Kingdingaling Posted September 20, 2006 Share Posted September 20, 2006 Fancy a move to the Charente Maritime / Aquitaine area.For me its good for Bordeaux airport and Beaches at Royan and Fouras plus like the landscape.Anyone in the area? pros n cons please.Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizzie15again Posted September 22, 2006 Share Posted September 22, 2006 How long is a piece of string. The area is fantastic,the land time forgot... I can't fulfill your brief cos it's too wide,everyone else might nod off...... Ask specific questions and I'll try to answer 'em. I've got 2 houses in the Gironde Estuary area, one with views of the water, one just slightly further away, both lovely :-). I would advise spending time in the area though to see for yourself :-)ps- it gets very quiet in winter,even in Royan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingdingaling Posted September 25, 2006 Author Share Posted September 25, 2006 Around Mirambeau to the estuary, St Thomas de Conac, St Bonnet.Have driven round there a few times and quite like the area, but the power station!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renaud Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 Borat, that is where our holiday house is too We like the region. You do not say what your criteria are for choosing the area - what is important for you? The area is quiet out of season and not that busy in season. The climate seems good and it is a reasonable drive from the chanel ports. Most of the towns/villages you mention all have English owned bars should you want to speak English, beyond that the local French do not have much grasp of English which is good as it forces me to try and improve my Allo Allo standard French and not be lazy. It is worrying though when Super U starts doing ads in English - usually around lunchtime as the locals are back at home enjoying their meals.And Bordeaux airport, which you mention, is my favorite airport anywhere. Bon chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandt Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 bordeaux airport is south of the city why not look at the landes if that is an important factor. fouras in the summer is hell on earth with the traffic, as is most of that coast. the locals are lovely though anyone speaking bad french always fetchs a smile, as long as you are,t french that is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie15 Posted October 8, 2006 Share Posted October 8, 2006 I suppose if you look around St Thomas then you'll be handy for la Rochelle airport as well as Bordeaux ( my fave airport as well Renaud!).There are some tiny fishing ports with good restaurants in this area. Anything specific you'd like to know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montagrier Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 Hate to put the dampers on things but is that a low lying piece of land?... If you look around Bordeaux a lot of the ground is very flat and very low... and the sea levels they tell us are on the way up. Have you noticed how cheap property is south of bordeaux...Dont mean to upset anyone but I have often looked at the map and thought what will happen when!!!!!!!!monti.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tresco Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 [quote user="montagrier"]Hate to put the dampers on things...[/quote]LOLThere are plenty of places a bit higher than the sea. Anyway, all you people on hills, where do you think all us refugees will be sent to bunk up with when The Deluge comes?[:P]Les Landes is a bit flat, (and of course will one day be hit by a Tsunami reverberating from The Canaries/East Coast USA and Back Again) but between St Emillion and, say, Meschers (also inland a bit further) there is very nice 'rolling' scenery. The Pyranees it is not, but being within half an hour/40 mins of Bordeaux - with it's airport - and all those fantastic beaches has to be worth something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie15 Posted October 18, 2006 Share Posted October 18, 2006 Like Tresco says, Les Landes is a bit flat- that is the area South of Bordeaux that you were referring to ? We were talking about north of Bordeaux- the Gironde estuary region, the landscape undulates beautifully with a mixture of vines /sunflowers/maize/tobacco being grown.Fabulous microclimate too :-)[:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blanche Neige Posted October 18, 2006 Share Posted October 18, 2006 "It is worrying though when Super U starts doing ads in English - usually around lunchtime as the locals are back at home enjoying their meals". Worrying indeed Renaud.............................they didn't do this when we bought our house! [:(]To the O.P As Lizzy15 said, Winters can be long, wet and dreary like many other places and these little villages tend to hibernate so don't expect a lively social life out of season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChezShells Posted October 18, 2006 Share Posted October 18, 2006 ......they didn't do this when we bought our house! I don't get this kind of posting.Why shouldn't they have english speaking ads.What about those on hols and those just moved that may not speak much french or those that have lived here a while and havn't learned much french.Its good to hear an english voice sometimes even if they are southerners.If your so against it why are you on here.DOOM and GLOOM, get a grip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blanche Neige Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 ChezShells"I don't get this kind of posting". My comment to Renaud was that the Super -U announcements in English have only happened over the last 2 to 3 yrs. Why shouldn't they have english speaking ads. What about those on hols and those just moved that may not speak much french or those that have lived here a while and havn't learned much french. ChezShells Have you heard these announcements? All they do is wish all their visitors "Happy Holidays" and other sugary greetings! [+o(] How to get a Super-U card is probably the only useful info given and holiday makers would not benefit from this.Of course EVERYONE wants to buy baked beans and custard powder from the English section !"Its good to hear an english voice sometimes even if they are southerners". I have nothing against the English, even Northerners! [;-)](I'm not prejudiced!) and have plenty of good friends in France both French and English."If you're so against it why are you on here". Lots of useful information both given and received on this site especially in the travel and house ownership / renovation sections. I don't think it's just for (non French speaking) lonely Brits. abroad ..........is it?