Finding my ideal Property for Sale in France
I knew I had to move to France after visiting my friend, Maxine, a couple of years ago. She had moved there with her family several years previously, having bought and renovated an eighteenth century country house in Normandy. The house was charming, the lifestyle relaxing and the countryside enchanting. Two days into my visit I knew my fate was sealed and began to look for my own property for sale in France.
At first I was concerned about my limited French but Maxine assured me that would not be a problem. None of them, she assured me as we sat on the patio surveying the panoramic view of her 1.25 hectares of verdant land, spoke much French before they arrived, but now they were passably fluent – with the children becoming completely bilingual. She was quick to dispel the myth I had heard that the French refused to speak English in their own country, telling me she had never met more charming and helpful people.
Normandy is rich in history, dating back to the Viking Norsemen of the ninth century, from whom the name originates. Set in the Seine Valley, with both coastal in inland beauty spots, Normandy has been the inspiration for some of the world’s greatest artists and writers. Its regional cuisine is superb and varied and its proximity to Paris makes it extremely popular with both the French people and foreign visitors. Despite all of this, however, when I began looking for my property for sale in France, I decided against Normandy!
With a thousand kilometres from north to south and twenty one different regions to choose from, I had plenty to consider. I was particularly drawn to the French region of Western Loire, know for it mediaeval castles and Valley of the Kings. I had spent one holiday touring the magnificent chateaux with their beautiful gardens and fallen in love with the romance of it all. The climate is milder and softer than Normandy, which suits me better and it’s only an hour and a half by train to Paris, which I can never be long away from!
After a couple of months of searching for my ideal property for sale in France, I found exactly what I was looking for: a small detached, fully-renovated longère, or farmhouse, near Nantes. What I particularly loved were the original pine floors and exposed beams in quite spacious rooms; but most of all it was the price! I couldn’t believe how inexpensive properties in France are compared to England. By the following summer I had sold my London flat and moved to beautiful France – where I have never been happier.