Moving to france, location suggestions?

[Theycallmebrown]

I have no real reason other than I want to. Its not for work, and i have no solid plans as of yet, except for roughly april of 2013. I met some guys from Lyon, France while I was in Las Vegas, and they said that they had pretty good mountain biking up there. My wife and I really just want the adventure of living outside america and France has always intrigued us, We have just started studying french so i don't know much but i have a year to learn.
I love mountain biking and would not be willing to give it up just to move somewhere, but i will still need to find work once i get there.
Rent would need to be cheap. We aren't moving until we are out of debt, which is slated for april 2013, and we will sell My car to fund the trip and rent our house out.

We really don't know what were getting in to... anyone have any tips?

It will only be for about a year or so.

[dmx1]

the best mountainbiking is on the east side of France, also you'll be close to Switzerland and Italy if you want to try even more alpine mountainbiking.

[Theycallmebrown]

that much i have figured out already. I was looking for specific cities good to live in. were going up there for 2 weeks to travel around and decide on where we want to move... but i want to have places on my map that im sure to visit to narrow it down

[eric_syd]

that much i have figured out already. I was looking for specific cities good to live in. were going up there for 2 weeks to travel around and decide on where we want to move... but i want to have places on my map that im sure to visit to narrow it down

I think you need to tell us if you want to live in a larger city ( by European standards) and be able to have a kind of social life outside of MTB or if mountain biking is going to be your main focus and you want to live in the mountains.... or if you want to combine a little of both, be in a medium size city not more than 1hr away from the mountains etc...
Annecy and Thonon les Bains in Haute Savoie (North of French Alps) are reknown for their quality of life, are a short drive away from Switzerland.
If you want to ride all year long and think you will prefer a sunny climate, look at the southern Alps (Gap, Sisteron)

[escowagon]

I live in Fontainebleau and the forest is a great place to ride and probably the closest place to Paris. It is absolutely beautiful and some elevation changes, but nothing to serious as far as climbs go.

[genuflektor]

Annecy all the way if you have to go to France.
Easy access to all french Alps, 45' car ride to Jura and Switzerland around the corner.
Liguria in Italy in 4hrs for when the weather is bad in the Alps or you just want to change.
Lyon is a huge city with heavy traffic, probably there are nice things around but far from being the best french location.
If you don't like cold or rain you could also consider the south of France, Provence is a beautiful region with thousands of trails.

[djsurge]

Is there any good riding around Paris?

[dvsalim]

Val d'isere anyone? I'm planning to go to geneva next month and there are world cup events at val d'isere end of july. If possible i'm going to that event and maybe stay for 4 or 5 days. Never been there before. Any suggestion or thought? Tips? Any local mtbrers live nearby? Thanks

[jk]

What kind of riding are you most into Brown? I've ridden lots of places and feel pretty confident I can answer your question, but need to know if you are moving to visit or to ride. If you are only here in yurp for a year and place more emphasis on traveling than riding and the riding isn't what you expected...no biggie. There is not much for woodland singletrack...at least not what I'm used to. Its basically all hiking trails, which means lots of straights to switchbacks. No loops. No twisty-turny rocky-rooty tech stuff. Either out and back or singletrack between dirt roads. I'm used to riding 10, 20 or even 30+ mile singletrack-only loops in the States. Here it isn't an option. Ride up a dirt road and link hiking trails back down. Fountainebleu may be different. If you are into Alpine mtb'ing with a full squish mtb and prefer down to up...there are plenty of places to ride a lift and get your fix.

[euskafreez]

The Alps? If you're looking for winter sports.

If you want to ride all the year long on dry conditions you have no choice : The south. Plus it's the most beautiful part of France. From the French Riviera (near Italy, around Monte Carlo) to the Spanish border (Catalan countries), you'll have around 300 days of sunshine a year.

If you want a nice and cheap place to live in for a year in the South just ask man. Forget about the East side of France as the best part for mountain-biking, no offense but the Garoutage (between the Mediterranean sea and the Pyrenees), the Transvesubienne (Southern Alps to Nice) or the Transbiking events (Pyrennees) are the best AM/Trail races in France, all of them are located in the south.

A nice rider, around a beautiful village in the south hitting superb trails :

[mychikine]

Hi !

Annecy and Provence are quit expensive locations, try the Pyrénées-Orientales, or Ardèche. But there's only small towns... and beautiful mountains !

[toscano]

France is a various country, in my opinion the area next to the Swiss border is not the best part of France.
Central and south parts are stunning, wonderful etc...
For me the best areas are:
south Alps (south of Grenoble)
Provence!!!
Parc national du Mercantour
Cevennes
Next to Lyon is the Auvergne, a very nice area, the best food of France!!!
About west, Pyrenees are specials, but the spanish side is better also for the climate

France is a special country with nice people, so have a nice time!!


PS. 2 weeks to travel around and decide on where we want to move
in my opinion is a short time

[mychikine]

+ 1 for the cevennes which include those departements : Gard, Ardèche, Lozère.

roughly it's the south part of the "massif central". It will be dryer than the Auvergne (Puy de Dome, Haute Loire, Cantal), specialy during spring.

[Tone's]

Doesnt really matter where you live in france, you will want to kill yourself after a month of living with 62 million french people anyway, lol.......

[mychikine]

I presume it's a fine connoisseur of the subject who talk ?

[toscano]

Doesnt really matter where you live in france, you will want to kill yourself after a month of living with 62 million french people anyway, lol.......

...I live with a french wife!!! They are not so bad people, in my opinion they are a good compromise between Italians and Germans, but unlike Italians and Germans they have very valued their territory

[Tone's]

...I live with a french wife!!! They are not so bad people, in my opinion they are a good compromise between Italians and Germans, but unlike Italians and Germans they have very valued their territory

Tosco mate, im only taking the piss mate ( havin a joke ) lol, they are ok the French, only just ok

[brigadier]

When you eat Vegemite you cannot tease french people !

Many french people gave their opinions and as you can read it french people tend to defend their native area.

As for me, born and raised in Paris, not the better place for mountainbiking. So if you tend to taste the french way of life and if you and your wife love mountainbiking, Lyon is a very nice place.

You have les Monts d'Or (Mont Verdun) just a few miles far from the downtown to practice some downhill, Beaujolais and Côte Rotie vineyards are close. 2H far from Paris by Train, 2H far from Marseille by train, close to the Alps, close to Switzerland.

Go to Lyon !

as for mtb near Paris, forêt de Meudon, bois de Fausses Reposes, around Versailles, Fontainebleau.