Is the grass really greener?

[Flo]

My family think that there's a mistake somewhere in the makeup of me because I have no foreign travelling instinct whatsoever.

[ina]

My family think that there's a mistake somewhere in the makeup of me because I have no foreign travelling instinct whatsoever.

In our family it's only the females that have moved abroad... My sister South Africa; one of my nieces India; another one Netherlands; the third Russia (or wherever she's moved to now!); and myself Scotland... The "boys" are still at home (OK, in the home country). My brother couldn't even be persuaded to go on an exchange for a year when he was at school - I would have jumped at the chance, but didn't get it!

[gdb]

Does anyone have any suggestions for areas of France where there are milder winters, preferably with some sunshine.

--------------------------

For my sins I know quite a bit about the climate of France and winters are actually colder there than it is in most of the UK. (Which is why the grapes do so well as they like a good cold spell). But there are milder spots....

Myself, if I was to move back and wanted to avoid a cold winter, I'd consider buying in Southern Brittany, near to the coast at the Vannes (town) end of the peninsula. (It's mildish, with some sun, but it's rather damp). Also the Manche department in Normandy is mostly mild in winter (but not very sunny).

Then there's the west coast - for a mildish winter you could do a lot worse than the stretch from the Loire Estuary down to the Gironde estuary. But be careful, because as soon as you more than, say, 30 miles inland, it can be pretty nippy.

I'd definitely avoid Limousin, eastern Charente, Auvergne and Burgundy and the Lot - these can very cold in winter. Much colder than most of England. Likewise, be careful inland from the Mediterranean as there are very (very!) cold winds. Departments like Aveyron (which is quite near the Med) are cheap for a reason. It rains and it's very cold in winter.

All in all if you dont fancy a chilly winter in France, buy on - or as close as possible to - the sea!

The good news?

There is some. Winter is (usually) pretty short. You can get very warm days (25c) in March and - as soon as you are south of the Loire more or less - there is lots more sun than in the UK.

[The Riff-Raff Element]

Does anyone have any suggestions for areas of France where there are milder winters, preferably with some sunshine.

--------------------------

For my sins I know quite a bit about the climate of France and winters are actually colder there than it is in most of the UK. (Which is why the grapes do so well as they like a good cold spell). But there are milder spots....

Myself, if I was to move back and wanted to avoid a cold winter, I'd consider buying in Southern Brittany, near to the coast at the Vannes (town) end of the peninsula. (It's mildish, with some sun, but it's rather damp). Also the Manche department in Normandy is mostly mild in winter (but not very sunny).

Then there's the west coast - for a mildish winter you could do a lot worse than the stretch from the Loire Estuary down to the Gironde estuary. But be careful, because as soon as you more than, say, 30 miles inland, it can be pretty nippy.

I'd definitely avoid Limousin, eastern Charente, Auvergne and Burgundy and the Lot - these can very cold in winter. Much colder than most of England. Likewise, be careful inland from the Mediterranean as there are very (very!) cold winds. Departments like Aveyron (which is quite near the Med) are cheap for a reason. It rains and it's very cold in winter.

All in all if you dont fancy a chilly winter in France, buy on - or as close as possible to - the sea!

The good news?

There is some. Winter is (usually) pretty short. You can get very warm days (25c) in March and - as soon as you are south of the Loire more or less - there is lots more sun than in the UK.

I can add little or nothing intellegent to this! We're South of the Loire and about 20 miles from the sea in the Vendée. Our winter is really pretty mild, but 20 miles further into the Deux Sevres and the winter is far, far colder because - I think - the air is even drier than here.

Also, be aware of geography and time zones. Wr're WEST of Greenwich but an hour ahead of the UK, which means in mid winter daylight doesn't arrive until well after 9 am: this can be a bit of a shock for people expecting more daylight! Granted it doesn't get dark until after 5pm, which is the upside.

I'd say we get about 10 weeks December - end Feb which are truly vile.

[Graye]

We are about to head back after two weeks in the UK. The weather in the North East of England has been great - sunny days, pleasant evening etc.

