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should the mistral put me off buying in rhone area?


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Hi, I've just started looking for properties in Vaucluse (84) region and am seeing some places around Avignon next week. I love the area but read somewhere that the mistral blow 150 days a year and can be very annoying/make winters colder. Anyone live in that region and can tellme the truth?
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Please don't let the Mistral put you off, the weather here is great for 90 per cent of the year. Yes it does blow a bit and when it does you'll know about it!! It can be very refreshing and invigorating though, I remember standing in the garden last summer at 1 in the morning and it was like being under a very warm hairdrier, lovely. It really isn't that bad and being on the top of Mont Ventoux when it blows is an amazing experience!
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From Meteo France in the Var:


Les Vents
La plupart du temps le vent tend suivre le contour du littoral en abordant une cte proche dun massif montagneux.

Le vent est canalis Hyres par les collines du Fenouillet et du Mont des oiseaux proches de la mer et Frjus Saint Raphal par la valle de lArgens, couloir entre les Maures et lEstrel.

Prs des caps, au dbouch des valles le vent se renforce par effet de Venturi (resserrement des filets dair).

Classiquement par temps de Mistral, le rgime dOuest se redresse au Nord Ouest. Il se cre vers la cte dAzur une dpression secondaire sous le vent des pr-Alpes, avec lorientation du flux au Nord cette dpression se dplace vers lOuest. Souvent trs creuse elle engendre un vent trs fort. Mais le vritable danger rside dans la variation brutale de la direction de ce vent qui peut passer de 40 nuds dOuest 40 Nuds dEst en lespace dun quart dheure.

Le Mistral en hiver procure une sensation de froid intense, en t il acclre la propagation des incendies de forts.

Les vents dEst ou Sud Est moins frquents que le mistral sont aussi violents, de plus ils prcdent ou accompagnent de fortes prcipitations.

Le vent souffle de faon rgulire lorsque la masse dair est stable, lorsquil souffle de la terre vers la mer (Est Nord Est) il doit franchir des reliefs et prsente donc une certaine irrgularit, aussi bien en direction quen vitesse; ds quil soriente par effet de brise (Est Sud Est) il devient laminaire.

Le vent souffle en rafales en cas dair instable. Si en plus il doit franchir des reliefs le vent devient extrmement irrgulier cest le cas par mistral Toulon.

Les grains, ils consistent en un renforcement brutal et passager de la vitesse du vent, accompagn dune variation dans la direction. Les grains sobservent en gnral lavant des cumulo-nimbus (situation orageuse).

Lorsque lair est instable sur une grande paisseur, le relief ne constitue plus un obstacle et le vent ne subit pratiquement aucune dviation en arrivant la cte.

Le Nombre moyen annuel de jour de vent fort (vitesse maximale du vent instantan > 60 km/h) pour la priode 1981-2000 est de 118 jours Toulon, 66 jours au Luc Le Cannet des Maures, 76 jours Frjus.

Le nombre moyen annuel de jours de vent temptueux (vitesse maximale du vent instantan > 100 km/h) est de 9 jours (dont 4,5 jours en hiver) Toulon pour la priode 1981-2000.

Quelques records Toulon 1981-2000 :
Par vent de secteur Ouest : 148 km/h le 28/11/1983.
Par vent de secteur Est : 130 km/h le 30/01/1986.
Par vent de secteur Nord : 130 km/h le 01/01/1981.
Par vent de secteur Sud : 108 km/h le 20/09/1999.



LInsolation
Le dpartement du Var bnficie dun bel ensoleillement avec 2799 heures de soleil par an Toulon et 2735 heures de soleil par an au Luc le Cannet des Maures.











































































































































































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IT DEPENDS !!! on whether you can take it or leave it. We lived in the Gulf of St Tropez for 3 years and with the sand and dusty terrain in the area, when the Mistral arrived you knew it - MOST UNPLEASANT - and during the summer it would turn the Med from warm to freezing cold water. Very dangerous for sailing crafts
But then on the other hand when it is not arround it is a nice area to live in. THE INFO FROM " METEO FRANCE " which was sent to you, sums it up perfectly but then it should!! Until you have experienced the Mistral ( Several times and all strengths ) It would be difficult to say if it would put you off buying.

GOOD HOUSE HUNTING
Regards Royston
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I've been living near Vaison la Romaine in the Vaucluse for 10 years. When it blows the Mistral is seriously strong, but the key thing is to buy a property on the south face of a hill. We did this, and even when it is at its strongest, we barely feel it in the lee of the terraced slopes behind our property. We saw some lovely places for sale when we were looking originally but they were very exposed and we resisted the temptation to fall for the property when viewing in calm, sunny conditions.

To be frank though, the reputation of the Mistral is a little 'blown' up out of proportion!!
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I have lived in the south for over 20 years and it has not put me off yet. I find it almost impossible to believe though that they say it blows for 150 days a year - i certainly cannot remember it ever being that bad. It usually blows either just for one day or else 3 consecutive days. it is unusual for it to go more than 3 although in the old days they used to say it would be 1, 3 , 6 or 9 days. It seems over the last decade that it is rare for it to go more than 3. I guess it blows on average once a month and whilst it is a pain - especially if you are somewhere where it is dusty - and especially when you have plastic chairs outside and parasols !!! - it certainly has not and would not put me off being in the south.

When you have bought in the south (I am close to Avignon) get in touch and come over and have a drink with us.
elayne
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