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        How Much Will It Cost You To Live Overseas?

        The only honest answer is, we have no idea. And neither does anyone else. The only one who can answer that question is you. Here’s the most important thing to understand about budgeting your new life overseas…

        Super Cheap

        • Chitré, Panama
        • Santa Marta, Colombia
        • Phuket, Thailand
        • Dumaguete, The Philippines

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        • Medellin, Colombia
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          Home In Focus: Europe

          A Peaceful, Pastoral Life In Southern France

          by Kat Kalashian
          Oct 26, 2023
          in In Focus: Europe, Retirement/Living
          0 0
          Pastoral Life In Southern France gascony

          AdobeStock/JackF

          A place where you can truly get away from it all… These days, it sounds like a tall order. But the world is full of out-of-the-way havens and hamlets at once tranquil and bursting with opportunity… One such place I recently discovered is Gascony.

          Nestled in the sedate southwestern corner of France, between Bordeaux and the Pyrenees, this peaceful region is one of the least-known destinations in the country.

          Gascony is the epitome of La France Pofonde, “deep France.” The completely rural, agricultural lifestyles on offer here are unmoved by trends of any kind—global or national—and resist the influence of the greater world.

          Gascony’s seemingly unending agricultural landscape.
          Gascony’s seemingly unending agricultural landscape. Live And Invest Overseas/Kat Kalashian

          Parisians, for example, aren’t well loved here… Anglo tourists are often better received than “northerners,” that is, French tourists from the Paris area, who are, at best, scorned.

          And if you’re looking for a place that marches to the beat of its own drum, that scorn works in your favor. Historically, this region is a-political. They never much liked the monarchy… and they didn’t much take to the government that replaced it. They’ve always considered themselves a world apart—and you feel that in the secluded-feeling day-to-day life here.

          The picturesque villages, many of which have earned the title of Le Plus Belles Villes de France (the prettiest towns of France), resemble those of fairy tales…

          The Aquitaine Blond breed of beef cattle
          The local breed of cow, the muscular Blonde d’Aquitaine, is world famous for its beef. Live And Invest Overseas/Kat Kalashian

          This is a pastoral place, where the traffic on the roads are tractors and livestock… Where farmers run things and the weather or the harvest is the main topic on anyone’s lips…

          Where folks are up well before the sun and drinking red wine by 11 a.m.… Where the food is hearty and fresh from the pasture… Where the village markets are the main social affair of the week and people are in bed by 9 p.m.

          This is a place to get back to a lifestyle that was once how everyone in the world lived, and was content with their lot.

          Conversely, though, that’s not to say this is a total backwater…

          Marciac, one of the bigger towns, is an international jazz mecca. Its Jazz Festival, held annually in June, brings some of the biggest names in the world to this little corner of France—and completely changes the atmosphere of the place while it’s on.

          Jeff Beck and Johnny Depp performed last year, Norah Jones and Ben Harper this past summer, and in the past has hosted Kool and the Gang, Sting, Santana, Joan Baez, and countless others in its 45-year history.

          Of the dozen or so villages I visited here, Fourcès was another personal favorite. Most towns here were designed on a square grid system… but Fources’ main plaza is round, and the town’s layout likewise circular. Its open-air market is one of the most beloved, and the spring Marché aux Fleurs (flower market), currently in its 50th year, is regionally famous.

          Start Your New Life Today, Overseas






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            Fourcès from above.
            Fourcès from above. © visit-occitanie.com

            Zucchinis and their blossoms at Fourcès market. Pastoral Life In Southern France
            Zucchinis and their blossoms at Fourcès market. © Kat Kalashian

             

            Armagnac distillery in Fourcès France gascony
            Armagnac distillery in Fourcès. © Kat Kalashian

            This is also a place known for its fighting spirit and strength of character. Gascogne men are “men’s men.” In fact, you probably known one of its most famous fighting sons: d’Artagnan, who, along with his Gascon brothers, Porthos, Athos, and Aramis fought with the famous Mousquetaires. They were later immortalized by Alexandre Dumas in “The Three Musketeers.”

            In the century-and-a-half since, the story has been retold and reimagined in dozens of inventive ways, not just in plays, movies, and TV, but from the Disney Mousketeers to the candy bar, putting this region on the global map, whether folks were aware of it or not.

            Lupiac, the birth town of d’Artagnan, is the proud keeper of his legacy, with a dedicated museum and annual festival—you can even see his signature on his wedding contract in the little museum that proudly tells his story.

            Lupiac’s central square, with its statue of d’Artangnan and his namesake tavern behind. move to france
            Lupiac’s central square, with its statue of d’Artangnan and his namesake tavern behind. © Kat Kalashian

            Thanks to its claim to fame, Lupiac is one of the towns here with a higher concentration of foreign visitors and residents.

            While lunching in the La Taverne De d’Artagnan on the town square, which serves dishes inspired by the 17th-century recipes that he’d have enjoyed, I heard Brits, Dutch, and German diners at the tables around us.

