From the romance of Paris to the rolling hills of the wine regions, the gastronomic delights, the rich culture and glitz and glamour of the French Riviera, France has it all with many in their Third Age now turning that dream vacation into daily life by retiring to this European nation.

Indeed AARP The Magazine ranked France one of the best places to retire in the world with the Mediterranean seaside region of Languedoc-Roussillon particularly noted due to its “arts and culture, medieval towns and castles”.

And it is in this region, just a 3 hour high-speed train journey from Paris which boasts numerous direct air connections to various cities across the US, where a previously maligned group, the LGBT community, can retire with pride at The Villages Group – Rainbow.

For the first time the “gay and gray” retirement community model, which has proved popular in Florida, has been replicated outside the US offering the growing LGBT baby boomer generation a safe environment to live out their golden years openly gay.

Danny Silver, Founding Partner of The Villages Group, which specializes in properties for those seeking retirement homes with an active lifestyle, comments,

“Our rural French haven, The Villages Group – Rainbow, offers LGTB individuals from the US the opportunity to live an active life together with like-minded people in France for the first time.

“It is due to demand from this growing community that we have launched this new Village; indeed other European developers have explored the new potential niche market however one proposal after another has died on the vine. But I am delighted to say that here at The Villages Group – Rainbow we have the green light to commence construction and the properties will be ready for occupation by early 2015.”

And with up to 3 million LGBT adults in the US over 50 years of age, interest is expected to be high. In fact Danny and his team have already welcomed investors from the US keen to snap up one of the 107 eco villas with full concierge services which occupy the 7 hectare gated site in south west France.

Media interest in this pioneering project is also vast with the Huffington Post announcing that “Gay retirees in France will now have an entire village to call home” and one local resident commenting to the Global Post that “…for village business, it can only be a good thing.”

For more information on retiring to France and the first gay retirement community, The Villages Group – Rainbow contact Danny and his team on +33 1 4007 8625, email info@thevillagesgroup.com or visit http://www.thevillagesgroup.com/rainbow.