At the moment we live mostly in the northern Dordogne and although the summers are pleasant I must admit I haven't ever found them hot - just quite long and comfortably warm. I suppose I have 6 years of inland Andalucia as a benchmark so it's hardly fair to compare though. I wouldn't suggest anywhere even slightly inland in southern Spain if you are looking for a constant temperature - we were inland about 50 miles and it was COLD (and we sometimes had frost and snow) during the winter and the summers were furnace-like and very regularly windy too.

There are definitely four distinct seasons in the northern Dordogne and spring is decidedly wet, also autumn. The Christmas before last was particularly cold and frosty and last year was pretty chilly too. Frost and ice are not unusual at all and it can be very stormy and damp. Wood fires are the order of the day in winter and we were lighting ours in the evening this year in mid September and last year we didn't stop having a fire until at least April. Saying that, the daytime temperatures are probably higher than the UK, there is just a big drop as the sun sets.

I did comment the other day as we were walking along the local lanes around Whitby that the trees, bushes and plants are very similar to those local to our French house which probably reflects quite similar temperatures really. The blackberries are ripe later here and the trees are possibly more autumnal.

[Irishpioneer]

I love the Green Grass here in West Cork Southern Ireland along with the sparkling Blue Sea I trully wouldn't change it for the world. We have lived here for 16 years and moved over from the uk when the kids were babies, we have experienced the good life here....chickens, ducks, sheep, goats and now horses one of which pulls my small cart around and takes me to the local creamery..we have no regrets and what is more as our children are now growing up and free to go their own way they too are staying put, so we must have got it right some where along the way.

We have also live in Orkeny on a small island there but I have to say that Irelands different shades of green are definilty a winner for us

[snapdragon]

Wiltshire is green enough although Lancashire still beckons

........... the financial side of things, german pensions etc....

pensions are transferable within the EU or so they said on the pre-retirement course I just attended, and when I called for my state pension forecast (a-while back) they said they would contact Germany and transfer my few contributions to add to my state pension - I do hope that's still the case

[gdb]

You're right Snapdragon - pensions are definitely transferable within the EU. So you can retire and live in Spain, France, Sweden, Romania, Malta... etc... Which, is no bad thing.

However...

"A study by consultancy firm Aon shows the state pays pensioners an income equivalent to just 17% of average earnings... "

"This is the lowest level in Europe and well below the average for all European Union countries of 57%".

So, if you were kind of young, and maybe thinking of moving to Germany and getting into the German system, and then one day receiving a German state pension... I'd find the figures pretty persuasive.

[snapdragon]

......................However...
"A study by consultancy firm Aon shows the state pays pensioners an income equivalent to just 17% of average earnings... "
"This is the lowest level in Europe and well below the average for all European Union countries of 57%".
So, if you were kind of young, and maybe thinking of moving to Germany and getting into the German system, and then one day receiving a German state pension... I'd find the figures pretty persuasive.

Nod nod I'd be happy living there again, it was obvious that pensioners had a much better earnings rate in Germany than UK while we lived there.
Luckily I've never achieved British 'average earnings' (which last I noticed was £26000) so when I finally get it, my state pension will be a better percentage of my previous earnings!!! hey there's something positive about being on low pay after all
(does that make sense?)

[SarahJane]

Thanks for the advice re german pensions etc. We havent really looked into it properly. Maybe its time we did.

[Graye]

Another problem for people living in foreign countries who rely on income from the UK (be it pensions, investments etc) is that when the pound takes a nosedive against the local currency they can really be hit hard. Of course it can happen the other way round too but at the moment there are some quite worried Brit retirees in places like Spain and France. Added to that the sudden increase in the cost of living (in Spain particularly) and life must become very traumatic, especially when the housing markets are in such difficulties (again, especially in Spain) so "coming home" is not really viable.

[SarahJane]

Another problem for people living in foreign countries who rely on income from the UK (be it pensions, investments etc) is that when the pound takes a nosedive against the local currency they can really be hit hard. Of course it can happen the other way round too but at the moment there are some quite worried Brit retirees in places like Spain and France. Added to that the sudden increase in the cost of living (in Spain particularly) and life must become very traumatic, especially when the housing markets are in such difficulties (again, especially in Spain) so "coming home" is not really viable.

That is one of the things that worrys me. What if I packed up, lock stock and barrel and went over to Germany and decided that it wasnt the right decision? I dont think that I could then afford to come back, (especially to the area I now live, and be able to afford to buy.