Creuse/Limousin as a possible area?
May 7th 2008, 12:36 pm
#1
Grey Bombshell
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2008
Location: La Feuillee, Brittany
Posts: 1,441
Creuse/Limousin as a possible area?
Hi everyone
Hoping for a bit of information from people who might live in Limousin area.
My partner is now very sold on the idea of us moving to France, but with the sudden downturn in the property market in England, although we are both for sale no takers yet, so I am using the time for area research as I call it.
Scannin the internet sites such as green-acres etc seems to indicate that Limousin would be very good value for money. Our budget seems to be dropping by the month, so am now looking to spend no more than £70-80,000 on the actual property which might enable us to keep our flat here to generate income but still live (very frugally) over there.
I would welcome any information anyone has about living in Limousin. Have found potential properties near Aubusson, La Souterraine and Arrenes and Payzac, so if anyone is near or in these areas, can you tell me a bit about them at all? what the countryside is like - it looks a bit like Devon from pictures. have been to Correze (Beaulieu-sur-dordogne) and remember it rather fuzzily as being very very nice indeed, but never ventured as far as Creuse or Haute Vienne.
Really focussing on the area 50 miles or so around Limoges? Need to know where the Brico Depots are, whether Aubusson has an Intermarche, is it on the railway line, how long by rail to Limoges etc.
Any info welcome. Also, it is nearly 3 years since I was living in France, and if someone could give a rough indication of basic outgoings per month on things such as telephone charges, water bills, electricity etc that would really help. We estimate we will have around £500 a month for basic bills, running a car and food. Am I dreaming or could that be possible? We won't have a mortgage or have to pay rent, and we don't socialise expensively.
Andy
Hoping for a bit of information from people who might live in Limousin area.
My partner is now very sold on the idea of us moving to France, but with the sudden downturn in the property market in England, although we are both for sale no takers yet, so I am using the time for area research as I call it.
Scannin the internet sites such as green-acres etc seems to indicate that Limousin would be very good value for money. Our budget seems to be dropping by the month, so am now looking to spend no more than £70-80,000 on the actual property which might enable us to keep our flat here to generate income but still live (very frugally) over there.
I would welcome any information anyone has about living in Limousin. Have found potential properties near Aubusson, La Souterraine and Arrenes and Payzac, so if anyone is near or in these areas, can you tell me a bit about them at all? what the countryside is like - it looks a bit like Devon from pictures. have been to Correze (Beaulieu-sur-dordogne) and remember it rather fuzzily as being very very nice indeed, but never ventured as far as Creuse or Haute Vienne.
Really focussing on the area 50 miles or so around Limoges? Need to know where the Brico Depots are, whether Aubusson has an Intermarche, is it on the railway line, how long by rail to Limoges etc.
Any info welcome. Also, it is nearly 3 years since I was living in France, and if someone could give a rough indication of basic outgoings per month on things such as telephone charges, water bills, electricity etc that would really help. We estimate we will have around £500 a month for basic bills, running a car and food. Am I dreaming or could that be possible? We won't have a mortgage or have to pay rent, and we don't socialise expensively.
Andy
May 7th 2008, 7:50 pm
#2
Just Joined
Joined: Apr 2008
Location: Wellington
Posts: 13
Re: Creuse/Limousin as a possible area?
Limousin is a great area, believe a Limousin-born person!
Anyway, depending on your choice for heating (electricity, fuel, with a mix of wood burning) prices can be very variable: you have to check first what kind of electricity supply you choose. EDF (or whatever the name is now for the main electricity provider-I forgot!) offers several contracts, check on their website.
My parents chose Tempo, days "are" either red, blue or white, and had to pay bills up to 1000€ for 2 weeks in winter (-5 to -10°, even less in certain areas), in an old but newly isolated house: red days, the most expensive, are of course when it's the coldest....:curse:
Telephone: now you can choose between Orange (ex-France-telecom) and a large number of providers. From my point of view: Orange (at last) set a combo with illimited broadband, cheap calls either locally or nationwide. You have to compare what suits you best (note that some had lots of problems with tele2, they do not provide any maintenance).
As regards Bricodepot, Castorama and DIY warehouses, check on the yellow pages! (les pages jaunes).
The countryside: hills, narrow windy roads, cows wherever you set your eyes, apple orchards (our famous "Golden" apple), lots of private lakes (I would call most of them "ponds"!), and woods! Mainly chestnuts trees and oak.
