Mont-de-Marsan, France

Capital City

With a population of just 31,592, Mont-de-Marsan is a sleepy provincial backwater, far removed from the glitz and glamour of Paris. The city's economy revolves around agriculture, forestry, and the military - hardly the stuff of dreams for most expats. And while the Donjon Lacataye and Despiau-Wlérick Museum offer a bit of local flavor, the overall cultural scene is decidedly provincial.

Bureaucracy is a persistent headache here, with the French Air Force's experimentation center dominating civic life. And the climate, while temperate, is often gray and rainy - not exactly the sunny retirement destination many seek.

In short, Mont-de-Marsan is best suited for those content with a quiet, rural French existence, far from the bustle of the big city. The rest of us would do well to look elsewhere.