Discover Brittany and Normandy’s Old-World Charm and Closeness to Home
France is a popular option with British expats, with many choosing to settle in the northern regions of Brittany and Normandy. The picturesque coastal cities and towns in these regions are renowned for their coastal landscapes, medieval architecture and rich cultural heritage. The cherry on the cake? They are just a ferry ride away from the UK!
Let’s explore why Brittany and Normandy provide a seamless transition of life for British expats.
Visiting Family Back Home is a Breeze
Situated next to each other in the northern part of France, both Brittany and Normandy offer multi-modal ways to visit your home back in Britain with ease. The options are via ferry, car ferry, train, bus, or plane.
The short distance across the English Channel is one of the main reasons many Brits choose Brittany and Normandy. It’s convenient to ferry back and forth for holidays and special occasions and to touch base with family and friends back in the UK.
Living the French Countryside Dream
Another compelling reason to choose Brittany or Normandy is their almost enchanting, idyllic living experience. Both offer vast expanses of picturesque scenery — from rugged coastlines to charming fishing villages, green farmlands, and quaint stone cottages.
Retirees or even digital nomads can draw solace and inspiration from the tranquil landscapes and easy-going way of life.
While Normandy and Brittany share several similarities, each has a unique charm of its own. Let’s explore each in detail to help you decide which one would suit your needs.
Brittany
Also called Bretagne, Brittany is a peninsular region in the northwesternmost part of France. It is further away from Paris, but its stunning beaches, cliffs, and relaxing views and vibe make it worth settling in if you want none of the crowds and all of nature’s peace and quiet.
Compared to Normandy, which also boasts stunning shores, Brittany offers a more diverse coastline, including the Pink Granite Coast and the Emerald Coast. Brittany also teems with sea bounty, dairy, and fresh produce.
Some of the towns and cities that many expats find welcoming are the capital Rennes, Brest, Dinard, Vannes, Quimper, and Saint-Malo, where rental apartments are relatively cheaper as compared to Paris and other large, cosmopolitan French cities.
Local Culture
Brittany shares its Celtic roots and traits with Cornwall in the UK, making it feel close to home for many Brits in the south. The area is steeped in folklore and traditions, including festivals like the Fest Noz, which features lively folk dances and soulful bagpipes.
With thousands of British expats already living in Brittany, you can find strong community support and join expatriate organisations that can help you easily assimilate with your new home.
Cuisine
Brittany boasts an abundance of seafood, dairy and fresh produce, and its many traditional dishes are a reflection of the region’s maritime and agricultural heritage. You can partake of fresh lobster, mussels and oysters or try a wide variety of crepes and galettes—a type of savoury pancake that highlights local ingredients.
Brittany is also a prominent cider-producing area, with a wide variety of dry and sweet ciders on offer.
Weather
Due to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, the region enjoys comfortably warm summers and mild winters. Being by the coast also means you can experience heavy rainfall and high humidity.
Scenic Features
Aside from its diverse and rugged coastlines, Brittany also has its own version of Stonehenge— the Carnac Stones. These are a collection of megalithic sites of around 3,000 prehistoric stones built by the ancient settlers of the area.
Brittany also teems with moors, fjords, lush forests and idyllic fishing and farming villages that look like something straight out of a fairytale.
Finding a Home
Brittany’s capital, Rennes, is considered by many Brit expats as a pleasantly liveable city where finding work and settling in are relatively easy. The average cost of buying a house in the city is about €3,500 to €4,500 per square meter. However, prices can vary depending on the neighborhood, type of property, and other factors.
For those interested in renting, there are also flats of different sizes available. More affordable properties are available outside the city and these can be renovated for either residential or business use. Coastal homes tend to be pricier due to the scenic views on offer.
Economy and Employment Opportunities
Brittany’s industries include agriculture, tourism, hospitality, fisheries, maritime, technology, and digital professions. Brit expats may apply for English-speaking jobs in these industries after complying with requirements like visas and other necessities based on their residency or nature of work status.
