you’ll need a punkawallah 
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My wife and I considered Spain before finally deciding upon France.
What put us right off was the numerous horror stories that we’d read or watched where Brits had their homes compulsorily demolished or purchased due to ‘planning irregularities’ and development schemes.
At our age we would have no time left to recover financially from such a catastrophic loss.
Another reason was the driving distance from the UK.
We are now in the Charente, a comfortable 5 hours drive to the ferry ports or Northern Spain.
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Lauren, Graham is right. I moved to France after 5 years of living in and previously 15 years of visiting the city of Valencia every year, a couple of times for 6 months straight.
I wanted city life, to be in the old town of this wonderful place, right in the very heart. Every third doorway in VLC is a café, bar or restaurant. 
So, a very different situation from a casita en el campo, within striking distance of beaches - tho’ VLC has a 3 km beach 35mins from the city centre on the #19/32 buses.
I moved for 4 reasons.
1] I was losing 3 months of every 12 to unbearable heat. I did not have the resources to simply decamp north for 12-14 weeks to the Biscay coast or northern FR. I was supposed to be able to do this in my camper but two years of trying revealed that re-reg of this vehicle - a self-build RHD commercial vehicle - was impossible. I lived in iso-by-climate in my flat with the a/c on. Nov and Dec are sublime, however. Good time to visit!
My original FR target area was from Tours to Poitiers, west of Châteauroux. I suddenly had the thought that that was not going to solve the heat problem. Thus my question back-along in my early days on this forum “Does your lawn look like a digestive biscuit”? I asked the question too early in the year. Everybody said ‘No’. But in Oct? Let’s see.
My reading of this topic on this forum suggests this problem is increasingly the case in FR south of the Loire.
Crikey O’Riley! I now see you talk of “a one hour walk to the sea” My reaction - either 
or 
. How about the 1 hr walk back?! Jeepers! The 10 min walk from getting off the bus from the beach, back to my flat - falling into the shower with water that in summer is never colder than tepid.
Reminds me of days on the beach at Santa Monica CA, shooting ads for Coke. Before packing up the gear - about 20-30 mins, I would start the car, turn the a/c on full. Everybody loved me for that.
2] I was never going to get to a standard of SP that I already have in FR. I got by but there were occasional humiliating incidents at brico checkouts or pharmacies. A big factor.
Fortunately I had 8 years of 3-4 hrs a week of FR by a series of excellent teachers. I have the conjugations ‘on tape’ in my head. I did try to get my head round the SP verb conjugations but at 55+ it wasn’t sticking. It all became a bit Zen. I was permanently locked into the present, like a good sadhu.
“I think tenses are a bit complicated for English speakers especially use of the subjunctive.” says Vero and she is absolutely right. Tho’ I have to say that, like English itself, mostly, I have given up on the subjunctive. Sorry, call me a linguistic heathen but there it is.
The other thing about FR, SP, DE etc is the entirely arbitary nature of gender. The one I like to quote is the totally illogical attribution of gender to the Spanish words for a chicken, ‘el pollo’ and a penis, ‘la polla’.
3] The price I am about to pay for a very habitable-now house -
double glazing all round, mains drains, on the edge of the pleasant town of Vire, with a fabulous view of the wooded valley of the Vire - would only get me little better than a campesinos’ hovel in the SP countryside. I went looking. No lekky. No mains water. Outside, a stoney wilderness. Anything more up-together - more money. Much more.
The Spanish live in cities. The properties on the Costas are very largely urbanizaciones of ‘holiday villas’. Yes, there are the ‘pueblos blancos’ of Andalusia, some of them virtually Brit colonies… and no longer cheap.
I have passed thru’ the Biarritz area many times, driving SP <> FR. I think its days as a classy destination are long gone, unless you pay top $. There’s a long sprawl along the coast and then you’re into the mountains along by Irun > San Sebastian. I don’t think I have ever driven thru’ the area when it wasn’t raining.
