Best places to retire in France
Top retirement cities in France
- Bordeaux — retire score 70/100 (cost 48, climate 99, safety 69)
- Rouen — retire score 70/100 (cost 50, climate 95, safety 72)
- Angers — retire score 70/100 (cost 49, climate 98, safety 69)
- Perpignan — retire score 70/100 (cost 50, climate 100, safety 67)
- Caen — retire score 70/100 (cost 50, climate 98, safety 69)
- Nantes — retire score 69/100 (cost 47, climate 99, safety 68)
- Rennes — retire score 69/100 (cost 48, climate 98, safety 69)
- Orléans — retire score 69/100 (cost 50, climate 95, safety 69)
- Le Mans — retire score 69/100 (cost 49, climate 97, safety 69)
- Tours — retire score 69/100 (cost 49, climate 96, safety 69)
- Limoges — retire score 69/100 (cost 49, climate 96, safety 69)
- Toulouse — retire score 68/100 (cost 46, climate 99, safety 68)
Why these cities rank for retirement in France
The retire score weights affordability at 40%, climate comfort at 30% and safety at 30%, because fixed-income retirees feel cost most, then weather, then security. In France, Bordeaux leads at 70/100 — cost 48, climate 99, safety 69 — while Cannes is the most affordable base (cost 51/100). Cost is anchored to France's World Bank price level, climate to WorldClim normals (so you can judge whether winters and summers suit you), and safety blends natural-disaster exposure with crime. Two things our score deliberately omits — healthcare quality and retirement-visa eligibility — are decisive for retirees, so treat this as the affordability-climate-safety shortlist and verify health cover and residency rules for France separately before you commit.
The shortlist, by the numbers
Bordeaux scores 70/100 (cost 48, climate 99, safety 69; warmest-month highs ~20.2°C, coldest-month lows ~5.7°C). Rouen scores 70/100 (cost 50, climate 95, safety 72; warmest-month highs ~17.3°C, coldest-month lows ~3.8°C). Angers scores 70/100 (cost 49, climate 98, safety 69; warmest-month highs ~19.3°C, coldest-month lows ~5.1°C). Perpignan scores 70/100 (cost 50, climate 100, safety 67; warmest-month highs ~23.2°C, coldest-month lows ~7.8°C). Each balances the three retirement levers differently — Bordeaux leads overall, while a city like Cannes wins purely on budget — so rank them by what your pension stretches to and the climate your health prefers.
FAQ
Where is the best place to retire in France?
Bordeaux ranks highest in our retirement score (70/100), balancing affordability, mild climate and safety.
Is France a good place to retire?
France's best retirement city scores 70/100; the most affordable is Cannes (cost 51/100). We weigh cost, climate and natural-disaster + crime safety — not healthcare or visas, which you should check separately.
What's the cheapest place to retire in France?
Cannes has the lowest cost of living in France in our data.