The Med or the Atlantic

[P]

We are looking to buy somewhere along the pyrenees line and have decided to look in the east of the south west (or possibly the west of the south east) - Ariege / Aude.

The reason is that we favour being close, but not on top of the med. However, we have no exprience of the Atlantic coast, apart from a brif visit earli this year and from aircraft whilst flying over the Bay of Biscay.

Our perception is that we will experience better weather and calmer seas with the med.

However, we also like the area to the south of Tarbes, which is some distance from both coasts but is closer to the Atlantic.

We would welcome informed views on both coasts, including weather, suitability for swimming, sea temperatures etc.

Thanks in advance

Paul

[squidge]

Paul, sounds like you're going through the same process in the same-ish area as me, certainly when you say you're considering south of Tarbes.  I don't know the Med end at all, but I'm familiar with the Atlantic side.  It is, of course, less reliable weather-wise, invariably cooler as a result of the winds coming in from the Atlantic, but very attractive.  It's much further west from the area in which I'm looking, so I don't know whether prices differ over towards the Atlantic, but the villages around Cambo-les-Bains, each with their own pelotta walls, regardless of the size of the village, offer a unique cultural, and indeed sporting, experience, as well as being very attractive.  St Jean-Pied-de-Port is lovely, but almost certainly a bit overrun by tourists in summer to be considered as a viable place to live, at least for my tastes, but basically from Pau west to La Rhune and down to the coast at Biarittz, Bayonne and St Jean de Luz is lush, rugged and accessible. 

I'd definitely concentrate my efforts over there.  South of Tarbes is massively overrated!

[Tony F Dordogne]

Don't know what it's like to live around there but recently had a few days in out of season Bayonne.

Good shopping area in general, lots of things to do (museums and the like) but the weather was relatively mild so that helped.  Also the coastal area is pretty spectacular all the way up to Arcachon.  But like many of the towns that have a large visitor season, many of the restaurants were closed for the winter (plenty of other good places to eat though), excellent sports centre and a great rugby club.

[Bobc]

"We are looking to buy somewhere along the pyrenees line and have

decided to look in the east of the south west (or possibly the west of

the south east) - Ariege / Aude.

The reason is that we favour being close, but not on top of the med.

However, we have no exprience of the Atlantic coast, apart from a brif

visit earli this year and from aircraft whilst flying over the Bay of

Biscay.

Our perception is that we will experience better weather and calmer seas with the med.

However, we also like the area to the south of Tarbes, which is some distance from both coasts but is closer to the Atlantic.

We would welcome informed views on both coasts, including weather, suitability for swimming, sea temperatures etc.

Thanks in advance

Paul"

I have no experience of the area south of Tarbes but over the last few

years we have taken our summer holidays on either the Atlantic or Med

coasts.

For swimming, better temperatures and calmer seas then the Med wins -

two holidays at Racou, just south of Argeles have ben fine.

Last year, a two week holiday in July at Yelloh Village at Labenne

Ocean, just south of Cap Breton resulted in only about three days that

the sea was ‘reasonably safe’ for swimming and within a 100m supervised

zone.

Fortunately Yelloh Village had a very good pool complex.

Both coastlines seem very geared up to the summer and I would imagine

that they would be very bleak in the winter with many businesses and

restaurants, etc closed.

St Jean de Luz - a pretty little town - we made the mistake in booking

a holiday there in August a few years ago - worse traffic than the M25

- overpriced, indifferent, unchildfriendly restaurants, etc, etc.

I would guess that if you choose to live close to either coast you will

have to live with the traffic and tourists in the summer and many

places closed in the winter.

Regards,

Bob Clarke

http://perso.wanadoo.fr/grindoux