The Importance of Location
The
choice of location is always important when choosing a home but never more so
than in France. You can find the dream home and easily be swept
along with the beauty of the house, garden and immediate surroundings,
completely oblivious to the problematical environment in which it sits. In this
article I hope to highlight some of the horrors to avoid your dream turning
into a nightmare.
Farms
One
of the biggest attractions for the Brits is the miles of open space and the
obvious appeal of a living in the French countryside. On this theme it is a
good idea to firstly recognise what type of farming is going on around your prospective
purchase, i.e. is it small family farming or industrial farming. There are good
and bad aspects of living in a farm area, but you need to be aware that a lot
of central Brittany is farmed in an industrial manner; this can involve
large farm machinery and regular farm traffic. It is also difficult to
establish personal contact with a company or large commune farm management.
Clearly
there are smells associated with farms and you have to expect some healthy
odours if you wish to live in the country. Regardless I would recommend you
avoid chicken and pig farms which are an acquired taste.
Brittany has a lot of beef and dairy farms and in general
these do not cause a problem, but be prepared for flies in the summer months
and of course the organic nature of the fertilizer.
In
Brittany’s coastal areas there are a lot of vegetables
growers, every thing from cabbages to artichokes. For the majority of the year
this type of farm creates no real problems but towards the end of the year the
waste vegetation is left to rot in the fields which can be a problem.
Most
small family farms exist by having a small herd of dairy cows and growing mixed
cereal crops. The crops do not in themselves cause any environmental problems
but French farmers do still utilise a lot of isocyanides. This is a major
concern for local and national government who are trying to restrict their use
to reduce the impact on water supplies and coastal pollution.
Most
French farmers grow maize to feed their cattle in the winter months; you need
to be aware that the maize can grow to a height of 2.5 to 3m, which can be
overpowering if close to the house.
Speaking
from experience I can say that small family farms make good neighbours and
farmers can be relied on to help you out regardless of the problem, just don’t
expect to maintain a clean car in the winter.
Neighbours
In
general we have found Breton neighbours to be warm, welcoming and extremely
helpful. But like all countries you will find the odd exception.
Things
to look out for are general untidiness, abandoned vehicles, variety of loose
animals and in particular large amounts of dogs. A friend of ours had a
neighbour with sixteen dogs of various breeds that would bark from dusk to
dawn. It can be quite difficult for the local Marie to deal with this sort of
problem and there is a certain degree of sympathy in France, for an individual’s freedom to live however they
want, providing it does not affect others.
Please
remember that in France not acknowledging your neighbour is considered the
height of rudeness and will immediately cause conflict.
Environmental Problems
In
Brittany there are a number of open cast quarries which are
well hidden. This type of mining does have its problems, not the least of which
is heavy traffic. I would suggest you check local maps carefully especially in
rural areas.
The
desire for green energy has led to the rise in the number of wind farms being
installed in Brittany much to the consternation of many local communes. The
French government plans to produce 21% of its electricity consumption with
renewable energy by 2010 to comply with European directive 2001/77/CE. This
will mean a substantial number of new wind farms being installed in the next
few years.
Whilst
we may all support the concept wind power we are unlikely to appreciate a
massive wind turbine in our garden or adjacent field. Check with the local
Marie and
http://cartographie.bretagne-environnement.org/eolien.php#
All
electricity in Brittany is distributed by overhead cables in rural areas.
Pylons can vary in size and construction and you should remember that the power
company can enter your property without notice to deal maintain or rectify
faults on the system.
Living
in an area consisting mainly of a granite substrate, you should be aware of the
hazards of naturally occurring Radon gas which can accumulate in houses. In
modern houses ventilation is provided below floor level to allow the escape of
radon gas. In older properties it is advisable to ventilate daily to prevent
the build up of radon.
Town, Village or Country
This
is clearly a personal decision but you should consider carefully the
implications of living in each location which can often be determined by your
individual needs.
Brittany has a wide selection of beautiful historic towns
which attract large numbers of visitors in the summer months, making them
vibrant, cosmopolitan hubs. In the winter they can be very quite and you need
to be prepared for the fact that some businesses reliant on tourists will close
during winter months. The big advantages are quality shops, available
entertainment and good restaurants. Public transport in the towns is very good
and you can easily survive without a car.
Villages
have a very strong sense of community and you should only live in one if you
intend to integrate in the full sense of the word. Even the smallest village
has a variety of activities organised throughout the year, including a good
programme of evening classes for everything from computing to painting. There
are also fetes and fez-noz (Breton dancing and meal) which bring the community
together on a regular basis. At the moment most villages have Post Office,
Bank, Butchers and Pharmacy available, although, as in the UK, post offices are under threat of closure. It is
not uncommon to have a doctor and dentist located in the village. Transport to
and from the nearest towns can be limited and you are likely to need a car.
Living
in a rural location can be extremely isolationist and may not suit everyone. It
is however extremely important that you establish contact with the closest
neighbours as you and they may be reliant on each other in an emergency. Our
experience is all positive and we enjoy the peace and tranquillity, but equally
get involved socially with our neighbours and friends in the local villages.
Having a car is essential although bicycle use is frequent and of course
enjoyable on the small country roads. Security is not yet a problem in our part
of rural France, the neighbours still tell the story of a house
which was broken into ten years ago. The access roads in rural areas are very
narrow and not all French drivers show caution when proceeding along the lanes,
be prepared to loose a few wing mirrors. Whilst you may not meet people everyday
when you do, be prepared for a long conversation, Breton country folk are
renowned for there ability to ignore time.
This
by no means describes all the issues to do with location but hopefully
highlights some of the more important ones that can turn your dream into a
nightmare.
Tony
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