think for people, a doctor. Not all villages have a doctor.
they are pretty rare, and you don't need to go every week, i guess it's no big deal if it is a short drive away
@@kirikoucortex7042 The Shortage of doctors in certain regions, esp rural areas makes that some dodctors won't accept new patients and can refuse to accept your booking. This in itself is more a problem than the distance to said doctor
I leave in a village with 366 inhabitants of course we do not have a doctor in our village… but in the next village 3 km north ( 1800 inhabitants ) there is a médical house with 4 doctors, a dentist and a physiotherapist. 4 km,south another village 2500 unhabitants we have several doctors, a medical analysis laboratory, several dentists, several physiotherapists, … so no in very small,village of course you will not have a doctor but it’is’easy nearby…
@@Kate-qq3ez They are accepting new patients ? You are lucky, in my area they don't
I would also add a close proximity to a DIY store. Ours is 10 mins away and I literally go there 2 or 3 times a week. Also for those with children, they should check out how far the local school are. There will certainly be a local primary school, but the collège or particularly the lycée may be quite a distance away.
Many people move to small villages in France because they want the peace and solitude, they don’t find it necessary to keep popping out to the shops,or constantly seeking involvement or entertainment. Go to a small town if that is what you want. I have everything within 7 km radius - that is enough.
I'm still in the planning stages for my move, but I find your videos very informative. This one is, especially.
Oh my gosh, before getting really serious about a research, we always thought we wanted to be in the countryside. Then bam, exactly what you're talking about here, we realized we don't want to drive everywhere for *everything! 😊
Unfortunately many post offices in small villages have been closed by the government because of their cost and people send less and less letters a sending colis is more expensive than by relay colis. I would say that you must check where are the gas stations and banks. Sometime you must drive 20 km or more🇫🇷❤
Excellent episode. And is correct that you can buy bus tickets in la tabac or it serves as the bus stop for the local bus?
Also, if you have purchased a house that might need updates to roofing, insulation, heating or if you need a car repair and don’t know who to call, is le tabac or la bureau de poste the place for reliable information and recommendations. I’ll be in the Loire river valley and plan to see a house for sale that evidently needs some work. Thank you for informative channel and your advice. Joe and Gigi retired in Cape May.
My local pharmacy also dies annual flu vaccinations and Covid boosters. They now also offer online medical consultations.
you hyou have pretty well summed up what you would find in a regular French village although you have forgotten the ever so iportant local café or bar which is usually the centre of French social life! Still,* you are doing such a great job at explaining how to live in France when you are an expat! Keep the good job, you guys are awesome!
ave
My husband and I love your content. I was thinking that you could create a collection of scenarios and solutions into a book while linking to these great videos for interactive content. Maybe that’s just what I’d hope you would do, so I think of it. Under the Pharmacie heading, one section could be on how to transfer prescriptions overseas. I really enjoyed the finer details on La Poste. The bread vending machine is a testament in itself. Anyway. A bientôt! Bisous!
What about a train station??!! I’d recommend that too. Excellent video full of good information.
Thanks very much for helpful advice. I live in a village with nothing but the Marie. In winter it is isolated and not much happens. Fortunately we are a few kilometres from a town with everything you need (including a network of friends who live in the town). It is walkable or accessible by bicycle!
no,
most important in the countryside....
good legs and shoulders for all the bags !
Thank you for the informative videos. Perhaps I will see you folks over there in the next couple of years! Au revoir!
We are very seriously considering moving to France and your videos have been so helpful! We did go to the "Beauty and the Beast" villages in the Alsace region in June, I hope you've been to Eguisheim and Riquewihr, if not, take a few days and go! Hameau d'Eguisheim has a beautiful 2 bedroom Gite that would probably be perfect for your family, we were in the one on the top floor, I think it was the Guillaume Gite. A Bientót from Seattle!
Hello! This was a wonderful and pertinent video regarding the size of the "village" that we want to have our 10 year-old to experience. A place small enough where you might run into people you know, where there are favorite spots to gather, and the feeling of some safety. Literally, "It takes a village" Joey and I also want to experience that - a far cry from San Antonio, TX! We were really thankful for the "Associations" for adults. So neat to be able to find others who enjoy the same activities!
QUESTION FOR RAINA AND JULIANA: This video was so helpful for us "girls" because we wondered about skincare/makeup lines at the Pharmologie. We paused the screen when you had the various shelves in the background - did some research on prices and reviews, etc. Hope and I have started ordering products from "La Roche-Posay" to start getting used to the skincare. What products do you beautiful women like? And...what hair care products are most popular there - and do you buy them where you get your haircut/colored, or at the Pharmologie as well?
