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Nice, France There's a technical hub in the area and multiple universities, along with a lot of English-speaking expats. The weather is amazing and the food i

Nice, France There's a technical hub in the area and multiple universities, along with a lot of English-speaking expats. The weather is amazing and the food is fantastic. I'm from the SF Bay Area and I live here now. Best decision ever.

namdnay 8y ago
Much as I love the 06, I don't think you can say it's somewhere where living costs are low. Tourists and Retirees significantly distort the housing and restaurant markets, to the detriment of those making local wages. That being said, if OP had asked "where can I ski in the morning and swim in the afternoon?", I wouldn't have hesitated :)
the_clarence 8y ago
Nice is probably the last place I would go to in France. Bordeaux and Montpellier are much nicer places.
- namdnay 8y ago
  I guess it depends on what your criteria are. Bordeaux is a lot wetter than Nice, and the extremes in Montpellier can be quite harsh. There are no mountains near Bordeaux, and you need to drive a good 30-45mn out of Montpellier to get anywhere nice. I completely agree that the night life and cultural scene is far better in student cities such as Bordeaux, Lyon, Nantes, Montpellier etc
  - baby 8y ago
    I lived in Lyon almost all my life and I wouldn't call it a student city. It's pretty boring.
    - namdnay 8y ago
      That's a bit unfair, isn't it? I liked Lyon, the city centre is just the right size, great restaurants, a nice selection of different bars, from cheap pub to fancy cocktail bars. It's a lot cheaper, a lot younger, and a lot more vibrant than anything on the mediterranean
      - baby 8y ago
        How long have you stayed there though? And when was it? I feel like the last 5 years have been good for the city, it has seen a lot of new restaurants and bars. Also, there are now real chinese restaurants which blows my mind. It's still pretty hard to find a bar with people during the week though, unless you're going to the vieux Lyon but then it's not that big either. Check Bordeaux, Montpellier, Toulouse, Lille, Strasbourg, Rennes, etc. They have a way more vibrant life and way more students. Restaurants are not that great in Lyon either compared to the rest of France I find.

namdnay 8y ago

Much as I love the 06, I don't think you can say it's somewhere where living costs are low. Tourists and Retirees significantly distort the housing and restaurant markets, to the detriment of those making local wages. That being said, if OP had asked "where can I ski in the morning and swim in the afternoon?", I wouldn't have hesitated :)

the_clarence 8y ago

Nice is probably the last place I would go to in France. Bordeaux and Montpellier are much nicer places.

namdnay 8y ago
I guess it depends on what your criteria are. Bordeaux is a lot wetter than Nice, and the extremes in Montpellier can be quite harsh. There are no mountains near Bordeaux, and you need to drive a good 30-45mn out of Montpellier to get anywhere nice. I completely agree that the night life and cultural scene is far better in student cities such as Bordeaux, Lyon, Nantes, Montpellier etc
- baby 8y ago
  I lived in Lyon almost all my life and I wouldn't call it a student city. It's pretty boring.
  - namdnay 8y ago
    That's a bit unfair, isn't it? I liked Lyon, the city centre is just the right size, great restaurants, a nice selection of different bars, from cheap pub to fancy cocktail bars. It's a lot cheaper, a lot younger, and a lot more vibrant than anything on the mediterranean
    - baby 8y ago
      How long have you stayed there though? And when was it? I feel like the last 5 years have been good for the city, it has seen a lot of new restaurants and bars. Also, there are now real chinese restaurants which blows my mind. It's still pretty hard to find a bar with people during the week though, unless you're going to the vieux Lyon but then it's not that big either. Check Bordeaux, Montpellier, Toulouse, Lille, Strasbourg, Rennes, etc. They have a way more vibrant life and way more students. Restaurants are not that great in Lyon either compared to the rest of France I find.