The Cevennes - What do you think of it?

[Pixie Toadstool]

We are thinking about buying a property in the Cevennes with quite a lot of land, isolated, hopefully with a stream as we are mad about nature, wildlife and I love walking too.

Just wondered what your thoughts were. This will be our main residence.

I have heard some scarey stories about the locals being xenophobic communists and realise we will have to deal with the hunt on our land - intend to buy a flackjacket to protect myself but don't even expect to try to stop them!

I am quite looking forward to hooking up with any remaining soixante-huitards aka hippies - are there any left though?

Positive, negative and ambivalent replies all very welcome as fore-warned is fore-armed.

Thanks in advance!

Pix

[NormanH]

"I have heard some scarey stories about the locals being xenophobic communists"

I would be more worried about them being Protestants [:D]

There are also the épisodes cévenols to watch out for...

A little video as a taster

http://sud.france3.fr/emissions/55851192-fr.php

That guy looks like an old hippie to  me ..

Even if you find the French hard to follow you get a nice visual feel ..

[Pixie Toadstool]

Hi NormanH

I knew about the inondations - I think that is probably why most of the old houses use the rez de chausse for other than living accommodation to avoid their furniture being washed away!

Great little video. He certainly does look like an old hippie and a lovely one at that! I find it much easier to understand what he is saying than I do the local Normans here in Manche where the accent is very, very strong! I am saving the rest to watch later as I am just popping out now!

Thanks again!

Pix

[NormanH]

As nobody else has replied I have put together a mish-mash of links that I hope will be interesting

http://www.cevennes-parcnational.fr/Acces-directs/Liens-utiles  (you can access the other pages about the National Park from that site)

http://cevennes.com/parcnat.htm

http://www.cevennes.com/randonnee.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giu7QQcM4z0&feature=related ( a walk in winter)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6ypNubCeJs&feature=related (I mute the compeletly inappropriate music)

The weather a couple of months ago http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89-YwXvRnUA&feature=related

http://www.cevennes-meridionales.com/otlevigan/terroir/pomme-reinette.do?item=terroir  Is the southern part of the region with its apples chestnuts and goat's cheeses

Don't forget that despite its rural nature the area had a considerable industry in things like silk and stockings, now almost completely disappeared, leaving an economic hole

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/parks/cevennes-france/

" Agricultural crises plagued the area around the park beginning in the

second half of the 19th century. Diseases devastated silkworms, which

were then key to a local industry, and sweet chestnut trees, which had

been introduced by the Romans. These and other economic problems led to

an exodus and a significant population decline, which was exacerbated by

the staggering death tolls of World War I."

The same thing is true further north of Millau and its glove making

This is the part I know best, although I spent a few years working in Lozère at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIeGLTsE0W4

Personally I would regard that as a bit north and west of the real Cévennes..

History and Religion

http://causses-cevennes.com/histoire/protestantisme.htm

Politics:

http://www.confederationpaysanne.fr/languedoc-roussillo-structure-departeme_362.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alterglobalization     (as opposed to 'communist')

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Bov%C3%A9

[Pixie Toadstool]

My word Norman that is extremely kind of you to do this for me - I really appreciate it!

I will now start on my exploration of your links.

Thank you so much!

Pix

[Pixietoadstool]

Well we got here in the end! Signed for the house on Midsummer's day and have had an eventful few weeks in Paradise!

We are in the southern Cevennes just outside L'Estrechure and we absolutely love it but have noticed there aren't many Brits about - plenty of Dutch and Belgians though!

I got my stream(s) and wood(s) in the end so I have my very own playgrounds for the spring/summer (paddling) and autumn/winter (mushrooming) and hopefully will manage to preserve a bit of wildlife for the future generations.

Zut alors it's hot here today though!

Pix

[CeeJay]

Well done, welcome to this area, you are just up the road, sort of, from us in Ganges and yes it is very flippin hot, it's been around the 40C for a few weeks now and my tomatoes are starting to flag a bit!

[NormanH]

I am delighted that you have found some where and are so pleased with it.

Welcome to the Region [:D]

Personally I would love to see a photo one day of your surroundings: it is a super area.

You may go to this this year [6]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tua4rcQdTkI

[woolybanana]

Have you seen any signs of cannibalsim, yet, usually a child hanging from a line or post to air dry?

[Pixietoadstool]

Mmm no I haven't but i expect they'd be doing that more discretely and not advertising it as kid jerky.

Lots of vegetarians and activists about too so I suppose it is a potential issue in the closet!

[woolybanana]

The only closets in the Cevennes are earth ones. Mostly, kid biltong is sold openly in the autumn in local markets. Just ask for Seché d'Annesse, which is the code to get the stuff. it is very tasty. I prefer gamin as it goes better with the local rather rough wine, but fillette is ok with vin de table!

Norman has lived on the stuff for years and can give you a few pointers.

 

[Pixietoadstool]

So gamin is mixed gender product but if you want a real bit of tenderesse you have to go for the jeune fille?

