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Snow - freezing weather


WendyG
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[quote user="Sprogster"]

With the trend towards colder winter temperatures over the next decade or so, allegedly thanks to the current low cycle in sun spot activity, I would have thought those with maison secondaires in France have two choices when leaving their houses in winter. Firstly, to turn off their water supply and drain all the pipes, or more extravagantly if possible run the heating system whilst absent. Come to think of it, surely you should always turn off the water when away for a long period of time and not to do so could be argued by your insurers as contributory negligence?

Maybe, some maison secondaires owners don't appreciate how low winter minimum temperatures in France can get, with even on the Med regular night time temps often well below freezing.

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When we moved back to England before selling our french house, we left the heating on low about 15°. Costly yes. But no frozen pipes and possible buyers were not walking into a fridge.

Where we lived we would have had to drain the system or heat, I frankly don't think that there was an alternative and it was much easier to leave the heating on.

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[quote user="cooperlola"]How's Dorset?  Mr C should be there by the weekend, snow over here permitting.  Happily Eurotunnel is operating normally.  Digits crossed.[/quote]

Cardigan weather here in Dorset ...No snow  we got rain instead .. Its quite mild really  .

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A new personal record for me this morning in Luxembourg  -19 degrees !!!!

I'm sure it's been colder here at some time but that's a new one for me.   Very dry and sunny though so OK for getting about,  not like Belgium last weekend, apparently 1200 Km of traffic jams due to 2cms snow. 

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[quote user="Bugsy"]Vienne

We are lower than Cat 4 here but the 4x4 is working OK
[/quote]

Recovering from shock! Around 4 O'clock a lorry with plough fitted on front came down the hill from Thenezay. Ten minutes later back towards Thenezay. But nobody knows if the "éboueurs" will pass by wednesday morning at 4 A.M.

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[quote user="Pierre ZFP"]A new personal record for me this morning in Luxembourg  -19 degrees !!!!

I'm sure it's been colder here at some time but that's a new one for me.   Very dry and sunny though so OK for getting about,  not like Belgium last weekend, apparently 1200 Km of traffic jams due to 2cms snow. [/quote]

I don't think the temp has gone higher than -8°C since last Friday.

Mr Clair leaves for work at 7:00 and it has been hovering around -16°C at that time... At 8:30 this morning, it was still -12°C. The gusts of Arctic wind are just too awful for words.

Road-wise, as long as we can manage the 3km downhill to the village, we're in the clear, as the main road is rated Priority 1 for winter maintenance and has been more or less clear since the first snowfall.

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A definate thaw took place this afternoon in the lovely sunshine.  Of course that means that it will freeze solid overnight and be treacherous when we set off.  However, like you Clair, we have only 3ks of poor roads to go before we're in the clear, as it were.  A definate change from the -14 the nurse reported this morning when she turned up.
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Took my nordic sticks and went out with the dog for a 2-hour walk and romp in the snow.  She loved the drifts and falling through them when she pounced.

The wind was bitterly cold and cutting and since being back nearly 3 hours ago, I haven't thawed out yet.

BUT, there is a full moon this evening and it's just sitting there next to the spire of our very beautiful village church which is floodlit.  The moon on the glittering snow and ice and the quality of the light..........such ethereal luminescence; it's worth being cold[:D]

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[quote user="sweet 17"]

Took my nordic sticks and went out with the dog for a 2-hour walk and romp in the snow.  She loved the drifts and falling through them when she pounced.

The wind was bitterly cold and cutting and since being back nearly 3 hours ago, I haven't thawed out yet.

BUT, there is a full moon this evening and it's just sitting there next to the spire of our very beautiful village church which is floodlit.  The moon on the glittering snow and ice and the quality of the light..........such ethereal luminescence; it's worth being cold[:D]

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Think you need a down coat, Pyrenex perhaps, OR a Landsend Insulated Squall Parka, I have nothing else as warm and they are on offer at the moment too. Pair thermal leggings, salopettes and that Parka and your body and limbs could be too warm.

edit, not just the regular squall parker, I have one too and good for much of the autumn winter, but the insulated one is the ultra super warm, nay hot one.

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[quote user="idun"][quote user="sweet 17"]

Took my nordic sticks and went out with the dog for a 2-hour walk and romp in the snow.  She loved the drifts and falling through them when she pounced.

The wind was bitterly cold and cutting and since being back nearly 3 hours ago, I haven't thawed out yet.

BUT, there is a full moon this evening and it's just sitting there next to the spire of our very beautiful village church which is floodlit.  The moon on the glittering snow and ice and the quality of the light..........such ethereal luminescence; it's worth being cold[:D]

[/quote]

 

Think you need a down coat, Pyrenex perhaps, OR a Landsend Insulated Squall Parka, I have nothing else as warm and they are on offer at the moment too. Pair thermal leggings, salopettes and that Parka and your body and limbs could be too warm.

edit, not just the regular squall parker, I have one too and good for much of the autumn winter, but the insulated one is the ultra super warm, nay hot one.

