Rube

cermignano

It can get up to 30 degrees for months in a lot of Spain. Don't know anything about France. Very north Spain is cooler but many areas do not have a lot of expats. Catalonia is cooler but you would probably need Spanish outwith the costas. Also in Valencia and Catalonia they speak other languages to complicate things further. It gets very very cold in most of Spain in winter. Could you be more specific as Spain is a very big land mass and has different cultures and landscapes in different parts

Retired in Euskadi

We live in the Basque country as my wife is Basque. We're about an hour's drive from France.
Retired. Temperature would suit you. We don't get blue sky & 30C+ for weeks/months on end like Andalusia. Winters can be mild near the coast, colder further inland, tho' no more than 2-3 below zero. Our average annual rainfall is 1200mm here. Hence it's nice and green. Property tends to be pricier than say Asturias or Galicia.
Rugby is pretty popular; our village of 7000 has its own rugby club. I have an allotment to keep me busy.
You don't have to learn Basque, but Spanish yes. Many people speak English, eventually, tho' not a default position. There are more expats in/near Bilbao or San Sebastian (Donosti in Basque). We rarely see any, but there's enough to do without; photography club, mountain club, reading club, running club, cookery classes etc. Favourite pastimes here include surfing, cycling, walking.
Asturias and Galicia will be somewhat cheaper; liable to be perhaps wetter too, especially Galicia, despite last year's drought.
Good luck.

lurchio

With respect, from your wish list , I would stick to France or Northern Spain. Also, if you cannot get out here and manage to live out here for a considerable period under your own steam and resources , it would be mad to assume you will gain employment just like that! The language would be an essential start for any gainful employment.

Also, if you are thinking of being self employed in Spain, it's well worth your while looking at 'Autonomo' costs and the tax system.

Keep an eye also on Brexit, we all await the outcome and nothing's agreed until it's agreed.

Rube

Thanks Cermignano for this reply. I will look at Northern Spain, I had no idea that it got very very cold in Spain, is that by British standards?

Rube

Hi 'Retired in Euskadi'
I never considered the Basque country but I'm starting to think about this general area is the climate is good. My husband is extremely keen...maybe something to do with a rugby club!! The other 'things to do' sound right 'up my street'!
Thanks
Rube

Rube

Lurchio, thank you I will take all that on board.
Regards
Rube

Johncarzx

Where to relocate to? This is the most popular question on every overseas forum.Wherever you go in the world you will mostly find land, water, buildings and people.The things you need to consider are: language, climate, cost of living, healthcare, education and unemployment. (In Spain 40% youth unemployment and 20% overall, Spanish nationals will be given priority for work and if you are not fluent in Spanish no Bob Hope, only skivvy jobs, mainly cash in hand pool cleaner, bar work, holiday let cleaner, odd job person, illegal airport pickups.You will get lots of advice from forum members who you do not know telling you who they do not know that where they live is paradise and the best place on earth.What suits one person does not always suit all? You have to consider your background and the culture you are coming from. There will be Chardonnay and Cid with the kids and the dog that have resided in a council high rise, enjoy going to the club playing bingo and getting stoned on their benefit money. Then there will be Captain and Lady Peacock from snotty village who video songs of praise.The best thing you can do is make a list of what you want and what you do not want, then start doing your research on the internet.

Rube

Thanks Johncarzx for your reply which is thought provoking and relevant. I do completely understand the cultural issues that you describe and the importance of getting this right. Its really difficult to establish if an area is culturally right for the individual without actually visiting it. My original thought was to hire a caravan and tour France and Spain for 6 months until we've found somewhere that feels right and then rent to make sure, however, this would be extremely difficult with the dog we have. I've started to research climates (which is historically factual) to identify possible areas and then I'll go from there. Its helpful to know the unemployment rates in Spain too.

Regards
Ruth

Tweedpipe

Excellent post, loved it!

cat6

I'm a bit late to the thread, but I lived for four years in the Basque country before relocating to Madrid, and would just like to add to what RetiredinEuskadi has already said.

Regarding winter, inland, the Basque country gets a lot colder than RetiredinEsukadi suggests. I lived in Vitoria, the capital of the Basque country, and in winter you are pretty much guaranteed snow, and it settles often for days or even weeks. Nighttime temperatures can drop well below zero. This wasn't a problem for me. I like proper seasons, but it's something you need to bear in mind.

The other thing I wanted to add was to the point about expats. RetiredinEuskadi mentioned that there would be more expats in Bilbao and San Sebastian. This is true (more in Bilbao than San Sebastian), but there are nevertheless very, very few. There is no proper expat community anywhere in the Basque country, or indeed anywhere in northern Spain. You will find a few expats, but the overwhelming majority have a partner who's a native, and will be completely integrated into Spanish/Basque society.

My wife and I socialised with locals, basically out of necessity, Don't get me wrong, I love Spanish and Basque people, but when you're socialising, it's nice to kick back and relax in your own language. We basically couldn't do that. If this is a big deal to you, don't go to northern Spain.

Regarding employment, I would say a very good bet would be English language teaching. There is an insatiable demand for learning English in northern Spain (and in Madrid, actually).

Having said all of that, the Basque country is one of my favourite places in the world, and I would have stayed happily. It's beautiful, unspoilt, and has a fantastic food and drink culture.

Given your brief, though, I think France may work better for you - the French Basque country has a similar climate, lots of rugby, and far more expats.