Last: do not forget that Limousin is charming because it is secluded, there are very few inhabitants and villages compared to other places, therefore you're driving most of the time! Petrol expenses have to be taken in consideration, and think twice before buying a beautiful old farm miles away from the nearest baker...
PS: hope your are retired or that you checked for a job before, Limousin has a vey high rate of unemployment.
Sorry I do not have more accurate information for you, but the web is a great tool: try entries like 'region limousin' 'vivre en Limousin', 's'installer en L.', etc. Try the names of main cities, their websites show photos and films.
Anyway, depending on your choice for heating (electricity, fuel, with a mix of wood burning) prices can be very variable: you have to check first what kind of electricity supply you choose. EDF (or whatever the name is now for the main electricity provider-I forgot!) offers several contracts, check on their website.
My parents chose Tempo, days "are" either red, blue or white, and had to pay bills up to 1000€ for 2 weeks in winter (-5 to -10°, even less in certain areas), in an old but newly isolated house: red days, the most expensive, are of course when it's the coldest....:curse:
Telephone: now you can choose between Orange (ex-France-telecom) and a large number of providers. From my point of view: Orange (at last) set a combo with illimited broadband, cheap calls either locally or nationwide. You have to compare what suits you best (note that some had lots of problems with tele2, they do not provide any maintenance).
As regards Bricodepot, Castorama and DIY warehouses, check on the yellow pages! (les pages jaunes).
The countryside: hills, narrow windy roads, cows wherever you set your eyes, apple orchards (our famous "Golden" apple), lots of private lakes (I would call most of them "ponds"!), and woods! Mainly chestnuts trees and oak.
Last: do not forget that Limousin is charming because it is secluded, there are very few inhabitants and villages compared to other places, therefore you're driving most of the time! Petrol expenses have to be taken in consideration, and think twice before buying a beautiful old farm miles away from the nearest baker...
PS: hope your are retired or that you checked for a job before, Limousin has a vey high rate of unemployment.
Sorry I do not have more accurate information for you, but the web is a great tool: try entries like 'region limousin' 'vivre en Limousin', 's'installer en L.', etc. Try the names of main cities, their websites show photos and films.
May 7th 2008, 8:39 pm
#3
Grey Bombshell
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2008
Location: La Feuillee, Brittany
Posts: 1,441
Re: Creuse/Limousin as a possible area?
Thanks Pimali - so you were born there? Lovely. I was a bit horrified at the thought of 1000 euros for 2 weeks heating - we would certainly have to freeze if that was the case. We are looking at properties with some woodland hopefully, with a view to using some of it (old stuff etc) to supplement heating with a woodburner. We did this before in our other house and it certainly helped.
I can't remember the website for checking the areas in France that have ADSL (broadband), but will search on the web, as in our other place in France we had that and used mainly Skype for phone calls which certainly was cheaper.
It does sound like our kind of place, and we are very definitely looking for properties that are off the beaten track and do not have near neighbours but are not too isolated. These do seem cheaper and I understand the taxes (fonciere and/or habitation, I never got them apart!) are cheaper if you are outside the village or town boundaries.
With regard to work, I am reaslistic enough to know without good command of French (mine is basic, but I get by in shops, on the phone, etc) you won't do any real work. We are hoping to buy a property as cheaply as possible that is just habitable and leave as much as possible in savings, or have income from a property here in England we will rent. I am hoping we can meet our very basic needs with £500 a month, which we did do before, but it was tight, and that was nearly 3 years ago. My teachers pension, which is very small can kick in in 4 years time but it will only be £268 a month.
Anyway, thanks very much indeed.
I think Brenda on here is somewhere nearby in Thiviers - I am hoping she can answer a few questions for me when she sees this thread! Are you there, Bren? lol
Andy
I can't remember the website for checking the areas in France that have ADSL (broadband), but will search on the web, as in our other place in France we had that and used mainly Skype for phone calls which certainly was cheaper.
It does sound like our kind of place, and we are very definitely looking for properties that are off the beaten track and do not have near neighbours but are not too isolated. These do seem cheaper and I understand the taxes (fonciere and/or habitation, I never got them apart!) are cheaper if you are outside the village or town boundaries.
With regard to work, I am reaslistic enough to know without good command of French (mine is basic, but I get by in shops, on the phone, etc) you won't do any real work. We are hoping to buy a property as cheaply as possible that is just habitable and leave as much as possible in savings, or have income from a property here in England we will rent. I am hoping we can meet our very basic needs with £500 a month, which we did do before, but it was tight, and that was nearly 3 years ago. My teachers pension, which is very small can kick in in 4 years time but it will only be £268 a month.
