Yet Another 2 Hopefuls!!

[Pandp]

Hi,

Yes we are yet another 2 fed up and disillusioned folk looking to take early (very!) (semi!) retirement and have a share in the good life. Our main dilema is where to put down our new roots. We have been concentrating our search mainly around the Perpignan area (Elne in particular). We are now looking to explore further afield in the area around Pezenas. Do any of you good folk out there have views on the pros and cons of either of these 2 areas. Climate differences, prices, amenities, any or many ex pats etc. We appreciate that we need to spend a lot more time investigating for ourselves which we fully intend to do. We are planning another trip over around Easter. Any advice would be most welcome and maybe the chance to meet up with anyone that has a hour to spare over a glass (or several) of wine.

Look forward to any pearls of wisdom on offer.

p and p

[Mpprh]

Hi

my site has info on both areas, but mainly Languedoc.

Peter
The Languedoc Page : http://tlp.netfirms.com

[Piprob]

Hello P & P
We think this is a hard question - mainly I guess because the area offers so many different things, some more attractive than others (according to mood).
The drive out to Perpignan from Quillan (where we will be based, 70 kilometres from the coast,) takes you through a variety of villages and small towns, some isolated up in the hills, others on the main 'drag'. But nowhere are amenities far away, and its only as you move up through the 'funnel' of high ground that channels the breezes back towards Quillan that the weather can change, sometimes appreciably.
When the kids were small we lived in Christchurch, Hampshire, and the holiday makers' traffic drove us crazy. Since then, we've avoided seriously 'touristy' areas.
Tell us if the 'good life' means really special things to you and that might stimulate some specific ideas, otherwise its just as you see it, an interesting area offering just about everything.
We are getting to know some folk through LF with a place further from the coast from us, at Chalabre, a very attractive area, and the Med is still just 90 minutes away.
Robert

[Garys]

Good luck with the search. We can certainly recommend the Perpignan area. This gets the benefit of pretty good weather.. plus with the proximity to Spain and the Pyrenees, plenty of choice of things to do. The only downside is the Tramontaine, which at times is a pain.
One further consideration is that if Ryanair do carry out their threat to withdraw from the French airports, you are still left with additional options in this area of France. Either use Ryanair to Girona, or the new Flybe services which are about to start into Perpignan from Southampton and Birmingham.
We ourselves looked all around the area, but opted to buy on the coast at St Cyprien .. which is absolutely brilliant.