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christmas in france


cleo

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Hi we are lookin to have christmas and new year at Parc Verger, Champagnac La RIVIERE, Limousin and have had confllicting advice as to the weather at that time of year. Some have said that it is minus 20 degrees. Wondered if this could be true. Anyone been there around this time of year and let us know what kind of weather to expect. I know it will be cold but not minus 20!

 

Thanks for any help given in advance.

 

Cheers Cleo

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You better believe it, we once spent Xmas in Paris and it was like being freeze dried it was so cild. More recently we broke down near Tours and spent 3 days wading through very crisp snow, trying to avoid getting frost bite while we waited for the 'van to be fixed....it was le weekend when nothing much happens in France.
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Guest pelmetman

Christmas at the SIL's in Brittany for us if the house sale goes through ;-).....................last time we stayed there at Christmas our gas froze 8-)...............

 

Now use refillable lpg :D

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cleo - 2013-11-05 12:22 AM

 

Hi we are lookin to have christmas and new year at Parc Verger, Champagnac La RIVIERE, Limousin and have had confllicting advice as to the weather at that time of year. Some have said that it is minus 20 degrees. Wondered if this could be true. Anyone been there around this time of year and let us know what kind of weather to expect. I know it will be cold but not minus 20!

 

Thanks for any help given in advance.

 

Cheers Cleo

Minus 20, doubt it, you rarely get that sort of temperature In the alps at altitude. Easy to look up though rather than taking a wild guess from us lot. The weather however will not be stable, you may be lucky but you can have rain or snow, rain more likely.

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Guest pelmetman
rolandrat - 2013-11-05 10:07 AM

 

Your Propane froze???

 

I can never remember which is which :-S..............but we had the Calor blue bottle and Campingaz then ;-)

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We also have English friends in that area. Yes it can get below zero. They had -20 deg, on more than one occasion,Water freezing is the biggest problem, for them, as they keep horses. it can also get to + 30 deg in the summer. probably depends if you are near a town. Our friends nearest neighbours more than 2 miles away, so yes out in the sticks.

If you intend going be prepared for snow, ice and cold at night

PJay

 

PS Area being Haute Vienne between Limoges and Potiers

We came back from France in October, and it was getting cold at night then, even in Brittany, so hope your van is WELL insulated

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We live in the Haute Vienne and have done so for the past 4 years and the coldest it has been here was minus -12 degrees night time temperature and minus -4 degrees during the day, the temperature can fluctuate quite a bit in December and January as we have had temperatures as high as plus +18 degrees.

We are 250 meters above and I think Bob and Di at Parc Verger are higher than us here. So temperatures may be worse their. Your best bet would be to speak to Bob and Di to ask them.

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Thanks very much for all your replies - very much appreciated. We will indeed speak to Bob and Di but I guess we are in the lap of the gods as no one knows what the weather is really going to be like.

 

Will discuss with other half and we'll see but thanks again everyone.

 

Cheers Cleo

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Guest pelmetman
cleo - 2013-11-05 6:14 PM

 

Thanks very much for all your replies - very much appreciated. We will indeed speak to Bob and Di but I guess we are in the lap of the gods as no one knows what the weather is really going to be like.

 

Will discuss with other half and we'll see but thanks again everyone.

 

Cheers Cleo

 

What are you worried about :-S ................you have a hulking great RV judging by your avatar ;-).............don't you have a furnace as they call em?.......................if we can survive -18 in our 23 year old UK built camper............then your Yank Tank should be a bed of roses ;-)

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Guest Peter James
We tend to forget that being surrounded by water, and the gulf stream, gives the British Isles warmer winters and cooler summers. I used to drive lorries down to Florence and several times saw lorries south of Milan immobilised by 'frozen' diesel, but never saw it in Britain.
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pelmetman - 2013-11-05 10:16 AM

 

rolandrat - 2013-11-05 10:07 AM

 

Your Propane froze???

 

I can never remember which is which :-S..............but we had the Calor blue bottle and Campingaz then ;-)

 

 

(lol) Dave even I know you need the RED Propane bottles in the winter.

