Things to Know Before Moving to Rural France

Are you interested in life in a French village or living in the French countryside? Then you’ve come to the right place!

Unlike many expats who moved to France, it wasn’t something I’d dreamed of doing all my life. I’ve always been a bit of a nomad and loved to travel, but France wasn’t on my bucket list. My move to rural France happened by accident.

After living on three different continents and in six countries, one of them Australia, for ten years, I found it hard to settle back in the UK when I finally returned.

My then partner and now husband had never lived anywhere but England, and to my surprise, when I broached the subject of living in another country, he was excited by the idea.

Also Read: Things to Consider Before Moving to Another Country

Moving to and Living in Rural France

It was on a winter’s weekend away in rural Scotland, whilst sitting in the hot tub looking out over the snowy mountains, we decided to move to France.

I’d only been once to Paris, but hubby had been to France many times and loved it. The question then was where in France would we want to live?

Not having a clue about France, I suggested we randomly stick a pin in the map and go and explore.
So that’s what we did, and after a few adventure trips, we’re now happily settled in the Charente region of rural southwest France.

But it hasn’t been smooth sailing all the way, and there were plenty of times when I wondered if it was all worth it.

The stereotype of eating cheese, shopping daily at the local boulangerie, and drinking wine and apéros every day is achievable but takes time.

So, what is it really like to live in rural France, and what do you need to consider before taking the plunge?

1. The Slower Pace of Life

This can be both a blessing and a curse. So many people move to France in search of the joie de vivre of French life but don’t realize what it involves.

The French don’t believe in racing through life, which I personally love. They take their time to really live life and savour each and every moment.

Now, as wonderful as this is, and I do believe it is, it can also be incredibly frustrating.

When you come from a city, or really anywhere in the world where you’re used to having everything at your fingertips, you need to lower your expectations.

The working day here is relatively short, and shops don’t open on Sundays, in fact, not much is open on Sundays other than restaurants.

You can’t order something on Amazon and have it delivered an hour later. Living in the French countryside we don’t have takeaways or Uber Eats, and cabs or taxis don’t exist. You’ll always need to have a designated driver when you go out.

But, if you can get past all this and allow yourself to slow down, you’ll realize that those things you thought were non-negotiable don’t really matter.

Time can’t be bought, and here in rural France, time is the biggest commodity.

2. Everything Stops for Lunch

Leading on nicely from the slower pace of life is the long, two-hour lunch break, enjoyed in France.

I should add that in big cities such as Paris, Lyon, and Bordeaux, everything doesn’t stop for lunch. However, if you choose life in a French village, it does.

It still drives me a little crazy, if I’m honest. You can’t go to the bank between 12 pm and 2 pm because it’s not open. The staff have gone for their lunch.

The same applies to the pharmacy, dentists, doctors and most shops other than supermarkets.

And during this lunch, it’s quite normal for alcohol to be consumed, which when we were renovating, as you can imagine, was a bit of a worry.

Mealtimes in France are sacred. If you work in an office, it’s not the norm to eat lunch at your desk, or quickly gobble down a sandwich and get back to work. Often, people will have a three-course meal and then return to work.

I’m afraid it isn’t a habit I’ve embraced, mainly because I know I’d fall asleep after lunch every day if I did.

But it’s a very French thing to do, and all plays into their values of taking time to enjoy life.

3. The Renovation Reality

For many people who move to France, the dream is to buy a dilapidated old building or barn and renovate it.

We fell into that trap too, and it was one of the most stressful things I’ve ever done.

Trying to buy materials in France isn’t easy. Everything is way more expensive, and when you don’t speak the language, which I didn’t at the time, it’s even more complicated.

There are a lot of cowboys in both the French and expat communities, so it’s easy to get ripped off.

But, and this is a big but, now all the workmen have gone, and two of our three barns are renovated, I couldn’t be happier.

4. Living in an Old Castle Estate

Our house was part of an old castle estate owned by Baron Le Coq (we live in Chez Le Coq) and was originally where the stable workers lived. At one point, there was even a tree growing through our bathroom.

The wall running around all the properties originally formed part of the battlements. I love to sit here in the summer and look out over my land, wondering who sat here before me.

We’re the proud owners of an old communal bread oven, and our next-door neighbor owns the old stone well opposite our house. All throwbacks from Baron Le Coq’s castle.

Old wooden beams run throughout the property, and our kitchen has the original flagstone tiles with a huge old wood burner for heating.

Even now, seven years later, I’m still completely in love with the home we’ve renovated and made our own.

4. Speaking the Language

I want to preface this by saying you don’t need to speak French to live in France, but it does help if you can.

Why? Because in rural France, many locals don’t speak English. And why should they? You’re in France, and you should at least make an effort to try and speak French.

But it’s daunting. I know I still have moments where I’m like a deer in the headlights when faced with someone who doesn’t speak a word of English.

And high school French, even if you can remember it, isn’t that helpful.

I quickly realized that, like in most languages, the French have their own slang version for most things. Of course, this made it even harder to understand what they were saying, and there are only so many times you can rely on Google Translate.

So, now I’m taking French lessons, and although I’m not fluent, I can get by. It makes everything so much easier being able to communicate, even if my accent is dodgy.

