In a commune called Cercoux (reputed to be the only one in France called Cercoux because they found a sarcophagus here) at the southern end of the Charente Maritime bordered by the Charente and Gironde. We moved here in 2003 - and stayed. Running two gites as well as living in a converted mill on the river Lary but, with 5 hectares, wondering how long we can continue into old age with all the work involved (5 and a half hours to mow the grass). There are three British couples who live here and about 10 who come out for the summer. 1 Dutch and a Belgian family - that we know of.
That's the one Shirley not sure which hamlet you mean as there are a few along that road La Martys or la Cun are between mazamet and Cuxac
I wish...! ;-)
King of the mountains :-)
Not if you buy a pass to cut it your self ..its around 100e for 18 steres hard work but fun...which marie are you under ?they should of turned out and come and got you if your snowed out ....
In 3 years we have been snowed in over Christmas twice albeit for a couple of days but Feb 2013 had to leave the car a mile from the house and walk home after picking up my wife from Carcassonne airport luckily the next day a guy in a Land Rover towed me home wood around here is between 54 and 58 € per cubic mtr
Its cold and we get some good snow falls, I love it, bit of togbogganing and id do some cross country sking if i had some , but its way down the the list of things we need at the moment ... The walking here is fantastic, I like the fact the soil here is very well draining and its never knee deep in mud like I had in cornlwall,also the chaps here keep the road nice and clear of the snow so never any problems getting out, our walls are more than 2 foot thick , good insulation and a wood fire fueled by cheap wood from the forrest and Im set with a few good books a few cases of red wine dog and cat comfy sofa ...and winter has gone in a jiffy
You must have been within shouting distance of us just off the D118 Carcassonne road. Mont Ventoux is a killer, literally, i remember Tommy Simpson dying there in 67 been up and down it but cheated, it was on a motorbike, yet again the decent i wasn't a happy bunny maybe it stems from bending my dads bike going down a 1in 4 back in 1963 during a race i was upset but not as much as he was he loved that bike it was never the same again
:-D
vertical it is too! I've driven it so many times visiting OH's sister in Carcassonne but never got round to climbing it. (Only have le plateau de Beille and le Mont Ventoux ticked off at the moment)
From the town to us is 2000ft in height and a drop of 3 degrees where we get snow they get rain, 2 years ago we had a really bad winter and we saw minus 18 at 11pm in the evening what it was in the early hours i dread to think i was tucked up in bed but the washing machine was frozen for 3 weeks full of washing and friends had their water supply frozen and had to resort to well water, most of the walls have been boarded with insulation behind, the only source of heating is a wood fired cooker but there are two men at this moment installing a wood gasification boiler in our basement for the central heating
I don't mind the climb Andrew its the descending i was never good at, i always joke there is plenty of run off pity its all vertical
Masocyclist ? :-)
pity its a category 2 climb comment by a non-cyclist, John, we go miles out of our way for a good climb ;-)
Thanks. The view reminds me of the Black Forest and the French Jura, the snow scenes too. Your house must be warm and well insulated.
What is the winter like where the pitying people live?
You aren't a million miles from us Chris pity its a category 2 climb
Ha... I was there with french people speaking french although one of them did speak English to the bar man, we did leave saying how off he had been with us. I will have to come and look for this other cafe next time im there . My goat is actually very friendly with the dogs and the butt is normally done in jest as she has a great sence of humour like taking the tiles off the roof of her shed and eating everything except what she is suppose to eat ....She is happily sharing her shed with a feral cat and kittens at the moment and never touches my old 17 year old dog who is frail, just the greedy 12 year old who steals any thing he things is close to food like goat poo and dead birds ....
Pamela you have actually been served in the Woolpack 99.9% of the Brits dont go its owned by a British couple who have made it obviously clear the Brits aren't welcome, a few of the posh lot go but it appears even they are going elsewhere the Paix is right opposite the church just around the corner from the Woolpack live music most Saturdays in the summer the couple who own it when they got married invited all the Brits to the reception afterwards with free drinks all night.Its a nice market all the usual, mainly food but the odd leather, clothing and flower stall
The goats dont attack from the rear its a full head to head butt poor Barney our younger dog was so stunned he only wanted to say hello a 40 kg dog floored by a 20kg dwarf goat half his size he now keeps his distance, he wont go near the cockerel for the same reason he flew up at him and Barney made a sharp exit the hens can walk all over him, literally.
:-O