Smallholders Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Buying a smallholding in France?  (Read 13012 times)

Pootle

  • Joined Apr 2012
  • Surrey/Hampshire border
    • Pootle Pekins
Buying a smallholding in France?
« on: April 28, 2012, 12:38:48 am »
Hi all,

We're still a long way off realising our smallholding dreams...still very much in the planning and research stage...but I'm quite interested in the idea of relocating to France to do it. Has anyone on here done it, and could you give me any advice or info? Particularly interested in hearing from people who've had to get a mortgage (rather than having massive savings) to do it.

Thanks in advance ;D
Breeder of pekins and sabelpoots
Pootle Pekins

MAK

  • Joined Nov 2011
  • Middle ish of France
    • Cadeaux de La forge
Re: Buying a smallholding in France?
« Reply #1 on: April 28, 2012, 08:04:50 am »
We moved to La Creuse ( department) in the Limousin.
Not sure where to start so PM if you have any questions. We wanted to be within 50 mins of an airport served by low cost flights and had good occupancy to ensure long term use. Limoges fits that. Family visit often and we can get back quickly if needed by kids.
The are is VERY rural and we chose the hilly part ( over a 1000 feet). Good soil used for grazing cattle with lots of lakes.
Our "fermette" is a 2 bedroom house but we have converted the loft into a large bedroom - so the house is on 3 levels and attached to a massive barn. The chickens have a house in the barn and door to the outside world. The pigs live at the other end of the barn with their door to a paddock area. We have another barn with a cellar below and a bit of a garden we don't use across the lane. We have a very large hanger to keep a massive log store ( wood central heating) , the car and garden tools etc. Oh -
Buying was easy via an Estate Agent with English staff - they sorted out all the legal stuff and there are no such things as surveyors here. It was cheap - so we did not need a mortgage. There are lots of tips we can give you if you want but do look at Angloinfo.com for info on banking,running a car,health and other aspects of a new life. It can't be bad as the English free newspaper tells us that there are 8000 brits who live in the massive Limousin. Check out the local climate !! We have very cold but short winters, the sun is generally warmer when it comes out and it is too hot to work in August.
This area is a smallholders heaven !!!
Rennovation can be expensive but we know some good websites that will demonstrate what you can get for your money. Several rennovated old farms pop up as Brits sel up due to death, health or lack of work..There are several Just remember to stick to the criteria you have set for the smallholding and not to be swept away by cheap price of homes that are more than you need. PM if you want.,
 Oh - working in France is a little complicated but otherwise it is all simples even if you don't speak great French. Lots to share about banking, health care, driving, insurrances but then we got most info off the web or estate agent to help us.
Cheers Martin and Christine   


« Last Edit: April 28, 2012, 08:43:00 am by MAK »
www.cadeauxdelaforge.fr
Gifts and crafts made by us.

Pootle

  • Joined Apr 2012
  • Surrey/Hampshire border
    • Pootle Pekins
Re: Buying a smallholding in France?
« Reply #2 on: April 28, 2012, 08:25:24 pm »
Thanks so much for such a detailed post :) Is it predominantly a hobbyist thing or is there potential to get an income from smallholding over there?

Your place is absolutely gorgeous!  :love:
Breeder of pekins and sabelpoots
Pootle Pekins

chrismahon

  • Joined Dec 2011
  • Gascony, France
Re: Buying a smallholding in France?
« Reply #3 on: April 28, 2012, 09:38:44 pm »
What a fantastic place Martin. If we land anything nearly as nice as that we'll be very very happy.

Mel Rice

  • Joined Sep 2011
Re: Buying a smallholding in France?
« Reply #4 on: April 28, 2012, 10:45:17 pm »
I must admit we didnt look very hard in France as friends had bought 'cheap' properties out there far outside what we wanted to buy for. We had thought of Poland but a Polish friend said that just over the border in Germany was just as cheap but with much better infrastructure....so thats where we bought We used a small endowment to buy and invested in a buy to let house in the UK to an income stream.

The endowment was only 30thousand but itpaid all the moving expenses, bought a German car (not new) and a multi family house with a huge four car garrage, a sadly collapsing barn and about two acres of grazing and fruit trees.

Five years on we dont earn from the land appart from the sale of a few eggs and the odd bunny. I do grow nearly all the veg we eat plus a lot of the meat. The house is slowly being renovated. Our living accom is done (need the bathroom finishing off) One flat has been turned into a fully self contained unit (we dont want to let it comercially at the moment but do very cheap lets to friends and family) Next year we start on the oldest flat (promises promises!!!)
 Our school German helped (another vote for here not Poland) Our Kids fly into Prague (CZ), Wroclaw (PL) Lipzig (DE) or Berlin (DE) Its an easy 12 hour drive from the chanel ports and lovely coutryside.

I do urge you to think further a field, time wise lots of places are the same distance from the UK.

