REAL LIFE


Christina, David and their family enjoying drinks together in a bar


says Christina. “We tried to settle, but the lifestyle and culture just felt different – even the croissants had a different taste! When Covid hit and we – like many others – had time to reflect, we realised we just weren’t happy in the area.” Luckily, while the couple


The Lyon apartment was in a manoir


had intended to purchase a property, they hadn’t yet done this. As David’s office had a satellite in Brittany, somewhere he’d always wanted to live, he asked to change locations. “We did a trip there for our anniversary and I fell in love with it,” says Christina. The family made the move


and finally purchased their own home: a five-bedroom house in Plancoët, Brittany, that Christina was able to work her interior design magic on. “I completely renovated the upstairs, creating three bedrooms, a bathroom, separate toilet and dressing


The exterior of the Perez family’s neo-Breton house in Plancoët, Brittany


The duplex apartment in Mulhouse


room. Downstairs, there used to be two bedrooms, but we transformed these into offices, as we both now work at home.” While it was difficult being


so unsettled for a period of time, especially with children, Christina is now grateful for the journey they took to find


Christina relaxes in the Mulhouse flat


their forever home. “Renting gave us flexibility. I got to see the different way of life in France and the different cities. Now I’m building my own firm as an interior designer, my French is getting better and I really feel we’ve found the right situation for all of us.”


Their Lyon home had a large kitchen


The manoir was full of period features Charming medieval Dinan, with its half-timbered houses and cobbled streets, is local to the family’s Breton home 32 FRENCH PROPERTY NEWS: March/April 2025


© SHUTTERSTOCK, CHRISTINA AND DAVID PEREZ, CATRIN MORGAN AND KIM BUTLER


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148