My wife and I would love to get your opinions about where to stay for 30 days in one town in France (especially those of you who have already done so).
Our plan is to stay in France in one town for 30 days to live as the French do either in May or September/October.
We are open to suggestions concerning any region in France which would allow us to experience how the French live.
We have traveled extensively throughout France over the years, BUT always visiting and staying in multi-cities each time.
Your input would be gratefully appreciated! Thank you!
Posted by
11569 posts
We loved staying in Collioure. It’s proximity to both Barcelona, Toulouse and Montpellier gives many varied day trip options.
Posted by
Washington DC
28074 posts
Do you plan to rent a car for the duration?
Do you have any special interests (like art or wine)?
I've really enjoyed a lot of places that are sort of off the foreign-tourist track (e.g., Limoges, Poitiers, Nancy, Troyes), but there's no way I'd want to spend a month in a place that small. (It probably matters a lot that I'm usually traveling solo and never rent a car.) The list of places where I could probably occupy myself for a month via a combination of local sights and side trips might be limited to Paris, Nice, Lyon and perhaps Strasbourg.
Posted by
Corvallis OR
7160 posts
Depends much on what part of France you're interested in and what size town and how you plan to get around - rental car or public transportation. Also not sure what your vision of living like a local is. I spent a month in Paris a few years ago in an apartment in the Marais district. All the other residents of the building were locals. I went out early most mornings and stopped for a pastry at the bakery, watched the local shop owners hosing the dog do do and what have you off the sidewalks in front of their shops. They got to know me enough to greet me each day and I did feel enough like a local to satisfy me. I don't speak much more than a couple of years of high school French so conversation was limited but interesting. Took the metro, bus, train, or walked everywhere, just like a local. Wouldn't trade that experience for anything.
Posted by
big blue marble
427 posts
A little more insight into what kinds of places you like would help inform responses. France is pretty diverse in landscapes and weather.
If you want a big city (and assuming you don't want to stay in Paris) I'd pick Lyon over Marseille. Toulouse would be nice as well. Nantes too.
Smaller cities that spring to mind include Vannes, Dijon, and Quimper. Aix en Provence is nice but a bit heavy on university students for my taste. Grenoble is interesting if you want to be near the mountains.
Posted by
San Francisco
14980 posts
The period of 30 days...an entire month? I would divide the time between the greater Paris area, incl. Paris, obviously, and Alsace-Lorraine. The other regions are undoubtedly tempting as well, but historically, culturally and linguistically these 2 main areas will suffice. as numerous places are well worth seeing and exploring, eg, those villages the size of a pin head on a map.
Posted by
Los Angeles
972 posts
Hi! We did EXACTLY this last September 2021. We were in Aix for a month just melting into the town and culture. We had our days and weekends free and worked remotely at night.
Here is my trip report if it's helpful at all. Feel free to PM me. :)
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/a-month-in-amazing-aix-en-provence