Gays and Lesbians Have their First Retirement Community in Europe

The gay community is the newest group to fuel the booming retirement housing market, which already offers developments catering to art enthusiasts, musicians, military veterans, and university alumni.

Baby boomers are the first generation to come of age after the gay rights movements in the 1970s. Further, marriage equality laws recently passed in many countries make many in the LGBT community feel more open and positive about their sexual orientation than previous generations.

Indeed, over the last decade, as attitudes have relaxed and more people live openly gay, there has been a wave of housing projects popping up across the globe to serve the "gay and gray" population. But the idea of building such communities in Europe had not progressed much beyond talk -- until now.

The Villages Group--Rainbow, a 7-hectare gated community of affordable one-level eco-friendly/energy-efficient "village-houses," has been given the green light to commence building. It will be the first “active-living" community for people over 50 from the lesbian and gay community. Nestled in the heart of the Languedoc region of South West France, it will offer concierge services, a hotel, pools, Jacuzzis, a gym, saunas, tennis courts, a restaurant, a bar, and a full activities program.

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 over 50 years old 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."

Silver continues, "The great weather, French gastronomy, and picturesque location provide perfect reasons to spend your latter years here across the Channel. Coupled with increasing tolerance towards the gay community and the legalization of gay marriage, The Villages Group--Rainbow offers the perfect opportunity to live out your days with pride."

Attitudes are changing fast in France. In fact, it was only in May of this year that gay marriage was legalized; the first gay couple married in June near the town of Montpellier, the capital of Languedoc-Roussillon -- also known as the "French San Francisco" for its gay-friendly outlook.

For more information about retiring with pride at The Villages Group--Rainbow, call +33 1 4007 8625, email info(at)thevillagesgroup(dot)com or visit http://www.thevillagesgroup.com/rainbow/ .

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