Maybe a video on all things "Girly"? Hope and I are so not "Girly Girls", so we are pretty clueless. But we'd LIKE to know about favorite French makeup lines, too. Where to get them. Manicures? Extra dry martinis with olives? (HA HA)
1) Basic medical clinics & hospitals within 60-90 minutes ; 2) pharmacies for all medicines, prescriptions & non-prescriptions, as well as basic CNA health care for colds, etc, as well as skin care; 3) Small basic grocery stores (bigger than Dollar stores, but smaller than large US grocery chain stores). This is because most French people shop for food almost daily, due to smaller refrigerators & smaller storage spaces in their homes or apts. 4) Tabac shops -- community gathering places to have parcels left for pickup, do basic govt services, eg tax bills, etc; 5) Le post (office) -- for mailing packages & letters to family & friends back in the USA. French post offices also have basic banking services & referrals for community workers (plumbers, electricians, etc)!!
Infrastructure is so important! I would need...
#1 a gas station - I don't want to drive 20 miles to get gas
#2 a grocery store - of some sort
#3 a pharmacy - when you need bandaids, you need them NOW!
#4 a bakery/formagerie I can live on bread and cheese for a long time
#5 a tobacconist - great place. Almost like a 7/11
#6 a post office - combination post office and social services
#7 a Leroy Merlin - local Home Depot
Excellent video!
Especially the parts showing you both walking around and then ordering coffees!
More of these videos please!🎉
Thanks! As filming "on location" is new for us, we were impressed with ourselves too. 😂
Great common sense advice as always ! Very grateful to live in well resourced town - it does make a difference❤Hope you all well x
Très bon résumé ! (Boulangerie + Épicerie + Pharmacie + Bar-tabac-maison de la presse + Poste) et associations loi 1901.
J'y ajouterai : un vétérinaire, une maison de santé ou un médecin, une mairie avec un accueil (dans les communes trop petites, la mairie est fermée définitivement), une maison de retraite (ehpad), un supermarché, un restaurant, une gare de trains ou de bus, une déchetterie, une école, une bibliothèque/médiathèque, une caserne de pompiers, des terrains de tennis et des terrains de foot ...
Mais c'est un peu illusoire 🙂
En général, les 5 choses indispensables dont vous parlez dans la vidéo, on les trouve dans des villages de + de 700 / 1000 habitants (juste pour information, la définition d'une ville en France, c'est une commune de + de 2000 habitants, en dessous c'est un village).
je rajouterai l'école si t'a des enfants .
autant au collège il peut prendre le bus seul, autant prendre la voiture tous les jour pour dépose / prendre les gosses dans le village d'a coté c'est vraiment chiant a la longue .
8:35 Pronouncing it Le Post and then putting the title in La Poste (sounds like cost)
I am very fortunate to live between 2 Towns/villages, Lauzun and Eymet on the Dordogne/Lot et Garonne border.
Both towns are lively with good amenities. This is not always the case, but we are in a tourist area, with many foreign home owners and holiday home owners, with disposable cash. This seems good for the local businesses.
Doctors and Dentists are harder to find. I expect it is more desirable for these professionals to live in a city, not rural France.
I like the pieces of information. I would add doctors. Or choose a village nearby a physician. Doctors in the countryside are also different from city doctors.
I have to ask......do you ever miss 610, 59 or 45??? Lol... I'm from Houston but now live in Minnesota. Looking to move to France in the next couple of years. I just love your channel!!! ❤
Are you living in Eymet or close by. We have moved to Lauzun which has everything you state plus bank, coiffure, Boucherie and much much more. We are very happy with our choices. Love your your UA-cam sessions...
This is an EXCELLENT video. Had no idea about La Poste or Marie website for associations. Thank you. We move to far SW France in a month. We are starting in a larger city but have no idea where we will ultimately settle. Really great advice.
Oh wow, good luck!!! This is a great move by the way. A larger city will give you time to explore and settle in while being able to easily find what you need. There are literally a million villages, all with their own character, so it takes time (and it's fun) to explore them. And who knows, you might love being in a little larger place and end up staying there! Thanks for watching!
South West in an excellent choice, but it is quite large… It goes from Bordeaux to the Pays basque, and from Rodez to Foix ! If I may, visit the Lot (be careful, it is the name of the river, not an English word 😉) also known as Quercy (the most beautiful of our Département), with two medium cities, very beautiful : Figeac and Cahors. Try also Pau and the Béarn, the sumptuous Albi, the Pays basque and the Ariège (quite austere but magnificent).
@@heliedecastanet1882 thank you so much for this wonderful information. There are so many places we need to explore. We visited, and loved Pau, Prades, villages near Carcassonne, Bordeaux and Toulouse. There are so many wonderful options. We will begin in Perpignan for six months. It will be our home base as we explore further.
@@nyegregThe Lot is a bit far from Perpignan and Pyrénées Orientales but still, try to get there. I am pretty sure you won't regret it. Make a quick research on Google (Lot, Figeac, Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, Notre-Dame-de-Rocamadour) and have a look !
Anyway, all my best for the future !