You must also have a work permit, which may be an endorsement on your residence permit or a separate document. Newcomers may also work through a TEFL (Teach English as a Foreign Language) role while finding their footing in their careers in the French territory.
Healthcare
Post Brexit, British expats are required to have health insurance via private healthcare providers. There’s wide access to medical facilities and professionals although Brits may need to go to cities or areas with a large expat concentration for English speaking healthcare services.
Normandy
Normandy has a more balanced rural and urban vibe as compared to Brittany because of its proximity to Paris and other tourist attractions. However, it still retains that old-world charm. Cliffs, cheese, cider, and chateaus abound in Normandy, thanks to its coasts and culture.
Normandy has historical ties with the UK via the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. It is also known for its Viking heritage, Norman influences and its place in WWII history for the D-Day landing of Allied forces on its beaches in 1944. The Seine River, The Bayeux Tapestry, and the Mont Saint-Michel are among its iconic attractions.
This historically rich region is also the home of Joan of Arc, writer Gustave Flaubert, and French impressionist painter Claude Monet. Like Brittany, it also boasts stunning coastlines, lush expanses of green and quaint towns—but Normandy’s architectural heritage is mostly Gothic and Romanesque.
Local Culture
Normandy’s Norseman and Viking history is very much evident throughout the region. You can see its influence in the names of places, local dialects as well as in the art, literature, architecture and cuisine. The region's festivals, which often feature historical reenactments of the medieval Norman era, attract thousands of tourists and contribute to its economic vitality.
Cuisine
Like Brittany, Normandy’s cuisine predominantly consists of seafood, dairy and cider. The region is also famous for its cheeses — Camembert, Pont-l'Évêque, and Livarot — and its excellent apple brandy, Calvados. Apart from cheese, the region’s rich and creamy butter is widely used in cooking and baking.
Weather
The weather in Normandy varies a bit from that of Brittany, although both generally have temperate climates, humidity, and distributed rainfall. Inland areas in Normandy are slightly cooler during winter and warmer during summer compared to the coastal parts of Brittany.
Scenic Features
Normandy is known for its striking coastal landscapes, including the magnificent Mont Saint-Michel Abbey, a tidal island French commune that cuts a dramatic figure against the tides. Normandy is also known for its rolling hills, serene rivers and lakes, natural reserves, parks, and historic sites.
Finding a Home
Like in Brittany, housing costs in Normandy are cheaper compared to big cities like Paris and Bordeaux. The average apartment rental cost in Normandy is about €750, while a villa can start from €1200, depending on its seaside proximity. Buying a house can range from €150,000 to over a million, depending on the size, features, and location.
Some towns and cities ideal for British expats include Caen, Barfleur and Honfleur.
Economy and Employment Opportunities
There are a number of multinational companies in Normandy that employ English-speaking expats in tech and trade sectors. Other industries that thrive in the region include maritime, agriculture, tourism and hospitality, manufacturing, education and research.
As in Brittany, British expats in Normandy must have a visa, work permit and any other requirements based on their residency status and work arrangements.
Healthcare
Post Brexit, British expats are no longer covered under the European Health Insurance Card that gave you access to public healthcare. British expats are now required to have healthcare coverage via private insurance providers, supplementary health insurance, or the S1 form for British pensioners.
Normandy has a robust healthcare services sector, and expats can benefit from their services. While the region has English-speaking healthcare providers, some areas may still have language barriers.
Moving Made Easy With Gentlevan Removals
Ready to take the plunge?
Depending on your preferred lifestyle, you can choose between the rural bliss of Brittany or the balanced city-country vibe of Normandy. Both have stunning scenery, great food, rich cultures, and proximity to the UK, making them great options for those wanting to visit home often.
Whichever you choose, you can make your move with ease via the services offered by Gentlevan Removals. We handle all your packing so you can focus on the new life awaiting you in France.
Let us know when you’re ready to go, and we will provide you with an online quote for your packing and/or storage solutions.
Your idyllic life in France awaits!