The south has had a lot of attention from holiday home buyers ever since the European Union relaxed the borders. British, Germans, Hollanders, Belgians, every country within driving distance has people with holiday homes in this area. This has raised the prices quite considerably. My French family have a holiday home in the area and it has nearly tripled in price in the last 8 years.

Plenty of old farm houses around you could renovate. Just be wary that houses here can be a lot older than in Australia and you can find unusual problems if renovating. A lot of great small villages around too which have pretty houses popular for holiday homes.

Check out the Languedoc region, a mountainous wine area full of beautiful, small villages and friendly locals, one hour from the sea, local markets with amazing wine and food and the world's best looking baker's wife working at one of the bakeries. I spent some time there last summer and thought it a treat. R.L Stevenson wrote about his journey through there in Travels with a Donkey.

You can get by without the language but as anywhere it is better if you can communicate. If you blatanly refuse to speak French then it is considered rude but if you make an effort or try, even if your French is extremely limited than people are always receptive.