REAL LIFE
The gîtes have well-equipped kitchens
Guests can relax on sunloungers on the terrace around the large saltwater swimming pool (with optional flamingo)
initial viewing and made the house very welcoming, which meant that our first trip around was with rose-tinted glasses. The icing on this magnificent
tour came when viewing the 15 acres of grounds. Seeing the lake dropping down to the moat in the back garden, we both said, “wouldn’t this be perfect as we could get married here”.
LIGHTS OUT French property law states that if the full asking price is met, then it’s yours and you can’t be outbid so we did exactly that; why dither? The process is quite exhaustive for both buyer and seller and probably harder than in the UK, but our agent found us a superb English- speaking notaire (solicitor) who was meticulous. On the day before
completing, we visited the house, only to find that everything had been stripped out, even the light bayonets and bulbs, leaving bare wires. We declined to sign until light could be resumed. The norm for most house
moves, whether within the UK or abroad, is to get a removal company on board, but we don’t do anything normally. We bought the largest container possible, popped it on the drive of the house we had just sold in the UKand proceeded to fill it with our possessions. In theory, it was supposed to travel from Southampton to Bordeaux over the course of approximately a month. Due to delays in the Suez Canal, we eventually got all our belongings a month late, but made a significant saving. The plan for the house
over the course of a year was
Eating outside is a joy in summer So, would we recommend
taking a leap of faith and running a gîte business in France? Hell, yes! It’s not for the fainthearted and you’ve got to be prepared to embrace the French culture and way of life – which I’m convinced is good for your health. France and England are so
French windows open onto a patio from the kitchen of the one-bedroom gîte
close in distance, albeit with a stretch of water in between, but the culture and pace and way of life is vastly different; it’s more than just driving on the opposite side of the road.
CUSTODIANS Our property dates back to 1688, is a former hunting lodge once owned by the Marquis des Adjots and was also a weekend retreat for the bishops of Bordeaux. We constantly remind ourselves that we’re custodians of the building, and we intend to leave a positive mark on its history. And finally, if you’re
It took the couple just a year to transform the former hunting lodge into a home
to transform the existing footprint allowing for a three- bedroom and a one-bedroom gîte accommodation, and then hit the road running at the start of the following year’s season. Being from hospitality we felt that this was achievable. Starting a business from
scratch in a foreign country is no mean feat, however, a big lesson learned was that French artisans are in no rush and are normally booked out for months, so this wasn’t going to be a quick fix. If you’re not planning on doing the work yourselves, please do your homework. Luckily, we are
72 FRENCH PROPERTY NEWS: January/February 2024
always up for a challenge, and now we are seasoned decorators and gardeners. A year later, having
converted this Charentaise house into our new business venture and home, we’ve had many highs and lows, but the highs have significantly outweighed the lows. The food is fantastic and who doesn’t love the wines of Bordeaux? Our guests so far have been
multinational, predominately from France but have also hailed from the UK, Germany, Belgium, Holland, the USA and even Australia. Our second letting season was very busy.
wondering whether the properties in the envelope matched our favourites, well done Nicole – she put the house we bought at number one. We did indeed have our
wedding here at the manoir, last September, and what a truly memorable occasion it was for 50 of our close friends and family.■
manoirmurier.com
The couple's wedding at the manoir
© LE MANOIR DU MÛRIER
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