We are unable to predict the weather with any accuracy. There are four distinct seasons. It’s hot in the summer and cold in the winter, but both seasons can be surprisingly unseasonable, with balmy winter days and chilly summer days, as seems to be the case all over the world these days. Generally, summer and winter are what you’d expect them to be. Fall and spring are dry and warm with chilly nights. We find the climate temperate in all seasons—never hot or cold. That said, everything’s relative. We come from Ireland and New England in the States. It’s certainly warmer here than in either of those places!
For the hot months, we recommend opening the windows at night to let the cool air in, and closing them during the hottest periods of the day. Each room has a fan. We do not have air-conditioning, nor do we need it with cool mountain air. Even if you’re coming in July or August, however, do bring a fleece or warm sweater in case you happen to come during a cool spell. Our village does not permit lighting fires between May and October, so if it happens to be chilly the only way to warm up is to wear layers. Very unlikely, but possible.
In the fall, winter and spring, even when the weather is still quite mild (which it should be, but isn’t always), we heat with a combination of wood-burning stoves and central heating, which we keep set at 20 – 22 degrees Celsius in the winter and 18 degrees in the fall and spring (cooler at night when people are snuggled under their sheep shearling comforters).
The stoves add a great deal of heat and comfort to the house; there is one in the dining room, one in the living library and one in Calliope (a bedroom with a private salon). Calliope is the only room with a wood-burning stove, and would be well worth the extra money to those who wish to work in a private space during the winter.
Residents keep the stoves lit themselves, though we and barters pitch in. Because this is an old stone house with old single-paned windows, some people find it chilly regardless of two sources of heat, even when it’s not particularly cold outside (sitting at a desk for hours writing away doesn’t exactly heat the body up). Bring cozy sweaters and house slippers. Many people choose to work in the library during the winter because the heat from the wood burning stove is so lovely.
We supply beautiful, thick, artisanal sheep fleece comforters, as well as cotton and feather duvets and have a plentiful supply of Mexican blankets.