Where has the best weather?

[perdy]

Hi, We (Family of 5, 2 big, 3 little) have the whole of france to consider (bar airports etc) and am keen to live somewhere that has proper weather, i.e Dry warm summers, cold frosty winters. Where do you recommend?

Thanks

Perdy

[geordie girl]

Not under the power lines in normandy. good luck in your search.[:D]

[perdy]

eeeek, what do you mean?

[Gardian]

[quote user="perdy"]

Hi, We (Family of 5, 2 big, 3 little) have the whole of france to consider (bar airports etc) and am keen to live somewhere that has proper weather, i.e Dry warm summers, cold frosty winters. Where do you recommend?

[/quote]

1. A Saturday evening during a major English sporting event, isn't the best time to post a 'change of life' question.  It'll get swamped and disappear without trace.

2. The answer (given your weather reqmts) is inevitably somewhere in the South, but everybody has their own preference, more than likely related to where they live!

3. You really do need to 'home in' on a general area where you think you might want to live - then people on here will be more than willing to give you the +'s & -'s.

4. You've got to do your own homework - this is a big country, with multivarious cultures / styles / terrain / etc, etc.

Come back - people will help, but you need to be considerably less vague.

[Pads]

Hi Perdy

Depends on a lot of things really

1 Do you plan to work, if so your need to been near some large towns

2 Age of your children, again older kids are going to want to be near a town for activities, if very young nothing better than an idelic childhood being brought up growing your own veg and collecting your own eggs, walking in the woods and learning to horse ride. 

3 How hot / cold do you want it to get ? Where I have a house is in the south, north of Carcassonne where it can get very hot (not to hot for me through) in the summer, but because we are up a mountain can also get very cold in the winter. Has been know to get to -10 although that dosnt last long mainly loverly cold frosty day. but if you have a loverly thick walled house and a roaring fire going those things dont matter.

4  House buget also depends what area you might want to choose, the closer to towns you are the more expensive the house, tourist areas ect............

Are you planning a few trips to different areas to have a reccy ? If so check out Aude to me its one of the most stunning areas, loverly towns and villages and some of the best country side, and so much space.

Good luck in what ever you do and enjoy your hunt [:)]           

[perdy]

Thank you, we had homed in on Basse Normandie and Ariege, we have recceed. Our children are all under french school age. Husband needs to be able to get back to the uk periodically. So airports within an hour are ideal.

Will look at Aude, thanks. Weather sounds ideal, Husband wants warmth but I like frosty mornings!

Thank you

Perdy

[Colonel Mustard]

Aude, Herault, Pyrenees Orientales, Gard are all hot summers, and while winters can get cold they don't last as long as in UK. I live in the Herault and haven't had to put my heating on yet. However (there is a serpent in every Eden) a feature of the climate here is strong, cold winds - Mistral,  Tramontane - which can get on your nerves sometimes.

[mint]

Have been to Basse Normandie a few times, at different times of the year.  The countryside is indescribably beautiful.  Also spent some time there last winter.  It was cold enough to freeze the proverbial whatsit off a brass monkey but, indeed, achingly beautiful.

Do look around Bagnoles de l'Orne and surrounding forest area.  Also the Sarthe, between Le Mans and Paris there is fantastic countryside.

Talking to you like this makes me almost wish we were still househunting.  Good Luck! 

[St_Jacques]

What sporting event?  Do you mean the World Timber Sports Championship? Thats certainly very big here in Germany!

Dale

[Poppy]

The area around Bergerac and Bordeaux will give you very hot summers and cold frosty winter mornings. Both airports have low cost carriers but you will have the backup of  Air France etc from Bordeaux if cheap airlines pull out. Also Rodez and Toulouse areas, similar climate to Bergerac and same senario with flights, Toulouse a backup if low cost carriers stop. Enjoy your search. 

[lacote0_0]

You will find weather details by departement here:

http://www.meteofrance.com/FR/climat/france.jsp

[AnOther]

Northern Midi-Pyrenees/Lot where I live has the weather you're looking for - reputedly.

I say reputedly because this year, our first, has been pretty poor on the sunshine front but still never cold, most days in the high 20's to mid 30's.

Down to -12 in the winter but rarely any snow.

Please excuse me it I'm way off mark here but I see you are a new poster and as a young family of 5 I wonder if you are aware of the current state of uncertainty regarding the healthcare implications of moving to France. If you or hubby are going to be working here then there should be no problem but if not then do read the relevant threads under Health in France.

Again apologies if you have done your research and know all this.

Good luck in your search.

 

[perdy]

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to post today, It is very much appreciated. It would seem our initial thoughts of the Midi Pyrenees were along the right lines and Toulouse has always been my Husband's prefered airport.

Yes, we are aware of the Healthcare implications but I will read the forums to see if I have missed anything.

Fingers crossed our house sells and we will be there soon!

Perdy

[Ron Avery]

Down to -12 in the winter but rarely any snow.

You must live in a micro Ernie, being really pedantic[:P], we had snow in January this year and in 2006 as late as March, we also got snowed in for three days in January 2006,  75cm fell in a day, we are 400m above sea level and I am not that far from you near Villefranche de Rourgue

 

[AnOther]

I'd imagined you to be farther away Ron !

I'm relying on what I've been told but we are down in the valley and only maybe 100m ASL as against your 400. I do know that there was no snow last winter.

Clair is maybe 40m North of you up at 650m and also says that she get snow every year.

 

[Pauline]

Hi

We have been in a similar situ although no children (ours grown up). We have finally narrowed our search down to Haute Garonne, we love it around Boulogne sur Gesse and its good for Toulouse & Pau airport the weather has been really lovely everytime we have been and the scenery is breathtaking, the people we have met have been really friendly as we have battled with our french, we do plan to visit again in the winter months so we have got an overal picture and will be seriously househunting once our house is sold in the uk.

Good luck with your search, its really exciting isnt it.

 regards Pauline