France has great quality drinking water from the tap at not too expensive price per litre… often very little need to buy it in vast quantities in plastic bottles (and save the planet)… and as for heating - the cheapest fuel is often wood, of which in France there is plentiful renewable supply 
As @JohnBoy says… don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today…
2 Likes
You sound like you are finding reasons not to move. There’s nothing wrong with having a change of mind - it’s not a right or wrong decision - but work out if it’s just normal second thoughts or you really don’t want to move.
1 Like
You sound like you are finding reasons not to move.
We are not looking to move; we’re considering a second home, which is a first-world problem if there ever was one!
I realise I must come across as the world’s greatest worrier. But as I wrote further up, we’re not in the market for a shack we can just abandon. Plus we most probably won’t have the cash to pay for a place outright, with no mortgage or other kind of help. So it’s a major investment that requires reasonable forethought, and maybe the rose-tinted spectacles need to slide just a bit before we can make an informed decision. I am hearing all sides here, which is good, and I am grateful for all of your thoughts.
1 Like
Certainly any property is a major investment whether primary or second home but I just wonder if you are looking at the idea from an English/ non French view as unlike the UK property in France is very much a long term investment which in real terms could well be worth no more in 20 years. Factor in the cost of borrowing you suggest will be required to top up your cash investment and the idea of leaving an inheritance for your children starts to loose its shine.
1 Like
We’ve been in ours 15 years and certainly it hasn’t appreciated in value and without doubt we’ve put far more money into it than we could ever recoup.
@france_relance I wonder why you want a second home? Why not just come to France on holiday, stay in gites and spend a lovely relaxing time seeing different parts of France? Or, if you find a very special gite, going back again to the same place, knowing that the day you leave someone else will be laundering the bedding, defrosting and cleaning the fridge, cleaning the bathrooms, washing the floors, mowing the lawns, cleaning the pool. What’s not to like? 
5 Likes
H
And probably an awful lot cheaper with no stress about whats happening when you’re not there
5 Likes
Absolutely agree with that, except that it is wise to future proof the dream as much as one can. Quite a lot of people we know bought second homes in France when we did, some 25 years ago. The vast majority have now sold up as the pleasure didn’t outweigh the cost/chores/travel time and extra worry. A few have moved over permanently, as we have. And the rest cleaned their rose coloured specs and bought more suitable places that will see them out. Which is what we will do sometime sooner or later. And in hindsight probably should have done in the first place - although we have had, and are still having, fun.
Our next step will probably by somewhere in spitting distance of the Atlantic, very likely between Nantes and La Rochelle. And we will enjoy looking for our next dream!
So I think Framce-relance is being wise.
1 Like
Hmm. Never tried that before. Was it brut ?. Can’t stand anything that’s even slightly sweet.
Mainly doux, but there are brut ones done by traditional methods.
However still slightly sweet.
Even slightly sweet is too sweet for me. I’m a tart and bitter man myself. No sniggering in the back there ! 
3 Likes
@SuePJ you’re not wrong, except that is what we have been doing for the last ten years - returning to the same gite several times, no less. Last autumn we received news that a lovely wee house would be coming up for sale in that very village, which is what triggered all these thoughts in the first place. For sure, renting just for a few weeks at a time and then leaving it all behind for someone else to worry about is a wonderful thing. But I’m sure many people here will be able to empathize with the feeling of wanting something “more permanent” of one’s own. But maybe it’s all a bit too much at this point.
1 Like
That’s exactly the kind of info I came here for. I want to get a feel for what people’s lived experiences have been like who went through with similar plans many years ago. If I had unlimited cash and time on my hands, things would be different, but alas I do not.
We bought our house 15 years ago from a couple who had owned it as a second home for 15 years. So our place has only had two owners in the last 30 years. Shows how much it is loved.
In the end they sold it because they found there were some years they never used it at all. Also they had assumed that children and grandchildren would want to come out to stay every year - but they didn’t. As the grandchildren grew up they wanted to do their own thing.
Also, and I think many second home owners can vouch for this - either you pay someone to maintain the place in your absence - at least mowing and weeding occasionally - or you spend the first week you arrive trying to get the place in order.
1 Like
We found that having a big house with a pool was not enough to get the family out with any regularity. We bought a house and moved permanently. We spent too much money on it, not as aware as we should have been of the likely resale value. Unfortunately, family “events” as MacMillan used to call them, made a return to the UK a necessity. I’m sure we would still be there now, although I never envisaged dying in France. (Not through immortality!) At the time I felt I wanted to die in England, but now I’m not sure it matters too much.
2 Likes
Stop mucking about buy a camper van and explore France I have been here 26 years and moved home 4 times The Correze was great the Pays Basque was great the Aude not so good now in Bearn which is great and oft to Greece next week for a 4 week holiday
I don’ think the issue is the need to explore France - they know where they ideally want to be so it’s more resolving the principles.
1 Like
Yes, that’s exactly it. No camper vans and no roaming about if we can help it.
Ideally we want to be in (30) or failing that, (34). Incidentally, anyone here from that neck of the woods and could share their observations re. water, heat, fuel, energy issues? I would be very grateful.