Angoulême - any opinions?
Discussion
Eyemet has , or had , a large English ex pat population when we lived in the Dordogne in sarlat la caneda , it even had an English shop ! It also has a 'spar' supermarket .
A couple we knew were looking to buy a house and thought it was a bit to English , this was years ago mind and it could be different now , it is handy for Bergerac airport though .
A couple we knew were looking to buy a house and thought it was a bit to English , this was years ago mind and it could be different now , it is handy for Bergerac airport though .
paulwirral said:
Eyemet has , or had , a large English ex pat population when we lived in the Dordogne in sarlat la caneda , it even had an English shop ! It also has a 'spar' supermarket .
A couple we knew were looking to buy a house and thought it was a bit to English , this was years ago mind and it could be different now , it is handy for Bergerac airport though .
Spar is actually Dutch........and yes I know they're in the UK too.A couple we knew were looking to buy a house and thought it was a bit to English , this was years ago mind and it could be different now , it is handy for Bergerac airport though .
I think every French town has a Spar ( Fir tree in Dutch - see the logo! )
Cherval is where I live. It is not the prettiest village around but has a typical French style and feel. Although a number of Brits are around, there are still a large number of French, many of whom have been here for years.
Easy access to countryside as well as Angouleme, Riberac, Perigueux and Bergerac.
Countryside more rolling than closer to the coast so more Chateaux (Chateau's ?) and many other interesting sites to see.
Been here 6 years and have not had any problems with the locals etc, although my general comments on a previous post, still stand.
Easy access to countryside as well as Angouleme, Riberac, Perigueux and Bergerac.
Countryside more rolling than closer to the coast so more Chateaux (Chateau's ?) and many other interesting sites to see.
Been here 6 years and have not had any problems with the locals etc, although my general comments on a previous post, still stand.
Paul-427 said:
Cherval is where I live. It is not the prettiest village around but has a typical French style and feel. Although a number of Brits are around, there are still a large number of French, many of whom have been here for years.
Easy access to countryside as well as Angouleme, Riberac, Perigueux and Bergerac.
Countryside more rolling than closer to the coast so more Chateaux (Chateau's ?) and many other interesting sites to see.
Been here 6 years and have not had any problems with the locals etc, although my general comments on a previous post, still stand.
Ah that's interesting. Do you mind a couple of specific questions?Easy access to countryside as well as Angouleme, Riberac, Perigueux and Bergerac.
Countryside more rolling than closer to the coast so more Chateaux (Chateau's ?) and many other interesting sites to see.
Been here 6 years and have not had any problems with the locals etc, although my general comments on a previous post, still stand.
The Cherval house is the old forge / mechanics on the car park by the war memorial and bus stop. It looks like a strong option, but I have questions over the noise and pollution of the car park and the bus stop. What do you reckon?
Are the cafes and shops open all year round or is it a summer place?
For transport hubs I have Angouleme, Bordeaux and Bergerac. Am I missing other obvious towns?
Champagne-Mouton is not that nice to look at but has a few shops,post office,garage etc.
Loads of Ex pats there.
Brit run local bar that has music nights.
Great doctors surgery.
Saint Germain de Confolens is right on the river Vienne. It has the old chateau up above the village that's interesting with a great view.
Nice park by the river with a summer bar this last few summers. There is a wine shop that is to open a bar restaurant at some point this year.
Bleak in the winter with cold fog rolling down the river.
Massive amount of Brit owned house,maybe 50%.
Close to the main town of Confolens.
I have a house for sale near to Saint Germain about 3 miles up higher in the countryside. Half your budget but needs developing upstairs,downstairs can be moved into. With a large barn.
Loads of Ex pats there.
Brit run local bar that has music nights.
Great doctors surgery.
Saint Germain de Confolens is right on the river Vienne. It has the old chateau up above the village that's interesting with a great view.
Nice park by the river with a summer bar this last few summers. There is a wine shop that is to open a bar restaurant at some point this year.
Bleak in the winter with cold fog rolling down the river.
Massive amount of Brit owned house,maybe 50%.
Close to the main town of Confolens.
I have a house for sale near to Saint Germain about 3 miles up higher in the countryside. Half your budget but needs developing upstairs,downstairs can be moved into. With a large barn.
Sebastian Tombs said:
Ah that's interesting. Do you mind a couple of specific questions?
The Cherval house is the old forge / mechanics on the car park by the war memorial and bus stop. It looks like a strong option, but I have questions over the noise and pollution of the car park and the bus stop. What do you reckon?
