People often ask us what is the weather like here. Well, in the footer of this page is the current forecast for our area. The readings are actually taken at Gourdon, our nearest weather station, about 13km away as the crow flies. Gourdon is one of the higher points in the Lot and close to the Massif Centrale and therefore experiences colder winter temperatures than other parts of the region. In fact there are many micro-climates in the area and weather conditions can vary considerably from valley to valley. But, just as in the UK, you can look at three different weather services and get three different forecasts. Sticking your head out the window remains the most accurate guide so don’t take this forecast as gospel.
The good news for us, though, is that we enjoy many more hours of sun and higher temperatures than the UK. And when the sun is out, the air heats up quickly, allowing the possibility of eating outside at times of year when the U.K. is still experiencing frosts. By contrast, our minimum temperatures can be much lower than the UK. Nevertheless, these cold spells tend to be dry and, when the sun is shining, very pleasant. Locals say snow here is rare, though we’re not convinced. We’ve had snow almost every year we’ve been here and have been snowed in with no prospect of getting the car out for some days. Even so, snow doesn’t hang around long so, if you like snow you have to be quick to enjoy it.