"We're Very Lucky...It's A Good Time For The Whole Upcycling Things. People Are Interested And Enjoy The Recycled Look"
Sisters Charlotte and Mel had been holidaying in France with their respective partners, Marcus and Jim for over a decade, but during one trip to Tarn, talk turned to how they could make their summertime adventures into a lifestyle. “It was a turning point,” Charlotte remembers. “Something changed where it went from being a pipe dream to being something that we made happen,” she says. “After that holiday we didn’t let up.” With plans to run cycling holidays and cycle-friendly accommodation in the Tarnet-Garonne area, the four finally moved to France in June 2016. The property was far from being in move-in condition; there was a barn that needed to be converted and the entire property needed to be renovated to get it ready for guests. Keen to keep costs low, and to add humorous quirky touches, the two couples trawled brocantes, vide-greniers and kept an eye out for bits and bobs that they could make use of. “Budget was very, very important,” Charlotte explains.
“It was expensive enough to have the conversion done and then to create a place people want to come and stay in. It was a combination of sticking to budgets, bringing some character to the place and making use of all the lovely nice French things you find at the local brocantes.” While it might take a little extra effort to turn a run-down property into your dream home, it can be a whole lot more fun, as Charlotte explains. Just steer clear of IKEA and remember that one man’s junk is another man’s treasure…
USE YOUR IMAGINATION
Denne historien er fra Autumn 2017-utgaven av Living France.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra Autumn 2017-utgaven av Living France.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
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
