Great for retired people who want to relax, drink wine and cut grass ( as most buy masses of land) I’m very surprised by the amount of people I have worked for who do literally nothing , but if they are happy doing that, it’s not hurting anyone.
Think you need to be a short distance away from a large city, Bordeaux, Limoges, La Rochelle , but even Angouleme is dead on a weekend except in the bar area on the Saturday evening.
I probably won’t reply as only pop in occasionally as don’t like this Facebook type setup,
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In the UK we lived closed to a decent sized city (Norwich) where the traffic, noise and sheer number of people etc was crazy at times, here is the complete opposite. We now struggle to cope when we go to Bordeaux or if we go back to the UK but I guess after a few months/years we would get used to it again.
There are things to do here but not in the winter, we’re still working and have a big house and garden to maintain so are always busy and I can’t see that changing much. We like going to the cinema and our two nearest ones always have films in English, we like walking, eating out, having friends over for dinner etc, all stuff that we used to do in the UK. If Barrie wants more entertainment then perhaps he should re-locate.
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You’re in the wrong part of France, Barry. Great cycling down here (Tarn/Aveyron) + the Pyrénées and massif central climbs on our doorstep + plenty of good cycling clubs and events. But agree what you say about rural France, it’s dead most of the time!
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Personally I’d rather be in «dead» rural France than dead in the UK 
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Can you give us a reason why you settled where you did??
Presumably, you recommend that folk test an area in Winter… as well as the hotter/busier months.
Thank God for the Park and Rides around Norwich Tim !
Used it in March, hadn’t been on a ‘double decker’ for years.
We do the same when we go to Bordeaux.
Why do people complain about where they live and the lack of things to do? IMO it is more to do with the individual who has no incentive to look or to provide their own entertainment. I feel that the motivation of coming to live in rural France for many is for they see as a cheaper cost of living with a larger house that would not be possible in the UK and without a thought that takeaways, public transport, shopping centres,entertainment centres et al would not be available in the area, why shouldn’t it be just like England? But this is France and it is different.
I led an extremely busy life in UK and continued to work after relocating here to a very rural area of France so work entertained me. Now retired what is there to keep me occupied here in rural France? The answer for me is me, I occupy and entertain myself and am totally content in my own skin. I enjoy our garden, I enjoy our routine which is probably the most important single thing for everyone to get correct in their lives and most of all l enjoy writing. I am dyslexic and was seen as a low achiever at school because of it but my life has proved them wrong. I wrote my first book a decade ago and now am obsessed with writing, currently book 4 is well advanced, my readers are few but my satisfaction is massive.
It is no use people complaining that they have, or there is nothing, to do, life is what you make it and dissatisfaction of where you might live and what there might not be to do is not the fault of the area, stand back and take a close look at yourself and you might begin to understand where your problem lies.
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it’s dead, yes, and especially for those retired/who don’t work, but working full time (shop open 7 days a week) with kids and activities, I still haven’t got the time to do a fraction of what I’d like to! 
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Well said. I often wonder if Brits find rural France difficult after a lifetime in Britain because not only are there the cultural and language differences but distances between places tend to be bigger. They should try living in the States, or Canada. Life is what you make it wherever you live.
I spend a fair bit of time online and as I miss France I often check out what’s going on. I’m often amused by what’s on offer in my preferred part of rural France even outside the holiday periods. Take last weekend for example, I actually caught myself thinking that I was glad that I wasn’t there because I would have been spoiled for choice, there were two classic/vintage car events within spitting distance and an auto brocante as well. Add in the fact that it was the Night at the Château weekend as well and the options were even greater. Cycling? I’ve not had much experience in Britain but I much prefer the thought of cycling on the quiet French country roads that I know than the narrow, busy lanes I remember in England.
Here at home I am often considered ‘odd’ because of my love of foreign travel. Many of my friends and neighbours are content with what life in their locality has to offer and rarely travel to another state let alone a different continent. Most of them seem happy so I suppose that just highlights how awful it must be to be stuck where you don’t belong.
Must go, I’ve got to go out and chop some logs, winter’s coming.
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As a a Dutch neighbour of mine said when I commented about people complaining there was nothing to do in the French countryside in winter “Why don’t they start something themselves then “
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Great attitude to have…love it! 
Absolutely right… folk can and should make suggestions to the Comité des Fêtes.
Over the years our CdF has given birth to all sorts of activities, some of which have moved on to become Associations in their own right.
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I started a photo club in rochechouart. Up to 12 members in a 5 year period. Now moribund, spread out population is a challenge. Also me and my wife work from home and most activities are weekdays because most are retired. Anyway 6 years here and I am château’d out. Off to oz with my Ozzie wife for a new adventure.
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I love the Pyrenees and I get down there most years, even there it can be so quiet in summer.
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Most of the things the comité de fête do are a get together for meeting friends and drinking. There’s only so much of that you can do.
I think when you are well traveled it’s all a bit lame really, you know there’s a bigger world out there.
I am surprised at your description of your CdF. It is an Association, there for the purpose of enlivening the Commune by offering various activities/events for the people of the Commune (and beyond).
If yours falls short - why not join and give them the benefit of your input/enthusiasm?
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So quiet even in the summer. One of the main reasons for going. Wonderful isn’t it.
There’s no need to drink to excess, a get-together is probably more agreeable without. There’s nothing wrong with meeting friends 
You could encourage the CdF to do different things and help put them in motion.
It is precisely because I am well travelled that I appreciate the relative peace quiet and predictability of life in rural France. If I want a bit of invigorating foreign/city air it is easy enough to organise, I have holidays every so often.
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What is it that you want to have as entertainment and activities? We go to the cinema, theatre, sports classes, regular walks with friends as well as lunches and dinners. Every day there is something to do outside the house. And volunteering can also be fun, whether helping our mentally disabled neighbour or doing something social like helping with the easter egg hunt (no alcohol involved in either). Our local foyer rural organises things like mushrooming expeditions, festive walks (1500 people so a lot of help needed) and litter picking. What we don’t have is pubs - is that what you are missing?