Second Time Lucky: Finding our dream home in France

Many people move to France hoping to purchase a ‘forever home’, but what if your needs change? Gillian Harvey meets three couples who found ‘the one’ after trying others on for size…

Ann and James Young:

“We built our forever home in Normandy – then moved more than 900km away!” Professional horseman James Young, 63, and his wife Ann, 65, a buyer’s agent, were used to living in different locations. with James’ profession taking him from the UK to the US, and Qatar over the years. But in 1999, the couple decided to purchase their forever home in Normandy. “We chose Normandy as it’s the epicentre of professional horse sports in France,” explains Ann. “There are races, showjumping, stud arms – everything.”

The property the couple found was on the site of a former karting track, with a clubhouse, garage and the house itself- a traditional Normandy home with 190m² of space. They converted the garage into stables and the clubhouse into a gîte. The area proved a great choice. “Our village was fabulous and our neighbours were great. We had a very active social life: most of our friends were French, with just one other British couple.” In 2010, Ann and James decided to sell the property and build their dream home in the same location. It was a 350m² house with colombage-style exterior and modern interior, underfloor heating, triple glazing and modern fixtures and fittings. They moved into a gîte as a stop-gap, while the work was being done. However, the build took a long time to finish and by 2017, when it was completed, something had change “I told James I didn’t want to do it anymore.” says Ann. “I couldn’t cope with the physicality of the horses and I also fancied living somewhere a bit warmer.”

One thing was certain, however, the pair wanted to remain in France. “We love the people and the lifestyle, the daily routine. The quality of life is very good and the food is so tasty and fresh.”

The house near carcassonne came about as the result of ‘pure luck’ according to Ann. “I wanted a village setting – we have several cats and needed it to be safe for them. And we’re used to living with quite a lot of land, which can be difficult to get. The house we found is a split-level property with 180m of space. It sits at the top of a village, with a hectare of land above. The road coming up is almost private. We have an amazing view of the château, and a swimming pool.” Having dedicated much of his previous career to horses, James is now thriving in a a new occupation as a videographer, creating videos of motor racing for his YouTube channel, as well as maintaining the four local gîtes that the couple run between them. “All of our properties were the right house at the right time. We thought we’d stay in the dream home we’d built, but the house we’ve ended up in couldn’t be more different. Yet it’s perfect for us now. We miss our friends, but they come to stay and we’ve been made to feel very welcome in the new area we’re living in.

Christina and David Perez: “We rented before buying, and did a virtual ‘tour de France’ before settling!”

When Christina Perez, 49, moved to France with her French husband David. 45, she knew very little about the country. The couple had met in the US and after marrying in 2005, had lived there together welcoming children Eliséa, now 16, and Matys, 13. But in 2008, David began to get homesick, and in 2017 the family decided to make the move back to his home country.

“Initially we thought we’d buy, but it was difficult to secure permanent employment,” explains Christina. “In the end, David found a year-long contract and we thought we’d just get here and work it out. We ended up renting a gorgeous apartment in Bordeaux, with views of the Monument aux Girondins. It was neo-classical on the exterior, but it had a modern interior.”

However, as he was on a temporary contract, the family had to move again in April 2018, this time to Lyon. “We rented an apartment in a manoir just off the river,” says Christina “It was Haussmann style, the interiors were from the late 18th century. It was fairly snug at 125m², but I loved it.”
Finally in 2019, David found a permanent job in Mulhouse Alsace, and the family prepared to settle down however this time they were unable to settle as easily. “The architecture was very different, and we had a duplex apartment on the fourth e fourth and fifth floor that was terrible in the summer. It was so hot,”says Christina. “We tried to settle, but the lifestyle and culture just felt different – even the croissants had a different taste! When Covid hit and we – like many others – had time to reflect, we realised we just weren’t happy in the area.” Luckily, while the couple had intended to purchase a property, they hadn’t yet done this. As David’s office had a satellite in Brittany, somewhere he’d always wanted to live, he asked to change locations. “We did a trip there for our anniversary and I fell in love with it,” says Christina.

The family made the move and finally purchased their own home: a five-bedroom house in Plancoët, Brittany that Christina was able to work her interior design magic on. “I completely renovated the upstairs, creating three bedrooms, a bathroom, separate toilet and dressing room. Downstairs, there used to be two bedrooms, but we transformed these into offices as we both now work at home.”

While it was difficult being so unsettled for a period of time, especially with children Christina is now grateful for the journey they took to find their forever home. “Renting gave us flexibility. I got to see the different way of life in France and the different cities. Now I’m building my own firm as an interior designer, my French is getting better and I really feel we’ve found the right situation for all of us.

Catrin Morgan and Kim Butler: “We were seduced by the French Dream!”

Catrin Morgan first wanted to move to France aged 15 after a move to France aged 15 after French exchange. “I felt very much at home in the country,’ she says. However, it was 44 years later that she finally made the move. “My two sons had grown up and moved on; it seemed like a now-or-never moment. I decided to move, dragging my long-suffering partner Kim with me!”

The couple’s first viewings were scheduled for November 2014. “We’d chosen a selection of houses, in Lot-et-Garonne, an hour from Bordeaux. But when we were over there to view, another house suddenly came onto the market. We decided to have a look. and it was love at first sight.

“We were seduced by the big farmhouse with lots of land. It was a lovely property but came with its fair share of problems: a lack of deep foundations and damp proofing, and hidden issues such as old timber in the roof supports. The thick walls made installing wifi a challenge. It was also in an isolated location, which was a mixed blessing.

“We created two B&B rooms and added a gîte in the attached barn. It was a beautiful house, with no neighbours nearby. I loved how fresh the air smelled and the inky-black, star-studded sky at night.” The couple made a success of their move – with Catrin, now 67, running the business, as well as becoming a property advisor to raise additional income. Kim, now aged 60 continued to commute to her IT job in the UK.

However, first Covid and then new rules post-Brexit hit the business. “We were a dog- friendly business and Brexit rules made it harder for people from the UK to travel with pets. We lost a lot of business. “Running the B&B had been harder work than anticipated and with the additional setbacks, Catrin decided that it was time to retire. The property sold really quickly, and the couple decamped to a gite while searching for their next home.

We decided to move nearer to amenities and life,” says Catrin. “The property we’re living in now is still old, but it’s smaller and more manageable. It’s in the middle of the small village of Le mas d’Agenais, not far from our original property. My pension has kicked in so I no longer have to work full time – but have kept on my part-time role as a property advisor.”

Brexit also complicated the couple’s long-distance relationship, and as a result they decided to tie the knot. “We got married in 2020 after a bit of a panic because Kin would have been subject to the 90/180-day rule.” says Catrin. “Now, we are both entitled to permanent residency here.

We don’t regret buying our first property – in fact, we still feel a little sad when we drive past it. But although don’t have the wonderful views anymore, nor do we have to maintain the land. And while we don’t have a swimming pool at the new place, there’s a beautiful municipal pool locally that we don’t have to look after. “I suspect that we’d still buy the first house if we had we had our time again, but it got too much for us eventually. This is a home we can now enjoy, can now enjoy without all the work that comes with it.”

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