I have managed factor 3… Sold in SP and bought in FR with a decent wad of change to augment the meagre pension.
Factor 4. Peace and quiet and outside space for 1/3-1/4 the price in UK. Countryside like Somerset/Devon, similar weather but better. Cheaper wine! Food more expensive, I think.
As AngelaR comments, the summers in Normandy are perfectly acceptable to those who have had enough of or do not need weeks on end of blazing sun. There must be other parts of FR similar. Tho’ the further inland you go, the colder the winters.
Once you are housed, SP is much cheaper than FR for everything. On the thread about car headlamps someone has observed that the FR are the only people who pay RRP. I agree with that. Just this afternoon a pal in the motor biz was shocked at the price I had to pay for a wiper blade - and the lack of immediate, local choice. It was Bosch or nothing.
If you become a resident of SP and are 65+ you will have access to the excellent SP NHS, free at the point of delivery, like UK. The charges for scrips are 1/4 - 1/5 of what I pay here - pennies.
See the comprehensive info on this site regarding the FR health system. And be prepared to shell out.
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Hi Nigel - yes I’ve seen so much about the rural houses not having planning permission (so tempted by the cheap price of the fab properties but too much of a risk if it’s to be pulled down by the authorities). Charente is lovely although as I’m in Ireland, it’s almost a 2 day trip to go by ferry (not bad though if I’m there longer term) 
Many thanks
A good point Captain. We have stayed in pleasant country cottages but they are generally in depopulated areas, with a substantial drive to find ‘civilisation’. Maybe, if you’re lucky, a panaderia van passes a couple of times a week. We stayed in a Basque country town on the coast which had an old centre with historic buildings, ringed by low/medium rise apartment blocks and other housing. Farther out there were industrial buildings, then fields and nature. Leaving the town, it is noticeable that it just stops and you’re in the country. So many places are like this and it means that there is little or no sprawl. The supermarkets were in the centre of town, not in an out-of-town mall. The place buzzed at the weekend and we were lucky to be there for the fiesta., with whole families out and about. We really enjoyed the atmosphere - apero, wine, tapas etc - repeatedly - all afternoon and evening. I believe I could live there, but I’m perfectly happy in my little corner of France profonde.
Wow Captain Endeavour - thanks so much for all the info and advice. Really appreciated. You’re also right re the 1 hour walk - sounds good in the coolness of early morning but not quite in the daytime heat (had a notion of getting a bike but still probably a little ambitious). The heat might be tempting at the moment but more than 3 weeks of it would be exhausting, especially from what you and everyone is saying here (grass always greener on the other side :)). I’ll definitely digest the areas you mention and will think more on these before making any decisions. Your new home looks fab and the views from the windows are stunning. Wishing you lots of R&R and amazing times in your new abode. Many thanks
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Can we have more info / news / pics on a new thread? Garden? Size? Very excited for you after following your move and adventures! How did you end up choosing where to buy?
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Interesting. We originally intended to move to Normandy and in fact used Vire as a house-hunting base - lovely town. We ended up in Brittany which is also great, with the unexpected bonus of Breton culture. But your ‘north of the Loire’ conclusion is so interesting because that’s the very phrase we have been using during and after our recent holidays in the south of France - with temperatures touching 40 some days - great for holidays, and great to be able to get in the car anytime and drive there - but not for living, for us.
Thank you for your comments Chris which reflect what quite a few people seem to find after they spend long enough.
I gotta ask this…since no one else is
Which Coca Cola commercial were you shooting? was it the volleyball-on-the-beach one?
And did you really get to sleep with all the models, like photographers are supposed to? 
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Interesting question. “a lively coastal area with good weather”.
Depends what you mean by lively really.
On this budget I would consider Portugal (except expensive Algarve).
If you really love France, then Brittany ---- ssssh, it’s got some stunning beaches.
