It is, I did a fair bit before deciding to stay near Le Mans in 72, we had been coming here for the 24 hours for 25+ years and found it to be a good compromise for weather and this year we haven’t been as bad as the rest of France
Prices are not bad around here and we have good fast links being central to the rest of France, the grass grows all year round though, you never get a rest from it.
Did you eventually get anywhere with your CDS @anon65742194 ?.
I don’t think so. Not eating meat is practically against the values of the French république! The fuss there has been recently about trying to have one meat free dish once a week on the school menus! And finally the Loi Climat to have vegetarian choices in cantines was adopted this year - but it will be voluntary!!!
This is despite the French Health Service recognising the eating less meat is good for people’ health and for cancer statistics.
Article réservé aux abonnés
La décision de la mairie écologiste de Lyon de proposer des menus sans viande aux enfants d’école primaire au retour des vacances d’hiver, lundi 22 février, a immédiatement provoqué la polémique, alimentée par plusieurs membres du gouvernement.
« Idéologie scandaleuse » a tweeté Gérald Darmanin samedi 20 février, s’en prenant au choix de la municipalité lyonnaise.
« Insulte inacceptable aux agriculteurs et aux bouchers français » , a ajouté le ministre de l’intérieur, affirmant que les écologistes veulent exclure les classes populaires des cantines scolaires car, dit-il « de nombreux enfants n’ont souvent que la cantine pour manger de la viande » , au nom d’une « politique moraliste et élitiste » .
Avant la crise sanitaire, les élèves lyonnais avaient le choix entre trois entrées et deux plats principaux différents, dont un à base de viande ou de poisson. Or, la moitié des élèves de primaire ne choisissait pas la viande, par goût, par habitude familiale ou par précepte religieux. « Le seul moyen de faire manger un plat chaud à tous les enfants de l’école, c’est de proposer un plat sans viande, mais avec des protéines animales comme le poisson ou les œufs, conforme aux exigences nutritionnelles. Nous n’excluons personne, c’est même le contraire ! » , explique Stéphanie Léger, maire adjointe à l’éducation.
With a non-meat eating OH I can tell you it can be complicated here.
I sympathise. A veggie g.f. actually collapsed from malnutrition on a trip in Turkey. Some years later, forewarned by that experience and the similarities of cuisine, I warned another veggie g.f. that she was not going to survive on raw Greek salads, honey and yoghurt. Sure enough, down she went.
When I had a go on the D.Telegraph internet dating site I specified that interested parties, when travelling, “must not be backed into a corner by a local cuisine”.
That was not the principle problem. My GP told me that I’d get loads of replies but “Look out for the bunny-boilers!” It was scary!
But actually this is very regional Jane - there are lots of vegetarian restaurants/choices in Brittany, and a lot of ‘alternative lifestylers’ generally. My French next-door-neighbour is a vegan!
To be fair, I have had a similar experience in Ireland:
Me: What’s in the vegetarian omelette?
Waiter: I’ve asked Chef and he says cheese and ham.
Edit to add:
In a hotel restaurant south of Munich, I explained that I was vegetarian and after much thought, the waiter recommended that the only suitable item was potato salad. After a few minutes, a Desperate Dan size plate was brought to the table piled high with potato salad; liberally spiced with ham.
On that occasion, the explanation was also “Speck ist kein Fleisch”
That made me laugh! It sounded similar to someone saying my next door neighbour is an extra-terrestrial!
There are loads of people who don’t eat meat here, are vegan, and even raw food only. Plus many living alternative lifestyles. Overall France has about the same number of vegetarians and vegans now as countries like UK and Germany, and it is slowly rising. But this isn’t translated into national policies, subsidies for agriculture, the menu of school meals and so on. And that’s the bit that will trigger significant change, rather than the odd vegan restaurant here and there.
Too much exposure to Frantastique, @JaneJones 
Hi Lauren
Have a look at the Ryanair Dublin to France year-round flights and choose somewhere convenient to those airports. For example, Carcassonne: from there it’s only 40 minutes or so to any number of poor little villages in the Aude about 20 minutes from the sea … like Cuxac-d’Aude, Sallèles-d’Aude, Fleury etc. This is where you might just pick up a simple village house (without garden or yard) for your modest budget. Summers are warm (but you’re near the sea) and winters are mild.
Property is still cheap in France if you’re prepared to keep at least 25 kms from the coast and forgo any garden or outdoor space. Forget Biarritz or Collioure!
I’ve just bought a village house (4 floors, 100m², 3 bedrooms etc) in a tiny village in the Pyrenees for €27k. Depends on what you want. We bought this as summers in Toulouse are just too hot now and in the mountains one is more comfortable with 27 - 30° . Winters are crisp and sunny too.
