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