Where should we live in France?

My two cents says that the French Riviera is the best place based on leisure, food, climate, etc.  The International could be Nice or Marseille.  While the prices "on the water" may be extreme, there are plenty of little villages along the coast.  And the winters are much less extreme in the region although they still don't qualify as tropical............
Another thought is that if either relatives were involved in WWII then Normandy has a special impact that is deeply rewarding despite the cold winters..........

Thanks - I will check them out.

I highly recommend Aix-en-Provence!!! It's in the south of France--just 30 minutes from Marseille so you can get that big city feel if you'd like. Aix isn't a big city so there's a very home-y feeling to it. I absolutely love it here! Most everyone walks everywhere--to work, to school, to the store. There's also a great market that occurs about every other day. It's honestly a place I see myself settling down!!!

That's an interesting post as Aix is one of the southern Riviera spots my family picked on our southern France extravaganza this spring.......only could get the spot I wanted for one night so we'll drive in from Lyon one day and then the next night we drive to Le Castellet for two nights before treking on to Eze, Nice and Cannes............we can't wait........

I recently took a trip to Nice, Eze, Monaco, and Cannes!!! ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!!! You'll love it!!! Try out couchsurfing.com You basically post your travel plans online and people will offer you a place to stay if they have the space. Three of my friends and I couchsurfed in Nice for 3 nights. I also couchsurfed in Aix for the first three weeks after I arrived as I had not found a place to live yet

Hi Michelle,
I too am moving to France in the next 6 months, and I found my perfect starting spot to
be Bordeaux.  The minute I arrived there I knew that was the place.  The city has done and immense renovation over the last 10 years, the buildings cleaned, old buildings torn down and parks made along the Garrone river.  Great greenways, and most of the centre-ville is pedestrian only, with access to anywhere on the sleek tramway system.  You still get the nice weather of the SouthWest of France. The new TGV to Paris will be operational this summer making Bordeaux only 2 hours from Paris.  Check it out, I would love to see if you agree with most who call it "little Paris"
Good Luck,
Kelly

I live in the Graves area near LaBrede indeed a lovely city with a huge diversity and a touch of class.  I find Bordeaux far more vibrant than London where I lived for 51 years!

Hello Michelle.

I have just moved to a small town called Pau in the south west of France and it's lovely! I hope you find the right place for you