JohnRoss Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 Frenchie have sent pm..............JR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted October 26, 2009 Author Share Posted October 26, 2009 Bonjour to everyone here and especially to those new to the thread who have come forward with nice suggestions.Booboo, I was in the area only week before last and I did think that it was signicantly colder than where I am in the bottom end of 17. There was a chilly wind the whole week we were there although the sun was out almost everyday. But then, as I wasn't here, I didn't know what it was like!I noticed that the bocage was very green and there were many lakes and a lot of low-lying ground. On my return, our fields here were brown and dry. If nothing else, I would imagine that the DS has quite a lot of rain. To my mind, the countryside is very much like that around Suffolk and has a much more English feel to it.Here, where I live, the countryside looks "foreign" because of the vines but in the DS, it looks more familiar because of the apple trees! Almost forgot, I loved the rochers branlants, much better fun than Stonehenge and no need to buy a ticket to go and see them and give them a push!Pachapapa, I'm sorry I didn't much like the bit of Fontenay that we saw. There were groups of youths drinking alcohol from bottles and hanging around the car park. Then, we had the dog and it was busy so we didn't like to drag her around the pavements.I agree about the Venise Verte, quite enchanting, but worried that there might be mosquitoes aplenty in the summer.Vouvant, yes, really twee like a little place in the West Country but everybody walking around when we were there seemed to have been tourists from the UK. Nice church though.GG, I'm glad you like looking up the different places; I do, too. It's strange, when we used to come to France househunting, every place we visited seemed ideal and now that we have made up our minds to move, we don't know where to move to!......................Really stupid..............However, my list of possibles is growing and it's very good to hear people's opinions.Frenchie, there's nothing wrong with CM, just that the house is now no longer suitable and I thought that, if we are going to move, we might as well experience life in a different area. Shame in a way, because I have been working on my Charentaise accent (as Clair knows!)[;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pachapapa Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 The greeness of the DS gatine is more due to the underlying geology than any climatical consideration.The following link will open with an introduction to the geology of Poitou-Charente.But note in particular the extension of the Armorican Massif in the North West, permitting the enjoyment of pseudo scenery of Brittany without the appalling weather.http://www.sir-poitou-charentes.org/MILIEUXPHYSIQUES/DOCENLIGNE/GEOLOGIE/GeoSom/Geol.asp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted October 26, 2009 Author Share Posted October 26, 2009 Pachapapa, that was fascinating, particularly the fault lines.I also noticed that the water there was much softer, the ground being granite than here in the South Charente where we have mainly limestone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minnie Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 Hi there. I've looked at the various postings with great interest and would suggest throwing Nerac (Lot et Garonne) into the pot. It has about 7000 residents, is historic and very pretty (imo). It is less than 30 mins from the main prefecture town of Agen, about 1 hour from Bordeaux, Toulouse and Bergerac. It does have a hospital though I've no idea if there is an A&E there. We often go to the restaurants alongside the River Baise and the weekly market is excellent. By the way, I spent the first 40 years of my life in Swansea.Happy hunting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted October 26, 2009 Author Share Posted October 26, 2009 Hi, Minnie, thanks for the suggestion of Nerac. Despite what Woolybanana said, I wasn't actually in Swansea though I knew Swansea very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Roy Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 Have you ever been to Brive? A very attractive town with an excellent rugby team, national Foire des Livres every October, great popular and cultural events throughout the year, and nearby Aubazine also has a lot of classical music events. Next to the A.20/A89 so easy access to Limoges or Bordeaux. There is a very good hospital, railway station (TGV access) and Brive-Souillac airport opens next year with flights to UK. The shops are lovely and a market on Saturdays to die for! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted October 27, 2009 Author Share Posted October 27, 2009 Hi, RR, how are you? Funnily enough I have been thinking about you since posting this thread as you are someone who has done it ( moved within France that is) and I wonder whether you are still pleased you moved?Of course, you didn't move far away and I am coming round to the idea that perhaps I, too, shouldn't move too far away.Yes, I have heard about Brive (by which I am presuming you mean Brive la Gaillarde)?I am truly looking forward to a move but I am also a little apprehensive because it seems a very big project at this time especially with market conditions the way they are.Do come back and tell me how it has worked out for you.........please?[:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted October 27, 2009 Author Share Posted October 27, 2009 deleted, double post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 Perhaps Clochemerle? Best village I have ever come across. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted October 27, 2009 Author Share Posted October 27, 2009 What, you there taking the p i s s again? Wondered where you were this evening and why you were so quiet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Etoile Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 No-one has mentioned St. Jean D'Angely in Charente Maritime. We moved there last year to run a B&B on the river and love the town. Large enough to have all the facilities, station, supermarkets, etc. but small enough that you bump into people you know in the street. Very happy with our choice, and barely one hour to FOUR airports doing budget flights, La Rochelle West, Bordeaux South, Angouleme East, and Poitiers North. Just off the A10, excellent sports facilities, 35 minutes from the coast. Many musical and artistic events in the year, and that long Charente sunshine. The town really does 'tick all the boxes' for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 A dead town, going nowhere, lacks that vital spark! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardengirl Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 Such a quiet, shy, retiring boy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted October 27, 2009 Author Share Posted October 27, 2009 [quote user="Etoile"]No-one has mentioned St. Jean D'Angely in Charente Maritime. We moved there last year to run a B&B on the river and love the town. Large enough to have all the facilities, station, supermarkets, etc. but small enough that you bump into people you know in the street. Very happy with our choice, and barely one hour to FOUR airports doing budget flights, La Rochelle West, Bordeaux South, Angouleme East, and Poitiers North. Just off the A10, excellent sports facilities, 35 minutes from the coast. Many musical and artistic events in the year, and that long Charente sunshine. The town really does 'tick all the boxes' for us.[/quote]Yes, Etoile, I do like St Jean D'Angély. The lady from the CPAM comes from there and tells me that all she hears are English voices on market day![:-))]Don't think she was being nasty or anything like that, just stating a fact, I suppose.Do you know the patisserie where they sell apple and pear cake? I always buy some when I visit.But, as you can see, Wooly is trying to put me off going to live there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted October 27, 2009 Author Share Posted October 27, 2009 [quote user="gardengirl "]Such a quiet, shy, retiring boy![/quote]GG, whom are you referring to, please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 You must be old and worried if you need a defilibriator in every place you visit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardengirl Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 ''Such a quiet, shy, retiring boy!' - your Woollybanana friend.GG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted October 28, 2009 Author Share Posted October 28, 2009 LOL, I knew full well whom you meant, GG!Just trying to provoke him into saying something outrageous so that we can all have a snigger........[6] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardengirl Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Sweet, hasn't risen to it still!GG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted October 28, 2009 Author Share Posted October 28, 2009 GG, I think he's too Brahms and Lizt to respond! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Ah Sweets, you do have so much time on your hands.[:P] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted October 28, 2009 Author Share Posted October 28, 2009 Bonsoir, Wools, thought you'd died and gone to heaven![:D]How are you today, my old fruit (as they say)?Time on my hands? Not at all; the chateau takes some looking after, I can tell you.Are you going to come and help me clean the moat, alors? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 I do fancy a pheasant shoot, though. I have a couple of good guns, so next time you are having a few people round, I fancy being at the end of a couple of drives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judith Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Maybe too far south for you, but when I went though Valence d'Agen recently, I thought it looked a nice town, and a quick look at the town's web site shows its an active place. On the canal - and not very far to Agen with all the culture you could want ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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