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A shout out to think of Portugal ! My experience is that the incredible sweetness of the Portuguese is worth every little challenge, including the language - the portuguese speak French and English quite a lot more than my experiences in Spain, I did not speak any Spanish silly me.
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These shoots were for print ads/posters. An art director in the the Hamburg office of McCann Erickson arranged a stills shoot every year and assemble a folio of shots which was then sent out to McCann Erickson agencies all over Europe. The local agency then chose shots to run their own campaigns.
The usual format was to go to somewhere where a bunch of yoof - 15-17 - of disparate appearances could be hired for a couple of days to fool around on the beach/in the snow, with Coke bottles in hand.
LA was a useful base because the schools there had yoof of every kind of look - Scandanavian blond, Mediterranean, Asian, South American/Mexican …
In Europe the talent was recruited from an international school. Milan was one source, to go over into CH for the snow.
“did you really get to sleep with all the models, like photographers are supposed to”.
Interestingly, I noted that most photographers did not marry models. David Bailey was, of course, the exception to prove the rule - Catherine Denueve, Marie Helvin …
But you have to realise that these girls know they are lookers and they know the guys with serious wads - City guys - who want that arm candy and who can give them a very good time and expensive stuff.
There were a couple of really lovely girls with whom I should have made a better job of being a deux but I was stupid and the opportunities passed.
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Yah, I think if you use it mid-autumn to mid-spring, Iberia.
But even the Spanish find their summers gruelling
I absolutely love Portugal, the people and the food (was there for the first time 30 years ago and a few trips in the last few years show that the people are as humble, modest and friendly as they were back then). The only thing that limits me is my budget - property in Portugal seems to be much more expensive but I’ll definitely keep an eye out Many thanks
I always thought Portugal was cheap. The further North and East you go, the cheaper it gets I think.
On 70K I’d think of a Canal Boat on the Brest Canal…but that’s just me
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Hi
Lived there for 10 years some 15 years ago. Uk then now in France.
I still have friends there. The key is to get what you want out of it. I seen them come and go. Remember that Spain Southern that is people live out doors. So a small 1 or 2room in a Spanish barrio will get you close to the sea and into the culture. You only need to sleep there and maybe have a meal. Keep away from developments and golf areas tennis clubs private developments etc they are expensive and made to extract money. Community fees are never ending. If you’re looking for a holiday/ rental that’s a different thing and there are many people willing to take money.
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Hi Guru - that sounds good. The barrio is a better option and as you say you’re outside most of th time. I’ll definitely steer clear of the communes and agree re the community fees (would be a pain to still have to pay 300-500 pa especially when retired) and it would be nicer to merge in with the Spanish community. Many thanks for the info and advice
An interesting topic - we asked the same question, though for first home brexit purposes. Criteria were sun, healthcare, size, food, wine, tax, language - more or less in that order. Not availability of guiness. All the southern europe countries were weighed up - Greece, Italy (scicily), portugal (too small - healthcare?)
Spanish is the most beautiful language. The music is mostly great - andalucia? Healthcare OK but weakening following the recession(s). I believe the people are really warm.
In the end it was france for healthcare, food, wine and tax. Where in France yet to be decided - but I am 30 minutes from spain - haven’t yet been over the border yet though, covid, work etc…
I think the heat is different - (many will / might not agree) - it’s drier, not so muggy? And you get used to it, now i think if its 20 degrees it’s cool… 25 is warmish. many people have commented though it seems a different year weather wise. Also consider the wind - some parts it blows 40-50 km / hour for a week at a time.
And ask yourself and your loved one’s - where would you like to retire! you might be able to save up!
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Our son, when he was at boarding school, went on a school trip to France. He apparently learnt that Cabin Crew call Brits “hotnits”…
Asked where the phrase comes from, he was told “well, the first thing they say when at the door of the aircraft is 'ot, innit!” 
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that’s hilarious !!! funny but true
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