Anyway, thanks very much indeed.
I think Brenda on here is somewhere nearby in Thiviers - I am hoping she can answer a few questions for me when she sees this thread! Are you there, Bren? lol
Andy
May 7th 2008, 9:37 pm
#4
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Apr 2008
Location: Hérault (34)
Posts: 8,888
Re: Creuse/Limousin as a possible area?
Hi everyone
Hoping for a bit of information from people who might live in Limousin area.
My partner is now very sold on the idea of us moving to France, but with the sudden downturn in the property market in England, although we are both for sale no takers yet, so I am using the time for area research as I call it.
Scannin the internet sites such as green-acres etc seems to indicate that Limousin would be very good value for money. Our budget seems to be dropping by the month, so am now looking to spend no more than £70-80,000 on the actual property which might enable us to keep our flat here to generate income but still live (very frugally) over there.
I would welcome any information anyone has about living in Limousin. Have found potential properties near Aubusson, La Souterraine and Arrenes and Payzac, so if anyone is near or in these areas, can you tell me a bit about them at all? what the countryside is like - it looks a bit like Devon from pictures. have been to Correze (Beaulieu-sur-dordogne) and remember it rather fuzzily as being very very nice indeed, but never ventured as far as Creuse or Haute Vienne.
Really focussing on the area 50 miles or so around Limoges? Need to know where the Brico Depots are, whether Aubusson has an Intermarche, is it on the railway line, how long by rail to Limoges etc.
Any info welcome. Also, it is nearly 3 years since I was living in France, and if someone could give a rough indication of basic outgoings per month on things such as telephone charges, water bills, electricity etc that would really help. We estimate we will have around £500 a month for basic bills, running a car and food. Am I dreaming or could that be possible? We won't have a mortgage or have to pay rent, and we don't socialise expensively.
Andy
Hoping for a bit of information from people who might live in Limousin area.
My partner is now very sold on the idea of us moving to France, but with the sudden downturn in the property market in England, although we are both for sale no takers yet, so I am using the time for area research as I call it.
Scannin the internet sites such as green-acres etc seems to indicate that Limousin would be very good value for money. Our budget seems to be dropping by the month, so am now looking to spend no more than £70-80,000 on the actual property which might enable us to keep our flat here to generate income but still live (very frugally) over there.
I would welcome any information anyone has about living in Limousin. Have found potential properties near Aubusson, La Souterraine and Arrenes and Payzac, so if anyone is near or in these areas, can you tell me a bit about them at all? what the countryside is like - it looks a bit like Devon from pictures. have been to Correze (Beaulieu-sur-dordogne) and remember it rather fuzzily as being very very nice indeed, but never ventured as far as Creuse or Haute Vienne.
Really focussing on the area 50 miles or so around Limoges? Need to know where the Brico Depots are, whether Aubusson has an Intermarche, is it on the railway line, how long by rail to Limoges etc.
Any info welcome. Also, it is nearly 3 years since I was living in France, and if someone could give a rough indication of basic outgoings per month on things such as telephone charges, water bills, electricity etc that would really help. We estimate we will have around £500 a month for basic bills, running a car and food. Am I dreaming or could that be possible? We won't have a mortgage or have to pay rent, and we don't socialise expensively.
Andy
May 8th 2008, 2:02 am
#5
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Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Normandy, France and occassionally Nova Scotia!
Posts: 3,373
Re: Creuse/Limousin as a possible area?
Thanks Pimali - so you were born there? Lovely. I was a bit horrified at the thought of 1000 euros for 2 weeks heating - we would certainly have to freeze if that was the case. We are looking at properties with some woodland hopefully, with a view to using some of it (old stuff etc) to supplement heating with a woodburner. We did this before in our other house and it certainly helped.
I can't remember the website for checking the areas in France that have ADSL (broadband), but will search on the web, as in our other place in France we had that and used mainly Skype for phone calls which certainly was cheaper.
It does sound like our kind of place, and we are very definitely looking for properties that are off the beaten track and do not have near neighbours but are not too isolated. These do seem cheaper and I understand the taxes (fonciere and/or habitation, I never got them apart!) are cheaper if you are outside the village or town boundaries.
