When we were getting the various renovations done to our house here the subject of Air Conditioning was raised. Would we need it in our new house in France ?
I put the question to the only expert I had handy at the time in Waterford, a Dutchman (Robbert) who had farmed out here for many years.
His reply was that if it was a stone house (it is) and we shut the southern facing shutters in the Summer we would remain cool.
This has so far proved correct.

Several years ago we bought one of those electronic temperature thingies which gave the temperature both inside and outside the house.

The outside one ceased to work after a very short time but the inner gauge continued to tell the temperature.
About two weeks ago this too stopped working and so Síle decided to replace the battery.
Lo and Behold, the replacement of battery kicked the external one into life so we now get the double reading once more.

We are having an exceptional spell of marvellous weather at the moment.
When I came down this morning the temperatures both in and our were 16 C.

I checked again just now .
The heat on the terrace is now a steamy 34 C , inside it remains a temperate 19 C.
They sure knew what they were doing when they put this building together.