any views

[Pauline]

Hi, Hubby Mike & I have just got back from our 3rd fact finding/area search ready for our move to France (once our house is sold). We have finally decided on Gers 32, we have fallen in love with area around Bologne sur gesse & also Isle en dodon, does anyone have any views on these areas or live there themselves? we would appreciate any comments.

Thanks Pauline

[Pauline]

Hi I have noticed lots of viewings to my question but no comments, I wonder if I have been to specific regardeing the area and its to small a place for many residents, could I broaden the question a little and ask for any views on Gers generally please.

Thanks Pauline

[Suze01]

I don't really know the Gers very well - only passed through on the way to Spain.  To me it appears to be very flat (I like hills) and covered in man-made pine forests.  The Atlantic coast is good especially for surfing.

If you post the same question on the Total France forum, I know there are Gers residents on there, one in particular is always extolling the virtues of the Gers and putting down every other region, so it must be good!

[ChezTinns]

The Gers is beautiful, and hailed by many as The New Tuscany.  Suze, I think you were talking about Landes, which is very flat and foresty and runs to the coast which the Gers doesnt. 

The Gers landscape is gentle rolling hills, (no pine forests) fields full of Sunflowers in the summer.  There are lots of fortified towns and villages with amazing 'bastides, all steeped in history. The food and wine are amazing, the locals are very friendly - although English is not widely spoken.  Apparently in the Gers people live the longest in the whole of France, there is no major industry, and no motorways.  The architectural landscape is beautiful too.  Cut and paste the following link and have a look ... (sorry can't make it into a link)

www.tourisme-gers.com/gers-vacances/uk/home.asp

We have had our holiday home there for two years and visit about every 5 - 6 weeks, and find it a wonderful haven even in the middle of winter.

 

[darnsarf]

If it helps, there was a feature yesterday on Gers in the London Evening Standard. You can access it here: http://standardonline.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/viewer.aspx

 

Click on 'Homes and property', then 'abroad' to see the one page feature on Gers.

[Suze01]

[quote user="ChezTinns"]

The Gers is beautiful, and hailed by many as The New Tuscany.  Suze, I think you were talking about Landes, which is very flat and foresty and runs to the coast which the Gers doesnt. 

The Gers landscape is gentle rolling hills, (no pine forests) fields full of Sunflowers in the summer.  There are lots of fortified towns and villages with amazing 'bastides, all steeped in history. The food and wine are amazing, the locals are very friendly - although English is not widely spoken.  Apparently in the Gers people live the longest in the whole of France, there is no major industry, and no motorways.  The architectural landscape is beautiful too.  Cut and paste the following link and have a look ... (sorry can't make it into a link)

www.tourisme-gers.com/gers-vacances/uk/home.asp

We have had our holiday home there for two years and visit about every 5 - 6 weeks, and find it a wonderful haven even in the middle of winter.

 

[/quote]

Thanks for correcting me!

Your description sounds just like the Dordogne and from our brief house-hunting visit, the Lot too!

[shiraz]

Hello Pauline

As an ex-Gers occupant I do feel qualified to participate in this particular posting. The bottom line is ..... what are you looking for ? Along with my wife and two children, I moved to the Gers five years ago after many, many months of research and trying to do the right things to make the whole move from blighty as smooth as possible. (We lived in the South East before). We landed in the Gers, near Fleurance and took up occupation in a rented house. The sensation of actually arriving and standing in the garden in the late evening sun with the statutory glass of wine in those early days was indescribable.  We could even hear ourselves breath the calm night air.......... We eventually bought a house and renovated it and then ......... five years later, we are living in department 64 near the Atlantic Ocean, great golf courses, the wonderful towns of Pau and Biarritz, the marvelous Atlantic beaches, cosmopolitan society, Spain a stones-throw away, more dynamic friends and basically ........ a lot more choices, without which we feel our lives would be stifled.

I am not criticising the Gers, as it is without doubt a beautiful department and we did in the main, enjoy our experience. If you are seeking peace and solace then in my opinion you are heading in the right direction. If you current home in the UK is near all the facilities that you enjoy along with a friendly, if expensive, pub and despite the often miserable weather, you are looking to replicate the same in the Gers ...... don't !! Obviously it is only my personal opinion, but the Gers is not a regular recipient of generous handouts from Central Government in Paris and I think the infrastructure is poor .... charming but poor. If you are of a "certain age" and looking to spend long hours reading those books that you never finished or possibly trying your hand at watercolours ...... the Gers will welcome you as it has done many before. If you are slightly more motivated and do not wish to be harangued by other ex pats who have nothing better to do than tell you all day what they "used to be" whilst at the same time trying to find out exactly how much you paid for your house in an effort to make themselves feel better .... look elsewhere. Others on this Forum may disagree, but I think you are looking for a variety of opinions..... each to their own !!

