Single lady hoping to move to Pas de Calais....

[sclarke2208]

I have wanted to move to France for such a long time now but my 85 yr old mother is naturally averse to my doing so!!!    Has anyone else had family problems whilst trying to move on with their lives? If living in the Pas de Calais area I can get back to UK fairly quickly and easily so that is my chosen area. Would anyone like to tell me if there are a reasonable amount of Brits, mainly for conversation and the odd meal out, in this area or would Normandy be a better bet? All these questions have probably been asked before, but I'm new on this forum so apologies. I wouldn't need to work but would enjoy the odd brocante now and then and I would love to travel and see more of the area.  All answers gratefully received and thanks.

 

Roseysan

[Boydneal]

Hi Roseysan,

First let me welcome you the forum!  I too have elderly parents and don't want to be that far from them which is one of the reasons I chose the Pas-de-Calais area.  Although I don't actually live in France full time at the moment, I try and spend as much time there as possible though.  I have had the house 5 years (about an hour from Calais) and have met quite a few English in the area, been to a few parties and built up a network of English friends now.  There are quite a few who live there full time and lots of part-time, especially in the summer, so I would say that the Pas-de-Calais are is an ideal location to live. 

Being single also, I can understand your concerns - but the French have been really kind to me and made me feel part of the village and do get invited for coffee or the occasional drink etc by them (try and avoid their home made wine.....was drunk after about 2 glasses!!).  My French is not very good, but the converation flows! I looked at Normandy also when house hunting but just felt that it was that bit to far if I needed to return in an emergency.

Hope this helps? Good luck with your search.

Boyd

 

 

[sclarke2208]

Thanks Boyd for the positive response. There are so many people on these forums that appear to be somewhat negative about this area. However some years ago I drove across to Arras for a weekend and did a circuitous route back to Calais. I found the countryside really lovely, better than I'd thought. So I am hoping to go in late spring to spend a couple of weeks looking round the area of the 7 valleys, Hesdin, Frevent and Montreuil. Perhaps we will meet up at some stage, who knows!

roseysan[:D]

[Boydneal]

Roseysan,

Well, I certainly think it is a beautiful region - my house is in the 7 Valleys area.  There is lots to explore and things to see - so well worth a trip around.  I think you will be surprised at how many English people have houses so don't think you will have a problem meeting up with them.  Hesdin is popular and there are a couple of good estate agents there, may be worth a look.  I can give you details if interested?  They speak English if your French is a little rusty!!

If you dont mind my being nosey, why are you wanting to live in France?

Keep in touch and let me know how you get on, and as you say we may meet up one day.

Boyd

[sueyh]

Hi!  We have a house in Ligny-sur-Canche, lots of english live in the surrounding villages.  Where do you live in England?  We live in North East Kent and the journey takes us about three and a half hours door to door (eurotunnel allowing).  It is a lovely area.  We are moving out permanently in September (all being well).

Good luck.

Suey

 

[sclarke2208]

Hi Suey,

Thanks for the post. I looked on the map to find where you live and see that it is near Frevent. You obviously like it enough to move out permanently later this year. I live in the very great (but grotty) city of Stoke-on-Trent. Very built up, very little greenery and I crave some space. Space to live in and space to move around in. Pas de Calais seems as good a place as any and easy access to the ports/tunnel should I need to return to blighty quickly. I am really glad that there will be several Brits around and about. Even if there are not many single people, I reckon I could be called on for some reliable babysitting or housesitting or even petsitting. I can usually manage those.

Hope to be over there in late March or April to cover the area from Calais to Abbeville and all places in between and see what takes my fancy.

Lovely to hear from you, and I hope we can talk again and let each other know whats going on!

Cheers for now

Sandra

[sommebay]

when you come over to check the area from Calais to Abbeville, please include a trip to Saint Valery sur Somme and le Crotoy. The natives are friendly and there are lots of Brits about too. The Somme bay is very beautiful, worth a detour.

Best of luck with your search

 

[sueyh]

Hello again,

Would certainly agree with sommebay.  St Valerie is a lovely town, lots of nice restaurants always bustling.  Lovely.

Suey

 

[Loiseau]

I visited the Nord/Pas de Calais/Somme area a lot last year.
I was not househunting at all, so the following is based on visual appeal:

St-Riquier (NE of Abbeville) is a really pretty village. Also like the look of town of Doullens (N of Amiens and S of Frevent), which has a great market, and the v attractive small village of Lucheux (NE of Doullens).

