# Dordogne microclimates



## jillnken

Hi !
We will be starting to visit the Dordogne (as well as surrounding areas) at different times of the year to see if/where we might like to live eventually (part-time to full-time).
I know the geography varies and thus so does the climate quite a lot (especially these days). I live in N California and know how much the sun/fog/wind can vary within just a short distance, especially in the forests on the hills as the marine air comes in. One place will always be sunny and another nearby will get fog even if no one else does.
For those who live in the Dordogne, would you be able to help out with a little info regarding the microclimates so we can better target our search?
We love sun, expect rain and clouds throughout the year but much prefer patterns of short bursts of rain/clouds then blue sunny skies, whether it is cold or not. (We are not expecting great/sunny weather anywhere from January through March.)
We don't mind living where we have to drive a short distance to town, and prefer to be near one that is lively enough that it is largely open year round.
Is the southwest area around Bergerac reliable for pretty good weather (comparative in the Dordogne) or is it cloudier? Is it colder and wetter towards Sarlat?
Are there areas/towns along the river valley that have reliably better sun/weather while other parts are more known to be stuck in fog/rain/clouds? Or is it typically variable week by week who gets the good weather and who is stuck in clouds/rain?
Thanks so much, it could really help narrow our initial search if we know some parts have more unfortunate weather patterns.
Jill


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## Bevdeforges

I'm sure you'll have replies from folks who are more familiar with the areas you're considering. But right now we are in a period of rapidly changing weather conditions. The last couple of years have seen rather atypical climate conditions that may become the "new norm" with climate change. Or it may just be a multi-year aberration. Having lived in the San Francisco Bay area for a while, I have to say that I find the climate even here in the Paris area to be pretty similar - though a bit warmer in the winter months. Add to that, the idea that most of France is experiencing drought conditions the last couple of years - but with flooding in areas that haven't experienced it before.


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## travertine

I lived on the border of the Lot and Dordogne for 12 months and visited the latter. My general thoughts are: the west is more influenced by the sea while the east by higher altitude. Hence more rain/cloud/mist and even snow in the east (though infrequent). Mist can hang around in the valleys and frost occurs. The west tends to be flatter with vineyards and large broad agriculture but as you move east the valleys become narrower and often with high steep sides. More forest appears and the fields tend to get smaller: the landscape is more diverse. Some of the valleys can be quite deep and in winter sunshine may be more limited. Pay attention to which side of the valley you are on: the south can be dark and damp. The old mills look very appealing in summer but may not be the best place to be living during winter. A map of plant hardiness zones shows that there are two zones in the Dordogne. Given that the Dordogne is basically a square with 100 km sides we're not talking about huge variations in weather/climate. For me the key consideration is landscape. I much prefer the interior part of the Dordogne with its rivers, windy roads, small farms and chestnut/pine forests.


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## jillnken

Thanks very much for the help - the more information we have before we get there, the better!


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## jillnken

Bevdeforges said:


> I'm sure you'll have replies from folks who are more familiar with the areas you're considering. But right now we are in a period of rapidly changing weather conditions. The last couple of years have seen rather atypical climate conditions that may become the "new norm" with climate change. Or it may just be a multi-year aberration. Having lived in the San Francisco Bay area for a while, I have to say that I find the climate even here in the Paris area to be pretty similar - though a bit warmer in the winter months. Add to that, the idea that most of France is experiencing drought conditions the last couple of years - but with flooding in areas that haven't experienced it before.


That is unfortunately so true these days and I appreciate your reply.
We will have to make our best decisions once we get there and accept that everyone's weather these days has a "wait and see" aspect to it.


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## jillnken

travertine said:


> I lived on the border of the Lot and Dordogne for 12 months and visited the latter. My general thoughts are: the west is more influenced by the sea while the east by higher altitude. Hence more rain/cloud/mist and even snow in the east (though infrequent). Mist can hang around in the valleys and frost occurs. The west tends to be flatter with vineyards and large broad agriculture but as you move east the valleys become narrower and often with high steep sides. More forest appears and the fields tend to get smaller: the landscape is more diverse. Some of the valleys can be quite deep and in winter sunshine may be more limited. Pay attention to which side of the valley you are on: the south can be dark and damp. The old mills look very appealing in summer but may not be the best place to be living during winter. A map of plant hardiness zones shows that there are two zones in the Dordogne. Given that the Dordogne is basically a square with 100 km sides we're not talking about huge variations in weather/climate. For me the key consideration is landscape. I much prefer the interior part of the Dordogne with its rivers, windy roads, small farms and chestnut/pine forests.


