Moving regions in France

Hi All,



We have just sold our house in the Var & hope to move to the Lot-et-Garonne. Is there anyone who lives around Villeneuve -a-Lot? Are there many Brits up there & do you like it? We know it will be wetter than here but how is the climate. Any advice welcome.



Cheers,

Miriam

Oh, seasons. Lovely!

Not that much , less than in Charentes, but colder in winter. Where I live in Romorantin, we are usually cited as having the most extreme temperatures whenever a new season starts ;)

And that was just the Lycra!

Well done to her & I rest my case! We love LORGUES & bank at CIC. I love the old man who runs the cafe. I get a kiss now so think we’re accepted. I can’t believe how lazy some of us are. My French is really not the beat but I try!!

Move to Lorgues :-) You'll be able to spot me easily, I'm the one with the beret, stripped shirt and baguette under my arm. I think the trick was I never made any contact with the ex-pat community when I bought here so all my pals are French. There might be a parallel ex-pat universe that I'm (happily) unaware of. When my wife (or girlfriend as she was then) and I first moved here (to Grenoble) in '81 she taught English for a while and got invited to a sort of ex-pat drinky thing. The first "joke" she was told was "what is the best thing about Grenoble", answer, "the road to Calais". She never went back.

I’d better be careful! We’re in Villecroze which I love but they are about if not right on our doorstep!!

Whereabouts Miriam. I'm near Lorgues and I rarely encounter and an anglophone.

That’s a nice story Andrew. I brought my old man with me. I’m from Sidmouth so ditto. Love Devon though!

Not just the côte d'azur, Miriam, the entire med coast is a nightmare in season :-O

But I used to live in Torquay and have lived elsewhere too in Devon and Cornwall so I'm used to the high -v- low season thing. Have been in this part of France for 10 years now, never planned to stay, planned to go further south but met my OH, had kids, her family are all here, our business is here and at the end of the day it's not a bad place to be ;-)

Thanks Andrew. It’s very interesting to get the different views. Yes my son lived in Aix for a while. They now live in North Somerset. It’s quite a change. I get shot down for saying it but I do not like the Côte D’Azure unless out of season. We have got a shortlist of houses to see & will be doing a fair few kilometers next week. There are some beautiful houses for nothing at the moment

Albi and Gaillac well worth looking at. Was out training with mates on the bike the other day in the Gaillacois - beautiful autumn colours riding through the vinyards and woods :-)

I did my maîtrise in Aix-en-Provence and know just how cold it can get in winter, Miriam :-O

The cold is different in the SW, rather like the SW of England, it's the humidity that's the problem :-(

The Tarn and Aveyron are well placed as we miss most of the weather - far enough from the ocean, mountains between us and the sea - so the main threats have run out of steam by the time they get to us :-)

I was never as cold in southern England as I have been here in Provence. We’ve had minus 8 in Jan/February. Wherever I move to I want central heating. Gas or oil essential in my opinion.

And this evening there is Des Racines et des Ailes - from the Tarn

Well worth a look again especially for Miriam - some nice places in the area like Albi and Gaillac etc.

Don't know about Carmaux Andrew but Villeneuve can get very nippy in the autumn/winter and the winds can be really cold - coming from the Pyrenées maybe ? I go down often for the rugby (XIII) matches from september to april and i'm always well wrapped up !

Second that, Peter, we nearly bought la maison de la presse in the town centre a few years ago, not saying that Carmaux is better although it is for us staying local with family not far away, but I'd certainly prefer Cahors too ;-)

Seems to be big with expats so no worries finding other anglophones to talk to. Winters are just damper/greyer than in the Var.

Yes, that’s a consideration & my hubby’s preferred location! How much rain though?

Come further North to Sologne, we get all 4 seasons and we need more English speakers ;) I'm the only American for miles around and I'm craving decent conversation!!!! Plus it's a lot cheaper than the South and conveniently close to Paris ;)

We’re on our way! We can’t sit out without cream, candles, oil & spray. They’re having a final fling at the moment. I was bitten last weekend! Many thanks for that advice too.
Regards,
Miriam