Do you yearn to live in a property like this restored 16th-century watermill on the River Dronne (€2.6m)?
Go with the fl ow…
Do you dream of owning a riverside property in France? Clare Rolt explores the benefi ts of waterside living and looks at what you need to consider when hunting for the perfect place on the waterfront
O
wning a riverside property is the dream for many people. There is
indeed something very calming about living next to water – the soothing sound it makes as it fl ows by, the abundance of wildlife living in and around it, and the stunning views. About 10 years ago, I was
lucky enough to live in a house that was surrounded by a series of streams. Our cottage (which was once an old nut oil mill) was in the grounds of a château, and the streams had been created in order to supply a steady fl ow of water to its extensive gardens. Living there was a wildlife
enthusiast’s dream. Our children once discovered duck eggs hidden in a quiet spot in rushes by the river and were delighted to watch the baby ducks develop and swim down the many waterways that traversed our garden. We accidentally found a prickle of hoglets in an old compost
“There is indeed something very calming about living next to water”
heap fi ercely guarded by their mother, and quietly left them to their business. Frogs would be in abundance in the spring, we would hear their incessant mating calls and watch them leap, splay-legged, into the river as we walked by. An avid bird-watching
family, we were thrilled by the diff erent species we would see. The kingfi sher was a regular visitor and would often come swooping by for his catch of the day. My favourite – the woodpecker – visited when I was quietly enjoying a drink on my terrace one day. Two landed on the lawn in front of me. As soon as they arrived, they were gone again but I enjoyed their continual drumming sound high up in the trees above me.
34 FRENCH PROPERTY NEWS: September/October 2023 We’ve since moved from
this riverside paradise, but haven’t strayed too far from the river – in fact, we’re now just a fi ve-minute walk away. In the summer, the waters come alive with kayaking, canoeing, pedalos, bathers and picnickers who sit and watch the world fl ow by. We’ve even invested in our own paddle boards so the children can quite happily soak up the sun and paddle downstream. Being by the river seems to have something to keep everyone happy.
STRESS SOLUTION There are also health benefi ts of living next to the water. Biologist Dr Wallace J Nichols details his fi ndings in a book titled Blue Mind. He states
that living near a lake, river or the sea can promote levels of happiness, and feelings of calm and peacefulness. Water “lowers stress and anxiety, increasing an overall sense of well-being and happiness and a lower heart and breathing rate”. It can also make sleep easier,
according to author of The Sleep Solution, Dr W Christopher Winter. “There is some research that says people may sleep better when they are adjacent to nature… No wonder sleep machines always feature the sounds of rain, the ocean or a fl owing river.” Living by the water certainly
has its advantages, but of course there are some risks too. Most notably is that of fl ooding. All properties in France now are listed on the Géorisques website (
georisques.gouv.fr) and here it is possible to see the hazards a property you are thinking of buying is exposed to. This will highlight whether the risk is high, moderate or weak and give
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