On Thursday morning we left early, not even sure that anyone else would be there. The meeting was being held at the office of the vendor’s notaire, about half an hour away. Waiting outside, I felt sick with nerves. Bang on 9 o’clock, Maître G, Chris and Gérard all arrived and we were shown into … Continue reading Coming out the other side
I guess part of us had always been expecting this. Our previous experience of the vendor had not been exactly positive. Now, as our dream future in France settled in tatters around us, we just felt numb. Tomorrow, we were completing on the sale of our lovely house in the Sarthe – but now there … Continue reading Tough decisions
It seemed like ages since we had come back from France in August but the time had not been wasted. Plans, bookings, lists and more lists - I AM the epitome of a list maniac. But now everything was happening with military precision. We’d caught the overnight ferry to arrive in Avoise first thing on … Continue reading Ready to go
Only two weeks to go until we jump on that ferry and drive down to La Tourelle for the last time; two weeks before signing those magic papers and handing over the keys to our buyer and picking up the keys for our gorgeous mill. Or so we thought until yesterday. Although the notaire had warned us … Continue reading In SAFER hands?
They say that moving house is up there with death and divorce in the stress rankings and while no one I know has yet popped their clogs there has been plenty of house-move stress and marital disharmony. Not between me and Colin I hasten to add. On Tuesday afternoon we turned up as planned at … Continue reading Compromis de vente
“Sorry to call you so early…but were you under the impression, as I was, that you were due to sign the compromis for the mill next week?” My heart sank as I listened to our agent telling me that he had been trying to talk to the notaire that morning, but that she and her … Continue reading France – closed for August
WHAT!!?? I was in shock - utter disbelief. How could they? What were they thinking! I really hadn't expected the Leave Campaign to win the referendum on whether or not Britain should pull out of the European Union. I'd been blithely reassuring our friends in France that the British would never vote to leave - we … Continue reading A ‘once in a generation decision’
In 2002 Colin and I had only been together for a few months when we decided to spend a couple of weeks camping in France. As we toured the beautiful areas along the Loire and Cher rivers I fell in love with the country all over again and the seed of an idea began to grow.
