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Where is the best place to live in France given...


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Where is the best place to live in France given that I am a 26 y/o male, from Australia (if it matters?) and am looking to secure a long term rental agreement for 6 months+. I do not require work, and would like to live in a lively, sociable area, but also want to enjoy the picturesque character of France, such as I see in the Luberon area... but, I've heard that this area can be quite snobby and has an "upper society" persona...? Is this true? It's so hard to tell what is good just by looking online...

Any comments would be most welcome.

Cheers,

James.

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Hello and welcome to France.. Yes, the Luberon can be quite snobby , but you can avoid those " upper society" folks ..

Regions with character? Britanny, but would you like the weather?  Or why not try the Côte Varoise, that s where I am originally from..

( department 83) , cities such as Six Fours, La Ciotat  etc.. it's beautiful and genuine.

If you want more info feel free to ask.. 

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I would suggest having a look at Montpellier in the Herault.

It's a university city with an obviously young population, good public transport, close to the Med and the swimming pool is pretty good too! Scenery is varied, wines are good and living is not too expensive.

I don't live there but I do like to visit.

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Or perhaps Bordeaux, a lovely city, easy to get around with a friendly feel to it. Plenty of young people as it is has a university, but beautiful countryside around it, not far from the mountains for ski-ing or over into Spain, and of course all the Bordeaux vineyards within easy reach!

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Yes, I can recommend Montpellier too. Some of the surounding countryside is very wild and rugged, and it can be almost too hot here in the summer, but out of season when we have the place to ourselves it's a great place to be. I'd stear clear of the Cote d'Azure - too expensive and too many people.

(as an aside, the Aus rugby squad are based in Montpellier for the RWC!)

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From my experience, sports teams get posted somewhere where there are minimal distractions (yet with good access to services) during tournaments... if I was single and 26 I would want distractions as well as the good services and infrastructure.

My choice would be Nice too - brilliant location: right on the coast, easy striking distance for Italy, Monaco, Alps and coastal villages.  Suits all budgets (yes really!), cosmopolitan, great weather, lively, good travel connections for the rest of Europe (rail and air), vibrant festivals and plenty of employment opportunities should you change your mind and decide you need it.

Best of luck!

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I'm 30, so not that much older, when I was 26 I was living in Lyon and I wouldn't recommend there.  If I didn't hate the heat I'd like to live in Toulouse, or thereabouts, I think it is a fantastic city, there is loads going on and some fantastic places nearby like Carcassone.

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Do you think that this is worth a visit ?  http://www.laciotat.com/

Yes the shipyard closed years ago but now the city is relying on tourism and the beauty of its natural scenery..

There you could see the highest maritime cliffs in Europe.

And  you chave such view as follows ..

[IMG]http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r20/regine79/Calanque20du20Mugel20hd.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r20/regine79/la_ciotat_twilight.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r20/regine79/calanque-fond.jpg[/IMG]

 

I was born in that part of France..

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It is nice there... I was born on a peninsula, that is .. a taste of paradise.. Ill post some pics later ..

My parents still live there and the other day my mum asked me why there were not more Brits settling there.. She said, " we have the hottest weather in France , beautiful scenery, etc , not far from the Alps, from Italy "..   But I answered " yeahh .. but probably too far from the UK " ...

I'm glad you liked the pics .

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I'm afraid it s expensive yet...

[IMG]http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r20/regine79/Var.jpg[/IMG]  FIRST OF ALL , THIS IS WHERE IT IS ...

[IMG]http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r20/regine79/saintmandrier_cle6.jpg[/IMG]  My Village..   St Mandrier Sur Mer

[IMG]http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r20/regine79/Isthmedessablettes.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r20/regine79/vueduport-1.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r20/regine79/Portstmandrier.jpg[/IMG]  On this one you can see our family house, on the left hand corner.. with the blue shutters.

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Oh Steve you d like it there..   Yes, it is usually hot earlier than in the rest of France.. it is a mediterranean climate .

In May the weather is usually very lovely.

It is very hot in the summer. ( Too much for me actually !!)

And , NO, I am not on commission  LOL  [:D]

I was just  born and raised there.. 

 

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[quote user="Frenchie"]

Yes the shipyard closed years ago but now the city is relying on tourism and the beauty of its natural scenery..

There you could see the highest maritime cliffs in Europe.

[/quote]

I thought that honour went to the Nez de Jobourg on the Cotentin Peninsula in Normandy but if you do a Google search apparently the highest cliffs in europe are also in the Faroe Islands as well as County Donegal!!

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