Quand j’écoute Tim Kennedy parler du Texas et combien les usa sont un endroit magnifique où vivre, ou comment bien vivre avec sa communauté est essentiel, etc, je me dis qu’on devrait faire de même en France.
Oh shoot ! That’s exactly what we do in France, moreover both of them have the same size!!
Vous deux devriez postuler pour le ministère du tourisme 😅😅
You both are fantastic!
When American efficiency takes over the promotion of France 😉🇺🇸🇫🇷
Merci ! 😉
Vidéo très pertinente
you know what you two are the very BEST,you have given me so much information,Im convinced ,we were thinking about,now Im sure...YES
You guys are great team!!
It seems it's a big village you're living in. Maybe more a little town than a village. One important thing you forgot is... The doctor. Check if there's a doctor around. If not, be ready to make dozen of kilometres to find one, coz some places are real "medical deserts"...
Very interesting to have a foreign point of vue on our country and how it functions.
👍
Enjoy France
It's not the case that most villages will have a mairie. There will only be one mairie per commune and the size of the commune is indeterminate. My commune has 26 hamlets - 50 to 200 people except for the chef-lieu ( village where the mairie is located ) which has about 700.
They're not using the same definition of village lol.
I loved loved this video, thank you from the bottom of my heart!! I have four months to go and found it extremely helpful! Im about to change my airbnb right now!
CVS in California has added nurse consultants for whatever ails you, in short visits. It's similar to urgent care.
Suite : it can be a good indicator of the ́ambiance ́ in the village
This info is soo helpful as you mentioned a couple of things I hadn’t thought of. My list includes a weekly market and train station. I’m hoping to find that place where i can get buy without a car and only rent one as needed… I never considered the need for la poste or un tabac! And the recommendation to look up the mairie! Thank you!
Having a train station is huge!!! For a long time we resisted looking anywhere without a train stop, but many of the villages we loved just weren't on a train line with a stop (some areas in the SW dont have many). Or they were, but something else was missing we were looking for.
We finally expanded the search and I don't regret it. Our closest train station is about 25 minutes. We can take a bus or a taxi to get to it if we don't want to drive. But I'm not giving up hope of expanding rail lines yet to our village yet! 😉
Great info. Always look forward to your videos. We will be moving to “France” later this year.
@@BaguetteBound I can’t wait to learn more!
Do not forget schools for couple with young childrens.... a lot if village foes not got schools anymore .
Now I want to move to France.
The MOST IMPORTANT is that you have a home and what you have is nice and comfortable in the size and the garden looks realy good.
The next important is that you have the MOST IMPORTANT shops you need !
The third important is that you have people living around you !
The fourth important is for to get use to and be friend with the old houseses (kind of spirit ) which when you got use to it it gives and means a lot even if it is OLD
You have time for to repair it to what you want or furninshed.
You are lucky with all those inhereted old wines (they cost a furtune if you would buy it in the shop ...but be careful because older the wine is - it get strnger ... you need only a sip for to already get a bit drunk... or put you in the laugh or realax mood.
3:36 Wifey call those "Card'Bordeaux". We live in the Bordeaux area so it makes more sense.
Also, way more French Fancy than they needs to be. 😂
But if I have brand to recommend, "Gerard Bertrand" from Carcassonne.
Even their non organic wives are fine.
I would add as a requirement: a train station.
Getting to a larger city or airport via rail is a requirement. Being car dependent on Europe makes no sense.
Great list ! Though I would put the Associations in the list and not just as a bonus :D
Great info. Very useful. Thank you!
In a pharmacie, you can also bring any mushrooms you pick and they will tell you if it's edible or not.
This is so cool.
Hah! We just moved to France 2 weeks ago and bought our house (well, in the process) in the town that has everything! Charm too! But we almost bought the perfect house-in a village 15 min from anything. We said after a day, no way! thanks for the video!
Ah, nice save!!! Congrats and welcome to France!!
I'm french and i totaly agree with you. A place to drink a cofee is very important for meeting local people.. possibly a café ( a bar ) but the bakery or the tabac can be allright.. In some village, there's one bar and it's horrible.. totally unfriendly except for local hardcore alcooliques and dumb people.. In other place the bar is a sympathic mixed place that is part of the local life..
I'd be curious to know if the French diet has changed how you manage your diabetes.
The associations tip is very interesting. I wonder if they're a thing in the bigger cities.
Great video. New to the idea of moving to France and your channel. Hunting and fishing were mentioned several times. As someone that does that (in the states) did you find the process difficult to follow to be able to hunt and fish in France. Thanks for the tips.
You should ask the hunting or fishing associations of the village you aim. Anyway you will need a permis de chasse or permis de pêche, they will give you tips on this
This was super helpful and practical!
1. Go for a small town instead of a village or you will be driving all the time.
That's a superb Post Office building. Greetings from Agde 34300 (full-time since 1989). 🇨🇵🇪🇺