Ac50 Posted June 4, 2006 Share Posted June 4, 2006 Have just driven from our home in Normandy down through France to Spain and back again. Although we didn't have time to stop at many places, it was interesting to note the differences between depts. Also, reading comments on the various forums, it is noticeable how different experiences can be when dealing with officialdom, banks etc. in the various depts. We have always loved it here in Normandy, and I am so glad we kept our house here when my husband recently accepted a job in Canada. The weather never really gets too hot or too cold. The people are lovely, house prices are reasonable, it is easy to access other parts of France and Europe from here. Food is great, there is so much to do and see, great beaches, etc. This weekend of course we have all the D-Day celelbrations to enjoy. Personally I think Normandy is the best department in France, but would love to know what the rest of you think. Is there really a area that is so bad it should be avoided, or is there somewhere else even better than what we have here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DZ Posted June 4, 2006 Share Posted June 4, 2006 There is no best and no worst department - there is only what you know and what you like. We do the journey down to the south fairly often and every time I marvel and the changing and beautiful landscapes, wondering what it would be like to live there. We used to spend our holidays in Normandy for several years running and absolutely loved it, but then we discovered Languedoc Roussilon (and specifically dept. 34, with its gorgeous river Orb) and fell in love with this region for many, many reasons: the amazing weather, the vineyards, the local accent, the exotic nature and the sheer "otherness" of this place. It is also quite nice to know that, according to the figures released recently by the French National Estate Agents' Association, this is one of the few areas in the country where the real estate prices are going up!As to the regions I wouldn't like to live in, it has to be some suburbs of Paris, like Clichy-sous-Bois, for instance - I see enough problematic areas like that where I live in the UK! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChezShells Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 HiSo you have just noticed the other depts and regions after buying in France, seems a little biased to me, but then again I suppose we all are sometimes, anywhere north of 85 is UK weather to me.Have to say I like pretty much all i've seen of France, after house hunting and recently exploring in the motorhome, fantastic views past Lyon towards the Frejus tunnel to Italy, coast around Toulon and Marseille again fantastic but house hunting wise i'd say 11, 17, 85 & 24 in that order, or any villages on the canal du midi will do for me.Lee Edited to add that I thought north east Corsica is a dump and the rest is ok, some of the best beaches ive seen short haul tho - Santa Guilla (spelling) being one - very caribbean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mistral Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 I lived in Aude, Territoire de Belfort, Eure and Bouches du Rhone and I spend a chunk of every summer holiday in the Cotes d'Amor. Each of them has its good points (the scenary in 13) and its bad (the people and the weather) Best and worst dept depends so much on personal taste. Personally, I would prefer to live north of the loire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blanche Neige Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 davieszak wrote the following post at 04/06/2006 23:07:There is no best and no worst department - there is only what you know and what you like. Excellent answer, davieszak Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassman Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 [quote user="Blanche Neige"]davieszak wrote the following post at 04/06/2006 23:07:There is no best and no worst department - there is only what you know and what you like. Excellent answer, davieszak[/quote] Yes I would agree with that [;-)] Each dept. has it's own character to me, all are slightly different all are lovely, we settled on Brittany for our holiday home (for now) as it felt like home [:D] we love the Dordogne, Ardeche ,Burgundy, the Alps, Vendee, Auvergne etc....but Brittany seemed to offer such a varied landscape OK no real mountains and not as dramatic as some but different coastal types from craggy cliffs to golden sands and moorland to forests and rolling hills and it just seems so ....French [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard-R Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 Stay away from the Aude, I've heard it is an horrid place, but do make sure you buy Fitou and Corbieres wine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 OK, now I'm going to be pedantic and spoil all of this by pointing outthat Normandy and Brittany etc are not departments butregions.[Www]...............but I do agree that everyone will have their ownfavourites for their own reasonsLou Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 My hearts in 29 (Finistere) [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassman Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 [quote user="Russethouse"]My hearts in 29 (Finistere) [:)][/quote] Yeah I'll go with that [;-)][:D][:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val_2 Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 Me too, the other depts in the region don't have the same atmosphere to me either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james419 Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 We love it down here in the Creuse - a bit off the beaten track but does just fine for usAs someone else says - as long as you lov where you live what else really matters! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miki Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 Love Alpes de Haute Provence, love the Dordogne, love the Pas de Calaisfor golf, love Charente Maritime in the summer, love the Languedoc forholidays, love the Ille et Vilaine for its extremely variedcountryside, its variations of towns, the coast, love Brittany itself for its varied depts, love so manyareas of France and for many varied reasons, I could live in them alland still find something nice to say about them but some departments arejust a little better than others to me. How can one dislike the 04 and itsneighbouring depts? It has all one wants, yet, as an individual onessights are so much different, the heat, the people of the region, thedistance from the UK and so on and so on, yet for me, the 04 nearly hasit all but, I would not want to live there.One can wish to live anywhere in France, for their love of the place orperhaps, simply their want to but until one knows enough about themall, we are left to love where destiny has put us and for some there isa bigger love elsewhere but out of their grasp for one reason oranother. As far as atmosphere, I do not know of two depts in Francethat are the exactly same. Surely if one place was best of all, whatare all the others doing in another dept ?What really makes me laugh, is this micro climate business ! I havenever ever seen so many tiny areas of France that are now claiming to havethe 12th, 23rd or 34th etc best in France and some folks claim that as whythey live there, total hype for tourists and to sell houses !! Thedifference between many places is so minimal, it is laughable butwe are back to where one lives and it starting to feel like a nicelyworn overcoat eh ! Could do with a new one but hey, one is comfortablewith it now so............I do know of one or two I don't like too much though but someone might be living there................ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 Is this Miki angling for a nomination as 'Diplomatic Correspondent' for the Forum??!! Shock horror. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miki Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 [quote user="Ian Horn"]Is this Miki angling for a nomination as'Diplomatic Correspondent' for the Forum??!! Shock horror.[/quote]Oh I don't think so somehow !!This is how I have viewed France for many years. I have listenedendlessly to people telling me just how brilliant their area is and howmuch they don't like another region/dept and when further questioned, Ihave bitten my lip when they have said, "well alright, we only passedthrough but it looked horrible" And so, one soon gets to realise thatone sometimes just wants to believe, that they truly live in the bestarea but the truth can often be, that they may possibly only reallyknow much about the area they live in, or want to believe it to justifywhy they are still living there. One can be very happy as I said but to truly think ones area is thebest, is simply not a player unless all other depts are fullyinvestigated and how long will that take, well, a lifetime I'm afraid.Mmm more diplomacy then..................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 Quite right.Still, this doesn't sound like the Miki that I've witnessed in my (limited) experience hereabouts.Perhaps 'Diplomat of the North' or The Don should be your new name? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miki Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 [quote user="Ian Horn"]Quite right.Still, this doesn't sound like the Miki that I've witnessed in my (limited) experience hereabouts.Perhaps 'Diplomat of the North' or The Don should be your new name? [/quote]Ah but I just don't like certain things, that's all. The Don, sounds a bit like being the inimitable Sir Donald Bradman................. Dicks Granddad told me about him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unknown Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 [quote user="Miki"][quote user="Ian Horn"]Quite right.Still, this doesn't sound like the Miki that I've witnessed in my (limited) experience hereabouts.Perhaps 'Diplomat of the North' or The Don should be your new name? [/quote]Ah but I just don't like certain things, that's all. The Don, sounds a bit like being the inimitable Sir Donald Bradman................. Dicks Granddad told me about him.[/quote]Or how about Don King, now he the man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miki Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 [quote user="Dotty Trois"][quote user="Miki"][quote user="Ian Horn"]Quite right.Still, this doesn't sound like the Miki that I've witnessed in my (limited) experience hereabouts.Perhaps 'Diplomat of the North' or The Don should be your new name? [/quote]Ah but I just don't like certain things, that's all. The Don, sounds a bit like being the inimitable Sir Donald Bradman................. Dicks Granddad told me about him.[/quote]Or how about Don King, now he the man[/quote]He sure is Dotty but he kinda don't look like me that much [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mistral Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 [quote user="Miki"] I have listened endlessly to people telling me just how brilliant their area is and how much they don't like another region/dept and when further questioned, I have bitten my lip when they have said, "well alright, we only passed through but it looked horrible" And so, one soon gets to realise that one sometimes just wants to believe, that they truly live in the best area but the truth can often be, that they may possibly only really know much about the area they live in, or want to believe it to justify why they are still living there. [/quote]Like all the provencaux who spend their time telling you how terrible "The North" is when the furthest north they have ever been is Avignon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 If there's one thing guaranteed to cheese a lot of members off it's another of these pointless threads about best and worst depts. So many people get all defensive about where they live. If you like it where you are, stay there. If you don't and would rather be somewhere else, move. For God's sake, let it drop! PS This is not in response to any individual post! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 I don't think anyones upset Cassis - its 'horses for courses' isn't it ?I know that for my general feeling of well being I would prefer to be near to the sea, mountains make me feel vaguely claustrophobic, on the other hand I'm not keen on very flat landscapes either (I know, I'm just awkward ! [;-)])other people may feel differently, thats what makes the world go round ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 [quote user="Russethouse"] I'm not keen on very flat landscapes either [/quote]Never go to Bourges, Kay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaligoBay Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 Or the Camargue! I don't get the romance of the Camargue at all, it has to be one of the least interesting places on the planet. Unless you're into wetland ecology, of course. Who's Don King?Why not Don Key?Or that famous Spanish hombre, Donkey Shott? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassman Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 [quote user="Russethouse"] I'm not keen on very flat landscapes either [/quote] And whatever you do stay away from Holland[:-))][;-)]It doesn't bother me what anyone else thinks of Finistere we love it and that's all that matters, I love the mountains and lakes in other dept's and the gorges and beaches in yet others but we fell in love with Finistere it suits us and would get a bit crowded if everyone felt the same [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now