Just wondering what the opinion is of members if they were moving to France now following the protests and the Police response with regard to the bassines ? as we were looking at the Deux Sevres, Charentine , Vienne area.
I see Sue P you live in the Lot EAT Garrone area, another area we are just considering .
There is a serious issue with water in many areas of France, and the agricultural lobby is strong and the environmental lobby very weak.
Personally I would not consider several more southern departments now - especially those that are now semi-arid zones.
Hi Jane
Yes i have been reading up, i can understand the need but if someone quoted correctly it seems that its 80% government funded or will be and 20/30 % farmers but only farmers can use this stored water . tricky situation as they will i understand be withdrawing from the water table to fill them which could leave others with no water if draughts continue . Not sure if i have seen other areas mentioned how do i see the zones any idea?
Notsure if this will work to get round paywall. Article about gov’t water strategy.
https://www.nouvelobs.com/art/df5cd922-7a9c-4529-99ae-52a8c03c8fd5
On the questions you posed re police response, then you need to realise how different France and English police forces are.
thanks Jane, lol i was more comparing them with the Spanish Guardia
Also, how different protesters are !
If you don’t like violent protests and violent police responses….don’t move to France.
In terms of moving to France, climate change….i.e drought…and everything else is the biggest consideration when choosing a loaction to live. After that, it’s access to healthcare.
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4 April |
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JaneJones:
On the questions you posed re police response, then you need to realise how different France and English police forces are.
Also, how different protesters are !
If you don’t like violent protests and violent police responses….don’t move to France.
I do not believe i said i do not like !
Though i would be surprised if anyone likes them. I was curious if members thought the response excessive.
In terms of moving to France, climate change….i.e drought…and everything else is the biggest consideration when choosing a loaction to live. After that, it’s access to healthcare.
Any links to articles regarding best areas for acess to healthcare ?
At the moment most forums i have been on many new arrivals are finding Doctors not taking new patients.
I agree but reading so far the articles i have found it seems everywhere even Normandy is a casualty.
There are lots of doctors in Normandy! There are small pockets with more difficulties than others but the real problem is dentists! You may ned to travel a bit for one of those 
However, it depends who you talk to as to whether there is a problem getting other medical services. For example, I have come across towns which some people see as a real problem and yet others travel to those very same towns for the services.
If people insist on using one and only one of the possible private on-line agencies to find a doctot then, yes, they will encounter difficulties. If they use the government websites plus personal contact plus on-line agencies etc they will generally find one.
I can only speak for Normandy of course and there are other areas further south that have very significant problems. On the other hand, the government is aware of this and are working on solutions so, depending on your timescale, you may or may not hit difficulties.
Please don’t be daunted!
Well you can start by googling …
‘carte desert medicaux france’………that will bring up some maps.
And this is the drought map from last [year…]
And it is going to be far far worse this year….and well….forever.
Think twice about a swimming pool….if you want one.
Thank you will take a look.
No to a pool have one here and actually drained it down .
Thank you, at present we do not live in France . We were looking at the Charente , Deux Sevres but now re thinking .
All points , information a great help from members .
Manifestations contre la réforme des retraites, affrontements à Sainte-Soline… La France a-t-elle un problème avec sa doctrine du maintien de l’ordre ? Manifestations contre la réforme des retraites, affrontements à Sainte-Soline... La France a-t-elle un problème avec sa doctrine du maintien de l'ordre ?
This is a thoughtful, objective and informed look at the ‘challenges’ of policing public order in France. Interestingly it traces the current problems back to government reactions to the 1995 unrest prompted by Alain Juppé’s attempted pension reforms (nothing changes!).
The ‘gendarmes’ are a military force with ‘police’ powers and they are trained to deal with protests in a certain way, in that respect they cannot be compared with the UK ‘bobby on the beat’ style of policing. Over many years they have gained a reputation for violence which often means people get seriously hurt in confrontations.
Whilst the Deux Sevres protest did turn very violent it was a ‘one off’ and the department along with the two Charentes are normally quiet and peaceful. If I was looking to move here now I’d look further north as it is becoming too hot in the summer, we had water restrictions for five months last year and I can’t see 2023 being much different.
Thanks for all the replies. Much to think about regarding weather , medical etc. Its the medical desert and lack of doctors concerning to us. Although just at official retirement age , i am thinking ahead when you may not want to or be able to drive and doctor 30 km away .
Yes, a crucial point to understand. Their role is to maintain law and order rather than UK police who are there to protect the public.
Another issue where it doesn’t help if you consider this from a UK perspective. France has the same population spread over well over twice the land area. So outside major towns and cities you will never have the same access to medical facilities. You may get a GP in your tiny town, but dessert or no dessert you will have to travel for specialisms. That’s just how it is.
You also need to recognise that, outside hospitals and a few sponsored medical centres, doctors are a profession libérale. So they set up where they want, they do not have contracts with a health trust like in UK. So poorer areas with fewer facilities for their families, poor transport, etc etc are going to have greater problems attracting doctors, ( there are lots of things afoot which may change a lot - but no guarantee for place x or y)
Having said that, france actually has more doctors per head, and more things like MRI machines and advanced equipment. Wait times for lots of procedures are a fraction of those in UK. And currently there is an amazingly good medical transport system to get you to medical services if you are incapable or seriously ill (this is heavily abused, so will have to change so may not stay as good in the future).
Try to think of France as France, rather than comparing it with the UK.
I completely agree with @JaneJones comments on this one. I live in Normandy and have recently had two out-of-the blue admissions to hospital, one involving significant surgery. I just can’t praise the medical facilites here enough, both for prompt action and for the quality of treatment. The way in which the health service is organised is completely different from the UK, so takes a while to get your head round but the overall provision is excellent.
Wherever you buy OP…make make sure you have one or preferably more bedrooms downstairs.
The heat in France in the summer is a killer… literally.
You don’t want to be sleeping upstairs. Or heating it in the Winter because of heating costs.
The variables to consider when moving to France have changed over the last 5 years or so.
I would move North like Tim 17 said. We are considering all our options now for the future because everything will get a lot worse.
The medical side of things wouldn’t concern me at all, there are issues in certain parts of the country including here in the Charente Maritime but they are being addressed albeit slowly.
Our first house had the bedrooms upstairs and was very well insulated, it was as warm in the winter and as cool in the summer as the single bedroom downstairs, it all depends on the insulation.
HI Tim
Yes that is one of our main considerations either house all on one level or with at least one bedroom/bathroom downstairs. \Heat yes here in Spain the same and we now sleep in one of the downstairs bedrooms. Also thought both of us has arthritis in one knee,not too bad at the moment but def do not want to be going up and down stairs 
trouble is i can put up with cooler and welcome that but cold and rain as in Birttiany , Normandy not a fan of . So its trying to look for an area more north but not too far .