With regard to work, I am reaslistic enough to know without good command of French (mine is basic, but I get by in shops, on the phone, etc) you won't do any real work. We are hoping to buy a property as cheaply as possible that is just habitable and leave as much as possible in savings, or have income from a property here in England we will rent. I am hoping we can meet our very basic needs with £500 a month, which we did do before, but it was tight, and that was nearly 3 years ago. My teachers pension, which is very small can kick in in 4 years time but it will only be £268 a month.
Anyway, thanks very much indeed.
I think Brenda on here is somewhere nearby in Thiviers - I am hoping she can answer a few questions for me when she sees this thread! Are you there, Bren? lol
Andy
I can't remember the website for checking the areas in France that have ADSL (broadband), but will search on the web, as in our other place in France we had that and used mainly Skype for phone calls which certainly was cheaper.
It does sound like our kind of place, and we are very definitely looking for properties that are off the beaten track and do not have near neighbours but are not too isolated. These do seem cheaper and I understand the taxes (fonciere and/or habitation, I never got them apart!) are cheaper if you are outside the village or town boundaries.
With regard to work, I am reaslistic enough to know without good command of French (mine is basic, but I get by in shops, on the phone, etc) you won't do any real work. We are hoping to buy a property as cheaply as possible that is just habitable and leave as much as possible in savings, or have income from a property here in England we will rent. I am hoping we can meet our very basic needs with £500 a month, which we did do before, but it was tight, and that was nearly 3 years ago. My teachers pension, which is very small can kick in in 4 years time but it will only be £268 a month.
Anyway, thanks very much indeed.
I think Brenda on here is somewhere nearby in Thiviers - I am hoping she can answer a few questions for me when she sees this thread! Are you there, Bren? lol
Andy
Petrol has gone up quite a bit, usually costs me around 30 euros a week, depending on how far I travel.
Brenda is near Thiviers - why don't you send her a pm.
May 8th 2008, 10:47 am
#6
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Apr 2008
Location: Hérault (34)
Posts: 8,888
Re: Creuse/Limousin as a possible area?
Hi Andy, I pay 50 euro a month for unlimited internet with Orange. 50 euro a month for phone, again another deal that allows me 2 hours free calls overseas. My electricity bill with EDF is paid every second month and averages around 90 euros (ie 45 euros a month)
Petrol has gone up quite a bit, usually costs me around 30 euros a week, depending on how far I travel.
Brenda is near Thiviers - why don't you send her a pm.
Petrol has gone up quite a bit, usually costs me around 30 euros a week, depending on how far I travel.
Brenda is near Thiviers - why don't you send her a pm.
How do you manage to pay only 45 € per month for electricity? Not counting non-heating energy, we only use it for the oven, micro-wave, one electric element and the kettle (washing machine and dish-washer on VERY low, if not cold, temperature cycle), yet our bills over the last 12 months have come to about 775€ (= 64 € per month). What's your secret?
May 8th 2008, 10:54 am
#7
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Apr 2008
Location: Hérault (34)
Posts: 8,888
Re: Creuse/Limousin as a possible area?
Thanks Pimali - so you were born there? Lovely. I was a bit horrified at the thought of 1000 euros for 2 weeks heating - we would certainly have to freeze if that was the case. We are looking at properties with some woodland hopefully, with a view to using some of it (old stuff etc) to supplement heating with a woodburner. We did this before in our other house and it certainly helped.
I can't remember the website for checking the areas in France that have ADSL (broadband), but will search on the web, as in our other place in France we had that and used mainly Skype for phone calls which certainly was cheaper.
It does sound like our kind of place, and we are very definitely looking for properties that are off the beaten track and do not have near neighbours but are not too isolated. These do seem cheaper and I understand the taxes (fonciere and/or habitation, I never got them apart!) are cheaper if you are outside the village or town boundaries.
With regard to work, I am reaslistic enough to know without good command of French (mine is basic, but I get by in shops, on the phone, etc) you won't do any real work. We are hoping to buy a property as cheaply as possible that is just habitable and leave as much as possible in savings, or have income from a property here in England we will rent. I am hoping we can meet our very basic needs with £500 a month, which we did do before, but it was tight, and that was nearly 3 years ago. My teachers pension, which is very small can kick in in 4 years time but it will only be £268 a month.
Anyway, thanks very much indeed.
I think Brenda on here is somewhere nearby in Thiviers - I am hoping she can answer a few questions for me when she sees this thread! Are you there, Bren? lol
Andy
I can't remember the website for checking the areas in France that have ADSL (broadband), but will search on the web, as in our other place in France we had that and used mainly Skype for phone calls which certainly was cheaper.
