How bad are the winds?

[Ariègeoise]

I have a foot in both the Ariège and the PO - I live (and work) most of the time in the Ariège but have a house in Villelongue dels Monts that we spend time in, mainly in winter.

The Ariège has lots of different climates - I'm over towards the west, in the Couserans, where we have almost no wind (but higher average temperatures than other parts), while the flatter areas in the north-east get an easterly wind called the Autan, which to my mind is actually worse than the Tram - I lived over there for nearly a year when we first came and struggled. Get in touch if you end up veering towards the Ariège as there are some distinct 'rules' about where is and isn't so good to buy, weather wise.

I don't find the Tram too much of an issue - I actually like the light that you get with it, which is different from any other light I know - though when it blows for extra long periods as it did earlier this year it can get a bit wearing if you have to or want to be outside. It's a good idea to buy a house where the garden is at least in part sheltered from it so that you can sit out if you want to - the difference in temperature is astonishing.

If I had to choose between the no-wind Ariège and the windy PO? The jury's out, to be honest - there's good and bad in both.

[Owens88]

Inland up the valleys.
e.g.above Prades in the Tet Valley.

[NigelS]

Thanks Sue. a small point but where is 66?

[Sue]

66 is the Regional Number of Pyrenees Orientales in the Languedoc Roussillon. The Med on one side and Mount Canigou on the other. Also borders Spain. Where you were asking about.

[NigelS]

Hi Ariègeoise, Many thanks for this. For the Ariege scenario we were thinking of Les Couserans but would very much appreciate your sense of the rules of where to buy in the Ariege as a whole.
Please feel free to PM me if you think the general readers here won't be interested.

[Ariègeoise]

PM on the way!

[jethro]

if you are a lover of the sea, the area known as La Falaise in Leucate has the only beach totally protected from the Tramontane and some lovely villas looking out to sea. La Franqui is also reputed to be fairly wind-free, but it faces North, so I don't see how that can be true. Wind has its virtues; it reduces the need for pesticides, it blows away the clouds, but it can drive you mad like Gastibelza in Hugo's poem. Sorry about the literary allusion, but it is quite apposite.