If you had visions of sitting on a patio overlooking the countryside and drinking a glass of wine, then chances are you have never lived in France. France offers those who choose to live in rural communities more than the surface glimpse may portray. Of course, the countryside is beautiful. Of course, there is plenty of wine to be had, but those are not the most important aspects of rural living within the borders of France. What is more typical is waking in the morning and being very glad to be alive. That comes from going back to basics that people in commercial worlds may have left far behind them. It’s like stepping into the past, but it’s a very rich past which makes you a stronger kind of person.

The first thing that you will notice when you wake up in rural France is that the birdsong is very strong indeed. There’s a silence to the world that is only broken by the birds and the occasional acorn hitting the roof of the house. Of course, seasons are more apparent because there is so much space for everyone to live in, though the birds are an all year round part of living here. The country lanes don’t have street lights and the darkness of night is intense. It’s as if the world stopped turning, but it’s also so peaceful. With populations of little hamlets being so sparse, it’s unlikely you will be woken up by vehicles, though on Sundays in the Autumn, you may get woken by dogs whining as this is the hunt season.

Rural France offers so much. Gardens are large and need constant work. The house that you are likely to live in will need renovation as people here don’t tend to go in for modernity. Kitchens are basic at best and modern conveniences minimal. There’s no dishwasher because putting dishwasher waste into the septic tank would mean too much is being demanded of the tank. People make do and you learn to go with the flow. There doesn’t seem to be any oneupmanship, so you never need to worry about keeping up with the neighbors. As long as you have a table for mealtimes, you really will be able to welcome the French into your home. The dining or kitchen table is the center of hospitality, and it’s usual to serve visitors with either a small coffee or a glass of something heartwarming.

The postman comes in a van and leaves the letters in a box located on the outside wall of homes. It’s an obligation to have a box big enough to take anything you expect to receive and that it is placed at a certain height. It’s the little rules that make life in rural France amusing. Another example is the introduction of having to carry a bright orange vest in the car in case of emergencies. This has to be within easy reach of the driver, or you can be fined. It’s laughable really because so many cars are driving along country roads with their bright orange vests on display, but they will probably never be used.

Social life within a rural community is good. People get together and enjoy social events. The village fete, the school fete and the old age pensioner’s dance all form part of what’s expected to happen within a village. All of this is organized by a committee of people who live within each village. Things that are good about this is that it’s easy to meet people. The social side of life is geared toward people never feeling isolated and away from what’s going on locally, though there is never any pressure for you to attend if you don’t want to. Meals that are provided by the community are very good and usually consist of four courses. Expect to drink, expect to be sociable and most of all to get to speak French and to introduce yourself to people. That’s what country living is all about.

Other things that are different about living in the rural parts of France is that you are pretty well catered for with supermarkets being an easy drive from most places and bread depots for those who can’t reach the supermarket regularly. There are also butcher vans, fish vans and even clothes selling vans which pass through rural communities so that you can get what you need. Be prepared for the cold weather, because if you get snowed in, you may not be able to shop for up to a week.

Life in rural France needs to be well thought out. Often there are jobs needed to be done in the home when you buy one, and getting workers can be difficult. Word of mouth is the best recommendation and tradesmen expect you to barter a little on the prices. If a workman answers your request too quickly, you learn that there’s usually a reason they have no work, so beware.

One of the best things about rural life in France is the old-fashioned values. Of course, there are towns in the country where activities are less rural in nature, though in general, the attitude of people is less commercial than in countries such as America or even the United Kingdom. People don’t seem so keen to own technology. They don’t seem pressured by advertisements and kids don’t expect huge Christmas presents. Rural France offers a step away from consumerism. People think of a shopping trip as being a trip to the market to buy vegetables or local cheese, wines and sausages, rather than depending upon technology and gadgets. Yes, they use GPS to get around, but it’s not bought as a gadget. The difference here is that people haven’t forgotten how to communicate other than by cell phones. People say “hello” and greet you with smiles, rather than walking past you with their phone in their hands.

Driving in rural France is a pleasure, though watch out for those roads where there isn’t room for two vehicles, particularly at harvest time, when you are likely to encounter tractors. In this area, it isn’t so much the tractors as the huge machines that are used to gather in the walnuts. The walnut season is a pleasure for drivers. Stopping to pick up a few fresh nuts which have strayed onto the road becomes a pleasure. 

Walking is big on the agenda in rural France as well because the countryside offers so much. Rivers, woodlands and changing of seasons are more apparent here as huge forests are spread all over France and the seasons offer different benefits. For example, the search for mushrooms is huge in France for gastronomic reasons. The French will gladly show you how to use the fruits of the forest to prepare wonderful meals. In autumn, the forest colors change and that’s a pleasure in itself. Leaves turn to a wonderful red or gold as sun shines through the tree tops toward earth. It’s a wonderful place to live, but it demands that you are strong in character, able to speak the local language and be open to giving people the same hospitality as you are offered. It’s very much a give and take society in rural France and that somehow seems to be the way it should be.