| Former city-dwellers Paula Moore and Anton | | | | decision. Access was important, so they looked |
| Wouters talk about what prompted them to | | | | into travel options and were reassured to find |
| relocate to the Languedoc region | | | | that getting to the area from the UK is easy, |
| One-time UK residents Paula Moore and her | | | | thanks to direct, low-cost flights from London into |
| partner Anton Wouters decided to leave the | | | | Perpignan or Girona. |
| bright lights of London for the tranquility of the | | | | Asked to describe the area where she lives, |
| Languedoc; they now live in a converted stable | | | | Paula replies: "It's a very diverse landscape. There |
| near the foothills of the Pyrenees, where they | | | | are sun-baked limestone gorges, snowy peaks |
| offer accommodation, activity and sports training | | | | and green, mountain-side meadows. There are |
| holidays ( They swapped London's urban bustle | | | | lakes too, and the coastline is a short drive away. |
| for views of snow-capped mountains, and have | | | | Village life is very much focused on local culture |
| not regretted their decision. As Paula says, "the | | | | and time-honoured traditions, celebrated in fetes |
| département of the Pyrénées | | | | and fiestas. Catalan cuisine has a distinctive |
| Orientales is stunningly beautiful. It's known for | | | | flavour; local produce includes cherries, peaches |
| having the best walking in Europe, and its rocky | | | | and almonds, with olive oil, garlic, fresh herbs and |
| terrain, sunshine and pure mountain air make it | | | | fish featuring heavily, complemented by the |
| ideal for athletes and cyclists. It's a booming area | | | | strong, fruity wines produced locally from |
| with lots of traditional, stone-built, well-priced | | | | Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah and Carignan |
| property which can represent a sound | | | | grapes. |
| investment, and very good value for money. | | | | For us, the main attraction of the area is the |
| Being down near the Mediterranean means it's | | | | Great Outdoors. Whether you're living here day to |
| pretty sunny - | | | | day, relaxing on holiday, or doing some serious |
| according to official statistics, the nearby village | | | | fitness training, the climate and landscape really |
| of Eus is the sunniest spot in the whole of France | | | | improve your quality of life. Mount Canigou is |
| - but we also have microclimate areas where the | | | | undoubtedly the area's the best-known landmark - |
| weather can change very quickly, and in winter | | | | and at 2,784 metres, it's pretty hard to miss!" |
| the Pyreneen ski resorts usually have heavy | | | | Settling into the area was comparatively easy: |
| snow fall." | | | | "We made a big effort to learn French and |
| Paula and her partner live in a conservation area | | | | integrate, so nothing was really a problem. |
| at the foot of the famous Mount Canigou, in a | | | | Perhaps we're lucky; our village seems particularly |
| beautiful Romanesque setting. The community is | | | | welcoming, but I think we are viewed positively |
| both Catalan and French, and extremely | | | | because Brits relocating here have helped bring |
| welcoming. They bought their French home | | | | about an economic boom, injecting some fresh |
| several years ago and visited in the holidays, but | | | | blood into rural communities with dwindling, ageing |
| moved to the Languedoc permanently at the | | | | populations. There are lots of British people |
| beginning of 2005 so they could set up their | | | | coming to this area, as well as Danes, Germans |
| business and experience a different way of life. | | | | and other north Europeans. There are now four |
| They fell in love with their village, Corneilla de | | | | flights a day into Perpignan alone, and the growth |
| Conflent, on sight, but researched the market | | | | in terms of the tourist industry is quite evident." |
| carefully nevertheless before making their | | | | |