We bought in 2018 in Seine Maritime. I looked recently at the government site (below) that shows property transactions in the last 5 years. Our next door neighbours have recently paid double per square metre what we paid, with their house and garden being half our size. I’m not suggesting our house price has doubled, far from it, but I was quite surprised at the price difference…Oh, and their house (a Normandy longere/barn) is probably as well insulated as a paper bag…they constantly have fires burning and all shutters tightly closed. Chasseurs to boot(!).
Speaking as a pedant I approve of this comment 
However, what I said is easier to make a flippant comment with.
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Not too Severe I hope. 
Yes the top bit of Poitou-Charentes does seem to be good value, and as you say it’s a nice part of the world. Climate-wise I would like “warmer than UK” but not as hot as the Midi.
I haven’t settled on a specific area yet but Poitiers Angouleme and Limoges are all get-at-able depending on where I end up. And the Paris-Bordeaux TGV route is accessible, or Paris-Nantes.
I’m not all that fussed about the coast. 
It was many years ago but was easy for us, French Immoblier spoke to his friend the CA bank officer, we opened an account, filled in various proof of income and outgoings (I was self employed in the UK and we had a mortgage there) and 144 month mortgage easy as pie, fixed rate full schedule of payments set out, a few years later we had enough in the bank to pay it off, I wrote (from UK) to CA and said it was what we wanted, no reply, two months later money gone from current account and no mortgage. It was all so very easy for us. The now retired French couple, lorry driver and a housewife, we bought our house from had just paid off a 20 year mortgage themselves.
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Exactly the same here when we bought in 2008. Very easy 15 year mortgage for us sorted out with the minimum of fuss and paid back early after 7 years with no penalty.
As a complete coincidence, only a few kms from where you are @martinb79 . I was intrigued by the ‘79’ and looked at your bio on the site. We sold in the summer of 2018.