Farther north, the countryside just inland from Boulogne is absolutely beautiful.  I like Samer (W of Desvres), and Marquise (good market again), as well as Ardres and Guines.

The Deux-Caps area (take the clifftop road from Boulogne to Calais) has stunning scenery, and you can even *see* England on a clear day, just to prove how close it is!

Angela

[sclarke2208]

Hi Loiseau,

I am amazed at the amount of help I am getting from fellow forum members re: my proposed move to the area. I will certainly make a list of all the places you (and others) have suggested I visit. They all sound wonderful. However If anyone can recommend an estate agent in or around the Abbeville area it would be very useful. I have several in the North on my favourites list who seem to have numerous properties I would like. My proposed move will probably be about 12 months away. I have to sell my house, find a place I like then find a house I like, but I am sure some of you would agree that the latter is very exciting albeit with some trepidation thrown in!![8-)]

Thank you all for your suggestions and please keep in touch if you think of anything else. (recommendations of solicitors and removal companies would also be useful).

Sandra

[Fay]

Hi Sommebay - couldn't agree more - are you another Valericaine?

[Gypsy]

Hi there

Just reading through your threads and notice last message was around Jan this year....a bit late but was just wondering if you have made the move and how things are going?

I am also single having sold my house in the UK now looking to find a place in Brittany...a bit scary but it's got to be done!!

cheers

Sandra

[sclarke2208]

Hello Gypsy,

Just read your post, I'm glad I'm not the only one who is moving 'singly' to France. I have been out to Normandy ( in May) but felt it was too big a place for me as the towns are miles apart. So I decided to go to Pas de Calais 3 weeks ago and stayed in Hesdin. I loved it right away and am actively seeking a property there. My house is almost sold (you never know till the week before contracts are signed) and I am renting in England for 6 months wile I make further visits to Hesdin. I believe there are a few ex-pats around this area which will be lovely. I did Brittany twice but the travelling is so long winded and I am one of those wimps who detest flying.

However, good luck with your search and do keep in touch and let me know your progress.

roseysan (aka Sandra)[:)]

[Coco]

[quote user="sclarke2208"]

I did Brittany twice but the travelling is so long winded and I am one of those wimps who detest flying.

However, good luck with your search and do keep in touch and let me know your progress.

roseysan (aka Sandra)[:)]

[/quote]

Aha, that explains the need for Pas de Calais - I was going to suggest that Normandy would be no further in time than PdC as you could fly with Ryanair from Deauville to Stanstead or Dinard to Stanstead or East Midlands.  Personally, I would have thought that the time involved getting from Dover to Stoke on Trent would mean that if you liked Normandy the difference in travel time if you go on one of the fast crafts from Dieppe or Cherbourg would be so minimal I wouldn't let it have a huge influence - and after all, just how many times are you going to have to get back to the UK in that much of a hurry?  However, if you have decided on PdC that's great.  One thing that occurs to me; it is so often suggested on this site that people rent in France just to make sure they really like the area and the lifestyle before they take the plunge.  Why not rent here rather than in the UK.  The rent will be cheaper, you will save on ferry fares for all your house-hunting trips and you will also be HERE should a real cracker come on the market - and although a lot of properties take for ever to shift in France, the real bargains seem to hang around for less than a week!  You'll also be taken a lot more seriously by the agents and will probably get offered those bargains if you're here and don't have to sell first.

 I think all you single ladies making the move are extremely brave!  Good luck [:D]

[sclarke2208]

Hi St Amour,

Total travelling time from Stoke-on-Trent to Hesdin in September was six and a half hours via the Channel tunnel. Total travelling time from Stoke-on-Trent to Dover + crossing time + Calais/Boulogne to Hesdin approximately 8 hours and thats not allowing for any crossing delays. And to get to Normandy would have taken at least 10 hours depending whether I went via Cherbourg or Caen. That's the only problem with living so far from the Channel ports.

With regard to renting in France v England, my thinking was that while the days get shorter and the nights get longer I would rather be in the UK, possibly rather isolated in France when most people shut their doors at 5pm!! God , this  makes me feel a real wimp[:(] But I do have cats and a mum to consider as well. I have registered with several of the local Immobiliers who will contact me as soon as house that suits my requirements comes onto the market. Where are you by the way?

roseysan