IF YOU ARE INTERESTED

[vjs]

IF I COULD I would love to pick up my lovely cottage in Lincolnshire with beautiful acre of garden and move it to France.  Any ideas!!!  My body needs sunshine....waking up in the mornings now I am discovering new aches and pains!  Unfortunately, (if I cannot move it) will  be putting property on open market and moving  back to France

I used to live in France four years ago....lived there for two years in dept 49 and then 53.  Just want to tell you all re my experiences.

Myself and my partner(not know) moved over to France a bought a property. I can speak french so came in handy. This property was a good hour from the main big town of Angers and a good half hours drive to local shops.  He had a job with the only car!!! We were shown round quite a few properties by the Immobilier who was very very helpful driving us all over the place showing us loads of properties. Then we saw it, gorgeous... our dream...detached three beds house huge inside....loads of barns (in good condition) + gite all for £75,000. No way would we ever had been able to afford such a place in sussex where we moved from for that price!  So we bought (stupid when I think back now) with the idea of renovating, of course all this never happened.  Due to his work load and really lack of big funds, although he was a carpenter/joiner....this work would have taken years, if ever.  At the time you have tunnel vision so just be ware to all.

We all met up at the house (this is before the purchase) with the owners, notaire, immobilier, bank manager, you name it the whole street came I think!!  Papers were shown, read, etc.,  then out came the Calvados (sorry folks, disgusting).  then we all went outside and to my surprise was asked "how much more land would you like" well I mentioned that we could not afford to purchase any more land......to my surprise and shock we were told there and then "you can have as much as you want"!!for the same price. So off we went measuring.  Ended up with far more than 3 acres.  Would that ever happen in England!!  then on another day went and signed papers and the keys were ours.  We even went round to the bank managers house and he cooked us steak!

We had lovely french neighbours (farmers) who one day when I was out came round and rotivated my veg plot for me, did'nt ask him to do this he just did.  I would go round and purchase fresh milk from him straight from daisy cow (after it had been chilled first).  About a mile across field was an english couple who eleven years previous were very brave and bought a dairy farm neither speaking french, but they became very fluent as well as their two sons.  So there is hope for you all who cannot speak the language, but you have to work very hard and integrate into the community this is the only way to learn. You will find some french can speak english but they prefer not to and some can understand more than they let on!  Also get used to all that kissing, I can get to grips with two but FIVE!  As a family get used to this now so when you all go over to France you are not embarrassed as so many Brits are, after a while it will become just like shaking hands.  Normally kissing of cheeks is really when you get to know someone well.  So don't do it straight away to your Bank Manager as he will really think you are grovelling!!!

I met up whilst living in France with an English couple and their four children the eldest being 13 not one word of french could they speak.  Dad found job as gardener, mum was isolated, kids went off to school. the kids found it all very confusing, but kids being kids if they want to play with their french friends soon have to learn and they learn quickly...the 13 year old found it more difficult. They too had found a rural property....I think mistake to begin with perhaps if you settle... then later on down the line. Mum said she found it very difficult especialy at the school gate picking up the children to mix with the other mums. After a while you will find your children will come home from their school and start teaching mum and dad and before you know it you will be conversing.  They had bought a property run down but they enjoyed after all said and done the life they were living, but found it very hard.  All I am saying is to anyone thinking of going out with young children don't get carried away as so many Brits do when you go and see properties to purchase... think very hard.....where it is....travelling times, etc., also do your sums.  The other thing is this, some of these properties come with acres of ground and beautiful scenery and a cattle shed as a house, would you buy this in England, I don't think so.  At the end of the day you have to live in the house and not the garden.  It will eventually prove sometimes for some people too much unles you do have endless pots of money or you can employ an Artisan.  There are people I know who do very nicely living in remote areas and love it, but they are the lucky ones.

I expect like myself you watch the programme A PLACE IN THE SUN on TV and you see couples looking at these dilapidated shacks.....no roof.....no walls, etc and their comments "it is so beautiful" I think to myself they must be off their heads or the sun has got to them!

So I am returning to France....when property in UK is put on open market....with more of an insight and open eyes into what I will be looking for, near to village and community and no renovation work thats for sure apart from a paint brush!! Can't wait have missed La Belle France.

Good luck to you all

VJs

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tresco]

Very sensible advice in the latter part of the post. 

I think even people with the very best of sensible intentions can lose their heads completely.

In fact, I'm surprised that some parts of France are not littered with the fallen heads of formerly sensible Brits.

Good luck to you too.

 

 

 

 

 

[MrCanary]

That's an interesting story vjs. I hope it all works out for you on your next French adventure!

[Tag]

On the other hand, thank Frith that people are prepared to have a go. The story in actually inspiring to those with a bit of guts.

[Athene]

Yes, an interesting tale there, thank you for that. I do hope you find somewhere in France to be happy and where the sun will warm your bones! We nearly bought a lovely house near Spalding in Lincolnshire 10 years ago but at the last minute discovered it was in a flood plain and bought our French house instead! We are still pleased with our French purchase.