RURAL IDYLL OR LIVELY VILLAGE? Catrin Morgan and Kim Butler: “We were seduced by the French dream!” Catrin Morgan first wanted to move to France aged 15 after a French exchange. “I felt very much at home in the country,” she says. However, it was 44 years later that she finally made the move. “My two sons had grown up and moved on; it seemed like a now-or-never moment. I decided to move, dragging my long-suffering partner Kim with me!” The couple’s first viewings
were scheduled for November 2014. “We’d chosen a selection of houses, in Lot-et-Garonne, an hour from Bordeaux. But when we were over there to view, another house suddenly came onto the market. We decided to have a look, and it was love at first sight. “We were seduced by the big
farmhouse with lots of land. It was a lovely property but came with its fair share of problems: a lack of deep foundations and damp proofing, and hidden issues such as old timber in
Catrin Morgan (leſt) and Kim Butler ran their first house as a dog-friendly B&B
the roof supports. The thick walls made installing wifi a challenge. It was also in an isolated location, which was a mixed blessing. “We created two B&B
rooms and added a gîte in the attached barn. It was a beautiful house, with no neighbours nearby. I loved how fresh the air smelled and the inky-black, star-studded sky at night.” The couple made a success of their move – with Catrin,
now 67, running the business, as well as becoming a property advisor to raise additional income. Kim, now aged 60, continued to commute to her IT job in the UK. However, first Covid and
then new rules post-Brexit hit the business. “We were a dog- friendly business and Brexit rules made it harder for people from the UK to travel with pets. We lost a lot of business.” Running the B&B had been harder work than anticipated,
Beautiful Marmande was nearby
and with the additional setbacks, Catrin decided that it was time to retire. The property sold really quickly, and the couple decamped to a gîte while searching for their next home. “We decided to move
nearer to amenities and life,” says Catrin. “The property we’re living in now is still old, but it’s smaller and more manageable. It’s in the middle of the small village of Le Mas- d’Agenais, not far from our original property. My pension has kicked in, so I no longer have to work full time – but have kept on my part-time role as a property advisor.” Brexit also complicated
Catrin and Kim’s B&B was in a peaceful, quiet location Their new home is in the centre of Le Mas-d’Agenais
the couple’s long-distance relationship, and as a result they decided to tie the knot. “We got married in 2020 after a bit of a panic because Kim would have been subject to the 90/180-day rule,” says Catrin. “Now, we are both entitled to permanent residency here. “We don’t regret buying
our first property – in fact, we still feel a little sad when we drive past it. But although we don’t have the wonderful views anymore, nor do we have to maintain the land. And while we don’t have a swimming pool at the new place, there’s a beautiful municipal pool locally that we don’t have to look after. “I suspect that we’d still
The nearby town of Marmande is on the banks of the River Garonne, as is their village
buy the first house if we had our time again, but it got too much for us eventually. This is a home we can now enjoy, without all the work that comes with it.” ■
FRENCH PROPERTY NEWS: March/April 2025 33
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
