Weather

[exile]

Snow on and off most of the day from mid-morning.

Still not much on the ground but I have brought the 4x4 out of storage - just in case.

Only had to use the 4x4 in anger once here in France in the late 2000s we had 200mm of snow for a few weeks, I was scraping it off the awning roof every morning But we do a bit of green laneing so it keeps all the transmission oiled.

Yes but do you have to negotiate a 9km hill where you drop down ( and more importantly on coming back climb up) 600m? We have experience of the 2 wheel drive not making it up the hill unaided - winter tyres notwithstanding.

[Spectrum]

Snow on and off most of the day from mid-morning.

Still not much on the ground but I have brought the 4x4 out of storage - just in case.

Only had to use the 4x4 in anger once here in France in the late 2000s we had 200mm of snow for a few weeks, I was scraping it off the awning roof every morning But we do a bit of green laneing so it keeps all the transmission oiled.

Yes but do you have to negotiate a 9km hill where you drop down ( and more importantly on coming back climb up) 600m? We have experience of the 2 wheel drive not making it up the hill unaided - winter tyres notwithstanding.

Not since we came to France but spent all our lives living on or near the top of the Pennines, so deep snow was normal, but stay safe, its very easy to make a mistake and it can be a long way down.

[Liz]

I was probably the only person out on the roads here, maybe in the whole of France, driving a 55 year old vehicle in heavy rain which turned to snow late afternoon.
I wasn't out there by choice: a team of us are delivering census forms, plus with my social care hat on I had to fetch an urgent prescription for an elderly lady.
The driving was fine, but the tv satellite dish is sulking so no tv tonight.

[Lori]

Lots of snow falling here now.

[Liz]

One of the nurses has just been by here, apparently there are cars abandoned on the hill up out of the valley and villages without elec not far away

Some icy snow still on the ground here, some melted last night but can't really see as it's not properly light yet

[Wilbro]

7 or 8 cm snow here fell steadily from early evening and still going at bedtime. No tv for us either but this mornnning it's stopped so let's see what the day brings. -1 this morning, crisp snow underfoot.

[exile]

As if to make the point about using the Chelsea Tractor (actually a 20 year old Kangoo), yesterday we had to go down to the valley. Roads clear, no snow forecast, school day so gritters and ploughs should take care of anything that does occur. Decision: take the ordinary and more comfortable car.

Of course on the way back we found that it had snowed and part way up the hill we caught up with the gritter, who kindly (not) pulled over to let us by. After that the car lost its footing a coupe of times. Any more snow and I think I would have regretted the decision not to use the 4x4.

[Polly]

Our weather today sounds extremely mild in comparison to what some of you have.

But it’s -4C at the moment, very frosty, and fog prevents me from seeing across the road. It’s forecast to creep up to zero by this afternoon, with only a short burst of sunshine, unlike our recent lovely sunshine for hours on end.

We’re heading into the countryside for a lovely pub lunch today and hoping for a pleasant walk afterwards.

[Blaze]

@Polly It's even milder here on the north coast of Brittany, the sun is shining, it's beautifully clear and the temps are around 0°C. A light frost first thing and I had to de-ice the birds' water bowls ! Yesterday was beautiful as well.

[Lori]

0 is the high in our part of the Dordogne today. Was -3 this morning. Chilly, chilly.. No sunshine at the moment. Maybe later. Still a bit of snow on the ground.