moving from Paris France to CDA (Boise, Coeur d'Alene: transplants, home, neighborhoods)

[Cindy Post]

Hi Heather,

You would love living here in No. Idaho. We live in a little town called Bayview right on Lake Pend Oreille (how's that for a taste of "French.") Bayview is about 28 miles north and east of CDA and the same distance south of Sandpoint. CDA is closer to the airport, but Bayview has a real small-town north Idaho feel. We moved here 4 years ago from the San Francisco Bay area but I'm originally from Cleveland, Ohio. My husband is originally from Butte, Montana.

I love to find out how people found Bayview and North Idaho and so many have told me that they traveled all of the States and this was the best place. Most of the people in Bayview are retired, but there are kids. For good or bad, they are bussed to school or driven. Lots of snowbirds who go to Arizona in the winter which makes our little town even more cozy.

CDA is a beautiful city and I've never heard of anyone wishing they lived somewhere else. When the other respondents talk about mud in Spring, I don't quite agree. Cleveland had mud. Here the soil is so gravely that the water goes down rapidly. The only thing I don't like about the winters here are so many overcast days. It hasn't been all that cold -- a few days of below zero, but it's so dry, that it just seems exhilarating. The summers are incredible. Some days are hot, but the nights are always cool. We have A/C and turn it on maybe 3 times a year and always after 4 pm and then off again at about 9 pm.

The home prices are still reasonable, better than Colorado prices and a LOT better than California prices. Realtor.com is a great site. Be sure to find a real estate agent that will LISTEN to you and can find you what you want. Be sure to list EVERYTHING you're looking for, you can probably find it here. I don't know of anyone offhand, but would be glad to do some researching if you'd like. REMAX is a good agency. Coldwell Banker is very prevalent here and also Tomlinson.

The people here continue to amaze me. Usually they're very polite and super friendly. It's almost impossible to find anyone nasty or unhelpful.

Let me know if you have questions.. I'll try to answer them.

This area has strong French roots and lots of things have French names. I'm sure you can find someone who speaks French.

The only problem I have found living here is the overabundance of Republicans (closed-minded politically). But there is a growing liberal trend which I hope keeps growing. I'm doing my part but it's hard to get people to switch "teams" (that's what I think it's like -- they picked a team and are going to be loyal to it no matter what the facts are even if it is their best interests to change.)

I'm pleasantly surprised at how many people answered your e-mail. Like I said, the folks here are helpful, friendly and by most standards intelligent and well-educated.

Best of luck to you,
Cindy

[heatherriviere]

Cindy Post,

Thank you for your enthousiasm! I'm sure we're going to love it when we get there

Thanks for your help with realtors. Unfortunately, for some strange reason, I am not able to connect to the realtor.com website from my computer. I've had to check out individual websites, or the liveincda.com website that acts as a metasite similar to realtor.com.

(I suppose I should start another thread, as we are comforted in our decision to move to CdA, with a title that is more indicative of the question content..."moving from Paris France to NW USA" probably doesn't inspire most people that are from the CdA area who flit through the thread titles!)

We are convinced that CdA has the economic and cultural activity level, size, and geographic location we are looking for. We will visit in the spring to confirm those feelings, and hopefully meet others like yourself who'll make us feel right at home!

Best regards,
Heather

[Sage of Sagle]

I changed the thread title for you.

[heatherriviere]

Thanks Sage of Sagle!

[bustnsurf]

There is no White Supremacy anymore. They were sued and the founder died. The airport is a small one recently named Boyington field. After pilot Pappy Boyington from Black Sheep Squadron. Downtown CDA is kind of crowded but the outskirts like Dalton and Hayden.

Originally Posted by heatherriviere

Hello everyone,

When people refer to Coeur d'Alene are they JUST talking about the part of the area within city limits or could all comments refer to the nearby towns as well? Is there a palpable difference between living in Coeur d'Alene and living in Dalton Gardens or Hayden? Do you simply feel like you're living on the outskirst of CdA, ie a outer neighborhood, or do people definately feel "different" than if they lived within CdA city limits?

Has the White Supremacy group that used to be based in Hayden, for example, left a lasting impression on the general public and their tolerance towards others?

Are there any benefits, however major or minor, towards living in CdA, DG or Hayden? (ie reduced prices on children's activities if one is a resident of one town or the other, such as swimming? lower taxes?) If one lives in Hayden is it possible to attend school in CdA?