[8-|] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renaud Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 [quote user="ChezShells"]......they didn't do this when we bought our house! I don't get this kind of posting. [/quote]My guess is that when Blanche Neige, Lizzie15, myself - and I suspect you - bought houses in this delightful part of the Charente Maritime believing as we did so, that this was an area relatively undiscovered by our fellow British. Personally, I liked that. To take a tiny example - when you go into local restaurants the menus are not translated into English. Cross the ‘border’ into the Dordogne and you are into a region renown for the quantities of our compatriots, where you might expect dual language menus - if not English only ones. Maybe this is a strange preference for me as my French is so rudimentary but I like the Frenchness of France. I am the first to express gratitude for the tons of help and encouragement we have had from those British people we have met in the area. Also those I have met through the excellent Christopher Kay and his website have provided a great English language support group. Also I have had great deal of help from many of the people I have met on this and other forums. Indeed, ChezShells, I was most interested in your swimming pool postings. However when Super U starts broadcasting in English I worry that a line has been crossed in the balance of populations. Mind you I admire the Super U’s cleverness in broadcasting the ads at the time that all right-thinking French people are enjoying a long and delicious lunch and only mad dogs and Englishmen are out in the midday sun and supermarkets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renaud Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 [quote user="Renaud"]mad dogs and Englishmen [/quote] hey, hey! hold on one moment – should that not be ‘mentally unstimulated dog’ or ‘interlectually-challenged-four-legged-person-who-jus-happens-to like cghasing squirrelses’? and hey who makes us mad anyway, i tell you it is the stingy with the breakerfast persons thats who, so mr don’t-chase-that-cat tell me how many menus I have been given?mr borat he know how to hunt in khazastan, oh yes you buy gun and come an live here, we hunt boar, cats, deer whadever Ziggy, no longer faithful avatar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unknown Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 [quote user="ChezShells"]......they didn't do this when we bought our house! I don't get this kind of posting. Why shouldn't they have english speaking ads. What about those on hols and those just moved that may not speak much french or those that have lived here a while and havn't learned much french. Its good to hear an english voice sometimes even if they are southerners. If your so against it why are you on here. DOOM and GLOOM, get a grip[/quote]Do tell what's wrong with southerners? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChezShells Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 .........Do tell what's wrong with southerners?Nothing, its a northern thing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blanche Neige Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 My guess is that when Blanche Neige, Lizzie15, myself - and I suspect you - bought houses in this delightful part of the Charente Maritime believing as we did so, that this was an area relatively undiscovered by our fellow British. Personally, I liked that. Renaud you are right however I believe Lee a.k.a ChezShells is in the Vendee and planning to move on to the Dordogne. [8-|]To take a tiny example - when you go into local restaurants the menus are not translated into English. Well there are some that do this but I still know of plenty of good ones that don't have a translated menu and some that don't have a menu at all! Long may they remain.However when Super U starts broadcasting in English I worry that a line has been crossed in the balance of populations.[8-)]Absolutely! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blanche Neige Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 .........Do tell what's wrong with southerners? Nothing, its a northern thing o.m.g ChezShells is this condition called a chip on the shoulder?[;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 A chip in the mouth is worth two on the shoulder, as we say oop north. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChezShells Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 ........Renaud you are right however I believe Lee a.k.a ChezShells is in the Vendee and planning to move on to the Dordogne.Too right, I urge everyone to visit the area around Brantome, by far the best (IMO) area I have seen of France, just a shame its so far from the sea.The Gironde for me is nice but not as nice as the Dordogne and the proximity to the power station put me off a bit, saves on electric I suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 [quote user="ChezShells"] I urge everyone to visit the area around Brantome, by far the best (IMO) area I have seen of France[/quote]Bit of a sweeping statement, Chez! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChezShells Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 Yeah, it was a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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