I’m Irish too and really miss the sea … but anywhere in SW France one is no more than 90 minutes from the coast .
I know nothing about Spain except that one has to be careful about title. Many a buyer has bought property only to discover that the vendor’s family claim title to the land from some obscure ordonnance dating back a few decades.
G’luck!
Being been here south france since december, cant say it’s been an ‘unusual’ year, though I feel it doesn’t match up to the ‘300 days of sunshine’ claim. It probably does, coz a couple of hours sun prior to one going off to the beach to sit in overcast must count as a sunny day. Nevertheless, it can suck. I believe the sunshine average is 2400 hours odd - I’ll do a calc.
But nevertheless, it’s a lot better than south england - and prob ireland(?).
The point is, maybe this is the new weather with the climate change - the jet steam is weak because the artic is now warm and diverts the low pressure systems over france. Maybe it will stick.
If one is considering buying a property - consider climate impact! (especially near a rising sea level)
Same here. Friends who have spent two summers between Valencia and Alicante are selling up to move further North, possibly into France. For them, a few weeks in that heat for a holiday is OK, but months of 35C plus almost every day is hard.
I really don’t get the caravan ghettos for expat “bargain lovin’ Brits in the Sun” types.
All day full English breakfast washed down with copious gulps of lager urghhhhh 
and the unbearable heat beating down on those plastic roofs 
France for me!
Yes - there already is more flooding - both coastal and rivers, etc - and this will increase globally.
However, in terms of local weather, especially temperature, the effects of climate/ecological breakdown are very unpredictable - it’s quite possible that north-west Europe will become colder and wetter even as the whole planet gets hotter and drier - or indeed hotter and wetter. And none of these effects will be stable anyway - it’s change itself - instability - that will be the new normal!
Avoiding low-lying property is wise, but trying to avoid excessive heat, or rain, or wind, etc, is more of a gamble.
I’ve just seen that last year in the UK was the first ever to be in the top ten for both sun and rain!
HI Simon - thanks a mill for that. I’ll have a look at those towns. Good point on the mountains - I discounted those areas as I thought they’d be really cold in the winter but I guess being further south and with the various microclimates, they might be the perfect spot. If I do end up in Spain, I’m definitely avoiding the rural houses - fab places and great prices but the risk of them being knocked down is far too great and as you say there can be title wars so best to avoid alright. I’m the same as you with the sea - I couldn’t live too far inland and lakes just aren’t the same. Your place sounds idyllic and what a great price. Wishing you lots of happiness and special times in your new abode 
Hi Larkswood12 - that’s what my partner keeps saying - climate change is going to affect everything. For the moment it would be nice to have somewhere to travel to without grey dull heavy skies and having to plan two different events for the kids - one outdoor and one indoor in case it rains but as you say, there’s a lot to consider. Many thanks and hope the rest of the year is a sunnier and warmer one for you
True - I was surprised at how I didn’t want to stay out in the sun too much during our mini-heatwave - I guess I do tend to think of how nice the sunshine would be but forget that this has its downsides too. A good point to consider, thanks
Hi Geof - that’s gas re UK being in the top for sun and rain …temperate climate going tropical. You’re right - everywhere seems unpredictable this year and it’s probably going to continue. Many thanks for the tips - really appreciate it
50 years ago as a small child growing up in the south of France I was not allowed outside (unless in complete shade eg for lunch) between 11.30 and 4.30 in the summer, because that is when you just burn.
As a teenager and older having lunch at the beach you could tell without listening where people were from, French people sit in the shade and drink a lot of water, Anglo-Saxons sit in the sun and drink neat rosé which means they start burning even before they fall asleep on the sand…
Very true …Being a red-head with really fair skin myself, I’m a shade worshipper myself and avoid direct sun as much as possible, though I guess when coming from a place where you don’t see the sun too much, it’s hard not to sit out in it, especially if you’ve only got a week or two for a sunshine holiday (I know it’s wrong in every way but I can see why different cultures react differently when the sun shines :))
thanks for your thanks. One last thing - my neighbour paid 61K euro for his flat - we’re in a big 50’s block in the centre 13km from the sea. Approx 70 square m, 2 balconies, parking. Obs there will be service charges - which you’d pay even if not here.
Rent in France is expensive in comparison. You might feel aggrieved if you were paying and not using. Maybe you could come to an arrangement with a gite owner for staying on a partial basis.
And definately try before you buy! Have a year in spain and a year in France. And yes it’s sunny today!
Have you counted the extra costs you will be paying in addition to the actual property price in your budgeting? These can be a bit chunky