Every so often, we feel it—a quiet urge to step away from the noise and rediscover space to breathe.
For some, that means a vine-draped terrace in a walkable city rich with history and charm. For others, it’s a stone farmhouse set amid sprawling acres of vineyard.
These aren’t investment plays or portfolio pieces. They’re personal sanctuaries—places that speak to a slower rhythm and a deeper kind of joy.
And while they may not meet the strict investment filters I use to run the rule over potential deals for members of my Real Estate Trend Alert group, they can still earn their keep. With the right location and appeal, your retreat can fund itself through occasional rentals. After all, what draws you—the quiet, the beauty, the slow life—will draw others too.
My RETA scouts and I travel the world to find the rare 1% of properties that meet our criteria. But along the way, we discover places that may not double your money… yet could absolutely double your happiness. Take the region around Bordeaux…
Bordeaux is one of the most attractive and appealing cities in France.
It’s a place steeped in history—with more protected buildings than any city in the country outside Paris. And of course, it’s a global center of wine production. The world-renowned vineyard regions of Saint-Émilion and Médoc lie just beyond the city.
Bordeaux is one of France’s most historic cities, with more protected sites that any other French city except Paris.
Some years back, my scout Eoin Bassett explored the city and was deeply impressed. “I was in Bordeaux not long after the pandemic began to ease, and what I found was a city quietly thriving,” he says.
“Most people, if they know the name, associate it with wine. But Bordeaux is a city in its own right—a regional capital with deep roots and a long history of trade, culture, and wealth. It’s not flashy, but it has presence. The limestone buildings glow honey-gold in the late afternoon, and the city feels ordered, calm, and confident.
“I spent time wandering markets—Capucins, Chartrons—places where locals shop daily, chatting with butchers, cheese-mongers, and oyster sellers. The food is exceptional, not just in the markets but across the board. Even modest restaurants take pride in doing things right. I ate simply and well. You get the sense here that good living isn’t aspirational—it’s expected,” says Eoin.
Located in southwestern France, Bordeaux is one of the country’s most attractive and livable cities.
When Eoin visited, a noticeable shift was underway. Prices were climbing, pushed by an influx of Parisians who’d begun relocating in earnest, drawn by Bordeaux’s lower cost of living, access to high-speed trains, and overall quality of life.
Many could now work remotely, and Bordeaux—just two hours from Paris by TGV—suddenly made sense. This is a pattern that’s played out across France. My scout Ciaran saw the same in Nantes.
“But while the newcomers were reshaping demand, the city itself felt unchanged at its core,” says Eoin. “Bordeaux drips with old money. Merchant wealth. Wine wealth. It has been prosperous for centuries, and it wears that history lightly but unmistakably.”
The lifestyle in Bordeaux remains exceptional, even if the property prices have pushed significantly higher. But there is a lifestyle play here…
Just outside the city of Bordeaux lie some of the most famous wine-growing regions in the world.
Look across France and you’ll find vast numbers of incredible hideaways at bargain prices. But the problem is that many of these properties are so remote, they would present everyday lifestyle challenges.
Look to the attractive towns 40 minutes to an hour outside Bordeaux, however, and you can live the idyllic French lifestyle, with everything Bordeaux offers right on your doorstep.
Here’s a listing that exemplifies this point…
This traditional farmhouse is a little farther from Bordeaux, about an hour and 10 minutes away, in the village of Gensac.
It sits on 0.8-acre plot, and offers four bedrooms across almost 2,000 square feet of living space. Like the home above, this home screams that rural French ideal, with window shutters, a large fireplace and attractive wooden beams throughout. It also has a double-door garage and a covered terrace. It’s listed for €329,000.
There aren’t many rentals nearby these homes. The few comparable options are listed online for about $150 to $250 per night in high season, and my take is that occupancy would be sporadic. So these are largely lifestyle plays.
Another factor to keep in mind: Maintenance and upkeep is always a consideration when you buy a larger home on a decent-sized plot of land in a rural location.
If you only want to use your hideaway a few weeks or months of the year, there are easier options…
Here’s an example which recently sold: a 1,000-square-foot luxury apartment is in a historic building in the heart of Libourne, a picturesque market town set along the banks of the Dordogne River about 40 minutes from Bordeaux.
Recently renovated, the two-bed apartment has attractive features including 13-foot-high ceilings and a private terrace overlooking the community courtyard. In the shared basement, there’s a wine cellar. It was on the market for €341,250.
The short-term rates for this home would be similar to the above, though occupancy would be higher as Libourne is a historic town in wine country with some tourism appeal. And given it’s in a market town, you’d have easier access to property and rental managers.
This stunning renovated apartment is in a historic building in the town of Libourne.
Hideaways have their place…but the meat of RETA membership is in the exclusive off-market deals I bring members. Now I’m getting ready to share a new deal. It’s a chance to own a luxury one-bed condo in a Caribbean paradise…from just $178,400. More details soon…
Wishing you good real estate investing,
P.S. If you’re interested in any of these listings you should hire an attorney and do your own due diligence. We haven’t done any due diligence on them.
