We talk all the time with owners of properties in France. Often it seems to us that almost every owner has a story to tell about how they came to move to France or to fall in love with their holiday home.
This is certainly true of two of our owners whose stories and houses are so interesting and photogenic that they have become the subject of major ‘real life’ features in the October and November issues of French Property News magazine.
The first story is set in Brittany, where Eileen and Brian Welch came across Le Faouet, which had started life as a 19th century typically Breton farming hamlet, located close to a village in the Côtes-d'Armor region. “Although we had to virtually machete our way in, it was love at first sight. The former working farms were set in four and a half acres of beautiful land and the buildings were really derelict, but we felt ready to take on the job of restoring them.”
As it turned out, it was a further five years before Eileen and Brian were in a position to make the move - and to their surprise Le Faouet was still for sale. They moved into a caravan at the dilapidated property in March 1995 and set to work.
By July, the Welches managed to let out their first gite, then went on to renovate all the buildings and to create their own house and eight separate gites, which they let successfully for many years.
“Much as we love it here, we are both past retirement age now, so we have decided to put the property on the market and would love for somebody new to take over the reins and put their stamp on it.” Le Faouet is now on the market through French Connections.
Down in Corrèze, close to Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne, the story of owner Chris Jubb is very much a tale of real life, with all its twists and turns of fate. About 14 years ago, she and her husband Ken found Moulin d’Arnac in an estate agent’s files.
This riverside period water mill in an area of outstanding natural beauty had literally just gone on the market and the owner couldn’t be contacted, so Chris and Ken jumped in the car to see if they could find the property. After driving around without success, they spotted a man coming out of the Mairie and stopped to ask if he knew of the mill house. “Actually, Moulin d’Arnac is my house”, he smiled. “Follow me”. The rest, as they say, is history.
Three years after the Jubbs moved in, they were feeling settled and very happy in their new home and were running two gites – but Ken, who had a heart condition, died quite suddenly. “Everybody expected me to go back to England”, remembers Chris. “But this is my home and I was determined to stay. Almost immediately, my neighbours and people in the village came forward with help and support.”
But now she feels it’s time to retire and move into a smaller house, so Chris has placed her beloved water mill on the market – although she doesn’t plan to go far, so devoted is she to the area. Moulin d’Arnac is now on the market through French Connections.
You can read the full stories of these two owners in French Property News magazine and see these and more features in our Press pages.
Do you have a story to tell for our France Stories blog? Whether you have a property for holiday lets or for sale, we would love to hear from you. Send up to 500 words, a photograph and your French Connections ID number to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Last month my French food recipe was a pear dish and it is of no surprise as this is the time of year, pears and apples are being harvested and stored for the coming winter months.
I could reminisce about my younger days of climbing trees (yes, I was a bit of a tom boy) and shaking the apples from the apple trees when they were ripe – it was such good fun.
Summer appears to be coming to an end here in the UK but you will be glad to hear it is not quite the same in France where the weather is still good in many regions.
As children prepare to return to school, in France and elsewhere, many regions will be much quieter and more relaxing for a late summer holiday. So if you still want a much earned break or just need a pick me up, you have to consider France as your holiday destination – why? Because it has so much to offer.
Everything beautiful can be found in the Var, our Mediterranean region of the month – landscape, beaches, resorts, climate, even the people. As part of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, the department enjoys the reputation of being one of the most exclusive areas of France.
The first superlative is the Corniche des Maures, known as the most beautiful coastal drive in France with views of sweeping sands, rocks and pines over an azure sea, rich forests and luxury homes of the rich and famous. In the peak months of summer, this road is heaving, but in autumn or spring sunshine you can enjoy a less crowded jaunt.
Another evocative outing involves hopping on a ferry to the Îles d'Hyères, a group of Mediterranean islands that give you a glimpse of what the Riviera was like before the crowds hit around 50 years ago. Porquerolles, now a nature reserve, is the best of the islands and can be enjoyed on foot or with a leisurely cycle ride.
