Does anyone live near Saint Mathieu? We’re considering buying a house near there and wondered what other’s experience of living there was. I’m thinking things like how helpful the local mairie is etc. or any practical advice.
We’re also considering Saint Severin, if anyone lives there.
Rod
It would help if you added the post code as there are a lot of places throughout France with the same place names. Good luck in your search.
Presumably the one in Périgord.
Much prefer Saint Junien or Rochechouart to St Mathieu. Don’t know St Severin
Good point folks about the postcode. I mean the one in Haute Vienne (just) 87440.
Really interested in hearing from anyone who lives there, rather than impressions based on appearance.
These days with Covid-19 affecting everything, it’s hard to know what kinds of truly practical offerings to post, given the changing times. I live near St. Mathieu and have stopped in/motorcycled through it fairly often. Maybe that gives me enough experience to perhaps offer a couple of things in case they’re helpful. I assume you’ve seen these websites: http://www.saint-mathieu.fr/ and http://www.saintmathieulac.fr/
One thing for sure: you have to know about the history of the area, specifically the astroplast/meteorite. It hit the area around 200 milion years ago (give or take 15 millenia). The rock that you find onsite/use for building might be stone from the astroplast/meteorite. It’s considered a bit of a tourist draw to the area and there may be some restrictions or stipulations for its use, if you have it on your property.
St. Mathieu does/did seem to have better-organized music events than some of the villages of its size. Can anyone speak to these, in more detail?
It’s near the Piegut-Pluviers market which happens weekly, on Wednesday mornings year-round. But surely you knew that already?
There’s a small supermarket (closes from noon to 2pm) conveniently located close to the center of town; there are a couple of bakeries… or, at least there were a couple of bakeries. Also a small library. The gas pump near the supermarket has a nice conkers tree next to it. The gas pumps’ credit card machine can be cranky. Or, at least it was. I noticed the SuperU in Chabanais has all-new credit card machines at its pumps; perhaps St. Mathieu will follow suit. Then again, Rochechouart has an Aldi and a supermarket, not to mention a couple of almost brand-new gas pumps.
I don’t know anything about St. Severin.
Cheers.
I had twenty years in the area and moved away a couple of years ago. St Mathieu is ok but Rochechouart is much better for shops and services though St Junien is a great town to be in with a progressive maire who has done wonders since getting into power. All the services including a brilliant hospital.
Thanks both; really appreciated. We’re considering buying a house very near Saint Mathieu and so only know it currently from a couple of drive throughs during lockdown. I’d noticed all the amenities, and our potential (French) neighbours seem really friendly, and lovely, but I wondered if anyone had any experience of living there. Would love to know what the local walking is like (we have two dogs) and any other snippets - so really appreciate your insights Mary. We’ve discovered the lake too. I was going o look up to see where and when the local markets were held. 
Local walking should be a dream, especially once you leave the paved roads and ramble down the chemins. One of the concerns we do have, focuses around hunters. The season lasts from September to March. One has to be sure to wear bright colors and put bright colors on one’s dogs. I should think that, similar to taking walks with our dogs around the lakes near us, the walks around the lake St. Mathieu might be lovely but it might be good to check with the mairie about whether hunters can hunt around the lake.
My husband’s trained our dogs to poop on the sides of the paths rather than in the middle. This is not something lots of folks have trained their dogs to do; so, just a thought that it might be good to keep an eye out for ‘landmines’, if you will.
Thanks Mary. We have the chaisse around here at the weekends too, but they’re no real bother. I actually met one of the dogs whilst walking mine in the forest the other week; it was fitted with its transmitter but was extremely quiet and very uninterested in us.
Cheers. I do understand; it would be great if someone actually with real experience in St. M would post.
possibly there are no St Mathieu residents on this forum… 