Why I Fell In Love With Living in Rural France: Tips, Truths, and Lessons Learned

If you’ve ever watched any of those shows like “New Life in the Sun” or simply dreamed of packing up and moving to France, you’ve probably wondered about the dream versus the reality.

Well, I moved to France in 2016, and although there have definitely been some ups and downs, life in the French countryside is everything I hoped it would be and so much more. From the slower pace of life, daily markets and boulangeries to the fabulous tradition of apéro hour and two-hour lunches, it has been an enriching experience.

So, for those of you who might be thinking of making the move, or just want to live vicariously through me, here are a few of my favorite things, the French version.

Before we begin, I would like to emphasize that moving to France will bring about significant changes to your life. It isn’t like any country I’ve lived in before, and why should it be? It’s France, so it will be different. So if you move to France expecting it to be a French version of your country, you’ll never settle.

France is like no other country I’ve ever lived in, and I’ve lived in a few: Australia, Spain, America, and England. 

But France is the one I’ve settled in and the one that has completely stolen my heart.

30 Reasons Why I Fell In Love With French Life

No. 1 Pace of Life

When I first moved here, this used to drive me insane. The French don’t do anything at speed because they’ve been brought up to savor and enjoy life.

Why go a hundred miles an hour when you can take your time? Enjoy the simple pleasures, work to live, and just enjoy being. That’s why ‘Pace of Life’ is taking the top spot.

The French taught me to appreciate life, to stop always wanting more, and to slow down and smell the roses, or in my case, sunflowers, fields and fields of them.

No. 2  Bread Delivery

Twice a week, we get a fresh bread delivery from the local breadman, and it’s fabulous. You leave out a bread bag and a note to let him know what you want, and he pops it in there for you.

It reminds me of the milkman when I was growing up, although he was in a float, not a van, but we would get eggs, milk, and bread from him.

I’ve been told, this is more of a rural French thing, something that happens in the bigger cities and towns.

No. 3 Local Markets

In France, food is seasonal. If it’s not in season, you can’t find it in supermarkets, and I love that. Admittedly, it took some getting used to as I couldn’t cook every recipe I came across, as often you couldn’t get half the ingredients.

However, on the plus side, everything is extremely fresh and should be consumed within a couple of days. It takes organic to a whole other level.

And all of this fabulous produce is available at the local markets, which are an integral part of life here in France.

If I wanted to, I could go to a different local market every day of the week. Each one offers all local produce plus fresh bread, local cheeses, wine, and other regional specialities.

No. 4 Cheese

If you love cheese like I do, you’ll enjoy spending time in France, as there are over 1200 cheeses to choose from. 

And most meals involve a cheese course that is served directly before dessert. Cheese is an obligatory part of the meal.

When you go to the supermarket, they have the most incredible cheese counters, and there are entire aisles dedicated to cheese.

No. 5 Cognac

I live in the beautiful Charente region of southwest France, and the town of Cognac is about 50 minutes away. 

I was lucky enough to be invited to take part in one of the local Fête des Vendanges (wine harvest) at a local Cognac distillery. 

We picked the grapes, watched them being crushed, and then enjoyed lunch afterwards, and it was wonderful.

It made me feel as though I’d really embraced French life, and there was something very satisfying about the manual work we did in the vines.

No. 6 The Wine

What can I say about French wine that hasn’t already been said? I live just two hours from Bordeaux, the capital of wine in France.

Plus, here in the Charente, we have some pretty amazing wines too, although a little less known.

You could spend every weekend tasting different wines if you wanted to. Plus, it’s the one thing that’s cheaper than back home in the UK.

No. 7 French Patisseries

Patisseries in France are a work of art. If there is one thing the French know how to do, it’s make pastries. 

Every supermarket has a patisserie area with beautiful displays of cakes, gateaux, croissants of all varieties, and pastries.

They are seriously tasty, and if I indulged every day, I’d be the size of a house, so we limit ourselves to weekends only.

No. 8 The Brocantes

The French love a good flea market, or Brocante as they’re called here in France. You’ll find anything and everything from clothes to tableware.

They range from inexpensive bargains to expensive vintage and designer items; it really depends on the season, location, and specific goods advertised. 

Most brocantes are held during the summer and early autumn, usually on weekends, and many of them feature entertainment. 

The biggest one near me is in Fourquere, and my line dancing group performs there every year. It’s a lot of fun and a genuine community event. 

There is also a large vintage car parade, which lasts for well over thirty minutes as old cars after old cars parade into the field to ‘show off’.

