Welcome to the Dordogne


Gary and Ed Slark-Hughes were apprehensive about the reception they'd get when they moved to France. They needn't have worried – and are loving life in the sunny southwest


S


ince we met 10 years ago, my husband Ed and I had frequently discussed moving to


live abroad. Having holidayed extensively in France and between us having the smallest smattering of the language, France was high on our list. But we knew that holidaying


is very different to living there permanently. Like any gay couple, our perception of the welcome we would receive played a part in making the final decision to move and settle here in southwest France. I am pleased to say that our


experience throughout has been fantastic and we feel a real


Gary and Ed with dachshund Freddie on a visit to the Château de Chenonceau 56 FRENCH PROPERTY NEWS: May/June 2024


sense of belonging. The icing on the cake for us was when in January of this year, Gabriel Attal was appointed as France’s youngest and first gay prime minister. That is when we realised that we, like so many others, had made the right choice in moving to France and that as an LGBTQ+ couple we were living in a truly modern, progressive country.


NE REGRETTE RIEN Our advice to any other LGBTQ+ people considering the move is simple – just do it! You won’t regret it. We have some helpful hints we can share. Embrace the bureaucracy.


Administration is a religion in France. It’s endless. They have a passion for it. If it doesn’t exist, they’ll create it, and where it does, they’ll appear to make it as painful as possible to navigate. Blame policy, process, GDPR, Brexit – even blame


© GARY AND EDWARD SLARK-HUGHES


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