MY VILLAGE MONTREUIL-POULAY Embracing the Mayenne life
How the quiet charm of Montreuil-Poulay gently transformed Janet Foxton-Pyke from holidaymaker into fully integrated permanent resident
How did you choose your village? My husband Duncan and I were on a five-day trip to France to get an idea of what we were looking for. We drove through hundreds of villages! We had made a list of properties we saw online within our budget. Our initial search began in Normandy but the properties on our list had already been sold. The agent asked if we’d like to take a look in Mayenne as he had some properties on his book that were more in our price range. We had a list of ‘essentials’ such as a boulangerie, bar, restaurant and small grocery shop. So, we didn’t actually choose our village initially, the property came first – amenities seemed less important then. Montreuil-Poulay reminded
me of a little Emmerdale village [as in the UK TV show]. We bought the house in 2004 for holidays and we’d do some renovation during our stays. We found it upsetting to leave each time so in 2011, we handed in our notices at work, packed up and moved over.
What aspects of village life do you enjoy? We love our location right in the centre, next to the church and within walking distance to the bar and shop. It is mostly very peaceful, you can hear a pin drop. We do have a ‘main’ road that runs through the centre, which at times can get busy, but we don’t even notice the traffic – plus it gives us quick access to many other nearby towns.
What is there to see and do in the area? We are on the borders of Orne in Normandy so within quick access to activities in those areas too. There is so much history, with WWII museums being a popular one for tourists.
open. Our neighbours love to learn ‘how we do things’. They find it fascinating. Oh, and shops closing
two hours for lunch and on Sundays. It forces you to slow down. We still forget occasionally that popping out to the shops needs to be planned!
The couple live next to the village church of St-Martin de Montreuil
We also have beautiful walks and cycle paths. Not being a touristy area has its benefits: less crowds, almost no queues, and quiet roads.
How was your French when you arrived? Extremely poor. Duncan had O-level French but hadn’t used it in years. By the time we moved permanently we had improved slightly. The best way to learn is to live it and use it – watching TV, reading newspapers and, of course, immersing yourself into French life. We are now told by our local friends that our French is very good.
How do you find interacting with the locals socially? We make a point of going to our local bar and talking with anyone who is willing! We are on shaking-hands terms with many of the regulars now. We are close friends with one couple and get together for apéros on a regular basis; one was a witness at our wedding. We were married in our
village mairie in 2018, which was wonderful. We also hold a garden party each year and invite neighbours and friends.
146 FRENCH PROPERTY NEWS: May/June 2024
Duncan and our friend’s birthdays are on Bastille Day so we hold it as close to the date as we can. Everyone has a great time and they seem to really appreciate the gesture.
What has been your experience of working here? My husband is an electrician and thankfully has built up a large client base; he now receives work from recommendations. Initially, I used to do changeovers for holiday lets but a breast cancer diagnosis changed all that. Now I look after our own gîte that we have been letting since 2012, and I also created a YouTube channel – FOPYSFrance – for the past three years. I share our lives there, and it has become almost a full-time occupation.
What has surprised you the most about living in this part of France? It is very different to where we lived in England. We love the peaceful countryside. A few times a week I walk with my friend and each time we can’t believe just how lucky we are to live here. Also, the French are very traditional; some refuse to budge but others are more
Have you developed a taste for any local specialities? We enjoy all French food generally, bread in particular, although we had to rein in consumption. It is difficult to pick a favourite but the local cidre is delicious. We always add it to our guests’ welcome basket.
What about the local architecture and history? Being a Catholic country there are naturally a lot of churches, mostly Norman, and they are stunning. We are not religious but I do love to look inside the churches, they are almost galleries of arts and crafts. Duncan is more knowledgeable about the history of everywhere we visit. We both love art so always seek out the galleries, studios, and potteries.
Do you have a favourite French saying? The more you listen, the more you notice things they say all the time, although I probably couldn’t repeat some of our neighbours’ phrases here! They use special, mainly when they don’t really like someone that much. I also love when instead of the full bon appetit we keep hearing bon ap’ for short. I use it now and feel like a local! ■
You can book Janet’s beautiful holiday cottage in Montreuil- Poulay at:
airbnb.com/h/ ourcosyfrenchcottage
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