Marquenterre - anyone around?

[Patmobile]

After 6 years living near Hesdin we've just moved to a location near the seaside towns of Fort Mahon, Quend & Rue.  Got a bigger house so as to accomodate my 88 year old mum.  

Anyone living around here? 

Patrick

[pagnol81]

Hello

We are across the bay in St Valery sur Somme. Second home at the moment but I spent 5months there this year. Back in the UK I wonder what on earth I am doing here when I could be there. We are planning on making the move permanently.

We love visiting the bird reserve at Marquenterre. Its a beautiful area. I hope you will be very happy in your new home.

Vanessa

[woolybanana]

Please tell me more about St Valery. I am coming north in the next months hopefully and it is one of my target places.

[pagnol81]

Hi Woolybanana

Have a look at www.saint-valery-sur-somme.fr

Its a beautiful place, lots of history and most people visit and fall in love. William the Conqueror sailed from St. Valery when he came to conquer us Brits. Lots of painters and writers have stayed in the area tying to capture the beauty of the bay.

If you have any specific questions, I will do my best to answer.

Vanessa

[Patmobile]

Vanessa, we liked St Valery when we looked for a place there back in 2000.  Unfortunately we couldn't find anything that suited us at the time, but it's always been one of my favourite places in this region. 

Woolybanana, if you're looking for a town with some authentic character in a beautiful setting, St Valery would be my recommendation as a starting point.  I'm sure pagnol8 could tell you more about its facilities and the quality of life you'll find there.  Just a couple of miles outside the town, towards Abbeville, we recently found the prettiest little 18th century (I think) chateau I've ever seen, in good habitable order, for sale at a very reasonable price.  We were strongly tempted to buy, but we would have had to make a lot of changes in order to provide a granny flat, so we reluctantly turned our backs on it.  

We're now close to the Authie estuary.  I used "Marquenterre" in the topic heading to give a general idea of the area without being specific.  We have owned a second house in Fort Mahon for a number of years and we had noticed that the area seems to have a micro-climate of its own such that the weather on this part of the coast was always a bit warmer, dryer, sunnier than at home near Hesdin, only 50 odd kilometres away.  It can get a bit busy in summer, of course, but you can't blame other people for wanting to take advantage of the same benefits we came here to enjoy all year round.  I imagine St Valery can get a bit clogged up in August, too.

I hope you'll both get the opportunity to spend more time here.

Patrick 

 

[Domp80]

Hi Patrick

Yep - there are a few of us 'full timers' around Rue/St Valery (not being holiday home-ist, I promise) although not as many as around Hesdin methinks.

I have stumbled across Brits mainly though my sports mad sons - on the football pitches, in sports halls etc. At their school in Rue we were the only English speaking family until this term when another one popped up. Generally speaking we are still a novelty in this region I think but the people are mostly very friendly and tend to warm to us more when they realise we live here.

I hope you enjoy your new home and like the area as much as we do!

All the best

Clare.

 

[vin rouge]

Hi Patrick

We live in Picardie but on the border of Normandie so not really that close, and yes we are here full time not weekenders and have been for nearly four years, great area to live in.

 

We met people through French classes, and a few of the events advertised in the French News. 

 

Your area of choice is really lovely, visited many times.  The beaches are great as is the seafood in the nearby restaurants, agree it does get busy in the Summer months, but really beautiful in the Autumn/Spring when a little quieter.

 

Good luck with the move.

[pagnol81]

Hi Patrick

Re-reading your original post, were you looking to meet up with some locals? You would be welcome to drop by for a coffee/glass of wine.

Vanessa

 

[Patmobile]

Thanks for that.  Sorry - been having major internet problems or I would have responded earlier.  We're still unpacking boxes and bringing the house up to scratch at the moment - so can we take a rain check on the idea?

When it's all straight and the plaster and brick dust is out of our hair and noses, we hope to find new friends in the area.  Cup of coffee or a glass of something would be very welcome then.

Patrick    

[Fay]

Hi all

A St-Valery part-timer here (boo) - in fact, if I turn round as I write this [pause] I can see the sun shining across the bay and the seabirds swirling around over the water (am I making you homesick, Ness?!). Love it here, spent six wonderful weeks in the summer, but now it is just as gorgeous and I'm regretting only being able to be back for 10 days. In fact, I have to nip the cat down to the vet's in a moment as we return to England on Monday.

It does take a while to find the pefect place and propery moves very fast here, so it can be luck of the draw, but there's always something new on the market, it seems. Good luck with the search.

Fay

[pagnol81]

Hi Fay

Yes you are making me very homesick. Its a beautiful day here in Sandgate. We had a late breakfast on the balcony and got sunburnt!

BUT I would rather be in St Valery.

We are over next weekend to tidy the garden and put away the window boxes. Rebellion is brewing. I am contemplating refusing to return to the UK.

I am going to be there next year for sure. An early New Year's Resolution!

Hope all goes well with Pye at the vet's.

Best wishes Ness