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Guest pelmetman
maggyd - 2013-11-05 7:59 PM

 

pelmetman - 2013-11-05 10:16 AM

 

rolandrat - 2013-11-05 10:07 AM

 

Your Propane froze???

 

I can never remember which is which :-S..............but we had the Calor blue bottle and Campingaz then ;-)

 

 

(lol) Dave even I know you need the RED Propane bottles in the winter.

 

Well it only took me 20 years and -18 to find out :D

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artheytrate - 2013-11-05 8:15 PM

 

I will be driving back from Benidorm mid Dec, Ive just seen on the internet that snow chains must be carried if traveling through France in the winter, does anyone else that travells through France wintertime carry snow chains.

 

John.

 

I've got'em :-D .................didn't know I needed them...........and a load of other stuff since I joined this forum :-S.......................as they say ignorance is bliss................and information can seriously damage your wealth :D

 

Life was much simpler 20 years ago *-)...............

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artheytrate - 2013-11-05 8:15 PMI will be driving back from Benidorm mid Dec, Ive just seen on the internet that snow chains must be carried if traveling through France in the winter, does anyone else that travells through France wintertime carry snow chains.John.
 I had to use snow chains to get through the Veiheila Tunnel a few years ago , from St Lary Soulan  crossing into Spain, YES you must have  Snow Chains in the Vehicle if you are in the  Snow line, not at sea level coastal areas, We regularly travel through France to Spain in December  or January and are always prepared for temperatures of minus 12 degrees, why anyone would want to be there for Christmas is beyond me, each to there own as they say.
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artheytrate - 2013-11-05 8:15 PM

 

I will be driving back from Benidorm mid Dec, Ive just seen on the internet that snow chains must be carried if traveling through France in the winter, does anyone else that travells through France wintertime carry snow chains.

 

John.

You only need snow chains on roads that are designated as needing them, which means in most area's no.

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January 2012 temperatures in Auvergne were minus 20 at night, minus 10 in the day for several weeks except for one day when it was plus 25 with lunch in the garden! Snowed again in the evening though - really bizarre. Gas tank blew a leak (lost £600 gas and had a huge argument with the gas company which went on for monts) so no central heating for several days, hot water supply froze for over 3 weeks so showers at my neighbours or the local swimming pool and, as I had gone in the car, I could not escape to the lovely warm motorhome! The house is higher than you are planning to visit (835m) but anywhere in France is very cold in the winter: Vierzon is always freezing and the fountains in Paris look beautiful frozen!

 

Dave, years ago when we caravanned, I mentioned at the gas sales place that the butane had frozen and I was put in my place by the salesman who said, quite rudely, that butane does not freeze, it stops boiling.

 

Edit: Forgot to say that Christmas in France is nothing like in England - local shops are open, not that many decorations, no Boxing Day. Also glad you mentioned that site, might call in on the way home at the end of this month unless I can identify a good aire.

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Well not sure about what weather will be like at Christmas but can say that weather here at Mortange-sur-Gironde, in the Charente-Maritime, is certainly better than at home in Yorkshire. Arrived here on what is we think our favourite aire late this afternoon, yes cloudy but temperature around 18°C much better than the 9°C in rain our friends at home are experiencing. This is the third time have spent November, or at least part of it, here and always had mild, often sunny weather. Forecast this time might be more cloudy but still better than home and a really nice setting overlooking marina with excellent restaurants opposite just waiting for us to visit! Shame have only a couple of weeks over here this time.
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robertandjean - 2013-11-06 7:32 PM

 

Well not sure about what weather will be like at Christmas but can say that weather here at Mortange-sur-Gironde, in the Charente-Maritime, is certainly better than at home in Yorkshire. Arrived here on what is we think our favourite aire late this afternoon, yes cloudy but temperature around 18°C much better than the 9°C in rain our friends at home are experiencing. This is the third time have spent November, or at least part of it, here and always had mild, often sunny weather. Forecast this time might be more cloudy but still better than home and a really nice setting overlooking marina with excellent restaurants opposite just waiting for us to visit! Shame have only a couple of weeks over here this time.

 

Have to agree, one of our favourite aires too. Temp here to-day 17, little rain first thing, but then always colder up north, and nearly always rains as well. (son lives in Yorkshire Dales) when we go there

PJay

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