The Languedoc region is the southernmost part of France. The area was a province of France. In recent times Roussillon was added, and the area became a region. The original Languedoc has a fascinating history and even its own language, Occitan, which is similar to Catalan, from just over the border in Spain.
It’s from “Occitan” that the region’s new name is derived. At the beginning of this year, Languedoc-Roussillon was merged with the neighboring Midi-Pyrenees region, and the entire area was renamed Occitanie to become one of France’s 13 new super-regions.
[See: 10 Places to Retire Overseas in 2017.]
Whatever it calls itself, this wine-producing Languedoc area of southern France is one of the old world’s most charming places. The new Occitanie has 13 departments, five from Languedoc-Roussillon and the rest from the Midi-Pyrenees. Particularly interesting from a lifestyle perspective is the Hérault department of the old Languedoc, which has hundreds of inland and coastal villages and towns, two pretty rivers, lots of vineyards, a beautiful National Park, lakes, beaches and good accessibility.
Perhaps the biggest appeal is the cost of owning your own piece of southern France. Prices in Provence push many would-be expats to explore a little farther west. In neighboring Languedoc, you have a similar Mediterranean climate, but property prices are half as much as those in Provence and the Cote d’Azur. Expats of many nationalities, including British, Scandinavians and Dutch, are investing and moving in, creating a welcoming community.
Another increasingly appealing element of life in this part of France is the wine. For decades, the Languedoc produced quantities of quaffable table wine, but nothing notable. However, over the last decade, growers have specialized and are now producing world-ranking red wines from the original Carignan, Cinsaut and Grenache grapes, with the addition of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre varieties.
[See: 5 Top Options for Affordable Retirement in Europe.]
With everything going on recently in France and elsewhere in Europe, you might feel nervous about the idea of visiting or investing in this country right now. However, despite attacks, storms and strikes, France attracted almost 83 million foreign visitors in 2016, maintaining its ranking as the world’s top tourist destination. The recovery of France’s tourism sector has continued through the beginning of 2017.
Thanks to the growing attention the Hérault region in particular is receiving, property values are rising. However, the prices are still attractive to non-French buyers. Properties of character and history with original, mostly 19 th-century features remain very good deals. It’s newly built property that is commanding higher prices.
Three villages of particular appeal in the Hérault department are Cessenon-sur-Orb, St. Chinian and Roquebrun, each within a 20-minute drive of the others. All three sit in the Hérault’s beautiful Orb and Vernazobres valleys where the scenery is fabulous. Each village has all the facilities of comfortable living, including bakeries, mini supermarkets, doctors, restaurants, bars, banks and beauty salons, all within walking distance if you settle in the village proper.
In St. Chinian, a busy market town on the River Vernazobres with a good weekly market, you could buy an 88-square-meter (94-square-foot) refurbished townhouse in move-in condition for 69,000 euros. This property has original red floor tiles, exposed beams, an open fireplace and two non-refurbished attic rooms that could be connected to make a large bedroom or study.
[Read: How to Afford Retirement in Paris.]
Cessenon-sur-Orb is a pretty village within easy access of the River Orb for swimming, fishing and kayaking. Here you could buy a two-bedroom pied-a-terre in the center of the village with a cellar, two storerooms, a courtyard and a terrace for just 79,000 euros.
In Roquebrun, on the River Orb, the houses are perched on a cliff overlooking the river. The village’s cobblestone streets weave up to an ancient tower that dates to the year 900, and the river beach is popular for kayaking. Roquebrun is smaller than St. Chinian and Cessenon and sought-after for vacation rentals. At the entrance to the village is a single-story, detached, 70-square-meter (753-square-foot) house with a cellar and original floor tiles for sale for 182,000 euros.
Kathleen Peddicord is the founder of the Live and Invest Overseas publishing group.
More from U.S. News
The Top Travel Destinations for Retirees
10 Ways to Celebrate Your Retirement
10 Places to Retire on a Social Security Budget
The Old World Charm of Retirement in Southern France originally appeared on usnews.com
