Has anyone on the Forum got a swimming pool?
The reason I'm asking is because Mrs Breizh wants one. Considering Creuse is not blessed (cursed?) with the weather of the Cote D'Azur I have my doubts.
Even heated pools would only be usable May to October surely? What about frost damage?
And wildlife drowning in it?
I could do with some info/experiences in order to enthuse me, or dissuade her.

I can only think of one private swimming pool for miles around - and that has its own little building over it. It belongs to some very wealthy people who probably felt obliged to have it as a status symbol. Some Dutch friends had a lake dug out that would double for fishing and swimming but it required a vast amount of maintenance.

I have a kind of feeling that swimming pools and the Creuse simply don't go together. Mind you, with global warming, you could just be setting a fashion.

All good wishes

Annik

Do I sense some envy here?

You're not refering to us are you? www.la-coterie.com

A pool is for life not just summer. It just depends how mad you are for swimming really (or the alledged staus )
An open pool is much more work & as you say wildlife drowning in it, not to metion dredging the leaves out of it!
Then there's the covering up at night to keep the heat in (well some of it) and in winter putting a winter cover over it.

You're probably about right on the swimming season without any heating. We had guests this week whose kids insisted on going in the pool...they did - once! very quicky. 12deg at present & that's why we're instaling solar heating. Last year, as you may remember was not a particularly good summer and the pool maxed out at 23degrees & that was with keeping the "greenhouse" over the pool almost all the time.

If you want to come see & talk about holes in the ground, PM me

Hi Blaudeix

No, it definitely wasn't you I was thinking about! I must admit that I am a very reluctant swimmer, unless the water is as warm as bathwater and I can keep my toe on the bottom. In the summer when the grandchildren come to stay we fill an inflatable paddling pool and sit in it with them, though I must admit that the combination of me and a swimsuit is not a pretty sight any more.

Seriously though, I don't know anyone in the Creuse with a pool (other than you!) whereas in the Dordogne and the South, most people seem to have them.

All good wishes

Annik

Ditto, I can swim if I have to but really don't see the need for it. We certainly wouldn't have bothered with a pool if it was for us. I think you have to be really pasionate about swimming to put one in the garden.

Having said that, now we've got one it's great setting for BBQ's if it rains we have a giant greenhouse to shelter under (mind you the noise )- perhaps a Pont Noir BBQ eh?
Oh if you've ever flown into Limoges airport you'll see loads of them, it at least makes you feel you're arriving somewhere Mediterranean - well it is in the summer. ok, so it's not the creuse. I think the lack of pools in the Creuse is due to the population difference.

Hi all
well its not hard at all COS WE HAVE ONE and its indoor, all done with my own hands and its sitting at 23/24 deg.(wait till the summer comes) so just have a look at our web site
shogun 22 email if you would like details
thanks all

ps its a 4 x 8mt by 1.5mt deep

Very nice, what's the heating done by & how do you cope with all that condensation?

How do you sunbathe by the pool?

ok
1st heating by ele/heater on at the cheap rate at night
2nd we keep the pool covered when not in use
and 3rd sunbathe nexted to the glassdoors and even have them opened when the sun shines
oh and we have the log fire on in the winter cos we had a wee swim on christmas day

We are in the Creuse and we have a pool! It was already here when we moved in and I know of at least another 4 within a short distance from us. Maybe we are the swimming pool capital of the Creuse?
Joking aside they do take alot of care in the summer, cleaning etc and yes only really used in the summer months without heating.

Thanks everyone.
I think it means we'll be having a pool. I learnt a long time ago she's always right, even when she's wrong.

hi iv fitted an above ground pool (in uk)as its cheap and easy to remove if required which i have fitted decking around one side.
www.1st-direct.com/aca...Pools.html
i have also built my own solar heating system which works very well which is about 40% of pool surface area similar to following.
users.telenet.be/hagim...lector.htm

at present im upgrading to a separate pump for panels which used to be part of pool pump using following parts because you dont need to run pool pump all day i was advised 2 hrs on a sunny day to filter so expensive to run solar with main pump.
1. chargecooler pump (runs coolant in turbo charged cars after engine switched off)12 volt
2.10w solar pv panel(could do with bigger one but a friend donated this) to power chargecooler pump when sun shines
i will have to build some voltage regulation circuitry to allow pump power at right time and to stop over voltage probs but when done this will run free of charge when i need it most.
my friend has installed an heat pump on his 15ft pool and running costs are about 25% of heating electrically which he reckons was about £400.00 before.
i also installed closed cell foam on pool wall last year like the stuff used under laminate flooring and changed from sand base floor to 75mmm closed cell foam base with foam coving because i found pool lost temperature rapidly overnight and with a sand base it can erode get worms in it etc.
but all in running cost are minimal about 40 - 50 quid chemicals and about 40 quid pump running costs.with about 20 minutes per day in sunny weather cleaning etc
hope this info helps
anthony
ps i have a good source for temperature loggers pc based which im fiting as well to track panel performance so i can tweak position and flow rates which should help.
pps look at castorama.fr they sell pool kits cheap

This thread is now over 2 years old I would like to revive it. Does anyone have any more thoughts?. Can anyone recommend an installer (conventional hole in the ground type) close to Bourganeuf?

I would suggest having a word with Aquilus Piscines at Gueret (on the left from the N145 going towards Carrefour, near the temperature sign). They are brilliant and really helpful in there.

Our friends was shipped from the UK

We bought a kit from a company in Chateauroux.
The pool itself is great but had nothing but problems from the company. Took over 3 months to get the installation instructions and then I had to ask someone in England who installs the same make to send them to me as Chateauroux lot said theyd been sent and wouldnt send a 2nd lot! I even spoke to their head office in Paris and still no joy.
Please pm me if youd like the name of the company so you know who to avoid.
Today I have no heating in the pool but its still 28 degrees. A nice sheltered sunny spot work wonders.