Brittany : any positive/negative tips

If I were to move to Brittany - I wouldnt because of the weather, but if you are English.... - I would move to Quimper or near there. Quimper is lovely and it is said to have the nicest weather. There is a strong Celtic culture too. Cool...

Thanks i'll  be sure to add it to my list and visit when I'm exploring Brittany in April. It is a bit further south than Cornwall so will be slightly better for me weather wise. 

Merci beaucoup Lynn,
So appreciate your reply. I am planning on exploring Morbihan because of its micro-climate so very happy you recommend these places. You will have to visit once i'm settled to top up your sunshine ☀️ hours! triesi x

Thank you so much Lynn 😊
I bought my house 🏡10 miles out of Pontivy I'm planning to move in September....we must meet up I think  Pontivy is only 45 mins drive from Lorient. Still have all your recommendations on my list thank you.
I'm in Northern Finistère at the moment but have had to cut the trip short due to friends work commitments ,unfortunately i'm returning to Cornwall on Thursday ☹️
Love the roads here and less cars too 🤓 Will you be about in September

Parfait 👍 i'm also on WhatsApp what is your surname and i'll Search for you? mine is Box ...Tracy Box
look forward to meeting you in the Autumn, have a great summer and thank you for your help thus far it will be comforting to know someone out here when I move 🤓😊🤸‍♀️

Thanks Lynn tried number no joy will pm you mine or try my name🤞

Bonjour et bien venue.

We must have been deciding to move from the UK to Brittany around the same time you were and are here now & enjoying semi-retirement.

Are you?

our biggest regret as unfortunately we've learnt from very expensive experience, is constantly being ripped off by fellow ex-pat builders, electricians, plumbers etc whom seem to come over here specifically with the intention of ripping off naive newcomers to France like us, whom put our trust & money in the hands of these cowboys whom quite honestly I think only come over here to con & steal from us as their work is too incompetent & shoddy for them to make a living in the UK.

We are easy prey!

My advice to anyone considering relocating to France or already here, is not to employ British tradesmen.

On the positive side however, if you do have any money left after being fleeced by these incompetent cowboys, I can't think of a better place to live.

learn French as even if it is poor but you at least make an effort, you'll find that the natives are helpful & welcoming.

Don't ever forget that we are guests here, even when we get our Titre de Sejours, & that as such we should respect the people, they're laws and traditions, even if it's not always reciprocal.

Enjoy your new life et Bon chance.

Jim.

Hello Jim,

Sorry to hear you have had a poor experience with fellow expat 'tradespeople' - cowboys are unfortunately everywhere!

It sounds like you are having a good time, cowboys excepted. Where abouts, roughly, are you based, and where might you recommend in Brittany for a family of four with 2 children under 10? We will probably be ready to move early in 2024.

All the best!

Martin

PS. For info, we have looked so far at, Saint Agathon (near Guingamp), Ploumilliau (North, near Lannion) and more recently Gouarec. We holiday in Tredrez Locquemeau, so know the north coast quite well.

Hi Martin.

Thanks for your reply, my first, as I'm a bit of a technophobe.

Having holidayed in France for many years whilst our family were growing up, we decided to retire over here when the opportunity arose but spent over three years looking for the right area. It's not easy!

We settled on Cotes d'Armor as the climate is a few degrees milder than neighbouring Morbihan for example & that little bit closer to the UK when driving.

Pluméliau, Bieuzy, Saint Nicolas des Eaux, Melrand etc are all beautiful places just over our border into Morbihan, all with very high ex-pat populations, but too hot for us, as is Quimper & the Finistere region further West.

We settled on Brittany in general because of its proximity to & ease of travel to the UK, it's climate being so similar to Wales, our homeland & the fact that it's just beautiful. There seems to be a different, more tolerant acceptance of us immigrants here than throughout the rest of France.

life is good👍.

Wherever you eventually settle I'm sure you'l be very happy.

We gaining regrets.

Good luck.

Jim.