It does sound like our kind of place, and we are very definitely looking for properties that are off the beaten track and do not have near neighbours but are not too isolated. These do seem cheaper and I understand the taxes (fonciere and/or habitation, I never got them apart!) are cheaper if you are outside the village or town boundaries.
With regard to work, I am reaslistic enough to know without good command of French (mine is basic, but I get by in shops, on the phone, etc) you won't do any real work. We are hoping to buy a property as cheaply as possible that is just habitable and leave as much as possible in savings, or have income from a property here in England we will rent. I am hoping we can meet our very basic needs with £500 a month, which we did do before, but it was tight, and that was nearly 3 years ago. My teachers pension, which is very small can kick in in 4 years time but it will only be £268 a month.
Anyway, thanks very much indeed.
I think Brenda on here is somewhere nearby in Thiviers - I am hoping she can answer a few questions for me when she sees this thread! Are you there, Bren? lol
Andy
May 8th 2008, 11:33 am
#8
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Normandy, France and occassionally Nova Scotia!
Posts: 3,373
Re: Creuse/Limousin as a possible area?
@val50
How do you manage to pay only 45 € per month for electricity? Not counting non-heating energy, we only use it for the oven, micro-wave, one electric element and the kettle (washing machine and dish-washer on VERY low, if not cold, temperature cycle), yet our bills over the last 12 months have come to about 775€ (= 64 € per month). What's your secret?
How do you manage to pay only 45 € per month for electricity? Not counting non-heating energy, we only use it for the oven, micro-wave, one electric element and the kettle (washing machine and dish-washer on VERY low, if not cold, temperature cycle), yet our bills over the last 12 months have come to about 775€ (= 64 € per month). What's your secret?
Afraid I couldn't be like some friends in UK who boil their kettle once a day to fill a Thermos and then use that to make their tea/coffee - I need mine fresh
May 8th 2008, 11:44 am
#9
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Apr 2008
Location: Hérault (34)
Posts: 8,888
Re: Creuse/Limousin as a possible area?
I have the dishwasher and washing machine on a timer so only use them after it clicks over to the cheap rate at 22h35. Found this really does make a difference. Saying that, my OH is always going on about how much coffee I drink - I've always got the kettle on Afraid I couldn't be like some friends in UK who boil their kettle once a day to fill a Thermos and then use that to make their tea/coffee - I need mine fresh
Afraid I couldn't be like some friends in UK who boil their kettle once a day to fill a Thermos and then use that to make their tea/coffee - I need mine fresh
May 8th 2008, 4:04 pm
#10
Grey Bombshell
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2008
Location: La Feuillee, Brittany
Posts: 1,441
Re: Creuse/Limousin as a possible area?
Hey thanks guys, for really useful info. Val, that sounds like a couple of good deals on the internet and phone. I was hoping to get Skype set up over there if we are in an ADSL area, but don't know where we will end up yet or when. It has certainly helped me to at last really think we could probably manage on about £500 a month, and, as I said, we are extremely frugal, shop at Lidl, big freezer so only use car once a fortnight etc.
The fax fonciere and habitation stuff I seem to remember it is cheaper if one is outside the village or town boundaries - the houses I have looked at in Creuse seem to have about a total of 500 euros for both - they are only 2 bed little places, and largely need renovation. I understand if one increases the size ie extend into attic and add bedrooms etc, one of these taxes (can't remember which) goes up?
I shall pm Brenda, hope she won't mind, as I reckon she is the one who can give me the lowdown on that area, her being at Thiviers, which looks from the map like she is the nearest and will know the area. I am particularly interested in Aubusson, as the couple of properties I have found that are possibles are near there.
Thanks again folks.
Andy
The fax fonciere and habitation stuff I seem to remember it is cheaper if one is outside the village or town boundaries - the houses I have looked at in Creuse seem to have about a total of 500 euros for both - they are only 2 bed little places, and largely need renovation. I understand if one increases the size ie extend into attic and add bedrooms etc, one of these taxes (can't remember which) goes up?
I shall pm Brenda, hope she won't mind, as I reckon she is the one who can give me the lowdown on that area, her being at Thiviers, which looks from the map like she is the nearest and will know the area. I am particularly interested in Aubusson, as the couple of properties I have found that are possibles are near there.
Thanks again folks.
Andy
