Gascony, France

Each town has its claim to fame, but only the capital of the region, Auch, could be said to offer every amenity one might need in one place…

Unless you choose to settle in this small city, life here is lived hopping within the system of villages, which, between them, will provide you with all life’s necessities.

To do your shopping, you might need to hit a few towns—one for a bakery, another for a produce market, another for its modern supermarket, and another for its hardware store… and don’t expect that they’ll all be open on the same day.

Once you’ve become accustomed to the opening times of all your various stops, this style of errand-running will become second nature.

Having to travel a bit—say 15 to 25 minutes in between villages—comes with a hidden benefit. It allows you to become intimately acquainted with your entire region, make friends in each town, and affords you a kind of socializing that you wouldn’t have if you lived a more modern lifestyle.

By village hopping every few days in Gascony, you’ll soon become a recognizable fixture in your new region.

Another aspect of life in gascony that draws foreigners—more of whom live here than you might expect for such an off-grid location—is the quality of fresh, organic food available as well as the local importance of sustainable farming.

From the local breed of cow (the muscular Blonde d’Aquitaine) raised for its famously high-quality and tender beef to the duck and geese that dominate local cuisine… and from the tasty melons, stone fruit, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, and eggplant to the abundant wheat and corn… this is a foodie’s paradise.

With a long growing season and strong tradition of wine and Armagnac production, a gourmand couldn’t do better than setting up here.