air conditioning - is it required?

Hello. Forgive my ignorance, but I really need to know.

Will be travelling with two small children. In order to get them to sleep past the crack of dawn, I will require to close the exterior shutters to maxize darkness and minimize noise.

It seems that many apartments however do not have air conditioning. And some don%26#39;t have fans either. However, the owners tell me that because the walls are thick the apartments remain cool.

I worry that through the night with all windows shut and sealed tight, the inside may get stiffling hot.

We are planning on travelling at the end of July/early August.

Just wondering if under these circumstances I should worry about whether or not an apartment has airconditioning or not.

Thanks for your help.

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Very few European houses have aircon or fans because although it may get hot in summer, it is not as humid as other parts of the world. Offices have aircon because cultural norms require us to wear unsuitable clothing even when it%26#39;s hot.

The temperatures will drop at night but the key is the shutters. If you close these you will keep out the light and most bugs (although a plug-in mosquito repellent may be helpful) but can keep the windows open to allow some air to circulate. It should be fine.

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At that time of the year the heat and humidity make aircon an absolute essential.Especially with children who don%26#39;t sleep well if they are uncomfortable.I suppose the owners get asked the same question every summer and will have what seems an acceptable answer ready.Even if you could leave the windows open (not always recommended from a security aspect) you need to create a through draught and large fans in each bedroom are the very least to accept.

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It also depends heavily on where you live...your home climate will dictate how much of a change it is to be in Villefranche.

If you%26#39;re from Wirral, where it%26#39;s more likely to be cool than hot, then the weather in Villefranche is probably very close to oppressive.

If you%26#39;re from Miami, though, you%26#39;d most likely laugh at the heat and throw the windows wide open.

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Yes Sunshine you are right! We stayed in Nice during July,in Aix-en-Provence in June a year later but both times we were very grateful for the aircon in both hotels and for our touring holiday of Provence the aircon in the hire car.I thought everyone in Miami enjoyed aircon!

I couldn%26#39;t believe the humidity.

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Now as a warm-weather acclimatised southerners, you would think we would cope better with the heat than our %26quot;brothers from the north%26quot;. But we only cope in August%26#39;s Riviera with two large fans on full blast the whole night. (Its fine balance in that the cooling helps you sleep but the noise of the fans tends to keep you awake)

Leaving windows open is fine in theory but I suggest you need to have regard to security - better if you also have external louvres which you can shut for security.

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Wow thanks for all the replies!!!

Looks like air conditioning will be one of our requirements then.

We need to keep the shutters or drapes if any closed to keep the room dark. And we would definately have to keep the windows closed to keep things quiet. This is the only way my kids will sleep (that%26#39;s how we do it here in Toronto anyways). Cranky kids don%26#39;t make for a happy vacation......so air conditioning it is then!!!!

Thanks for everyone%26#39;s response!!!!

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I think we here in Canada are used to having things cooler indoors in summer than Europeans no matter where they are from.

We were very glad of A/C (weak as it was) in Nice in August 2008.

Rob

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If you look at the old village houses or those in the old towns (like here in Antibes) you will see they are built to keep the sun out. They are dark and cool with high ceilings and tall shutters. Windows are small. They are therefore cool in the summer without any climatisation apart perhaps from a fan. And environmentally friendly.

On the other hand modern apartment blocks are built to catch the sun - with large picture windows, ideally ( according to estate agents ) with south facing terraces. So air conditioning is absolutely necessary - actually creating more heat in the environment!

If you can get an idea of the architecture and direction your windows / terrace will face you will get a good idea as to how essential air conditioning is in your case.

Ed

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We have a flat in the old town of Villefranche. The walls are three feet thick and it doesn%26#39;t get so much as a blink of sun but on August nights the temperature in the flat is 26/27C. Anyone from the Punjab used to 40C for long periods will find it comfortable. Anyone from a cool climate is likely to find it very difficult to sleep.

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26/27 c LondonBob? Sounds very pleasant indeed. I recall spending some weeks just unde ra roof formed of genuine Roman tiles ( i.e.terracotta - the same material they make pizza ovens from). Rarely fell below 35 c at night.

Ed ( currently in an almost broadband free part of Ireland - Happy Halloween)