I can't contribute as not having been in a similar plight but reading your post I think your mind is already made up in favour of France and perhaps you seek confirmation of that?
Keeping your other half happy is important and as you both get older and spend more time with each other that's a key consideration. If you went UK and she hated it then it might lead to other problems.
Trust your gut feel, me sitting here in miserable UK weather creates a bias.. And as others have said its only a hop away.
