Lots of us dream of owning our own chateau in France. Some of us take a massive leap of faith to make those dreams come true. It isn’t always easy, especially if you buy a listed property which comes with restrictions, requirements and remits galore. But owning, renovating, bringing a chateau back to life – […]
I’ve been renovating my farm house in Pas de Calais on and off for 14 years. 99% of the work has been done between myself and my husband, the only exception being when we first bought the house and hired a builder to make some sagging and enormous wooden beams safe. It was a disaster, […]
The French Riviera, AKA Cote d’Azur, has been the summer playground of choice for the rich and famous for over a century now. It has the best climate in France and some of the most stunning coastal scenery. So, it’s not suprise that this area has attracted artists and writers such as F Scott Fitzgerald […]
When it comes to looking for your ideal home in France there are a few things that are key to getting it right. It’s astonishing how many of us buy a French home on a whim (me included). It’s something we generally wouldn’t dream of doing normally. Somehow, we see a picture online and we’re […]
I don’t know about you, but I do love a bargain! Especially when it comes to French houses. I bought a bargain myself several years ago. A 21 room house in a gorgeous part of rural France for €90,000. Compared to what I could get in the UK at that time, I felt like I’d […]
Do you need help managing the rental of your holiday home? Or maybe you want to buy a property overseas, but need to rent it out to pay for the costs? Here are seven tips to help you achieve holiday home rental success Over half of Home Hunts’ clients now buy a holiday home with […]
France’s Atlantic coastline offers something for everyone, from Brittany’s wild and rugged Finistère to the chic beach towns around La Rochelle, to surfing meccas around Biarritz. Liz Rowlinson asks the experts at Leggett Immobillier to pick five tempting places for you to consider… Starting in the north, where Brittany juts far out into the Atlantic, […]
Peter Friend, joint owner of the award winning B&B La Villa Mazamet in the Tarn shares his top tips. The villa has been named France’s top luxurious B&B for several years and, says Peter, there are lots of things you can do to make your own B&B have a better chance of success… Location Location […]
If you could start a new life in France, where would you go and what would you do? Out of the 4 million Brits currently living abroad, around 150,000 live in France. While the majority are over 55, according to an HSBC report, France is rated third in the world for families, partly because school […]
Bijou and beautiful in Brittany This pretty little stone house is situated in Morbihan, Brittany. This is a popular investment area and a thriving tourist destination with its warm climate and sandy beaches. The terraced cottage hides a secret – there’s a secluded fairy tale turret. Yes, it needs renovating but there is water and […]
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If you’re looking for a fun way to visit northern France, Les Belles Echappees in Saint Omer fits the bill. Located within the peaceful Ferme de L’Abbaye at Clairmarais, this family run organisation hires out restored classic vintage vehicles. Choose from sparkling VW camper vans to prestigious Citroen 2CV cars and VW convertible Beetles. There’s […]
Sur le Pont d’Avignon L’on y danse, l’on y danse Sur le Pont d’Avignon L’on y danse tous en rond Many of us learned that song as kids, about the famous Pont d’Avignon in Provence (real name: Pont Saint-Bénézet). For those of us lucky enough to visit Avignon and see the bridge in all its […]
I love all my animals, five cats, three dogs, four geese, 13 ducks and 25 chickens. They’re part of the family though the birds don’t live in the house with us. At least not permanently. When they’re a bit poorly, I’ll bring them in for some TLC until they’re well enough to go out. Sometimes […]
I live part of the year in Provence and one day I was reading Le Monde and a headline about a “sexy politician” caught my eye. “Well, those are two words you don’t see together very often,” I thought. So I read the article and found out that there had been a poll asking French […]
It was lunchtime in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés area of Paris, and I was ravenous looking for a place to eat away from the usual tourist traps. I turned down a quiet street and saw the most unassuming bistro. In fact, I wouldn’t usually have considered going in but I decided to take a chance. As soon […]
Catharism has been described as “the most successful heresy in history”. In Languedoc, “Pays Cathare” signs dot the countryside. One cannot drive far in any direction without coming upon the ruins of a Cathar fortress. Who were the Cathars? “Cathar” is allegedly derived from the Greek word, katharos, meaning “pure”. The Cathars were also known […]
The people of Provence have been raising sheep for centuries. You see flocks of them all over the countryside, grazing under the watchful eye of shepherds. But Provencal summers are scorching hot and sheep have heavy wool coats so they’re moved to cooler pastures. The transhumance in Provence The answer to dealing with the heat, […]
There have been many famous families in history. Take the Curies, for example: Marie Curie won two Nobel Prizes and her husband, daughter and grandson each won one. Quite the talented family! And then there are the Wright brothers and the Brontë sisters. And let’s not forget those comic masters, the Marx brothers. But imagine […]