Just outside Jonzac in Charente Maritime. A former pineau producers property with two gites, large heated pool, a stone barn larger than the main house, and over an acre of garden bordered by a category 1 trout river (but I don't fish and don't really like fish!!).
It is on the edge of a very small (200 people) village; no shops but Jonzac is literally 5 mins away.
In 24 (dordogne) but we're not too far from the Charente border and 30 minutes from Bergerac airport. The first 'new' house in France we've had, the other three places were very old, very big and with lots of land. This is much more manageable (about 450 sq m) living space and 0.5 hectares of land with a lovely salt water swimming pool (heated and with electric cover). Sadly, it will be put on the market sometime this year as we need to think about something much smaller as we only live here for 6 months of the year.
Apologies if I already replied to this when it was first posted... I live in PĂ©zenas, a beautiful old town in the HĂ©rault (34), Languedoc. There is a vibrant Anglophone community in the area & I've seen an increase in tourism from all over the world since we arrived Nov. 2011 as the region gains in popularity.
Hi Regina
Just catching up on this thread, rather belatedly. Welcome to the Auvergne, we are in Puy de Dome department, between Ambert and Issoire. Bought it initially as a holiday home, usual run down pile with loads of land, but 9 yrs later we are nearly there! Love the region, though not perhaps in midst of winter (ie now, another pile of snow arrived last night) so try and spend some of the winter back in Somerset. We are just outside a tiny hamlet of 164 souls, but lots more visitors in summer as great area for hiking, cycling etc if you dont mind the hills, living at 1000ft certainly has its challenges. Good too for our little B&B which is going from strength to strength, 95% French visitors. There are very few English though, and the French tend to keep themselves to themselves, but on the whole it's much better than living in the overcrowed and overpriced UK.
Bit late in picking this up what pass is this we are under Mazamet marie
Phil so many people just hurtle down the motorway missing so much of France over the 30 odd years i toured then bought here very rarely used the M/way unless i was very late getting back,so much to see
Yes, I know, I posted some time ago, but we're in La Roque-d'Anthéron, Bouches-du-RhÎne (13) minutes away from the Durance river. Not a lot of people know our village, but if you are in the music world you will know it! From mid July to mid August the big garden at the chateau de Florans is host to this world famous piano festival, which seat c 2.200 people. The festival as added some fantastic jazz evenings too. You can see us on www.aixpontroyal.com & www.lepetitfiguier.com if you like...and if you come down this way...pop in and have a glass or two of the local pink wine!...:)
Yes, its a beautiful village - I remember swimming in the river pool beside the Abbey!
We did think about moving to that area but discounted it because of the summer heat and winters too like my native Scotland!!
Hi Pam we can see the Pic from our kitchen window,not today though with the low cloud plus it was snowing during the night
No, he went to the States for c10 years I think, as he had written a bit too many stories about the locals, so he was not too popular, they say...think he lived near Menerbes before as his friend Ridley Scott still does (think that's how they got the idea for a script, which Peter Mayle wrote, ie the film 'A Good Year' with Russell Crowe, Marion Cotillard, Albert Finney etc)...and if you have not seen this film - you are missing out on a very charming film from this region...but he's been back for years, as this area of Provence is where he and his wife love to be...he says ' what's not to love'... :)
Lovely place Isle of Man, visited years ago...here's it's raining today, but it's been very mild, wore summer tops last week, the weather just cannot make up its mind at the moment, but it's very mild...sound like it's a Eater visit for you...enjoy...one day you do not want to leave at all... :)
Where are you Lis? Sorry if you posted earlier, there are so many posts.
Hi KK you should pop in and see my son and French daughter in law. They live in rue Lamartine opposite the sous prefecture (La Frog Boutique). They have been there for 10 years.
Didn't realise Peter Mayle was still in France. I thought he'd moved out and on from there. France always has a habit of drawing one back.
We live on the Isle of Man, which is a lovely place to live, but, it is an Island, so the wide expanses of France, where you can drive without falling off into the sea, is such a revelation!!
Lovely few days here, by the way, but still blooming cold. Roll end the end of the month and Carcassonne Airport, here we go!!
Phil
Lovely - but where is this in France? :)
We live between Montpon and Mussidan in the pretty village of St Laurent des Hommes. We're there between April and October.
Sevres in the Haute Seine.we have been here now for 38 years!!
Beautiful and stunning area - c 1H30min from us... :)
Hi James. I bought a small apartment in Montpellier (Languedoc) a few years ago. Itâs rented out at the moment but my long-term plan is to spend lots of time in it eventually! I looked at quite a few places in France before buying. I wanted to be in/near a city and Montpellier is a vibrant, cultural and beautiful city which really suits me, and itâs only 20 minutes from the beaches, so best of both worlds!
This is a fascinating topic, James. Great to see where we've all found our little piece of France. It's interesting to hear about all the villages etc, that, on a normal drive North/South, we wouldn't know even existed.
Perhaps a leisurely road trip, stopping of at many of the small towns and villages en route, would make for a great holiday, instead of the normal rush down the motorways. I bet the Tom-Tom would have a canary fit, recalibrating the routes!!
Yes, that sounds like quite a change from Cannes.
There are some new apartments up the road from us, think that would have to be those you are mentioning, not sure I could have lived there. Did you ever know about Pont Royal? It's a wonderful place!
Debbie & Paul's B&B was (and still is I assume) just minutes away (by foot) by the bridge...I shall ask them. Sadly they have moved back to the UK, as we moved (mainly me, as my husband still slaving away in London to 'keep me in the lifestyle you have become used to' he says...!
Heard some funny stories about the lady that runs the local post office with a very cold and steely hand, my, my, my...what a woman?
Yes, Peter Mayle has a lot to answer for, definitely. I have seen Peter Mayle a few times out and about in lovely Lourmarin, where I go all the time. He and his wife sold their old big house a couple of years ago, and have bought something smaller in the area.
If you are still interested in reading about 'our' region, you should Google moderntroubadours.blogspot.com which is a wonderful blog about our region, markets, lots more and in particularly the wines by the lovely Susan Newman Manfull, whom has become a very good friend! She and her husband initially owned and rented out a couple of small houses in Lourmarin, and I came across their wonderful website by chance running through lots of different places, as you do! They have since sold up, as living in New Hampshire in the States, just became too far away, but they lived in the village for about 6 months I think I recall! I emailed her purely to compliment her on her website for these 2 houses back in 2008, and finally last year we met up, and just clicked - and the rest is history as they say!
Anyway, leave you in peace, as I went complete away form what you initially asked... Lis :)
