My wife and I have left Spain heading for Lalinde.We will be staying for a month with a view to staying.
Interesting trip so far! A couple of days ago we crossed the Pyrenees,delightful! snow on the mountains ,bright sunshine ,spring flowers. Entered France and the car shudered and packed in!
Using my Spanish insurers roadside assistance pack we were picked up and transported to the nearest town on the Spanish side. Impressed with the service free hotel and taxis.
Next day the garage said that my VW was more than they could handle we needed to take the car back across the pyrenees to Lliedawhere there was a VW garage with diagnostic.To cut a long story short we will have 4 nights here all paid for by insurers a very hefty bill for two injectors paid for by me and for the third time we cross the Pyrenees.
Is there a place in Lalinde where the local expats gather? We are ex jersey BA, publicans, restauranteurs ,and lived in a yacht in the caribbean for many years,so would be great if we could link up with any like minded people.Also is there a local fitness place my wife likes pilates I just potter on the machines.
Tim & Pauline Sadler
Hello,
There are a couple of nice cafe/restaurants around the colonade in the town square..and I have encountered the odd ex-pat couple there in the Summer. I haven't come across any places so far, where expats 'gather'. I did try a cafe in Couze (further up the D660, towards Bergerac) where ex-pats were rumoured to congregate, I went there once and found it disappointing and cramped, the English speakers (obviously fairly old, retirees), were there but sat in tight groups and there was no 'circulation', or attempt to interact...the music was horrible too and a tad too loud...
I can recommend a nice hotel restaurant a short drive from Lalinde calles La Barrage in the village of Mausac, right by the river at the other end of the canal from Lalinde...The proprietor is Englishwoman, ex-lawyer, and is very welcoming and has quite a few English customers...
https://www.tripadvisor.fr/Hotel_Review-g1777146-d636464-Reviews-Hotel_Restaurant_Le_Barrage-Mauzac_et_Grand_Castang_Dordogne_A
I have found this immediate area, a bit lacking in hangouts for expats....( I had a more favourable experience in a lovely riverside town in the Vienne, recently, a lovely bar restaurant with a good friendly mixture of English & French..open all day & evening and with a really friendly atmosphere) ...almost 'Cheers' like. I didn't want to move to an enclave, so I didn't choose to move to Eymet,(which even has it's own cricket team)...but you would probably have more luck there.....