MAK

  • Joined Nov 2011
  • Middle ish of France
    • Cadeaux de La forge
Re: Buying a smallholding in France?
« Reply #5 on: April 29, 2012, 07:36:27 am »
Mel is right there are so many places to choose from that may tick your list. We revisited our " list" a few times and it did change significantly as we did our research.
No - We do not sell anything but share with neighbours who return with great generosity. We know people who breed stock and sell on line and I have seen Brits do "car boot" style sales at Fetes. Today we will go to the Fete of the Goat and they will have stalls and crafts there.
We have NO passing trade. France is very big and compared to the UK has very few big towns that would spill out people to look for "farm produce". In our area every supermarket sells jam making, wine making kit,seeds,plants,tools -even sausage making stuff etc - This suggests to me that many people "grow and make their own".  -  I would not like to rely on an income from selling "smallholding" produce but I am happy reducing our expenditure by growing and making whatever we can.
 
www.cadeauxdelaforge.fr
Gifts and crafts made by us.

Pootle

  • Joined Apr 2012
  • Surrey/Hampshire border
    • Pootle Pekins
Re: Buying a smallholding in France?
« Reply #6 on: May 04, 2012, 02:21:22 am »
So sorry for the delay in replying :)

Your replies have given us a lot to think about, both of you, and I think it's something we'll have to put on the back burner for a while. At least one of us needs a proper income so perhaps a smallholding in the UK is a better prospect before moving abroad. Thank you for taking the time to provide so much info :)
Breeder of pekins and sabelpoots
Pootle Pekins

simonj

  • Joined Jul 2012
Re: Buying a smallholding in France?
« Reply #7 on: July 09, 2012, 09:49:14 am »
Hi we have a small holding for same in France.

its 33 Acres (13Ha). Pasture land with spring fed stream. untenanted
Large barns bold old and modern
Land surrounds the house. Lovely Views
House need some work.
its 15mins from TGV (Paris 1h15mins)
Burgundy region
if anyone interested let me know.
Simon
simon@smj4.com

chrismahon

  • Joined Dec 2011
  • Gascony, France
Re: Buying a smallholding in France?
« Reply #8 on: July 09, 2012, 08:54:58 pm »
We looked at the Burgundy region first Simonj. Lovely, but incredibly expensive on the North w.est side of Macon.

MAK

  • Joined Nov 2011
  • Middle ish of France
    • Cadeaux de La forge
Re: Buying a smallholding in France?
« Reply #9 on: July 09, 2012, 09:24:10 pm »
I sent my brother some details of a house/barn/outbuildings and 1000m2 of attached land - just £44 asking price so buying price will be less. House is fully rennovated !!
the odd thing around here is that the estate agents have very poor shop window displays of faded pictures and scant details of properties. Essentialy they seem not to have the turn over of a UK shop and properties stay on the market for some time. the price is thus very negiotable BUT we often pass houses for sale that are private sales. I reckon that, if one had thetime, one could drive about then call the owner of an empty house that takes your fancy to arrange a view and understand what parcels of land and out buildings go with the fremette.These houses are often very isolated but have so much charm and are a bit of an unkown quantity in terms of land etc but maybe a very good way to view and buy.     
www.cadeauxdelaforge.fr
Gifts and crafts made by us.

simonj

  • Joined Jul 2012
Re: Buying a smallholding in France?
« Reply #10 on: July 10, 2012, 09:04:45 am »
on chrismahon post, I guess whats expensive is relative to what you are looking for.

we are selling in the 200-300K (160K to 240K Pounds) Euro bracket which for the amount of land buildings and location is not that expensive.
we are also in the North West Of Macon and have been here for 12 Years.
The good thing about this part of France is its very accessible, good motorway, TGV direct to Lille, lyon Airport) and the countryside is beautiful, wild flowers, woods plenty of horse riding.

Susanlesley

  • Joined Aug 2013
Re: Buying a smallholding in France?
« Reply #11 on: August 19, 2013, 11:55:07 am »
Just to say we have a property in Normandy France one hour from ferry port one and a half from airport to London.
Farmhouse 4 double beds   (additional B&B income) outbuildings for barns animal etc in just under 3 acres with large veg plot lots of fruit trees. Ideal small holding  £185,000

shygirl

  • Joined May 2013
Re: Buying a smallholding in France?
« Reply #12 on: August 19, 2013, 06:41:27 pm »
are you taking kids with you? there are some great books on amazon about moving to france. we considered it but now have decided it wouldnt be fair on our kids as they are in secondary school. we are still open to a little hoiday pad though.
bussu.com is great for learning french btw  ::)

MAK

  • Joined Nov 2011
  • Middle ish of France
    • Cadeaux de La forge
Re: Buying a smallholding in France?
« Reply #13 on: August 20, 2013, 09:13:07 pm »
Learning French ?
mine is OK and I even know the local Patois for gardening tools and tasks but the OH has done 1 of 3-4 months in hospital and her French has improved dramatically - all be it learning "hospital" and "bathroom" speak rather than "smallholding" speak.
Re the move to Normandy - great stuff and so wise to be near the ports and an airport. You never know when you need family to pop over or get back to the UK on the quick.
www.cadeauxdelaforge.fr
Gifts and crafts made by us.

 

Forum sponsors

FibreHut Energy Helpline Thomson & Morgan Time for Paws Scottish Smallholder & Grower Festival Ark Farm Livestock Movement Service

© The Accidental Smallholder Ltd 2003-2024. All rights reserved.

Design by Furness Internet

Site developed by Champion IS