HI Barbara…
Each situation is different… and perhaps you live in an expensive part of France.
I do know folk who enjoy a good living…while still making sure their prices are cheap enough to attract white-van man and everyone else…to relish their home-grown/home-cooked produce.
One restaurant which failed fairly quickly… did so because the tenant bought produce at the local supermarkets and, obviously, had to put a mark-up on top of that… result was they priced themselves out of the market…
This Restaurant has come down through the family… mid-day it was about 10 euro when we first visited nearly 20 years ago… but I see that they have increased it to 15 euro. Whatever, if you are in the area, it is well worth popping in to see if they can find you a table…
Many places here have a lunchtime menu of between 12 and 15 Euros which often includes wine, our favourite birthday/anniversary restaurant charges 17.50 for three courses plus an amuse bouche.
12€ seems to be a pretty standard price around here. Particularly for lunch. Another restaurant I have eaten at in the past offered a 12€ menu. There was a self-serve salad bar followed by the plat du jour then a sliver of cheese and a choice of ice creams.
It must work otherwise they would all be out of business.
With the l’Abri… they have upgraded the building over the years - double glazing, c/heating, loos etc. Successfully organizing the main dining room so that in Winter they can divide it up, closing off the excess, and comfortably do 30/40 covers at mid-day… which the chef and his wife handle between them, in a relaxed manner, yet somehow swiftly and with style… 
Of course, if a group books, then the whole place is opened up… it is always delightful, no matter what…
I have the grandson of an ex American president staying here early Aug and he has asked me to book him into the nearest one star Michelin restaurant and I have a pretty good idea that he will find the cooking too modern. But I guesse that he wants the service. He did ask us to cook for him but has changed his mind! Pleased because serving 5 courses and amouse bouches with various wines for 6 will be hot work…very hot work!
Gracious yes, boiling hot Barbara… you don’t need that if you don’t have to…
I wonder why has he stipulated the one-star?? Perhaps he has looked it up on the web… 
I have been helping him with his itinerary and have suggested vineyards, booked some of their restaurants.
There feet will not touch the ground!
No I do not think that he has looked up the restaurant yet.
Cooking in July and AUG in a commercial kitchen is hellish!
I haven’t been back to ask.
Probably left them out of the fridge for too long.
I realize you did not go back… but… may be you were one of several other folk who were affected… did anything get reported ??
We live too far from a doctor to get a visit. I was up half the night using the bathroom on a Friday night. The hospital is also too far to visit when you are in such a vulnerable state, so the answer is no.
He has lost his front of house and the standard of food is not as good as when he first reopened an already closed restaurant. We are voting with our feet and not recommending it to our gite guests.
Over two years and I’m yet to eat out in Brittany…not even a coffee out so far…Last year I cooked scollops for my partner of 21 years on his last night before returning to uk…the meal was delicious but I spent the whole night throwing up and out from every orifice…In hindsight yes I think I left them out the freezer too long before cooking…When he got back to UK he sent me this song so I think I was forgiven… x 
I love living in France, I consider it my home after 30 years, I go back to the uk every year, just love to go back home, but love coming back to my adopted country.
I have a wonderful job, brilliant friends. Fortunately wonderful doctors, and thank god for the way cancer patients are cared for. My sister in the uk,my brother in Sweden and my sister In Australia all cannot believe the health care and support I received when I was ill, such support is incredible.
This country has a lot going for it and when you give here you get back 100%.
I don’t mind the taxes etc…as it comes back in folds. My 3 children are so french now it’s incredible…‘ little sods even support the french team 
I faithfully support England. However I am so happy when the French win too. I dread any England v. FRAnce games haha.
We are all lucky to live here in this beautiful old fashioned country, where the traditions are kept, where we can all recommend nice cosy restaurants, drink beautiful wine , visit the vineyards where the wine came from…
It’s all about adapting and accepting. Living and enjoying…
No politics for me guys, just answering the asked question
yes I agree.
I think one’s financial status/economic ability and age determines where you will consider living. I came here as an economic migrant - it is where my small amount would stretch furthest and I worked here as an AE for 5 years. I also spent time in New Zealand in the 70’s as an immigrant. Perhaps it is because the British are an Island nation that they talk of coming over and going back, I believe it is also because quite a few of the British immigrants I know are the first in their family to emigrate and therefore they choose the perceived safest option. You see children of immigrants often travel further around the world than their parents, they are more open to the concept of travelling outside of Europe.
Oh dear you sound like you’re having a bit of a “paint tin half empty” day. Perhaps it might be good to get out and smell the fresh air instead of the paint fumes before you start to worry those of us who’ve just chosen France for our twilight years. My husband & I are about to start out on our French “adventure”. We don’t have rose coloured specs on . We are realistic and anticipate there will be some days when we’ll wonder what on Earth we were thinking by upping sticks and moving to the tiny village in what we’ve been told is one of the poorer departments in France . BUT. For the first time in our lives together we will own our own home outright , rent free. We will have fresh air and glorious countryside around us to explore . We have my late dad and mum to thank for that. They left us a house which once sold and divvied up wasn’t enough to buy us a house in the UK but it bought our little village house in France with its glorious views with a little pot of money left over. The natives seem friendly enough and the local expats have gone out of their way to welcome us with offers to put us up at reduced rates or even free in their gites while we decorate before we move in. The house is perfectly fine as it is but the opportunity to paint with no furniture to shift around seemed sensible, We drove our newly collected lhd car back to the UK to load up with paint to take down to start decorating. The roads were empty (ish) & pothole free - unlike the M2 which greeted us with virtually no surface & multiple potholes. The rest of our UK roads were no better. It’s hard not to make comparisons but I’ve found it’s better if I just accept it’s “different”. Our village in France is “rustic “ but the bar has reopened after a 4 yr closure & we sat chatting to the owner in both French and English . The bakery serves delicious bread & confections & the baker & his wife welcomed us to the village when I introduced myself . There are 2 guys who patrol with a trailer clearing up leaves & keeping drains running - yes there has been a lot of rain but perhaps you’ve not seen the news of flooding in the UK earlier this year. These guys also take any large items you don’t want to the déchèterie every other week . Our village here in the UK has nothing but a school & a church. It may look picture postcard pretty but it’s nearest shop is 4 miles away, traffic thunders through it as it’s a shortcut to the nearby airport and the people are in the main far too busy with their own lives to take any time for others or enjoy the surrounding countryside . As for food and service - you perhaps haven’t eaten in the UK recently. Many restaurants seem to think they’re doing you a favour just by being open and those near us whilst good are so expensive we only go on special occasions . All in all France is winning us over atm . I hope we don’t end up disillusioned - I know there will be down days and it definitely won’t be all plain sailing but as my husband would say - if you don’t try it you’ll never know & the worst that can happen is we end up back here renting a house again but at least we’d have our little French house to retreat to. I hope your day gets better for you and the sunshine helps to lift the gloom.
Hi Vanessa… without giving away too much… can you tell us which part of France you are in ???
Well I can say with some certainty Stella, Vanessa is def’ not, in S Brittany 
Occitanie - Aude . My husband has a pragmatic and positive attitude to life. His maxim is “something will come up”. So far it has & some of his attitude has rubbed off on me. He always tries to see the best in any situation and not look for problems that haven’t yet happened . He’s usually right even if I don’t always agree to start with!
Aha… we have friends in Quillan… lovely part of France… but, it all is, isn’t it…