Rodez, Castres, Albi, Gaillac, Foix

Moving to or from France
21

Many thanks for your comprehensive feedback, Mark - we are very grateful.

22

Yes Martin, Lavaur is nice and not too big. The Saturday market is very good and the town boasts some nice restaurants. We seriously considered Lavaur but found a bargain not to be missed in Lescure. Lavour is famous for having a Jacamard which is a bell tower where the figures pop out on the hour etc. Quite a rarity in France.
Rabastens is also very nice with its river etc. Lisle sur Tarn has oodles of character but lacks services imo.
Figeac is a lovely place but Cahors is more practical imo as itā€™s an easy hop to Toulouse either by car or train.

23

I have been here 17 years and live 5klm from Castres between Castres and Lautrec. Love where I live -peace and quiet- big town nearby if needs be- good schools - modern hospitals with good Surgeons/Doctors - great vets. Small airport which goes to Paris and trains to Toulouse. Lots to do Art/Music wise etc. Plenty of beautiful places to walk/fish etc. I go to Albi sometimes - nice but touristy and too many people. My two penny worth.

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24

Lautrec is a nice place, rather touristy also but handy for Castres and Realmont, another nice town.
Albi can get busy in the summer hols like many places but the other ten months of the year itā€™s pretty quiet.

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25

Realmont is nice. Quaint and property is cheaper than Castres/Albi. Not rows and rows of suburbia. Albi tends to be a bit suburban. My grandson and family live there in a road of houses - walking distance from the centre.
Depends what you want.

26

Thank you Margaret - this is very helpful. And thanks Peter again.

27

Hi Peter, I appreciate this is an old thread, but I was interested on how winters were there (and in Ariege in general). Iā€™m sure that the closer to the mountains you are, the more this changes, but wondered how your part of Ariege is. Thank you!

28

Hi, Iā€™m in the Tarn near to Albi which enjoys a decent winter compared to the Ariege for example. Ariege is too cold for me, even the southern Tarn direction Castres is colder than the Albi area. Gaillac isnā€™t too bad.

Regards

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29

Hi, I am in AriĆØge about 50 minutes south of Toulouse. We have a good view of the snowy mountains but we rarely get snow here, if we do itā€™s gone within a day. In November, December and February we often get good weather and on a sunny day it can reach 20 degrees. Foix and St Girons are quite a lot colder , they would be too cold for me. South of there you are in snow tyre country. Hope this is useful.

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30

Spent years living just east of Albi, now live west of Toulouse in the Gers.
Albi is a lovely city, lovely climate but for us got too busy with ZI building up and the ring road can be chaos. Winters are cool rather than cold but you do get maybe half a dozen frosts over a winter.
Head east from Albi into the black mountains before dropping down to the coast, everywhere is easily accessible.

Plenty of good property in the burbs and beyond but we much prefer our new place in the middle of nowhere in Gers with a similar climate.

I like mountains but prefer to be within travelling distance of them rather than being in them! We are 75mins from Tourmalet and 75mins from centre of Toulouse ā€¦. perfect. Climate is very similar but much much quieter and more rural. You pays your money you take your pick.

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31

Thanks Bob, Dory and Peter- really interesting and helpful to read about the climate in your areas.