[lesbellesfoyes]

Ideally situated amongst rural hamlet  in the Poitou Charentes, department 79, this property has 3 bedrooms and has undergone renovation over the 3 years.  Lots of outbuildings including pig sties, large hanger or indoor turnout area - stabling, stone barns etc.

Full details can be found at http://www.home-sort.com/hse4sale.html

[doganjo]

WOW!

[wellies]

that's just lovely 

[HappyHippy]

I WISH I had the money 
That's a stunning house 

[MAK]

Looks great - I hope that you find a suitable new home.
http://housesoninternet.com/   

is great for selling in France. Good site and well managed
 

[lachlanandmarcus]

My parents live in Charente and it is beautiful, proper countryside and still proper farming area. Great food and drink too, esp the rose Pineau (bit heady at lunchtime) with roast duck and frites!

[chrismahon]

Lovely place and exactly the type of place we'd be looking for in September. Pity it hasn't more land with it.

[lesbellesfoyes]

There is plenty of additional land around I am sure.  Could you move sooner than September?

[MAK]

I agree - land is cheap too. You can always rent a bit here and there to see how it goes.Fields around us are rented out by our elderly ladies of the village.

Someone may correct me but if you live here then when other properties go up for sale the mayor has the option to carve up the land better than it was and offer it to others.
We looked at a house with pockets of land ( strips) all over the place -a product of dividing land up amongst the children - in such case the mayor would look to reorganise things.

La Creuse (The dig)  - has plenty of empty "smallholdings" and it is officially the most depopulated department with the oldest population. The silver pound swings here !!! 
Martin, La creuse, Limousin

[OhLaLa]

Someone may correct me but if you live here then when other properties go up for sale the mayor has the option to carve up the land better than it was and offer it to others.

When land, or a house with land, is put up for sale, once a buyer is found and the initial contracts signed, SAFER are the controlling body with regard to offering it to neighbouring farmers. There is a time limit for responses and then the sale goes ahead as agreed. The notaire handles all of this and is a standard procedure with any property purchase in France which involves land.

[MAK]

That's it - thanks - all comes back to me now.

Just been to the market and I saw a typical creusoise house ( attached to a long barn) with other outbuildings for sale. Needs renovation but has 3 beds plus loft to convert in the house.  35000 Euros.  Mind you a renovation can cost an arm and a leg but at least one can have the fun and satisfaction of doing it up as one wants.

[jaykay]

I sort of fancy this and then I wonder:

How easy would it be to make friends, given that I'm on my own
How easy is it to have to talk and think all the time in another language - my French is rather basic though I guess it would improve. Even so.

Why does it cost so much to renovate? Materials? Labour? Paperwork?

[OhLaLa]

I sort of fancy this and then I wonder:

How easy would it be to make friends, given that I'm on my own
How easy is it to have to talk and think all the time in another language - my French is rather basic though I guess it would improve. Even so.

Why does it cost so much to renovate? Materials? Labour? Paperwork?

Only my opinion:

Depends on what your interests are and how rural you go. Eg: No pub culture. Very family orientated.

If you only speak English and mix with the English then your French will struggle to improve. Speaking French full time isn't anything like doing it in school/college. But stick with it then over time (maybe a few years), you'll find yourself forgetting English words and even thinking/dreaming in French.

To renovate: yes - expensive expensive expensive. 99% of purchases in France are expensive. The rules and regs in France are very different to the UK. The paperwork involved is usually complex. And obviously you have to have a good knowledge of French in order to complete it all and understand the responses.

[lachlanandmarcus]

Do what my parents did - learn French and speak it all the time (albeit with an interesting Midlands accent :-))) And even better, find a best friend who is not only French but Parisian! and therefore is not only able to deal with all troubles with tradesmen, but as a Parisian can wither them at 50 paces when they are talking cheval plop :-)))) Merci, Sophie!!

[MAK]

Some important points above. I would not renovate a house again but we do have a great spot.
Just some thoughts for those of you thinking of a change and move south.
We have seen fully renovated houses with ample land going so cheap - you just have to keep your eye on what is out there.  It really depends how you want to live life.
We chose to live within 50 mins of an airport that had flights to a few UK places and that had high passenger occupancy. A strong service means that we can still pop back on the quick if we need to.
We chose a VERY rural life and see just a few walkers, people on horses from the local ridding club and neighbours. My French is OK but the 3 old ladies in the commune only learnt French when they attended school - they speak a strong patois to each  other.  We all share our surplus fruit and veg - give each other "products" and they feed my pigs every day. So unless there is lost of snow we see a lot of our neighbours.
We have UK TV and free telephone calls to the UK - so we can keep in contact.
Our problem is the number of family and friends who pop over and visit us. Its back to back sometimes.
The bottom line for us is that we could not have afforded our house, land and barns in the UK and are glad to have left a country that has changed so much since we were children.