People travel from all over to attend the bigger ones, and the queues for food are huge.

No. 10 Food Festivals

One thing that fascinated me when I first moved here was how the French loved to celebrate food.

So much so, there is a food festival to celebrate every food item you can think of, from garlic and onions to truffles and strawberries.

These events get bigger every year, with the prettiest one probably being the La Fête de Citron in Menton. The creative floats they make with oranges and lemons are amazing.

No. 11 French Traditions

French traditions are an important part of the culture here. It’s these little traditions that weave together the nation’s rich historical tapestry.

They’re more than just practices, they’re a celebration of life, embodying the joie de vivre that the French are renowned for. 

French traditions, such as La Toussaint (All Saints Day), La Fête de la Chandeleur, La Fête des Rois (Epiphany), and July 14th (Bastille Day), each have their own story and character, showcasing the depth and diversity of French culture.

And let’s not forget Valentine’s Day. France is known for its romance and they even have a village named after Saint Valentin.

No. 12 Two-Hour Lunches

In France, lunch is more than just a midday meal; it’s a cherished ritual, a time to pause, relax, and connect with others.

It used to drive me mad because, literally, everything shuts down for lunch, including the banks, pharmacies, most stores, notaries, and pretty much everything apart from supermarkets.

However, like most things, you get used to it, and it’s all part of the wonderful, laid-back way of life here in France.

No. 13 French Cuisine

Where do I start when it comes to French food? I used to think it was overrated until I made it my mission to try the food in all the different regions. I realised that part of what makes it special is that everything is made from scratch. 

If it’s not fresh, it won’t do. The French don’t do a weekly shop and leave it there; they go three or four times a week. They cook with fresh ingredients.

And yes, the portions are smaller, but the focus is on quality, not quantity. Plus, a French meal is never just one course, so instead of one big plate, it’s several smaller ones. What’s not to love?

No. 14 The Chateaux

In England, they joke about there being a pub on every corner, and in France, there is a chateau on every corner. 

So many stunning old castles, beautifully preserved, often dating back to the 10th or 11th century. For a history-obsessed girl like me, it’s a dream come true. 

Not to mention the close ties between France and England, many of the chateaux changed hands between the English and French several times in their lifetime.

Some of them only have a tower left of the original building, whilst others are luckier and still intact.

Either way, I love discovering the history behind each one and imagining what life would have been like in their heyday.

No. 15 Cafe Culture

My hubby works with a French guy, and they do building and maintenance. Every morning, Stephane comes to pick my husband up from work, and they go straight to the cafe up the road for two coffees and a croissant.

It’s a morning ritual, and one Stephane won’t break for anyone. They catch up on local gossip, get their caffeine fix, and then they’re ready for work.

No. 16 The Beaches

The Atlantic coast in France is stunning. The beaches go on for miles, with hidden coves, wide bays, and dunes. 

I think one of the prettiest stretches of beaches I’ve ever been to would have to be in the tiny village of L’Amélie in Soulac-sur-Mer.

We stayed in a tiny little chalet right on the beach and watched the sun set into the ocean every night. It was the most beautiful, tranquil place.

Where I live, I’m lucky to have the Charente Maritime only 90 minutes away, where you’ll find the coastal town of La Rochelle, the islands of Île de Ré and Île d’Oléron.

No. 17 The Quaint Villages

France is a large country with more space than the UK, and its natural areas remain relatively unspoiled. The little villages remain as they were, and the buildings haven’t been pulled down to make way for the new.

Each little village has a church and a Marie (town hall), and often it’s like stepping into the pages of a history book.

The cobbled streets, half-timbered buildings, and other things from the past, like old wells and bread ovens, take your breath away.

No. 18 The Preservation of History

The French are proud of their history, and it’s there for you to see around every corner. Places like Rouen, where Joan of Arc was condemned and burned at the stake, Paris, the City of Lights, and Poitiers, the home of Eleanor of Aquitaine, are just three examples.

And I’ve lost count of all the walled cities in France with their medieval fortifications that’ve been there for centuries.

It’s all on my doorstep, and I can revisit the past as often as I want because it’s just outside my door waiting for me to discover it.

No. 19 The French Alps

The French Alps have been consistently voted the number one destination for great skiing time and again. They attract millions of visitors annually to world-renowned resorts like Chamonix, where the first Winter Olympics were held, and Courchevel, the snow playground of the rich and famous.