In essence ... you have to be sure what you want, otherwise it can all turn out to be quite expensive. France ( and the Gers, despite my caustic remarks in the last paragraph) is a truly wonderful place and we fully intend to stay and enjoy all that it offers ... quirkiness and all. It offers something for everyone and to all those forum members living happily in the Gers ..... long may that continue. We have only found the right place for us to live by making a mistake ... maybe that's the only way you will truly find out as well ?? Good luck and I hope my comments have been of some help without in any way wishing to be condescending.

[PaulT]

Pauline

The area you mention is on the border of Gers and the Haute Garonne. We have just bought in 31 very near to Boulogne and L'Isle. We find the area very pleasant with spectacular scenery and pleasant locals.

Will send yo a PM with some agents.

Paul

 

[jojo]

Hi Pauline,

We have lived very near (4kms) Boulogne sur Gesse for 3 years now, in the Haute Garonne. The sceney is beautiful and everyday life is peaceful and pretty slow here and the local people are very helpful and welcoming. If you are looking for tranquility and good food then you will not be disappointed, however if you prefer a very social hectic life,  then think again! In the UK we lived in the SE where there are plenty of shops for retail therapy and lots of restaurants etc, but we wanted a more peaceful, rural life. We love it here, and each time we go back to the UK to visit family etc, we can't wait to get back. The traffic, the fumes, the pace of life and the awful rainy weather, makes us feel so lucky that we de decided to make such a big move. We do have a social life here too, as we have made many friends and there is always a local fete or concert, exibition or something going on. There is also an English library at St Blancard where you will be able to meet up with lots of local ex-pats who wil be only too pleased to let you know what is going on around the area.

However, in your message you do not mention if will be bringing any children with you. We brought our 14 year old daughter with us and although she attended 'college' and recently passed the Brevet, she has decided to continue her education in the UK. She really missed the social life and her friends there, also she wanted a more 'hands on' education, which seems to be lacking in French schools as they are much more academic. If you do have teenage children, then be prepared for a rough ride. If they are younger, then they will probably adapt very quickly and enjoy a much more outdoor life.

I hope this message has been useful , however, if you want to PM me about anything, please do.

 

Jo

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[Howards Carpentry]

Hi Pauline,

My wife and I and our three children all live just down the road in area 31 in a small village called Sarrecave. The locals are so very friendly and the children have been made very welcome at school in Blajan.

We do miss being close to more life at times but the mountain biking's great, you can ski and the weather's good. I dont think we would stay here for ever but it feels a lot safer than the UK, I never want to go back there. Our children have much more freedom and we never sit in traffic.

Houses are still reasonable I think that is bringing more people here. Boulogne seems to be on the up both of the large supermarkets have just been re-built and the Marie is also being really done up.There is now an estate agency in the town run by brits, a sure sign a certain type of growth is expected. Its a nice area to live in ,easy for airports so you can escape or friends can arrive.

Cheers,

Howard  

[Pauline]

Thanks a lot everyone who has replied, its really helpful to get other peoples views, we are ready to move just waiting for the house to sell in uk then we can decide whether to rent for a while to enable us to have a really good look around or whether to buy???

Howard is the estate agent you mention in Bologne called 'Gascony'? its just that we were over in France 10 days ago & did some viewings with an agent, we nipped into the office to pick up keys and would you believe it Mike used to work in the uk with the co owner of the estate agents, she kindly invited us out for a meal that evening and we ended up staying at her home overnight in Bolougne Sur Gesse.(its a small world)!!!!!

Hope to bump into some of you who live in the area, when we move.

Thanks again

Pauline

[Howards Carpentry]

Yes it is Pauline, hope you find something you like.

Howard.

[Patf]

Just to confirm what others have said - the Gers is beautiful and tranquil but maybe too quiet for young people. One of the least populous depts. in France. We've been here about 5 years. The cost of living is relatively low - including house prices - but there is a shortage of jobs. Many young french people from farming families move to the towns and cities rather than slog away as their parents did, so the pattern of farming is changing, as in UK ie less small units, larger farms and more mechanisation. Enjoy your search. Pat.

[Pauline]

Thanks Howard

regard  Pauline

[Den]

Hi guys,

Just wanted to mention that we had been looking in that area too but the bullfighting put us off....Vic has a huge 'festival' every year including bullfighting....there about 10 other towns/villages  that are involved in this.

Regards and best wishes..

[stella]

We  have  been  living  in  the Gers  since  2000,  when  we  moved  to  Auch.

Very  nice  to be in  a  town,  or just  on  the  outside  actually.   Long  hot  summers and  every  thing is slow...  slow  for  the  kids,  but they  will  be  moving on anyway,  no mater  where  you  live.....for  us  it was  very  safe place  to  bring  up good  kids..