From science to art JULIE NORTH, MAYENNE
Although a scientist by profession, I’d always had an artistic side. I used to enjoy pencil drawing, sewing, calligraphy and other crafts. Then in 2011, my husband Edward, 57, bought me a weekend course in linocut. There, I really found my niche!
At the time, art gave me respite from my very stressful job. At weekends, I could lose myself in my printing. Still, my day job came with a lot of pressure and I realised I wanted out. When Edward was offered voluntary redundancy from his job in computer software in 2015, it seemed like the right time to make a change.
One of the reasons we chose to move to France was the amount of property and land we could get for our money. Coming from a small semi in Selby, North Yorkshire and viewing detached properties with land for a similar price was amazing. We looked at over 60 properties over three separate trips before settling on an old farmhouse that needed TLC but not full renovation.
We spent six months bringing it up to scratch, then Edward built a studio for me in the barn. Now I spend time there almost daily, while he works as a freelance estate agent. As well as making my prints, I now have the space to run workshops and retreats for those wanting a break with a bit of artistry thrown in.
When exploring the local town of SteSuzanne in 2015, I came across a lovely gallery and got chatting to one of the artists inside. She offered to look at my work, but it took two years for me to take her up on it.
Once I had my studio in place and had produced a new body of work, I went back. My work was accepted and my first exhibition took place in December 2018.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May 2020 من Living France.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May 2020 من Living France.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Guide To: Working For A Foreign Company
If your current employer is happy to let you continue working for them after you move to France, there are a number of rules and regulations to be aware of to ensure you stay on the right side of the law, as Catharine Higginson explains
On vintage soil
Life in the vineyards of Aude is a dream come true for Leicestershire-born Katie Jones who now successfully exports her wines back to the UK, as Brigitte Nicolas learns
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
What happens if you are buying a French property but can’t attend the completion meeting at the notaire’s office in person? Matthew Cameron explains how a power of attorney can be used and how it works
In safe hands
There can be few more unusual homes than the 11th-century Château de Clérans, situated close to the Dordogne river in the Périgord Pourpre region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
THE CAPTAIN'S TABLE
Robin Ellis made his name as the original Captain Poldark but a diabetes diagnosis led the Tarn-based actor to add cookbook writing to his CV, as Richard Webber learns
My frugal France
Embracing modern technology could save you money and time on both the pleasures and essentials of life in France, says Laura Harley as she shares some of her favourite French apps
Hidden Talents
Moving to France enabled these three expats to switch off from busy careers and in turn discover new creative talents, says Gillian Harvey, who counts herself among them
Beauty to behold
With its legendary vineyards, charming old towns and rich gastronomy, Gironde is quintessential France at its best, as Alison Weeks discovers
AS SEEN ON SCREEN
A Dordogne town, a Charente city and a Pyrenean village all have a starring role in three new films hitting the big screen this year, joining a long list of French locations that have gone before them, as Vicky Leigh learns
A local's view
Trish and Mark Tyler run a beautifully restored chambres d’hôtes, set in six hectares of park and woodland near StÉmilion, which has a fascinating history