Bonjour
@d333gs - you are so lucky to be having this surgery in France as you will get those 4 weeks in a rehab ! No other country, as far as I know, other than perhaps Germany, gives rehab to patients after surgery. I have a friend who moved to France, had knee surgery and then got a couple of weeks rehab in a lovely place where they looked after her so well. Why don't other countries offer rehab as it helps patients on the best road to a full recovery and they don't have to worry about getting a recliner or whatever for at home, they don't have to worry about cooking and all the other things that you would find harder at home, and you will get physio to help with healing too.
The south of France is the most beautiful part of the world. We have a house in the Langeudoc (about an hour from the coast too but right on the edge of fantastic walking country) which unfortunately with Brexit and issues managing it from the UK we are selling