Hi
My (French/English) partner and I are thinking of moving to Manosque area - maybe the town itself. We live in the Paris suburbs. Is it a good place to live, etc? Are there English speakers buying property in the area for example as my partner is hoping to get a job as an agent immobilier and myself as an English teacher. Her son lives near Manosque. I like the small towns nearby but I don’t know Manosque itself.
TIA
Hi, possibly rude but essential question: What sort of English teacher?
I know what you mean. 
I’m an English language teacher (TESOL). I teach French people. I have a cert and a dip. Plus decades of experience.
Lot’s of work around, now I’m teaching in the lycée I’ve had to turn down work through private centre des formations and the Chamber of Commerce (which I do through my micron enterprise). Give me a shout if you need any help with that side.
Thanks! So is Manosque a good town to live in? My partner seems to think it has a bad reputation.
Up until march this year I lived 40 kms from Manosque.
The town has a thriving “vie associative” with alot going on. A very good camera shop, plenty of growers selling fruit at reasonable prices at the side of the road, Good hospitals, many specialists as well.Easy access to the auto route makes Aix and Marseille within easy reach.
The town itself inside the walled part is pituresque with the usual look at me I sell Chanel outlets. Nice views of the alps as well.
Now the drawbacks parking and a one way system that takes getting used to, summer traffic can be horrendous, the heat in the summer in the town can be suffocating as in the winter can be very cold.House prices are excessive but its about midway between Cote dAzure and the Alps so I assume lots of people want to live in the area.
I have no idea about schools.
Something to read https://www.hauteprovenceinfo.com/
Thanks!
What does her son have to say about the area… strikes me he could be the one to give you a firsthand report.
Good to hear Tory. I remember some anxiety in the early days. Hope all feels good now.
Unfortunately, he’s the source of the negative comments.
Ah… either he’s quite correct… or… perhaps he doesn’t want you that close ??? 
I’m half-joking, within my extended family there are some who prefer to be just a little-apart from the others.
I pass Manosque regularly and know the 04 département very well, but I don’t really know the town itself.
Yes, in addition the comments that you already received above (which I would agree with), I could say that the area is wonderful, but the towns in that part of the Durance valley aren’t exceptional. Manosque is coming up because of it’s position near to the autoroute, but I think it’s probably a town with a lot of unemployed people, gypsies etc. too.
You would be well placed for wonderful day trips in unspoiled nature. And it’s one of the sunniest places in Europe, a bit too hot in high summer though.
Anything more particular you want to know?
It’s worth bearing in mind that there can be a world of difference between a lovely place to visit / stay on holiday and a place that you live in 24/7.
Our local town is just great. Ask an estate agent and they turn their nose up at it because it isn’t that picturesque - although it is on the Garonne. Our town absolutely works.
Bear in mind that if you are living there (or nearby) you ideally want doctors / dentists / pharmacies / a good car mechanic / quality DIY stores / large enough supermarkets that you get a good selection and the shelves are full / one or two reasonable restaurants you can pop to if you don’t want to cook / choice of hairdressers and barbers / a few boutiques for last minute presents / flower shop / garden centre / great Saturday market / train station / large cultural centre / effective mayor and council / good local industries and more coming into the area (therefore employment).
We have all of these things within ten minutes and we are out in the country in a beautiful location and you’d never know it was all so close. Yet ask someone who doesn’t live here what they think and they would probably tell a very different story.
This is what you should be looking to find out (IMO).
All those things are in Manosque , but further out you go worse the roads are. It is in the foothills to the alps .
I think he just likes villages and anything that reminds him of Paris region, drugs, crime just puts him off. I doubt very much there is anything to worry about but my partner listens to him.
You’ll perhaps need to be a tight-rope walker in this sort of situation.
Mother and child is/can be a very special bond.
best of luck
Agreed!
A couple of other towns I have visited are Forcalquier and Gréoux-les-Bains. Any thoughts on these towns? I know Valensole well and even though very quiet, I like it but its a bit out of the way.
Might not be easy, but I’d suggest renting a property to give yourselves time to decide if a certain town is IT or not…
nothing really beats living in place… throughout the seasons.
Forcalquier is a nice place, If you tap on the link to the newspaper at the top of the thread, you can see what is going off in F orcalquier. Click on chez vous.