Is the airport a real nuisance in terms of noise? Are inhabitants of Hayden affected more than inhabitants of CdA?

Thanks!
Heather

[whitestone]

Heather — I'm new to this forum and have been going through Coeur d'Alene specific threads and am just tickled to see what a resource this site is to people looking to relocate anywhere. As a Coeur d'Alene resident for almost eight years (originally from California like almost 50% of other north Idahoans), I'd like to take a stab at answering some of the questions you've posted that I haven't seen answered yet — or at least not completely.

are there windsurfers or catamarans on Lake Coeur d'Alene or the other lakes, or just speedboats/fishing boats? (is there enough wind?)

Lake Cd'A is mostly pleasure boats, skiboats and jet skis and a popular parasailing service along with the Cd'A Resort's fleet of cruise ships and a few boat planes that will take you on aerial tours of the entire region of lakes. There are some catamarans but I've seen more windsurfers (and wind) on Lake Pend O'Reille to the north (Sage of Sagle country) because its a much bigger lake than Lake Cd'A. While still beautiful, Lake Cd'A is actually becoming very crowded with boat traffic in the summer. Most locals prefer Hayden Lake and Pend O'Reille for a nice relaxing day on the lake.

Is the quality of the water good enough to be able to eat the fish without worrying about pollution? Are the beaches clean of debris (other than the odd log and sticks etc)...I saw other posts about being careful about waterskiing because of floating debris...? Are there many public beaches or do you have to own lake property to access the beach for the most part?

I hope this doesn't burst your bubble about Coeur d'Alene, but there is a term in business that is called "full-disclosure" so you can enter any agreement with your eyes wide open. Personally, I would not eat any fish caught in Lake Cd'A although I know people who do. It is technically a Superfund cleanup site and has been the unfortunate recipient of the runoff from all of the mining waste from the Silver Valley area to the east going back to the late 1800's up until the 50's. While the appearance of the lake is clean and the water is OK to swim in, the bad stuff remains in the sediment on the bed of the lake and has the potential to be stirred up and released into the main body of water. Most of the affected parts of the lake are actually towards the southern half where most of the runoff occurred.

The good news is that Lake Cd'A is not the only beautiful lake in the area and while Cd'A has the reputation, personally I think Pend O'Reille is a much more breath-taking lake in the league of any Swiss/Italian Alpine lake. And closer to home, we have gorgeous Hayden Lake and the smaller but still beautiful lakes to the west, Twin Lakes, Spirit Lake and Hauser Lake. So, go to Lake Cd'A for a day at the beach, or a cruise and fireworks on holidays and a night on the town, but go to the other lakes for your fishing and recreation.

As far as beach access, Cd'A is best known for its Main Beach and it has a beach all around the North Idaho College campus which is adjacent to it, but the public recently lost Sanders beach on the east side of Tubb's Hill (which is a wonderful place for an easy day hike and has some small beaches) to the private homeowners along the beach. Pend O'Reille has a couple of nice beaches -- one in Sandpoint and the other down by Bayview in the Farrugut Nat'l Park. Hayden has one small beach at the Honeysuckle boat launch and is quickly overcrowded on a nice day. Other than that, you either need to own lakefront property, or have a good friend who does. But for now, there is still enough public beach to go around.

I noticed that there is a camp on the lake, are the children who attend there mostly from the area or rather from all over the state/region/USA? Has anyone ever sent their children there? Were they pleased with it?

I'm not sure which you are referring to as there are a few and there are some on the other lakes and on the Spokane River towards Post Falls as well. You might be referring to Camp Lutherhaven and while my children have not gone, I have known other families who have sent their kids and know some others who have been camp counselors there and from everything I have heard, it is a wonderful camp.

What are the pros and cons to buying a manufactured house? I'd never heard of this until recently...are there any developments in the CdA area that are of manufactured houses? Are they usually more or less expensive than a "normal" house?

There are no developments that are made up of manufactured homes, but they are quite popular for people who own property and want to build inexpensively. Some of them are actually surprisingly nice (in that they don't look like doublewide trailers), but I don't think there is any substitute for a well-designed home. That said, unfortunately, there are many developments in the Cd'A area that are not comprised of well-designed homes. But I suppose, some of that will be a case of personal preference and taste. Coming from California, we were a bit spoiled by the quality levels in building overall there. But if you look, there are some very nice homes in the area. And in addition, there are many fine architects and homebuilders that will design and build you your dream home according to your budget.

