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No kidding !  I got maybe 3 hours of sleep last night.  Kept being awakened by God knows what flying about and wind literally howling.  Woke to chairs, terra cotta pots, plastic tables blown all around the garden, from the UPSTAIRS terrace.  Even a large nicely stacked bunch of tree cuttings is now flying all over the garden.  There must be 30 pine cones that fell from the big parasol pine.

Daughter wanted to go to Avignon for her birthday today.  I'm not so sure I'm willing to drive in this horrible wind...  UGHHHHH

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Same here.

In fact, I'm sheltered by the Cevennes, so I know it is much worse over your way.

But, it is not all bad news ?

It brings sunshine and clear blue skies.

It is caused by the land and sea in the South warming up faster than in the cold North.

It means summer is on its way.

It won't last long.

Got to go and find the washing

Peter

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The Mistral is supposed to blow in "threes";three hours-three days- three weeks-three months???.Further down in Herault a lot of people down there call the wind the Mistral-it's not- it's the "Transmontane".
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[quote user="Mpprh"]

Got to go and find the washing

Peter


[/quote]

Peter, just know that if any head my way, I DON'T do ironing![:)] Mind you, by the time they get here, I imagine there wouldn't be any creases in them.

I lived in Aix a zillion years back and remember the Mistral but can't remember if it's cold. Is it?     The Tramontane in the Narbonne area can be FREEZING!!! 

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The Tramontane IS freezing! I have just been laughed at for having my gloves on........by our Danish neighbours who think that they are in the Tropics[blink]

Today I have had to pick up all the outdoor wooden furniture and retrieve the well fastened on tablecloth from nextdoors tree....and some dry wood from our pile flew off and dented the car wing!

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The mistral can be ice cold.  It is chilly today, but not as cold as it can be.

Now, since I wouldn't drive to Avignon for daughter's birthday (today), she has informed me that her Dad said we should go out to dinner to celebrate (the real party is next Saturday as all her copines are out of town for winter break visiting their Dads - divorced parents).  Since her Dad is not in France at the moment, it is nice how quickly he offered me up for the outing, even knowing the wind is howling.  I went to the boulangerie to pick up a small birthday pastry (cake is next weekend) and nearly lost my clothes, not to mention what it did to my hair !!

 

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Well, dead wood down off the trees everywhere, but no too desperate.

The Midi Libre weather forecast (which is crap and doesn't for most of the year have to stretch itself to much more than how many degrees C the sun is going to give us), says nice and sunny tomorrow and diminishing wind. Gusting a bit outside just now, but certainly a lot quieter than last night.

Suze - that Mistral is like an old friend - you can get to miss it when it's not been around for a while.  Lori seems to see more of it over her way (around Mt Ventoux), but over here it's only 2-3 times / yr.  The market traders really had the hump with it though in Uzes today - stuff flying everywhere.

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[quote user="Gardian"]

Well, dead wood down off the trees everywhere, but no too desperate.

The Midi Libre weather forecast (which is crap and doesn't for most of the year have to stretch itself to much more than how many degrees C the sun is going to give us), says nice and sunny tomorrow and diminishing wind. Gusting a bit outside just now, but certainly a lot quieter than last night.

Suze - that Mistral is like an old friend - you can get to miss it when it's not been around for a while.  Lori seems to see more of it over her way (around Mt Ventoux), but over here it's only 2-3 times / yr.  The market traders really had the hump with it though in Uzes today - stuff flying everywhere.

[/quote]

Many of the Sommieres market traders gave up, and packed up early today.

Peter

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By the time I returned from dinner in the village last night (10:45 pm), it was completely calm, not a speck of wind.  It was almost like being in the twilight zone.  Managed to get a good night's sleep and woke to gorgeous sunshine and no wind.

You are right Gardian.  It had been quite a few weeks actually since the last mistral wind blew here (very odd).  And, I did kind of miss it.

Suze - I think the Dordogne is absolutely beautiful, but it is not Provence.  I'm still living a love affair with this area, mistral or not.

Actually, to me, the only drawback with this area is July and August when it is taken over by tourists.  Changes everything.

 

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[quote user="Lori"]

Suze - I think the Dordogne is absolutely beautiful, but it is not Provence.  I'm still living a love affair with this area, mistral or not.

[/quote]

I love Provence.  I spent every summer holiday of my childhood in Provence and have many fantastic memories. I must get around to revisiting my old haunts! Like you say Dordogne is very different indeed.

[quote user="Lori"]

Actually, to me, the only drawback with this area is July and August when it is taken over by tourists.  Changes everything.

[/quote]

Ditto!

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[quote user="Suze"]You should move the the Dordogne - we don't get the Mistral here [;-)] [:D]
[/quote]

 

But in a 'normal' winter it gets very very cold there. I was shocked when I came on here and saw how cold it gets there in winter. I expect cold here in the Alps and it was even colder there sometimes. Southern France is not always 'warm' weather.

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Very, very cold, minus double figures every winter we've been here. Kills all the nasties though. It also gets very hot in the summer, often the hottest part of France. I heard the expression 'the couldron of France'.  Quite extremes of temperature.

Sorry to hijack a southeastern thread [:$]

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Well we do have -17 nights here in Bedoin almost every winter.  This current winter is an exception. We really haven't had a winter this year.  However, the previous winter brought -15 or colder every night for a couple of months and the winters before that have been similar.  So, we do have cold winters here.  Lots of people don't realize that parts of Provence really do get cold.

 

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[quote user="Miss Babs"]

MOH and me have great debates of which is better, warmer less windy but wetter winters in the Gers or dryer but colder in Provence , thoughts please! and which is better if you suffer arthritis?

[/quote]

Personnally I'd go for the dryer, colder area - as damp weather goes for my back.  Unfortunately we couldn't afford Provence.  [:(]  Roll on Spring & Summer.  [:D]

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As MOH says I'm not living in b****y show box just to be in Provence, so my works cut out to find a renovation project we can afford [:)], have enough space, land & original features etc etc, we might have to do another in Gers, which is lovely and if we only wanted it as a holiday home it would be fine but part of the long term plan to leave the beautiful but wet Ribble valley is to stop my joints being so painful but as everyone in Gers keep telling me that loads are moving form Provence to Gers to avoid crime, traffic and pollution. Anyway have to sell this house first, which might help if it was onthe market[;-)]
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