[/quote]

I like Landsend stuff and also L.L.Bean which even after paying postage is great quality/price.  The Landsend squall jacket is on sale in the UK at £39.45 (was £102) and online in Germany at €109 (was €219). Landsend also has a factory outlets in the UK.

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Gem and Id

I hope Landsend has done something about the knitted bands around the cuffs and bottoms of their jackets.  I have had Landsend stuff in the past (both OH and I have their squall jackets) but, although the rest of the jackets have stayed like new for years, the knitted bands have lost all their stretch.

So, now they are not only not a good look, they are not much good in high winds.

If it gets really cold, I wear my ski jacket but the ski gauntlets are in the old house and the roads are too icy to make a trip there!

This afternoon, I shall be better wrapped up for sure.  Can't wait to get out with dog after lunch.

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[quote user="sweet 17"]

BUT, there is a full moon this evening and it's just sitting there next to the spire of our very beautiful village church which is floodlit.  The moon on the glittering snow and ice and the quality of the light..........such ethereal luminescence; it's worth being cold[:D]

[/quote]

Yes, very poetic SW17, but I for one have had enough of all this. I don't normally feel the cold particularly, but even stingy old me is readily agreeing to every rad going full blast to keep Mrs G from turning in to a pillar of ice. The Mistral has been going for 4 or 5 days and it's dropping the temp even more (well, how it feels anyway). The meter is spinning like a top and my wood is being burned at an alarming rate. Fed up with it.

There were loads of acorns this Autumn: our neighbours now tell me that its a certain sign of a hard Winter. Work that one out!

Grumpy du Gard

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Well I'm Grumpy too, Garadian.  The first words out of my mouth when I got up this morning were m*rde, m*rde, m*rde.  No hot water.  I can't understand it as the cold water pipes are all ok and the boiler, which heats the underfloor heating is still working but no hot water.  I suppose it could be worse and there are certainly people a lot worse off than me so I will just have to be thankful that at least I'm warm.

 

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I have had my landsend with knitted cuffs for three years now and no problem. Eventually they all go of course, but for the time being fine and will be for a few more years. I have an LL Bean full length waterproof, breathable full length mac, it's fine.

Decathlon used to have a russian down parka that felt like it could have coped with just about any cold weather on the planet. And my husband has a decathlon down parka that for the most part is too hot for him to wear.

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My Lands End down coat makes me look like the Michelin woman, but I don't care! It's still -5 at almost mid-day, and the wind-chill makes it even worse - real feel, I'm told, is the in-phrase!

But I'm toasty and warm, after a walk around town, with my feet so cosy in my fitflop boots. Just got chilly fingers, but I was far colder yesterday. Mr GG is complaining how cold he's been in town, and it's the first time I've known him say his feet are cold. On coming in to the apartment, it was roasting - the sun is streaming in, and it's hard to imagine it's so cold outside. Shame about the dirty windows! Now, lunch outside or in is the question.

I do feel sorry for those such as Clair, who have such low temps and snow to deal with - stay warm, folks (not old folks, just regular folks!)  [:D]

Sweet, what about that Lands End lifetime guarantee? What is it they say - no ifs, no buts, period - or something like that. If the cuffs aren't wearing well, maybe you should contact them. I've never had to use their guarantee, but I'd hope it's as good as Lakeland's, which I've benefitted from.

 

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Which landsend down coat have you got Gardengirl.

I used to have a waterproof down coat when I lived in France that I bought in Canada. It wouldn't wear out and after 12 years, I gave it to a friend who loved it and kept saying, when you are sick of it, I'll have it. It was brilliant, but very stylish, which landsend coats are not, but I quite fancy another down coat.

I have a feeling it is me that looks like a michelin tyre woman rather than my clothes[Www], it would be nice to blame them, but I'm not going to, although, some things make me look bigger than others.

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Idun, I can't see it on the UK site, which is where I got it from, but it's very like this one, but 600 filling, not 650 as mentioned here.

http://www.fr.landsend.com/pp/Le-Manteau-Down-Chalet-~6167_48.html?bcc=y&CM_MERCH=IDX_00002__0000000571&origin=index

They showed them in UK site sale a few days ago at an amazingly cheap price, and I was tempted to get a second one so I don't have to take it back and forwards with me, but they only had medium - no small size. Medium must be very big, as I'm not exactly the slimmest around, but there's loads of room inside for a lot more layers than I need even at these temps. It's not at all flattering, but warm is warm, I reckon!

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Thanks, I 'd been looking at that one and the new waterproof down one too.  I bought the cloudcover coat, before winter, but it is fine for mid season and not for winter unless I really layer up. LOL I have to buy a rather bigger size than you, so if you look like a 'tyre woman' what hope for me eh!
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