5 charming small towns in France

It’s that time of year in France when various studies and reports are published on the top towns and villages, based on several factors and statistics. One such study is “Dream Towns”, which clearly illustrates the undeniable appeal of small towns in France.

The study ranks over 34,900 towns and villages scoring them against various criteria. These include quality of life, cost of living, accessibility to healthcare, nature, sport and distance to the nearest large cities amongst others.

Everyone looking for their dream property and to establish their new lives in France has a different set of search criteria when it comes to the perfect place to settle. For many, it is the complete contrast to a life lived before, that signifies the biggest possible lifestyle change. People who feel they have “done their time” in large towns and cities often seek out the tranquillity and peace of Rural France. But while rural living has many advantages, for some, the potential isolation, and challenges this life brings with it can prove overwhelming.

For others, the romantic dream of living in a large city in France such as Nice or Paris is their ideal. Perhaps they have never lived in a big city or sought the excitement and hustle and bustle that it gives. Or perhaps, the change of faces and language is enough for some, but they wish to retain the ease of city life in terms of amenities and social networks. But for many, the biggest appeal of small-town living in France is that it undoubtedly offers the best of both worlds.

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Advantages of small towns in France

Small-town living won’t be as daunting as you ease yourself into a new life in France. This is especially helpful when your language skills aren’t up to scratch. The pace of small-town living in France may well be slow enough for you to even ultimately enjoy it. And more able to surmount certain challenges that you may face along the way. Certainly preferable to being in the middle of a mêlée of people rushing around trying to go about their daily business in a large city. When things are still foreign to you, trying to navigate a whole different way of new life!

Also, people in smaller towns will have more time and space to engage and interact with you. You will find you create more authentic connections and networks in a shorter space of time. Some natives in small towns may well speak a bit of English, but this is not a given. Therefore it also forces you to practice and improve your language skills. Not only is this of paramount importance to integrating. But you will be grateful for it in the future, in terms of simply living your new everyday life.

Affordability of small towns in France

Affordability is another undeniable factor. While property in France, is on average much better value comparatively than in the UK, city living is still expensive. Unless you are being forced to work (and in turn remunerated accordingly) then buying within a small town in France, but within easy reach of a bigger city is much more affordable. As, in turn, is the cost of living, as a result. Amenities tend to also be better than in rural areas, and perhaps more importantly, more easily accessible. Important in many cases, whether you have children or are of a certain age. Or perhaps simply for convenience when having to perform mundane tasks such as food shopping and seeking healthcare may be less time-consuming.

So, according to this new study, what are the top five small towns in France?

Villard de-Lans, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

In the department of the Isère and the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, this small town gains the top accolade of the number one spot! Scoring highly for the health system, surrounding nature and in turn the sports amenities the area offers. It is noted as not only being a town of beauty but also a dynamic one. Thanks to its location, the town is known for skiing during the winter. With hiking and hot air ballooning the rest of the time.

The Vercors Regional Natural Park, which is a protected area of forested mountains is one of the biggest attractions of this town. Then the town’s proximity to the city of Grenoble, means that within an hour one can step up the gears to bright lights from a small town.

Gérardmer, Grand Est

In eastern France, in the Vosges department and the Grand Est region, sits the commune of Gérardmer. A relatively rural commune with approximately 7,820 inhabitants, this town is known for being very well-equipped despite its small population. Scoring highly for quality of life, sports and leisure as well as primary and secondary education. A very important factor for families.

Due to the makeup of the landscape, the town scores highly for nature, health and wellbeing. It is also applauded for its cultural offerings, playing host to various cultural events and festivals. The perfect location for small-town living in France, it is also easy to navigate by foot or by cycle. With many of the town’s attractions being within walking distance from it. Gérardmer is situated 35.4 km from Colmar, and 114 km from Strasbourg, the region’s Capital, should you need more excitement. Even if momentarily.

Guérande, Loire-Atlantique

In western France in the Pays de la Loire region, is the small town of Guérande. Its proximity to Nantes makes it a very popular option for small-town living in France. Scores are high here for healthcare, sports and nature. As well as primary and secondary education, appealing to families. It is fairly densely populated, but the majority of the land here is used for agricultural purposes. Guérande also scores well for quality of life.

However, the focus here is on the preservation of natural areas and landscapes. So it is worth noting that the town falls under the constraints of specific town planning regulations. The climate here is oceanic, rainy and mild thanks to the proximity of the Atlantic coast

Thônes, Haute-Savoie

Just east of the popular town, Annecy is Thônes. The majority of the surface area is a mix of both natural areas and agricultural land. Scoring highly for sport, health, citizenship and dynamism, one could think this the perfect place to settle. But be warned, the cost of living here is comparatively high due to rental prices per m².  However, its enviable location, not only within easy reach of Annecy but also the resorts of La Clusaz and Le Grand-Bornand means it remains the perfect choice of location for many to settle. That and the fact that it is also a more urban commune but still plentiful in natural space and with an abundance of nature, therefore perhaps the perfect balance of small-town living in France.

Embrun, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur

And last but by no means least, we have Embrun. A commune in south-east France, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region. Despite being a rural commune, it is the third most populated town in the Hautes-Alpes. The town itself sits on the shores of a very large lake and despite its fairly small population of under 6,500 inhabitants is relatively very well equipped.

Embrun scores highly for sports, health, as well as once again primary and secondary education. Notably, is it very accessible and is highly regarded in terms of cultural heritage, as well as a good place in terms of economy and options for work. Offering a variety of amenities, plentiful in restaurants and bars, as well as playing host to several festivals, it is the perfect place to socialize and both make and nurture new connections and networks. Small town living in France perhaps at its finest!

So could this be the year to embark on your new adventure of small-town living in France? Perhaps even within one of these recommended “Dream towns”?

 

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