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Sebastian helped us buy an apartment in Paris 9 years ago. Saved a lot of time (you provide/discuss search criteria and he’ll come up with shortlist) and money (he’ll help negotiate purchase). John
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I should add that he’ll personally arrange and accompany you to view your shortlist
I’d add my vote for Nice, it’s where I would live if my wife wasn’t Corsican! (Guess where I live!). Brilliant infrastructure, plenty of English speaking residents, great weather generally, and probably the closest weather (in France) to where you are now. You may consider towns around there such as Antibes, Cannes, Menton… the local transport by train or bus along the coast is really good. We lived in Antibes for four years, excellent place. Medical facilities in Nice are great, I go often for consultations and soon for a major intervention. Good luck!
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Albi is a lovely town, quiet with all the required services.
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There is a tendency in answering this question that people want to justify their own decisions on the place to live. You won’t see many giving negative opinions on where they live!
I spent 10 years near Bordeaux and then moved to Southern Brittany near the coast about 15kms from Vannes. It has its downsides. It can be a bit grey in winter, but it is rarely cold. We found further south very cold in winter and too hot in summer. We prefer the climate here. If you are in the area and want a chat make contact
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Not necessarily a plus.
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I highly recommend the university linked Cancerologie Center at Poitiers, and in particular, Dr Delwail.
I had stage 4 Difuse Large B-cell Non Hodgkins Lymphoma in 2016, and initially spent 10 days in intensive care. This was followed by R-CHOP chemotherapy, spinal Methotrexate injections, and an auto-logious stem cell transplant just for extra insurance. Plenty of follow up in the subsequent years of complete remission, then at the back end of 2023 the good doctor used that word rarely used by oncologists ----- cured. 
Additionally, Poitiers is on one of the main high speed (TGV) rail lines to Paris. There is also a small regional airport. Good public transport with buses and trams. Probably not as expensive as Nice for property prices.
Wherever you decide to live, welcome to France where although you might die with CLC, you won’t be allowed to die because of it.
My wife is from the Washington DC area, so we are here to help with any culture shock issues. Just ask.
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Ha ha very true!!!
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Well, that’s handy to know. I’m almost certainly on track for radiotherapy later this year and I’ve been a touch concerned about where I might need to go.
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Thank you for this useful information - I will research the cancer center in Poitiers and the city itself which I have never visited. Poitiers is roughly on our path of discovery through France. I’ll be in touch if we pass through the area. It sounds like you had a quite intense and thorough treatment for your lymphoma ; I am so happy for your complete cure!
AFAIK Oncopole in Toulouse is the highest rated Oncology Unit in France.
In the last 3 years my wife has been treated there for both breast cancer and a melonoma. Surgery for both, followed by radiotherapy. Just coming to the end of Immunotherapy and so far all clear,
We live in the Dordogne and Toulouse is a good 2 hours plus drive but the French health service pay for a taxi for appointments,
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We’re having lunch tomorrow with someone who has just gone into remission after treatment in Toulouse. It’s said to be a world-class institute.
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It’s also easily accessible from the motorway network, (although I think a Crit’Air sticker might be needed for a short section near the city centre now - 18 months since I’ve been as she hasn’t had to stay overnight since mid 2023.)
Quite an extensive campus including 2 hotels and a decent restuarant all of which I’ve used.
Even has a cable car connection to Ranguiel, the local “DGH” which is across the river and up the hill were some of the non-specialist treatment can be carried out.
Such helpful information, the Toulouse area is one of our stops on our upcoming scouting trip to France. Your comments definitely help me feel more comfortable with the prospect of changing to a new medical system for care - much appreciated!
We live 45 minutes from Toulouse and avoid going there like the plague BUT we dislike all cities and on my personal city appreciation scale, Toulouse would come out as one of the least worse.
I must add my approbation for the health service in Toulouse – and not just the brilliant Oncopole. In the last 20 years I have visited a large number of the many health centres in the city either as a patient or visiting a patient. I cannot recollect any complaints (apart from the food at la Clinique d’Occitanie and the parking at Purpan). I assumed all health care was good in France and have no way of comparing it with other areas.
Could I just add some personal observations on general health care in France? Being near a centre of excellence for healthcare may be significant but choosing the right local GP (médecin traitant) is probably more important. In the absence of any other recommendation, I would look for the GP who has been established in the area the longest.
Our local GP is the same age as me and therefore well past his retirement age and, quite understandably, can be a bit forgetful at times. However, he has been around so long he knows exactly which specialist consultant to send you to for any particular situation (and he probably knows them personally as well). This can be very helpful in getting an earlier appointment if necessary because he will speak to the consultant directly.
This may also influence your choice of location because I understand that in some regions it can be quite difficult to find a GP who is taking new clients.
But that is the downside, he might retire at any moment on a whim, or loss of memory that he is a doctor.
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It is a risk but he keeps himself in good health. He told me he will not retire until his wife does and she is a lot younger than both of us.
Hmmm still struggling to sort local dentist in a desert although I do have hopes.
As a backup are ok dentists hard to find in Toulouse? I am wondering if biting the bullet and finding a decent dentist further away might give me longevity of same dentist or practice.
I can’t really help on that score Karen. have been using the same local dentist for 20 years and despite its rural location there are four or five in the practise.
Some time ago he said he was going to have to drill deep and remove an abscess and it will hurt.
“Do you mean when you get into the root canal?” I asked
“No, when I give you the bill” he replied.