Can you live in the South of France on a Low Income? (It’s not what you think) #southoffrance

Ajouté : 2026-05-05

[00:00:25]People sometimes comment that it's they think It's strange that we don't eat out much or travel much cuz we live here in the south of France. And I always think strange compared to what cuz we live here on €2,500 a month for two people. And honestly, that amount is pretty good. It's very normal. The only thing that is really unusual is the idea that everyone living here is on some kind of permanent holiday.

[00:01:07]Hello everybody. Welcome back to the channel. And if you're new here, you're so very welcome. I'm Jane and my husband Mike does everything behind the camera.

[00:01:17]We're British, early retired from our original careers. We have no debt. We've paid off the mortgage and we live a thrifty, frugal, and money-saving life here in the foothills of the Pyrenees in Or in the Oxatani region of the south of France. And every Sunday we share with you an aspect of our private life.

[00:01:45]And I put out a video recently about that frugal living is very normal here.

[00:01:52]And I got two comments that I kind of chewed over a little bit and thought, well, I would react to that. And and it the two comments were basically around the fact that we were missing out in some way, that we weren't traveling or we were missing out. And I wanted to share with you that south of France isn't always the stereotype that some people have of it. And actually this and the glory of nature is the realistic south of France that a lot of us live in. So let's get on with the video.

[00:02:35]There's a very strong image that some people have of the south of France that mostly comes from the Riviera. you know the one luxury cars, beach clubs, designer everything and people apparently eating out regularly even 7 days a week while gently retiring into wealth and that exists in very specific places but it's not what most of the south of France looks like. Most of it is ordinary towns, villages and countryside where people are just getting on with life just like the life that we live.

[00:03:33]For context, we live on around €2,500 a month. That's a joint income for two people. And no, that does not mean deprivation and it does not mean sitting at home with a candle and a calculator trying to survive the week. Just means being careful. We know what we spend. We make choices and we prioritize what actually matters to us. And the result is we live a good life. comfortable, secure, content, just not extravagant.

[00:04:19]Something that often gets missed in this conversation is who actually chooses to live here. Yes, of course. There is the predominantly and obviously French population of people who were born and raised here or choose to live here. But also there are people living here from all over the world who have chosen this area very deliberately.

[00:04:48]Not because it's glamorous, but because it's rural, it's peaceful, and it is absolutely beautiful. We're surrounded by the Pyrenees. We're surrounded by farmland, the distance rolling countryside, and small towns where life moves at a slower pace. You hear cowbells in the fields, tree frogs in the evening, and bird song all day long. Children play in and around the villages and playgrounds.

[00:05:25]People are seen cycling instead of using their cars, instead of driving everywhere. And it is a very ordinary kind of beauty, but it's exactly what people come for. Quality of life.

[00:05:56]Now, here's something that often surprises people. The median income of this department of aud,000 euros a year and that means half the population live off less than that. So the idea that everyone here is sipping rosé by the pool in between restaurant trips is creatively optimistic.

[00:06:28]The reality is closer to people working local jobs, people on modest wages, people budgeting carefully every month just like Mike and I do, and plenty of people who simply do not have the disposable income for regular restaurants or holidays.

[00:06:59]One of the biggest misunderstandings is that life here is permanently relaxed or even indulgent, but most people are not eating out on a regular basis. Most people are not traveling on a regular basis. Most people are not living in houses with pools. In fact, most people or many people do not even have a garden. They live in apartments or smaller houses that are practical and life still works.

[00:07:45]>> So, what does everyday life actually look like here?

[00:07:51]It looks like supermarkets, not always beachside or rural restaurants. It looks like weekly markets where people shop carefully for what they need, not extravagantly.

[00:08:07]It looks like secondhand shops that are very much part of normal life and not a quirky lifestyle choice. It looks like people using and socializing in public parks like this and public spaces because the truth is public space here is life. You don't need a pool or a garden when you've got lakes and rivers and mountains and countryside all around you.

[00:08:49]Oh, let's have a think about this one.

[00:08:50]And honestly, if everyone here was living that kind of south of France lifestyle that people think about, there'd be a lot fancier cars parked outside the bakery. And actually, most people are just driving a regular car.

[00:09:06]and someone seriously debating just what kind of bread they're going to buy that day. Those are major life decisions, not what restaurants am I going to go to or should we pop down to Spain or Portugal or pop off to Italy because we live geographically in such a wonderful place.

[00:09:31]So what's interesting is that life here isn't at either extreme.

[00:09:38]It's certainly not all wealthy retirees and immigrants leaving living any kind of luxury life. And it's also not hardship and struggling either. Although there are people with hardship and there are people who are struggling. There's kind of a middle ground of people living within their means in this stunning and beautiful environment.

[00:10:19]Now, here's the key. People live here and stay here.

[00:10:25]Not because of those stereotypical views of what they think the south of France is, but because of the quality of rural life here. This environment is our luxury.

[00:10:41]You can't put into words how peaceful and wonderful it is to live in amongst all of this nature.

[00:10:53]Who needs regular restaurants or trips anywhere else where this is our everyday reality? Rain, shine, freezing cold winter, snow on top of the hills or beautiful sunshine on a spring day like today or even, you know, keeping cool in the summer heat.

[00:11:17]This is also the south of France. The rural south of France, the farming south of France, the wine producing south of France, the meat producing south of France, the beautiful south of France.

[00:11:33]It is not all trips. It is not all restaurants. We live here really comfortably and really happily. So, I hope I I answered those queries and those questions as as best I could. Thanks for watching.

[00:11:51]Leave me a comment. Do you recognize this as beauty? Do you recognize this as worth far more than money? And I'll see you on the next video. Bye.