La Drova
La Drova.
The Blog above was brought to my attention recently by a Spanish friend who was appalled by the one-sided tirade made against La Drova by the unamed writer. As a Briton who has lived in La Drova for the past seven years, I felt equally offended by the lop-sided view and felt that some fair redress should be made.
Of course, the obvious comment after reading the Blog above is: why anyone at all would choose to live in La Drova or its environs - if it was such a dreadful place? In fact, there are some 200 foreigners (the largest number of whom are Britons) living in La Drova and this is complimented by around 1,200 Spaniards who live in the village of Barx. For a coastal mountain valley, this is a healthy local population and reflects well upon the area given the trend (particularly amongst the Spanish) of populations moving out of their rural villages for urban areas.
So, what is La Drova?
La Drova is an estate that has grown up organically from a tiny village based around an ancient monastery (now turned into pretty housing). The estate was originally mainly comprised of Spanish second homes which were used for holidays and weekends. However, over the past ten years this has changed as international buyers have bought into La Drova and an increasing number of Spaniards have decided to live permanently on the estate. This generated considerable building (some good and some poor) within which there are a selection of properties appropriate for both permanent and holiday living.
La Drova is situated within the base and sides of an east/west valley (14 km north west of Gandia, Valencia Province) dominated by dramatic Monduber mountain (882m high). The sides of the surrounding mountains are covered in pines, orange trees, olives and harsh ever green vegetation and form part of an extensive national park within which construction is forbidden. In anyone’s terms, it is a stunningly beautiful area and ideal for walking, climbing, cycling or other outdoor activities.
Critically, some 2 kms from La Drova lies the village of Barx which has administrative control over La Drova. The two places are, in effect, part of the same ‘parish’. This is important to anyone living here - not least because the community as whole is integrated both socially and through its complimentary infrastructure.
Barx is a vitally persuasive reason for living in or around La Drova. It is a vibrant village with three bakers, three butchers, two supermarkets, a tobacconist, a general store, a pharmacy, bank, electrical store, church and some eight bars/restaurants. It also contains a dentist (who speaks English!) and a doctor’s surgery and, once a week, there is a (modest) market. In other words, there is a reasonable infrastructure sufficient for an active, all year, sociable day to day life.
To drive to Barx from La Drova takes a couple of minutes. However, to walk to Barx takes around fifteen minutes - although there is no need walk on the road as there are two footpaths (one on the La Solana side and one on the valley bottom). These are charming and accessible to everyone.
Of exceptional note is the fact that La Drova is almost unique in being an integral part, in every regard, of a traditional Spanish village and thereby the life of that village. The vast majority of estates in Spain are artificial ‘islands’ built specifically and only for ‘foreign’ buyers. They have, as a consequence, no connection socially or otherwise with the real life and people of Spain. This is not the case with La Drova. Indeed, (for me) the single most compelling reason for living here is Barx - and the ability to be a part of the theatre and joy of a ‘normal’ working community. If you want to live within a real community (and not within a town) then this is probably one of the best options open to you – certainly within Valencia Province.
Because my children have gone to school in Gandia for the past seven years, I have had to drive up and down to Gandia at least twice daily (i.e. literally thousands of times!!). The journey takes between fifteen to twenty minutes along a road that is windy for ten minutes of the journey. It has breathtaking views that have never bored me and, if taken carefully, is not unduly challenging. As a very rough guess, in seven years, it has been closed around half a dozen times (albeit never for snow or heavy rain). I have personally (‘touch wood’) never been stopped for a ‘police check’ on the road from Barx to Gandia – although my wife collected a speed fine (for the first time ever, in any country) this year on this road!
The temperature in La Drova is normally between 3-5 degrees lower than in Gandia. However, this is not altogether as terrible as stated in the Blog above. In winter, it means that La Drova is cooler than Gandia (a bad thing!) – however in summer it means that La Drova mitigates the higher temperatures of Gandia (a good thing!). A mixed blessing, frankly.
As to shade, this is a matter easily dealt with - as the valley in which La Drova is located is named La Solana (the sun) for the sunny side and L’Ombra for the side that is shady (the north side). The vast majority of La Drova properties are on the La Solana side (mine is) and are south facing. It is common knowledge that to buy on the L’Ombra side is a bad move about which everyone knows. It is far from being a secret to trap unwary foreigners!!
Occasionally, we suffer from electricity and water cuts. However, these have become increasingly rare over the past seven years and generally are very short lived. On the whole, the infrastructure works well. Certainly, we have ADSL (Rural) which is not as powerful as within Gandia. However, as this is 3mb it is sufficient for both internet based work and normal downloading. The telephone landline works well and, as elsewhere in the world, ‘free’ call packages are available – I get free national calls and free calls to the UK, Germany and Ireland.
As elsewhere in Spain, there are many properties for sale in La Drova – although to state 40% of La Drova properties are for sale (even in 2008) is rubbish. I would estimate that some 10-20% of the properties in La Drova are for sale with this figure replicated pretty much throughout Spain. In fact, on the big, foreign owned, ‘ghetto’ estates it may be very much higher (the pressure on UK pensioners being considerable due to the drop in the purchasing power of their Sterling pensions).
Oddly enough, prices in La Drova (2009) have not dropped to the same extent as many other areas of Spain – particularly compared to the big, foreign owned, ‘ghetto’ estates around the coasts of Spain. There are two reasons for this:
1. The prices in La Drova never spiralled out of control to the same extent as was common in other parts of Spain (particularly those popular as holiday destinations for foreigners).
2. The demand for properties in La Drova is roughly equally divided between Spanish and international buyers. This means that (unlike ‘international ghetto estates’) the local Spanish themselves are enthusiastic potential buyers. Indeed, in Gandia, La Drova is considered to be an exclusive place to live and very desirable. I am, frankly, as likely to sell my property (should I ever wish to) to a Spanish buyer as an international
Is La Drova a perfect paradise and the best place in Spain to live?. Of course, that is a subjective question that depends upon what you (and you alone) want. However, if you want to live within 15- 20 minutes of the coast, be within two minutes of a wonderful and welcoming village, close to a vibrant town, an hour from an international airport and enjoy a gorgeous landscape – then it is well worth considering.
Does La Drova have ‘downsides’ – of course! Just like anywhere else. But to condemn it utterly (like the Blog above) is extraordinary – and the bizarre work of someone clearly deeply disenchanted.
On a personal basis, I feel privelaged to live in La Drova and delighted that I have raised my family here. The combination of Barx, fabulous Gandia and the terrific culture and friendship that we have encountered has been entirely seductive.