Thank you so much! I've read so many "non-answers" in past threads I didn't even want to include topography yet !
That was very helpful, thank you !!


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## saffron_gin

Jumping in here...after having spent a few months in windy parts of France, I would like to know if the Dordogne/Charente area is mostly wind free (as in Mistral/Tramontane level madness)...

Thanks.


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## rynd2it

saffron_gin said:


> Jumping in here...after having spent a few months in windy parts of France, I would like to know if the Dordogne/Charente area is mostly wind free (as in Mistral/Tramontane level madness)...
> 
> Thanks.


My experience in the Charente over the past 30 months is that we do get quite a lot of wind, it's a rare day when I can safely use a weed sprayer and there have been some real heavy winds, over 90km/h gusts, and last week a fence got totally destroyed. However, having said that, it very much depends on your specific location, our neighbours 3 houses further down the hill say they get less wind than we do!


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## RayRay

Saffron Gin

We have wind storms in our part of the Dordogne (between Sarlat and Bergerac / Perigueux), though I would not say that they're mistrals. They occur mostly in the winter and summer. They are often months apart. The last wind storm was, as it happens, two weeks ago. It was wind only with thunder & lightning. Sometimes there is rain, as well. Most of the time when we have a heavy winds, we lose power for between 1 - 4 hours. In the last storm, we lost both electricity and cell phone service for a bit over 3 hours. 

During the winter, it rains quite a bit, likely 3-5 days a week and it's cloudy. Daytime temperatures are reasonable around 10 - 15 C, though occasionally they're in the single digits. Nights it's colder. It rarely snows, and when it does it might last on people's roofs for an hour or so, but it usually melts before it hits the ground or upon contact. 

Best of luck. 

Ray


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## saffron_gin

ugh thanks...am quite set on finding a relatively un wind buffetted place after having experienced the power and long term effect of being windblown...


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## Befuddled

saffron_gin said:


> Jumping in here...after having spent a few months in windy parts of France, I would like to know if the Dordogne/Charente area is mostly wind free (as in Mistral/Tramontane level madness)...
> 
> Thanks.


Strike the Charente Maritime off your list if you don't like wind. One of the reasons we left was the hassle of getting the insurance to pay for roof repairs. Forget any sort of awning to get any respite from the intense summer sun unless you anchor it in concrete. One morning after a particularly windy night, there was a trampoline in the middle of the field opposite. No one in the hamlet laid claim to it, must have come in from elsewhere.


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## RayRay

saffron_gin said:


> ugh thanks...am quite set on finding a relatively un wind buffetted place after having experienced the power and long term effect of being windblown...


There are two or three wind storms or rain storms with a lot of wind per year. It's not consistently windy or even breezy like it is near the ocean. 

It is rainy and cloudy in winter. If you need winter sun it would be best to consider elsewhere. 

Ray


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## saffron_gin

RayRay said:


> There are two or three wind storms or rain storms with a lot of wind per year. It's not consistently windy or even breezy like it is near the ocean.
> 
> It is rainy and cloudy in winter. If you need winter sun it would be best to consider elsewhere.
> 
> Ray


Thanks...oddly although your post appears above my post you quoted in response...when I wrote it I only saw the post before yours...so not in response to you...if that makes it clear.


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## rynd2it

saffron_gin said:


> ugh thanks...am quite set on finding a relatively un wind buffetted place after having experienced the power and long term effect of being windblown...


In the areas you are discussing, I'd be looking for somewhere sheltered by forest or in a valley at least and note wind direction can play a big part in this. During the winter/early spring we had winds from the North with a real chill factor and quite severe frost (- 8 one night which killed all the blossom and wrecked the wisteria. Then we had winds from the South bringing copious quatities of Sahara sand, now it's all settled to the West but still a breeze most days.


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## MoonlitKnight

I, too, would LOVE to know where the areas are that get the least amount of wind. 
Rain, snow, cloud cover are fine - I've lived in Northern California, Oregon and Washington for the last 30 years - now I live on the edge of a rainforest in Washington - I'm used to grey skies, not seeing the sun for months. 
As an active cyclist I want to choose a low-wind area.
Thank you to everyone on this forum - I have found so much helpful information here!


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