What options does one have for nursery school for preschoolers?

I'm probably not qualified to comment on this one as we homeschool our two daughters, but I do know there are licensed (and unlicensed--so beware) daycare centers and Montessori schools and daycare provided by some of the local churches. But nothing state-run with the exception of the day-care centers at Coeur d'Alene H.S. and North Idaho College (NIC) for students and faculty.

Are there opportunities to make pottery in the CdA area? I know you can enroll at one of the local universities in their fine arts labs, but is there any sort of association of local potters? Or any classes offered other than at the university?

Also, I probably won't be of much help here other than to say that NIC does offer courses and there is a vibrant and growing arts community here and I'm sure you would be able to find others that share your love for making pottery.

And finally, I know you've also been enquiring about French speaking groups and after looking around, I'm afraid you might find that most of the French influence in this area has been left behind by the fur trappers and loggers. My French grandfather (St. Germain) was originally from the area (Osburn/Wallace) and could not speak French. But on the positive side, I'm sure there has to be some (many Canadians have relocated between here and Spokane too) that you might be a catalyst to encourage the formation of a group if you find that one does not exist.

I know that was way too long, but I hope it helps you get a better feel for the area a little more.

[pacalady]

Whitestone...
Thanks for giving Heather a better picture than I could! You have certainly done a great job!

Heather, Whitestone is right 'on' with everything said! This really IS a special place for sure ... and just cause you may not want to eat the fish from CdA lake, doesn't mean there aren't others, higher up, and no human interference to partake of! All within close proximity of the area!

PacaLady

[heatherriviere]

I am repeatedly amazed by the willingness of sheer strangers to sit in front of their computers and type out DETAILED and extremely helpful responses to questions that I come up with! Whitestone, you blew me away! Thank you all so much for taking the time to answer the questions that have dribbled out over the weeks in this forum!

And I agree with you, this forum really IS an incredible resource for people wanting to relocate anywhere in the US. Whoever invented it should be thanked a million times over! I'm not quite sure how I stumbled in here, I have never before been interested in participating in one or even reading the posts in them, but I am so happy I did...

As for the campground I had referred to, it was Camp Fire USA Camp Sweyolaken. I was curious to know if it was locals as I thought it might be a good way for my girls to make some friends when we first arrive, hopefully next summer, so that they know a few other kids when school starts. It's good to know that there are several to choose from in the area.

What other activities are organised during the summer months for children? Have you ever personally enrolled your daughters in them? I'll have to check the city website again on that one to see if they have anything...back when I was a kid in northern MN, the municipality had Arts & Crafts two times a week, summer Tball and softball leagues for school-age kids, swim lessons, storybook readings at the library (I see you have a brand new library! yippee!), Open Gym hours, etc. and our town only had a population of about 2200!

If no Frenchie-type organisation exists we'll have to think about how we can get one started, for sure!

Thanks also for the "full-disclosure" RE the lakes and the water. Better to know the risks upfront and to make our decisions accordingly!

Best regards,
Heather

[Miborn]

I wonder about the culture shock you could feel in Northern Idaho. It is remote, it is beautiful. Traveling to major cities in the winter could get challenging.
I think that Denver area has it all. Culture, lakes, mountains, big airport is a hub airport which will be important for family coming in. North of Denver are smaller towns and it is beautiful. Denver area I truly think will fit your lifestyle better than Idaho.
Yes, northern Idaho is growing but it is still not like where you are coming from.
Colorado is better suited to what are wanting I think.
I would not even consider Pocatello at all. Unless you plan on going to Salt Lake City for events, culture, clothes and things.
Most of Idaho is high desert. Lots of sage brush.
You can always go to CDL for vacations....
I really do not think you would be happy in northern Idaho coming from where you are Paris.
Good Luck to you, what a adventure you have ahead of you.

[pimit2]

Hello Miborn,

If you've read the threads between heatherriviere and folks in Idaho, you would see that trying to change her mind about CDA and redirecting her thinking to Denver at this point is a waste of time.


pimit2 (Bob)