A rural paradise and surprisingly affordable in South of France
Peter Mayle’s enchanting memoir A Year in Provence continues to lure expats to the South of France.
It’s more than 30 years since Peter Mayle seduced millions of readers with his best-selling memoir A Year in Provence. His charming tales of lavender fields, quirky locals and renovating an old French farmhouse had people across the globe dreaming of a move to the South of France to find their own little piece of rural paradise.
Not much has changed in the ensuing decades. The region now boasts a vast and thriving expat community of Australian, British and American families who have been lucky enough to follow suit and buy Provençal homes of their own in recent years.
Indeed, in this pandemic world where property prices in cities have boomed, the fantasy of living in the South of France has never been more attainable.
Houses in the region are surprisingly affordable, especially compared to cities such as Sydney, London and Paris.
Considering the relatively low cost of living in France (21 per cent less than Australia, according to Expatistan, a cost-of-living calculator that allows you to compare the cost of living between cities around the world) and high quality of life, it’s easy to see why growing numbers of people are considering making the move.
Nobody knows this better than Lydia and John Dean, who first moved to Provence from Orlando, Florida, in 2001. They were looking for their own version of a year in Provence in the form of a short sabbatical but soon found that it felt like home.
“Life in the US was a bit money-focused and we felt there was more out there in the world for us,” Lydia says.
“So figured we’d come to Provence and clear our heads. But six months in we absolutely fell in love with the region. At the one-year mark, when we should have been going home, we bought a house that we then renovated.”
It was a bold decision to make, especially at a time when English-speaking expats were still relatively rare in the area. “We felt very alone when we moved first over here,” Lydia says. “We spoke a little bit of French but we knew nothing about renovations in France and we put ourselves in an area that wasn’t touristy. We just jumped in.”
The Deans returned to the US in 2007 while their three children were in school, before returning to Provence once again a decade later. During their time in the US they set up a successful villa rental service Only Provence and a charitable foundation.
Then in 2018, back in France, they established Provence Life, an agency that helps a largely expat clientele through the process of buying and closing on properties in the area, as well as providing some guidance and support with renovation, decoration and preparation for seasonal rentals.
“It’s interesting, after what went through, that later in life we built businesses around supporting people with the property process in Provence,” Lydia says.
“It came from our own experiences and we wanted to help with making decisions easier for other people by putting together all the resources they might need for the process of buying a house here.”
With the help of a French-speaking buyer’s agent it is possible to navigate the sometimes tricky elements of the French real estate system, and it usually takes four months to settle on a property from the time of the initial offer.
Although many properties were snapped up during the pandemic by Parisians looking for more space and sunshine, the Deans say there are still many opportunities in the area for buyers.
“It’s still really good value when you compare to markets in Paris or London, and when you consider what you get in terms of culture and lifestyle,” John says.
“People come here to enjoy the outdoors and to do things like hiking, biking, gardening and visiting markets. Everything slows here and it’s really family-oriented.”
On their books they have a range of interesting properties including a five-bedroom stone farmhouse near the town of Apt, which boasts the largest outdoor market in Provence, on the market for €750,000 ($1.1m).
There is a stunning five-bedroom house near picturesque Lourmarin, one of the prettiest villages in France that was also home to Peter Mayle and his wife Jennie for more than 20 years.
Featuring extensive gardens and a heated swimming pool, it’s on the market for €2.48m ($3.7m).
A beautifully restored 17th century farmhouse in Le Thor near Avignon with seven ensuite bedrooms, swimming pool and 13,250sq m of land is in on the market for €2.56m ($3.8m).
The numbers are tempting but the Deans encourage anyone considering a move to Provence to do their research. Spend some time in the area first and rent a house to get a taste of the region and explore the villages.
Visas also need to be considered, especially if you’re looking to make a more permanent move and would like to work remotely.
“Remote work has really changed things because one of the things lacking here is employment opportunities,” John says.
“But with new technology and Zoom, more working people live here now.”