Are the cafes and shops open all year round or is it a summer place?
For transport hubs I have Angouleme, Bordeaux and Bergerac. Am I missing other obvious towns?
Hi SabastianThe Cherval house is the old forge / mechanics on the car park by the war memorial and bus stop. It looks like a strong option, but I have questions over the noise and pollution of the car park and the bus stop. What do you reckon?
Are the cafes and shops open all year round or is it a summer place?
For transport hubs I have Angouleme, Bordeaux and Bergerac. Am I missing other obvious towns?
I know the property you are looking at, but have not been inside so cannot comment on that.
The carpark is very quiet and I think there maybe 1 or 2 buses a day, so noise and pollution is far from a problem !!
The Boulangerie and restaurant, Chez Hannah's are open all year round. There is nothing else here
The only other transport hub is Limoges.
Like most French villages, it is very quite although some may say dead lol
there is a nice place in Mauprevoir just north of Angouleme its a 5 bed guest house and 3 bed owners accommodation we stayed there a few years ago and were going to put a bid in for it and then just use it for ourselves and friends, it was a good night stay with ex pat games nights and quizzes and it caters for the local race circuit its on at £145,000. The mayor has his meals there to but at the time we thought it unfair to close it down for guests
Edited by RONV on Monday 22 June 13:41
Edited by RONV on Tuesday 23 June 08:08
RONV said:
there is a nice place in Mauprevoir just north of Angouleme its a 5 bed guest house and 3 bed owners accommodation we stayed there a few years ago and were going to put a bid in for it and then just use it for our selves and friends, it was a good night stay with ex pat games nights and quizzes and it caters for the local race circuit its on at £145,000. The mayor has his meals there to but at the time we thought it unfair to close it down for guests
Mauprevoir is an hour north of Angouleme and is in the Vienne county(dept). It's a nice enough village with again plenty of Brits with the local bar being Brit owned.Edited by RONV on Monday 22 June 13:41
It's very handy for the Circuit de vigeant which is a brilliant track. I've done many track days there.
Equal distance between Angouleme and Poitiers. With the nearby town of Civray for any shopping needs.
paulwirral said:
Eyemet has , or had , a large English ex pat population when we lived in the Dordogne in sarlat la caneda , it even had an English shop ! It also has a 'spar' supermarket .
A couple we knew were looking to buy a house and thought it was a bit to English , this was years ago mind and it could be different now , it is handy for Bergerac airport though .
EymetA couple we knew were looking to buy a house and thought it was a bit to English , this was years ago mind and it could be different now , it is handy for Bergerac airport though .
Paul is right, I think Eymet's population is about 30% British,I think it actually raises the game a little on retail, hospitlality and things to do. It still feels very French, its one of the bastide towns so has a layout practically unchanged since the 100 years war. Villereal is worth a look too.
Paul-427 said:
Sebastian Tombs said:
Ah that's interesting. Do you mind a couple of specific questions?
The Cherval house is the old forge / mechanics on the car park by the war memorial and bus stop. It looks like a strong option, but I have questions over the noise and pollution of the car park and the bus stop. What do you reckon?
Are the cafes and shops open all year round or is it a summer place?
For transport hubs I have Angouleme, Bordeaux and Bergerac. Am I missing other obvious towns?
Hi SabastianThe Cherval house is the old forge / mechanics on the car park by the war memorial and bus stop. It looks like a strong option, but I have questions over the noise and pollution of the car park and the bus stop. What do you reckon?
Are the cafes and shops open all year round or is it a summer place?
For transport hubs I have Angouleme, Bordeaux and Bergerac. Am I missing other obvious towns?
I know the property you are looking at, but have not been inside so cannot comment on that.
The carpark is very quiet and I think there maybe 1 or 2 buses a day, so noise and pollution is far from a problem !!
The Boulangerie and restaurant, Chez Hannah's are open all year round. There is nothing else here
The only other transport hub is Limoges.
Like most French villages, it is very quite although some may say dead lol
AndrewCrown said:
paulwirral said:
Eyemet has , or had , a large English ex pat population when we lived in the Dordogne in sarlat la caneda , it even had an English shop ! It also has a 'spar' supermarket .
A couple we knew were looking to buy a house and thought it was a bit to English , this was years ago mind and it could be different now , it is handy for Bergerac airport though .
EymetA couple we knew were looking to buy a house and thought it was a bit to English , this was years ago mind and it could be different now , it is handy for Bergerac airport though .