Another reason to steer away from those sausisson stalls - the flies and heat were already putting me off anyhow!

Have you any other pointers of weird stuff to avoid / stuff for les gourmands Woolybanana?

Pix

[woolybanana]

Ah, just get Norman to give you the details and the best tricks for buying there. Here in the Vendée they suck toes which they remove systematically over a period of years. And as for gentle fried testicles, they go mad for them.

[Pixietoadstool]

Oh I found a local blue ewe's milk cheese that sounds a bit like the toe sucking thing but gives more instant gratification. Grown at St Andre de Valborgne and sold in local markets.

The nearest i have come to gonads so far are sweetbreads which are very nice but falsely rumoured to be testicles and in fact are other GLANDS!

You know Woolybanana I think you need to take a trip to the Cevennes and try all the local seasonal produce or maybe better wait until the autumn where everything will have had time to ripen in the summer sun!

[Gardian]

[quote user="Pixietoadstool"]You know Woolybanana I think you need to take a trip to the Cevennes![/quote]

I'd take no notice of him P .........l

There's a lot of inter-breeding over there in the Vendee.  Unlike us, strange folk.

On a more serious note, get ready for the Winter: it's nice & hot now, but as new arrivees you may not be best placed.

[NormanH]

I recommend the chestnuts and local pommes reinettes, but it isn't yet the season

http://www.vacances-cevennes.com/auberge_terroir_cevennes/vin_bio_plantes_cevennes.html

[5-element]

The Cévennes are such a beautiful area (whatever some Vendéens d'adoption have to say about it!).

I haven't read all the previous threads, but for those who have missed it, the area is featured on "Echappées belles" (FR.5) a few days ago, and you can see the whole programme again http://www.tv-replay.fr/echappees-belles/

[Pixietoadstool]

Ooh I will have to watch that programme - thanks!

Re: the weather - I was staying in Chamborigaud in January and February on a house hunt and it was -17 degrees C one day. Staying in Saint Jean du Gard in April and early May and it was very cold and extremely wet for most of 5 weeks!

Our stream is beginning to dry up now so that's a bit of a worry as it irrigates our potagers and the house is spring fed - so there are plenty of meteorological worries to keep us occupied! Similar to Normandy then really - where we lived for 2 years and had the house as a holiday home for 10!

Anyway it's as close to Paradise as you can get in our opinion

We are already looking at draughtproofing the house!

Thanks for the welcome everyone!

Pix

[andyh4]

We are over the hill from you, but yes it gets cold.

 

Stock up on firewood - must be at least 2 years old to give good heat.  Draughtproof (as you suggest) but most importantly insulate, insulate, insulate - wherever and however you can.

 

When we arrived in the Arèche we were surprised by the number of houses where the enitre upper floors could be shut off from the ground floor.  We later discovered that during the winter, families would shut up the upper floors and eat sleep and whatever else on the ground floor.

 

 

 

 

[Gardengirl]

It's a beautiful area, and I'm very pleased for you that you've found a place you love, Pixie.

As well as the important draughtproofing and insulation, it would be a good idea to make sure you have a variety of heating/cooking methods, just in case...................

The area can be freezing, as you've already discovered, but at least you've stayed locally in some of the coldest weather many places have had for many years - and it didn't put you off! [:)]

[mint]

[quote user="5-element"]

The Cévennes are such a beautiful area (whatever some Vendéens d'adoption have to say about it!).

I haven't read all the previous threads, but for those who have missed it, the area is featured on "Echappées belles" (FR.5) a few days ago, and you can see the whole programme again http://www.tv-replay.fr/echappees-belles/

[/quote]

Yes, 5-e, I saw that programme and was thinking that I ought to get out my  RL Stevenson book about travelling on a donkey in the Cevennes (mentioned in the programme).  I think it was one of those books that I started but have never finished.

It was certainly beautiful countryside and, you know what, talk about being unable to take in the whole picture, all I could think of was how nice those onions featured in the programme would taste in an onion tart!  (Yes, I ought to get out more....)

I love the wild nature of the landscape and would like to do a long walk there.

But, for me, the effete Dordogne does very well....gentle landscape, sympa folk, cosmopolitan feel at holiday times and my little coin de paradis [:D]

[woolybanana]

Project Gutenberg has a free to download copy of RLS's work, here:

http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/535

And for the fit, there is this:

http://www.gr70-stevenson.com/en/trail.htm

[mint]

Ah, another fan of the Gutenberg site.  I read a lot on that.

Your other link interests me even more and perhaps that could be my "projet" next spring!

Thanks, Wools [:D]

[NormanH]

[quote user="5-element"]

The Cévennes are such a beautiful area (whatever some Vendéens d'adoption have to say about it!).

I haven't read all the previous threads, but for those who have missed it, the area is featured on "Echappées belles" (FR.5) a few days ago, and you can see the whole programme again http://www.tv-replay.fr/echappees-belles/

[/quote]

Thanks for posting that. I didn't notice it when it was broadcast and would he missed it.

Quite superb