Choosing to retire to Aude is to choose a new life in one of France’s most varied regions. Set in the south of the country, between the Pyrenees mountains and Mediterranean coastline, Aude is a land of olives, wine and rich history.

Scattered with villages and small towns, Aude has properties to suit many styles of retirement. Small cottages with parcels of land for growing herbs and vegetables. Many-bedroom townhouses for hosting large groups of family and friends. And country villas with private pools and extensive gardens where you can enjoy the Aude’s generous summers.

It’s no surprise the region is becoming more popular, especially among US buyers.

Before buying property in Aude, the best way to get a sense of retirement in France is the all-important viewing trip, where you visit towns and villages and view properties. That’s where you’ll get a feeling for the landscape and the people. But before even that, you can research the practicalities of everyday life: where to visit, what to eat, what big local events will fill your calendar and how you will travel around your new home.

That’s what you’ll find below, a glimpse of your day-to-day retired life in Aude.

Retire to Aude for fine wines and farmers’ markets

The sweeping landscape of Aude, with its flat farmlands, hillsides given over to olive groves and access to the Mediterranean sea supports a varied and rich lifestyle. These farms and coastlines feed the local bars and restaurants.

The real highlight for retirees in Aude is the opportunity to shop at the various farmers’ markets in different towns and cities. Lézignan-Corbières, an area that produces nearly half of Aude’s wine, has a market every Wednesday. Limoux, home to one of the country’s oldest sparkling wines, Blanquette de Limoux, hosts an extensive produce market every Friday.

Image: arenysam via Shutterstock

To embrace the spirit of the region, you should take the time to visit the region’s festivals. The Carnival of Limoux is one of the longest in the world, taking place over nearly three months. Every weekend from the middle of January to the end of March sees bands in traditional Pierrot costumes parade through the town.

Over the Palm Sunday weekend ahead of Easter, one of the villages around Limoux and Saint-Hilaire hosts a two-day gastronomy festival sponsored by the Sieur d’Arques wine cooperative. Each year a different village is selected to hold the Toques et Clochers festival so it’s a great opportunity to see more of the region you will call home.

It’s easy to remain active when you retire to Aude

The geography of Aude caters to many tastes. The lowlands in the center of the country enjoy hot summers and mild winters, allowing for walking and cycling most of the year. To the south of Limoux, in the mountains, you can find hiking and skiing. And to the southeast you can reach the Mediterranean coast for long days of swimming or relaxing on the beach.

It only takes two hours to drive across the region putting all of these exploits within easy reach.

The Camurac ski resort near Limoux has over 15 km of slopes to explore, with 11 different runs ranging from green to black. The season tends to begin in December and carries through until March.

Aude is dotted with history and sights of natural beauty. The medieval walled city of Carcassonne is most talked about. Its architecture tells of its strategic importance to different empires over the centuries, with old Roman walls incorporated into the later French defenses. Though that is just one of the region’s great draws.

The Abbey of St. Mary of Lagrasse is 35km from Carcassonne

Across Aude there are many abbeys and ancient fortified towns you can easily travel between by car or used as landmarks for days spent hiking or cycling. If you’re feeling adventurous, there are also many natural caves that can be explored solo or with the help of a guide. Retire to Aude and you will quickly find your own favourite spots to take guests to throughout the year.

Prefer to spectate? Aude also plays host to two great French past times: cycling and rugby. Twice a year, in May and August, there are great cycling tours that cut through the countryside. As a local, you can cheer the cyclists on from the sidelines. Aude is also home to three of the country’s best rugby teams – Carcassonne, Lézignan and Limoux. Embrace the sport by attending games in person or join the locals in the pub to celebrate (or commiserate) in front of the television.

Retire to Aude for warm summers and mild winters

Aude offers a breadth of geography you would struggle to find anywhere else in France and wider Europe. You would be retiring to a landscape of rolling fields given over to sheep and cattle, hillsides painted with vineyards and olive groves, snow-topped mountain forests of fir trees and Mediterranean coastline swept by warm seas.

Aude has more sunny days than most of the rest of France

You will need to wrap up warm in winter, as the average high in January is just shy of 10°C with the possibility of snow. However, making up for that chill is the summer when you can expect most days to be nearly 30°C. You can also feel a little smug about it, because Aude has more sunny days than most of the rest of France.

Easy to visit and well-connected to the rest of France

Plane

Served by multiple regional and international airports, Aude is easily accessible. Carcassonne, Toulouse and Montpellier all offer cheap, short flights to and from the UK, so family and friends are never far away.

You can buy a return flight to the UK for as little as £30.

Car

Major trunk roads, like the A61, allow swift travel by car between the major cities. A web of smaller roads makes it possible to reach the town or village you will call home. You can retire to Aude without a car, but village like may make one essential. Especially as you may need to travel for groceries.

You can use the A9 to travel south to Barcelona and Valencia beyond. It takes just three hours to drive from Carcassonne to Barcelona, making day trips into Spain viable.

Train

France’s impressive trainline, the TGV, also connects Aude to the rest of the country. There are major stations in Carcassonne, Narbonne, Lézignan-Corbières, Bram, Leucate-La Franqui, Port la Nouvelle, Toulouse and Perpignan.

The rapid train makes it simple to see the what the rest of France has to offer all year round. It takes less than six hours to get from Carcassonne to Paris, making weekend excursions a breeze.

Homes to suit every need, from rural small cottages to grand townhouses

While there are many English-speakers and international residents in Aude, we’d advise learning the language. This is especially true if you plan to live in a more rural location. Consider renting a home in one of the cities or larger towns while you conduct your property search. These larger centers are where you will find many English-speakers and they can advise on areas to search for a home.

Image: Stephen M Brooks via Shutterstock

When it comes to narrowing down your search, use the Villes Fleuries catalogue. The Villes Fleuries is a scheme that’s been rating municipalities across France for more than 60 years. It’s like the Michelin star for villages. A village with the coveted four flower rating is recognised for its protection of the environment, celebration of France’s botanical heritage and the quality of local activities.

There are many affordable properties across the region, with two-bedroom cottages selling for €100,000. With a budget of €300,000 you can find three- and four-bedroom homes within cities, such as Limoux. You can even find homes with four- or five-bedrooms near popular destinations like Carcassonne for €400,000.

Those with a budget of €750,000 or more can find substantial properties with seven bedrooms or more. Many also boast private pools and homes replete with historic features and modern renovations.

For an introduction on what is on offer in the region, here are 10 key-ready properties in Occitanie (the name for the wider region of France).