            Chicken on a rapier, a specialty of La Taverne De d’Artagnan. life in france
            Chicken on a rapier, a specialty of La Taverne De d’Artagnan (the chicken fat that drips onto the potatoes and seasonal veg underneath give an extra punch of flavor. © Kat Kalashian

            A few of the other towns that caught my attention include La Romieu, said to have been saved from the plague by a young girl’s cat, and which still reveres felines today. Small cat statues are hidden throughout the architecture of the town, making for a fun “I spy” game as you walk through.

            pot the cats is a fun game to play in La Romieu, France
            Spot the cats is a fun game to play in La Romieu. © Kat Kalashian

            Lectoure is one of the larger towns and is a little hotbed of local activity, with small museums, galleries, shopping, and bars that draw folks from across the region on weekends. It was named a Ville d’Art et d’Histoire (town of art and history) in 1985.

            Lectoure, France
            Lectoure. © Les Plus Beaux Détours de France.

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              Auch, capital of the department, the closest thing to a city in this region, is a real step-up in terms of cosmopolitan bustle. While most villagers don’t feel the need to come here often, it serves as a hub for any larger shopping or business needs.

              Auch, in France
              Auch. © Fleurons de Lomagne

              Toulouse, the capital of the region, is a true city in every sense. The so-called “Ville Rose” (Pink City), is home to nearly half-a-million people, as well as universities, schools of business and economics, a school of fine arts, meaning an expanded population of students for much of the year. If you’re looking for a rural way of life, Toulouse isn’t the place to come, but it’s nice to have it nearby when you want a taste of a (manageable) metropolis.

              Toulouse France
              Toulouse. © saiko3p/Shutterstock

              One of the most interesting aspects of culture in Gascony, France, is that it’s been a main stop on the Camino de Santiago, the pilgrimage route of Santiago de Compostela, for over 1,000 years.

              Cloisters of the Abbey at La Romieu, situated on one of the major Pilgrim routes in Gascony. move to france
              Cloisters of the Abbey at La Romieu, situated on one of the major Pilgrim routes in Gascony. © Kat Kalashian

              Each year, thousands of pilgrims—historically religious, yes, but increasingly secular hikers—pass through this region, coming from all over the world and influencing locals with their disparate cultures. You’ll see the famous scallop shell symbol throughout the region, marking pilgrim paths and guesthouses that welcome them.

              The scallop shell symbol of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela is seen all over this region. France
              The scallop shell symbol of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela is seen all over this region. © Kat Kalashian

              When it comes to making a home here, you’ll need to make a few adjustments to adapt to the local culture…

              First, you’ll need to make a serious effort at learning French, as few people here speak English.

              You’ll also need to get used to “country hours.”

              For example, you can only eat meals during certain hours of the day. Lunch won’t be served past 2 p.m., and dinner won’t be had before 7 p.m. or after 9 p.m. And that’s on the days things open… with such a low population density, most restaurants only open on weekends… maybe only for dinner… and perhaps not at all on Sundays or Mondays.

              french hours are irregular
              Business hours are irregular here. © Kat Kalashian

              Sundays here are for repose—you won’t be able to count on getting much done when it comes to shopping, business, or anything outside the house.

              “Siesta hours” are strictly held here, which means many businesses will only open for the morning and again after 4 or 5 p.m. And, like everywhere else in France, everyone closes up shop for the entire month of August.

              And you’ll have to learn to be flexible. Posted hours may only be suggestions… and signs in person on duty likely went out for a coffee or a smoke… business hours be damned.

              One shop I visited had no one on duty at all, but the doors left wide open. After about 10 minutes, the owner came in telling me the shopkeep across the street had come to find her to tell her she had a customer.

              Life is easygoing here, and security and safety are taken for granted. It’s a neighborly place…

              For more about the business culture in Gascony, take a look at my last article on this area, “France is Open for Business” here.

              Bonne route,

              Kat Kalashian signature

              Kat Kalashian

              Editor, In Focus: Europe

              Tags: 'Expat Life''France'quality of life overseas
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              Kat Kalashian

              Kat Kalashian

              Kat Kalashian has grown up around the world, living in the United States, Ireland, France, and Panama, and has traveled extensively in her few years. Growing up as a young expat she is familiar with the trials and tribulations of an overseas move and the adjustments that must be made in every new destination. After living in Panama for seven years, she and her husband relocated back to Paris, France, in 2018 where they now live full-time with their American-born cat, Panamanian-born dog, and two French-born daughters. She's now been living in Paris for over 10 cumulative years, and enjoys being able to explore France and the rest of Europe at every opportunity. As head of Live And Invest Overseas’ European Division, she is Editorial Director of Europe Uncovered, a monthly subscription service, MCs the Europe based Live And Invest Conferences, and scouts out new locations for coverage on the Continent.

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                    HOME

                    Top Countries

                    • Spain
                    • Portugal
                    • Panama
                    • Belize
                    • Colombia
                    • Cyprus
                    • Mexico
                    • France
                    • Montenegro

                    Best For:

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                    BROWSE ALL COUNTRIES

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                    To Live Overseas?

                    Super Cheap

                    • Chitré, Panama
                    • Santa Marta, Colombia
                    • Phuket, Thailand
                    • Dumaguete, The Philippines

                    Cheap

                    • Medellin, Colombia
                    • Boquete, Panama
                    • Kyrenia, Cyprus
                    • Hua Hin, Thailand
                    • The Algarve, Portugal

                    Affordable

                    • Valencia, Spain
                    • Cascais, Portugal
                    • Las Terrenas, The DR
                    • Pisa, Italy
                    • La Rochelle, France
                    • Mazatlán, Mexico

                    Luxury

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