Lovely place but bear in mind can reach the low 40s in summer and we have had snow in winter - though not in recent years. And check for flooding info if you are thinking about being in any proximity to our beautiful rivers.
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Hi, I’m curious about the Var, (and it’s neighbour 06) - are you saying you think the Var was best out of your list and it’s just you can’t afford it? Or did you have other reasons for rejecting it?
If you did like it, were there any particular bits you would have considered?
Thanks.
Hi…I do not know the Var very well having not visited for many years but a perusal of websites indicated to me that a detached house with land was rather more expensive than comparable properties in other areas.
There are plenty of village houses with courtyards and/or terraces as we had previously in the Minervois but that is not what we are looking for.
If you know of something that I’m not aware of then your advice would be welcomed.
Hi Sue… .having lived in the Languedoc, Bermuda, Singapore, Turkey, Texas and Brazil between us we are familiar with scorching temperatures.
However your point is a valid one which we are aware of and we will be planning to install a/c this time around.
The occasional snowfall would be welcomed but I’m pretty sure that I’m correct in saying that winters are shorter and less humid than here in Brittany.
Thanks for the input.
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I moved to the PO after 30 + years of west Brittany. Winters there were never cold, no snow and where I lived on the coast, no frost either but it was damp and I began to suffer with rheumatism in my hands and knees. Since moving to the PO last summer, I no longer have any pains and the winter here was not cold at all, even up in Font Remou there was no snow and people in teeshirts on boxing day last year. Its the Tramontine wind that chills you when there is snow on the Canigou and further up. My family in Texas have had enough of the extreme heat after this summer and are moving north, probably to Wyoming or Colorado when they find the right house to buy plus Dallas is becoming overcrowded with all the Californians buying up as they leave the west coast in droves and turn it all into one big suburb.
It is indeed the lengthy, very damp Brittany winters that we want to get away from as my wife (as an ex dancer) suffers from arthritis.
We know the PO coastline pretty well having often visited favourites such as Argeles. It is a consideration but I’ve always thought that places such as Durban and Thezan and further in were very cold in the winter given proximity to the Pyrenees and associated Tramontane which we used feel the effects of sometimes even in the Minervois.
Maybe for the next move an apartment on the coast will be great but for the moment we would like another house with terrain so that means going inland a bit.
By the way I lived in Austin which was really great. Fond memories. I was often in Dallas at the Market Centre showrooms and similarly enjoyed the city but even back then (early 2000’s) it was sprawling neighborhoods.
Our original plan was an apartment in Mandelieu La Napoule where there are plenty at a variety of prices and we holidayed last January in lovely weather and liked - and will be visiting again soon with our motorhome- but have concluded it will already be too hot for husband in summer - though we plan to always spend most of that in Devon.
Maybe for the future Escapees 24 but for this next move it must be a house.
Thanks. I think the price / square metre for cote d’azure is about 5 x elsewhere, e.g. PO which you’ve mentioned - perhaps more for houses. Perhaps even more than Paris…
However, I’m keen to check out the area - I couldn’t really get on with the Tramontane - or the Marine - it just seemed to blow in whatever direction - and the sea would often be fairly choppy - I guess being near the Costa Brava - ‘wild’/ ‘rough’ indeed. But one could get a whole house in places for 300K ish - even with a swimming pool.
The Core d’azure bits I know at the moment are Agay up to Cannes - the Esterel (?) - swimming around the red cliffs is really scenic.
I’ll keep you in mind - but not sure what you might want to know…
I did once see a lovely house / pool advertised in Drap forest - it was pointed out it would be miles from anywhere but it did look relaxing. Here’s a quick search I did just now
It is an interesting excercise comparing the values in different regions but the case can be argued that the more one researches the more confused one gets.
I think maybe your bank balance is a little healthier than mine which is why I have effectively ruled out the Var. 
We are going to the Lot and Garonne next month for some more hands on research.
Good luck.
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Hello
Just to let you know i adored Lot et Garonne and it was my first choice. Having stayed there every summer for many years I just couldn’t find whatI was looking for in my price range e.g V good value! Unrestored house with a couple of acres, they either sold before I could get over to view or as all the agents told me the English got there 20 years before me! I met lots of friendly helpful Brits mainly from the circle of the people who looked after the Gite for the English owners where I stayed a perfect converted barn with swimming pool, just idylic before the Loirs moved in! Anyway have a look at Beauville- Lauzerte- Tournon d’ Agenais- Montcuq- Montaigu-de-Quercy Abosolutely stunning rolling hills
I bought in Charente-Maritime the house was just what I was looking for and the land for the right money- easy to get to from Bordeaux airport. I was a little disappointed at first as the Lot et Garonne just felt like home! But as I explore the Charente-Maritime the more I love it, the elegant architecture, not far from the beach and really lovely neighbours, mainly french around me so I have to try and speak French, which is better as alot more English speakers.
There are some undulations in Charente Maritime and Pons is really lovely. So its all working out better than I thought. I looked for about 5 years and it was starting to be a bit heart wrenching when I lost out on the too few houses that were right for me, but I definitely got a good buy, saw it the first week after a 30, 000 euro price reduction, it was on for too much I would say and presented very badly.
Have a look at Lot et Garonne I doubt you’ll be disappointed.
I know some great places to stay there if you want to send me a private message.
Fate will lead you to the perfect home.
Tricia
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