Paul is right, I think Eymet's population is about 30% British,I think it actually raises the game a little on retail, hospitlality and things to do. It still feels very French, its one of the bastide towns so has a layout practically unchanged since the 100 years war. Villereal is worth a look too.
My friend,whom is also Premier adjutant,say our commune is like a restaurant,if you enter you will be offered a table to sit,eat and enjoy the restaurant.If you stay outside and look through the window ,you will always be looking in wondering what it’s like.
smifffymoto said:
I live near Eymet and no way is it 30% English but you can can hear it on market day.The surrounding communes also have a largeish expat community.In my village last year there were 18 English families.
My friend,whom is also Premier adjutant,say our commune is like a restaurant,if you enter you will be offered a table to sit,eat and enjoy the restaurant.If you stay outside and look through the window ,you will always be looking in wondering what it’s like.
Smiffy... Very happy to be corrected here, from the people I know in Eymet they say 30%, but of course they could be wrong.. My friend,whom is also Premier adjutant,say our commune is like a restaurant,if you enter you will be offered a table to sit,eat and enjoy the restaurant.If you stay outside and look through the window ,you will always be looking in wondering what it’s like.
Routard 2020 Claim 17% of Eymet's population is British & 30% of school children are British origin.
I checked a few other sources including INSEE. 17% keeps popping up... So I'm out, but add in second home owners... it will up that figure..
Map below for the OP on British population share by municipality .
.
Before we moved to France in 2005, there used to be a woman who wrote articles for the Sunday Times - she lived in Dordognshire and seemed to spend her life watching cricket matches, drinking G&Ts and reminiscing about how much better life was back in the UK. She eventually left for Dubai.
This was definitely not what we wanted, although there happened to be a Brit couple in our village who we have become very good friends with, we moved to France, eyes wide open, to enjoy the many pleasures that France and a French people have to offer.
This was definitely not what we wanted, although there happened to be a Brit couple in our village who we have become very good friends with, we moved to France, eyes wide open, to enjoy the many pleasures that France and a French people have to offer.
All this info has been really helpful, and we've narrowed down the things we are looking for, sacked off some pipe dreams.
We've added the following towns to the list. Are there any we should really avoid?
Are there any you would say 'yes, live there!'
Chef Boutonne
Lesterps
Nontron
Mareuil
Ruffec
This is probably going to be a 5 year home, rather than a forever one, if that changes anything.
We've added the following towns to the list. Are there any we should really avoid?
Are there any you would say 'yes, live there!'
Chef Boutonne
Lesterps
Nontron
Mareuil
Ruffec
This is probably going to be a 5 year home, rather than a forever one, if that changes anything.
Nice village Lesterps. Good butcher,good little grocer shop where you can get the bread also. A good restaurant also. You also have another good restaurant in Esse just down the road and also in Montrollet in the other direction by a nice lake.
Good junior school also.
A few events each year including the worlds largest omelette on the Saturday night along with entertainment.Held over a weekend with agricultural show etc and beer tent. Good fun.
Great area for walking. Make sure any rural house you buy is not near a stinky farm or where hunt dogs are kept,unless you like endless barking.
Lesterps is easy reach to Confolens and Saint Junian for shopping. Limoges airport about 35 to 45 mins away.
Lesterps is pronounced " leterre" not Le terre or Les terps.
Like Confolens and the near area Lesterps would be know as Charente Limouzine. More pleasant country side with forests and rivers etc. oh and lots of Granit.
Ruffec and Chef bouton are at the start of more open countryside. Ruffec is a fair sized town with all amenity's . Plenty of Brits about all the places you mention but lots of room for everyone.
Good junior school also.
A few events each year including the worlds largest omelette on the Saturday night along with entertainment.Held over a weekend with agricultural show etc and beer tent. Good fun.
Great area for walking. Make sure any rural house you buy is not near a stinky farm or where hunt dogs are kept,unless you like endless barking.
Lesterps is easy reach to Confolens and Saint Junian for shopping. Limoges airport about 35 to 45 mins away.
Lesterps is pronounced " leterre" not Le terre or Les terps.
Like Confolens and the near area Lesterps would be know as Charente Limouzine. More pleasant country side with forests and rivers etc. oh and lots of Granit.
Ruffec and Chef bouton are at the start of more open countryside. Ruffec is a fair sized town with all amenity's . Plenty of Brits about all the places you mention but lots of room for everyone.
Edited by Magooagain on Friday 26th June 17:06
Edited by Magooagain on Friday 26th June 17:07
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