Coming over to have a look

We are using our Summer holiday to come over and have a look at buying a place in France. My brother lives in the Dordorgne but I think that would be too far south. It would be for our retirement in 4 years time but we have 3 teenage boys and at least one will come with us. All 3 ride and would want to bring their horses. I was interested to see the difference between Brittany and Normandy. Does anyone know about The Loire. France is so big and I think it will take a few visits to decide where we want to settle. We would want a house with about 10 acres and stables, with nice outriding and preferably a gite. Anyone any ideas as to average cost. I also want to bring my Connemaras as I will still want to breed one now and again. Any Ideas?

Hi
Well I hope you will come and see us ! I understand Normandy and Brittany are huge areas to cover so I'll start briefly , I like Normandy because it is so green , areas such as Gavray near us are very pretty with lots of riding trails , we are about 20 minutes from the nearest beach which of course its not hard to be when you're on the Cherbourg peninsular , the down side of course is the rain and winter can seem very long when it rains for long spells , thats all forgotten now though ( I hope ) but I think if I was coming now I might check the average rainfalls for different areas . There is a pylon route coming down through la manche soon so thats one to watch out for if you are searching there , I don't know that much about Brittany as I only tend to go there to Dinard airport now and then . Overall though my vote would be for Normandy ( and a place in spain for the winter when I get that lotto win

Thanks for the info. Funny you should say about Spain. My brother in the Dordogne couldnt believe the winters when he went over there. All his french neighbours kept saying " It has never been like this before". After many years he realises it has always been like that, about -10deg. He now rents an apartment in Spain for the winter which you can do very cheaply on a long let. Trouble is where would I put the horses, dogs, cat etc. Anyway it looks like it is going to be Normandy or North Loire. We really want good out riding as sam and Big Phil nearly had an awful accident last Saturday. A moped decided to run alongside Big Phil and spooked him. Sam fell off and Big Phil fortunately high tailed it off home. Sam is very bruised and sore but Big Phil arrived home unscathed. We spent all day yesterday talking on the phone to people in the village wanting to know why Big Phil had galloped through riderless. We live in a very rural area but it is getting busier each year and the bridleways just get cut off. The crime rate is also getting bad. We had all our heating oil pinched last year when we were on holiday. Cant wait to get to France.

Sorry to hear about Sam and Big Phil....what a shocker!
I also live in Normandy and love the speckledy cows, the lovely lush grass and it's amazing recovery rate, the countryside, the people, the fact that if I need to 'pop back' for family we are just one hour from the ferry port Ouistreham and one and a half from Cherbourg, the cider apple orchards , the fact that it is such a horsey area, the awesome cob normandes, the funny little 'vide greniers' and the quirky things like the 'festival of ladders' and their two hour lunch breaks that STILL catch me out
............the list goes on.........
There is always the south for holidays and personally I just don't do anything in the heat as it is so 'energy sapping'. I prefer the colder , fly free weather for riding or very early summer mornings before the flies 'get up'.
Good luck with your search Cropperstud
...........Oh yeah! and the wine (how could I forget the wine?)
We have lived here for seven years in September.

Poor Sam , I bet you're furious at that moped rider for acting so dangerously hope Sam recovers quickly , it was lucky Big Phil got home ok too scary stuff
I'll have a route about for the best riding areas or maybe members could say the areas they like best ?? pretty please for Ann as she is an absolute star xx