5. French Bureaucracy and Admin

In France, the admin is a standing joke with most expats. Why fill out one form when you can fill out twenty?

I won’t lie, the admin and bureaucracy here drive me insane, and you should be prepared for it if you’re planning to move to France.

It took us four years to finally get our Taxe Foncière (Property ownership tax) and Taxe d’Habitation (Residence Tax) sorted out.

Even though we’d called and been to the local offices twice to change our address, they still kept sending all our paperwork to the UK. It was a nightmare.

Even our French friends hate the admin you’re forced to deal with living in France, and that’s saying something.

6. The Community in Rural France

Community is everything in rural France.

Every single village has a mayor and town hall, known as the Marie. It’s a big part of life here with the events they organize, festivals they plan, and activities for the people living in the village.

A while back, I volunteered for the committee at my local Marie, and I’ve had so much fun as a result. It wasn’t easy at the start, as most of them don’t speak a word of English, but I managed, and it really helped with my French.

I also joined the local line dancing group at a neighboring village hall. Now this really was a challenge.
Firstly, I’d never danced in my life, and secondly, it was all in French.

If someone had told me ten years ago I’d be learning to line dance while living in rural France, I would not have believed them.

7. Local Markets & Produce

One of the things I absolutely love about living here is how fresh the food is. In France, food is seasonal, so if it’s not in season, you won’t find it in the supermarket.

In the winter months, the root vegetables come into their own, and most supermarkets have big wicker baskets at the end of each aisle with produce from the local farmers.

And then there are the local markets, where things are almost fresh from the fields.

French markets are legendary, and people tend to shop daily here rather than doing one big weekly shop.

There is nothing like wandering around a market with your basket over your arm and filling it with fresh fruit and veg. It’s usually followed by a coffee in the market square, watching the world go by.

It’s French life at its best.

8. The Food & Wine

You can’t talk about France without mentioning bread, cheese, and wine. It’s what France is famous for, apart from the Eiffel Tower.

Daily Boulangerie Trips

I very quickly got into the habit of going to the boulangerie for my daily baguette. There is nothing like the smell of fresh bread, especially when combined with a dose of good gossip.

You see, the boulangerie is the focal point of the village, which makes sense because the French buy bread daily. So naturally, it’s where everyone goes to chat.

You can find out everything here, from who is selling their house to who had a row with their husband the evening before. It’s a fascinating insight into rural French life.

The Cheese Counter

And then, of course, there is the cheese.

If you’ve never seen the cheese counters in a French supermarket, you’re missing out. They’re absolutely incredible.

In my local supermarket, two full aisles are taken up with cheese, plus a huge counter where you can ask for what you want.

Wine Tasting and Vineyards

Finally, the French wine is some of the best in the world. And I’m lucky enough to live under two hours from Bordeaux, the wine capital of France.

One of my favorite things to do is take part in the grape picking, it’s so rewarding, and as you stand in the vineyard, you really feel part of French life.

Wine in France is not expensive, and the French have a glass with most meals, which I’m all in favor of.

9. The History and Architecture

Being a Brit, I’m used to history and beautiful old buildings, but in France, it’s on steroids. Every village you go through in my region has beautiful yellow stone buildings and cobbled streets.

You feel like you’re in a time warp, walking through the pages of a history book.

Wherever you are in France, you’ll have a historic monument, chateau, or village less than an hour away.

The French are proud of their history, and other than in cities like Royan, which were completely destroyed in WW2, their history is preserved really well.

For me, it’s heaven as I love history and spend a lot of time writing about the history that linked France and England for over 300 years.

10. The Cost of Living in Rural France

This is an interesting one as everyone’s idea of expensive is different, plus it depends on where you’ve been living previously.

What I will say is that supermarket shopping, until recently, was more expensive in France than places such as the UK, Spain or even the US.  However, since the cost of living crisis it is much more comparable.

Plus, when you consider you can go to a really good French restaurant and have the ‘Menu du Jour’, (menu of the day) for anything between €14 – €18, which includes three courses and a glass of wine, I’d say it isn’t expensive.

And wine is definitely cheaper here than anywhere else I’ve lived. This article breaks down the cost of living in France in more detail.

Also Read: How to Retire Early and Move Abroad

11. Is France a Safe Place to Live?

Again, it depends on where you are in France, but to be honest I haven’t been anywhere, even Paris, and not felt safe.

Certainly, living here in the more rural parts of France we leave everything unlocked from doors to cars and don’t think anything of it. Of course, that wouldn’t be the case in a bigger city.

A city like Bordeaux, which has high tourist numbers, has relatively little crime. I visit a lot and have never been worried about safety.

The same safety rules that would apply in other big cities in the world apply in the bigger cities in France such as Paris, Lyon, and Toulouse as well. And you’ll have to be aware of the latest scams being played out in these places as well.

But on the whole, France has always made me feel safe.

Final Thoughts About Living in Rural France

If you’re contemplating living in the French countryside or in a cute French village, I hope this article has given you an idea of what it’s like to move to rural France and build a life here.

It hasn’t all been easy, but for us it has absolutely been worth it!

Also Read:

• Provence in Winter: Things to Do & Where to Stay
• Visiting Champagne, France
• What It’s Like to Live in Paris
• Things to Do in Montpellier