The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: Liz M on September 20, 2010, 10:58:30 am
-
Hello. I've come back after about a year away from TAS following a mad thought that I wanted to go back to the big city - in this case Dublin. My dream was always to live in the country and still have my home in the middle of no where with an acre. Now I have a question. I have just come back from a holiday in Brittany and have seen a Gite for sale with land and 4 apartments plus a caravan/tent field along with a small vegetable plot that sold fresh produce locally. Does anyone have experience of running something like that - I would love to know? Liz
-
Hi and welcome from North Yorkshire. :wave:
-
Hello from rainy (again!) north Wales.
Thats a lot of businesses in one place Liz. Although I've no experience of such a venture, we had thought about it. The one thing that put me off was the hassle of people leaving a mess and the noise at night. Have seen it for ourselves on many sites we've stayed on - cars being driven around by drunk lads (even middle aged men) at 1 and 2 in the morning - abandoned beer cans and wine bottles, oh! and people using your land as a toilet!! Even if you have provided the necessary facilities. However, on a lighter note, the growing stuff and selling the produce sounds great, although might not be as profitable as the camp site. The apartments sound good too. Perhaps you could also keep some free range poultry and sell the eggs. I wish you all the very best.
-
hi and welcome back from moray :wave:
-
Hi from Fife :wave:
-
Hello and welcome back from sunny (sort of) Carnoustie :wave:
You'd get eejits but you might be able to eliminate them through your marketing. Lots of ex-pats in France on here.
-
A friend of mine moved to France and does Bed and Breakfast there just from her house. She can't bear to convert the barn to a gite because she needs the barn for her horses! She loves living there, but with only a couple of rooms B&B, she has a little job as well. They did spend years planning the move though.
Oh and hello and welcome!
Beth
-
Welcome from Brittany. I have lived here for 8 years and am finally coming to terms with the bureaucracy. I love it here, but I would strongly suggest at least 1 year of renting here to see if you can survive. Sadly most don't. Google for Angloinfo Bretagne and read the general, houses for sale, etc.
Also, my experience of several friends downsizing, has shown that many houses are priced for an English market, both French and English sellers. Really shop around.
Not wanting to deter you, but if you know what to expect it will be much easier.
-
Thank you for the comments - it hasn't deterred me at all. I want to do this and have done it once from England to Ireland, so another move to more bureaucracy doesn't worry me. I will be looking for a business to buy that is already up and running, but can expand. I have fallen in love with Benodet, but realise this is an expensive area. Will let you know how we get on.
-
Would love to hear how things progress. If ever you are in Morbihan pop in for a cuppa :D
-
hello and welcome
-
welcome from the Kingdom of Fife
-
Hello, welcome & good luck from North Yorkshire 8) 8) 8) 8)