Inland, the Gorges du Verdon form a spectacular canyon, with claims to being the most beautiful in Europe and a rival to America’s Grand Canyon. This thousand year old rock forms cliffs on a fabulous scale and harbours the lakes of Sainte Croix and Esparron. Wonderful scenery to hike and the more ambitious can indulge in some climbing or windsurfing.
Var’s main city of Toulon has a wealth of markets, museums, monuments and cultural events and its bay is spectacular. The old town of Draguignan is a labyrinth of narrow streets, squares and fountains, with intriguing houses and hidden alleys. On boulevard John Kennedy is the American cemetery, last resting place of 861 soldiers who died in the 1944 landings.
The Var may be exclusive, but we have holiday properties that offer both kerb appeal and excellent value - perfect for all tastes and budget. Charming B&B starts at just £56 per room per night, you can book an apartment from just £175 a week or a lovely villa in countryside, woods or close to the sea. Mon Cabanon villa lies between Cannes and St Tropez and is just a few minutes’ walk from the rocky calanque or cove in our photo above.
Enquire with owners about flexible booking dates, a long weekend or a long winter let of a month or more, with prices considerably reduced. Browse our Var properties and check out our guide to the region.
Our region of the month for September is Corrèze, which lies in the south of the Limousin, close to Dordogne. Here are our ten top reasons why you should discover this lovely corner of south-west France:
The hit film The Hundred-Foot Journey is the latest from the wonderful Helen Mirren – and it has produced a new star whose role may be silent but is utterly compelling. This new star is the French village of St Antonin Noble Val in Tarn-et-Garonne, south western France, which is fast becoming a hot destination for fans of the film from the USA and Europe.
The location was even a major reason for Helen Mirren to take on the role. As she explained in an interview, “I thought it was a charming story and loved the fact it was going to be shot in the South of France. I've always secretly wanted to be a French actress and I thought it would be an opportunity to pretend to be that."
Her role is as Madame Mallory, the haughty proprietor of a Michelin starred classical French restaurant who becomes outraged by competition from a new Indian eatery right opposite her establishment – hence the journey of the title, a short distance but great divide. As cultures clash and food flies, an all-out war escalates between the two establishments – until Hassan's passion and talent for French cuisine begin to enchant Madame Mallory. This, along with his new-found friendship with her beautiful sous chef Marguerite, starts to weave a magic between the two cultures and they discover an unlikely recipe for success that surprises them all.
It’s not surprising that almost everybody who sees this feelgood film wants to visit the location. If you’re among them, check out our lovely countryside villas in stunning settings very close to the village. Le Ségalar is a beautiful stone-built renovated house in a south-facing position overlooking the Aveyron Gorge and the hills to the south, and is just 10 minutes’ drive from St Antonin Noble Val. It has three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a private pool.
A holiday here could really be a foodie delight, as this is one of France's most celebrated culinary regions. It boasts 26 Michelin-starred chefs and a wealth of regional specialties ranging from foie gras and truffles to the Malbec wines of Cahors or Gascony-produced Gaillac wines and golden-colored Armagnac.
See more about Le Ségalar and other holiday properties in the area of St Antonin Noble Val
While I was in the Ardèche last month, I set out on a mission to find the actual location of the remarkable Chauvet Cave, with its 36,000 year old paintings. I wanted to know how it felt to be in the very spot where our Ice Age ancestors created remarkable art with such inspired creativity, to feel what was special about this place.
The Ardèche department is part of the Rhone-Alpes region and lies in south east France, roughly between the cities of Lyon to the north and Avignon to the south. Its own capital is Privas, a market town set amidst dramatic scenery of hills, forests, farms, vineyards and rivers that really typify the whole, sparsely populated area.
Read more: The Chauvet Cave story, part 3: Exactly where is this amazing cave?