Location guides

France has a way of making the case for itself without trying too hard. The food, the wine, the landscape, the architecture, the train network - almost every practical argument for where to live in Europe eventually circles back to France as a strong contender.

Geographically, it is one of the most varied countries on the continent. The Alps run along the eastern border with Switzerland and Italy, home to Mont Blanc and some of the most famous ski resorts in the world. The Pyrenees form a natural boundary to the south with Spain. To the north and west, the Atlantic coastline stretches from Brittany and Normandy down through the Basque Country. The Mediterranean coast brings a completely different climate again. In between: the vineyards of Burgundy and Bordeaux, the lavender fields of Provence, the châteaux of the Loire Valley, and the wide agricultural plains of the north. Few countries offer this range in a single border.

Paris is the obvious starting point for any conversation about France, and its reputation is, on balance, deserved. But the France that most people actually end up living in is the provincial one: Bordeaux with its wine trade and handsome 18th-century architecture, Lyon with its extraordinary restaurant culture and easy access to the Alps, Montpellier's growing university and tech scene, Nantes on the Atlantic, or any of hundreds of smaller towns that offer a quality of life that Paris prices make impossible. Property in rural France, in particular, remains startlingly affordable by western European standards.

French food is a subject that deserves its own section. This is where the modern concept of the restaurant was invented, where appellations d'origine were developed to protect regional produce, and where cheese alone comes in more than 300 named varieties. The markets - covered marchés in larger cities and weekly outdoor markets in small towns - are generally excellent and remain central to how people actually shop. Wine runs through almost everything: Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Côtes du Rhône, Alsace, the Loire, Languedoc - each with its own character and, if you are willing to buy regional rather than famous labels, remarkably good value.

On practical matters, France has one of the best-regarded healthcare systems in the world, with the Sécurité Sociale providing universal coverage for legal residents and a consistently high standard of care. The rail network is exceptional - the TGV connects Paris to Marseille in three hours, to Lyon in under two, and to Bordeaux in just over two, with services extending across the country and into neighbouring countries. Beyond Paris, France has major international airports in Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Bordeaux, Nantes and Toulouse, making it straightforward to stay connected to wherever home used to be.