They offer some of the best skiing in the world in the winter, and in the warmer months, the lush valleys and towering peaks become a playground for hikers, climbers, and nature lovers.

No. 20 Christmas Markets

Christmas isn’t Christmas without some Christmas markets, and France has them in abundance.

Strasbourg, on the French-German border, is probably the best known, but they stretch all over the country from Reims and Lille to Colmar and Annecy.

No. 21 Very Little Traffic

Of course, in the big cities, there is traffic like anywhere else, but when you get outside those city limits, it’s a whole other story. 

On the whole, though, if it tells me it will take me an hour to get somewhere, it takes an hour.

I can go on a dog walk and not see a single car or a single person. Rush hour for me is seeing two cars in an hour.

No. 22 Seafood

Living as close as I do to the Charente Maritime, we are spoilt for choice with seafood. I never could resist Moules Frites, and they are on every menu here. 

Fish appears in so many dishes here, from the simple Sole Meunière to the Bouillabaisse, a traditional Provençal fish stew originating from Marseille. 

I should also mention the oysters, as my region is famous for the Marennes-Oléron oysters. But there are also plenty of other great oyster-producing regions, such as Arcachon Bay and the Cap Ferret oyster.

No. 23 Apéro Hour

Apéro hour is one of my favorite things about living in France. I mean, who wouldn’t want to indulge in a beautiful cocktail or two before sitting down for dinner?

It really is such a chic and wonderful thing to do. And I should say that the concept of l’apéro revolves around enjoying a pre-dinner drink, which is usually something light and supposed to stimulate the appetite. 

If you’re invited to an apéro hour, you’ll often be offered wines like Champagne or rosé, spirits such as pastis (particularly in the south of France), and a variety of liqueurs and vermouths.

No. 24 The Open Countryside

This is one of the things that made me buy the house we have because we are in the middle of the French countryside. There is just so much to love about it.

There is a freedom to the beauty of being surrounded by nature, and every season brings something new and different.

Probably my favorite thing about where I live is the six or seven weeks in the summer when the fields are full of sunflowers. Everywhere you look is a sea of yellow.

No. 25 Healthcare

The healthcare system in France is among the best in the world. No, it isn’t free like the NHS, but it’s heavily subsidised, and you can buy top-up insurance for the rest.

The waiting times aren’t long, and the care you receive is just superb.

No. 26 The Weather

I’ve lived all over the world, and the weather is a big deciding factor in where I decide to put down roots.

The weather in southwest France isn’t consistently good all year round, and we do get our fair share of rain, but compared to the UK, it’s brilliant.

We have lovely Indian summers, beautiful spring months, and pretty much guaranteed summers.

Most importantly, we experience very distinct seasons here, but without the harsh winters or scorching summers. I lived in Queensland for a while and couldn’t deal with it because I didn’t get my seasons, it is so important.

No. 27 Baguettes

I couldn’t list all the reasons to love France without mentioning Baguettes. Buying a daily baguette is a French ritual. I love seeing people walking down the street with a baguette under their arm, or even better still, nibbling the end of it as they walk along.

No. 28 The Word Bonjour

Manners to the French are very important, and the word ‘Bonjour’ is a big part of this. When you see someone, you say it, when you walk into a shop, you say it, when you get on a bus, you say it, get the idea?

If you want good service, then everything starts with the word ‘Bonjour’.

No. 29 Line Dancing

This might seem an odd one to add to the list, but the French are a huge line dancing nation. They love it, and I do too.

You can be at a local community event, and Le Madison comes on. Suddenly, the dancefloor is packed. Everyone knows the steps, and everyone knows what to do, and it’s fabulous.

About a year ago, I decided to join a local line dancing group, and it has been one of the best things I’ve done.

It’s challenging because it’s all in French – it’s hard enough learning to dance, let alone trying to do it in French. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.

No. 30 Museums

France has more museums than you could ever have time to visit. I think my favorite is probably La Cité du Vin, a wine museum in Bordeaux. If you get the chance to go, you’ll learn all about wine from around the world, plus get a glass to taste at the end.

From the world-renowned Louvre to smaller, specialized museums like Musée de la Bande Dessinée in Angouleme, you’re spoilt for choice.

Final thoughts: Why I love France so much

Unlike many people, I hadn’t always dreamt about moving to France, but now I have, I wish I’d done it sooner.

This country has so much to offer, from the relaxed pace of life and healthy lifestyle to the amazing food, history, and culture. What’s not to love?

If you’re considering moving to France, I wish you all the luck in the world and hope you love it as much as I do.