A feeling of Spring in the air here in France!

“I can’t believe it is still only February,” remarked Mr. Fix It over the weekend, “just look at the blossom everywhere!” Nature plays by its own rules and the sight of glorious blossom in all shades of pink and white along the sides of the country roads here give us cause to feel that Spring is just around the corner. I drove over to the next village this morning: a wonderful open drive where you can see far into the distance. This one was one of those mornings when everything was crystal clear and the Pyrenees stood majestically in the distance almost willing me, it seemed, to reach out and touch them. Having returned a week ago from the UK, the sharp contrasts between these 2 countries is still uppermost in my mind. Driving is no stress; in fact it is a pleasure. The sky is almost always a strong blue; there is little dullness here. The ancient monuments stand tall, oozing their sense of history, coming into their own, we always feel, as the sun sets and they are seemingly magically up lit in a soft orange glow.

So as the days stretch out Mr. Fix It has been preparing the first stage of our kitchen renovation, clearing out the floor to prepare for the timber and joists which will play host to our huge strips of wood, waiting in the wings for their place in this house. Next will be planning the electrics, a huge task but one which affords us complete choice as to where we site sockets and lights. Mr. Fix It has a “thing” about lighting – a good thing! It is a vital part of making a house feel like a home.

Sunday saw our village come alive: a “vide grenier” or “attic sale” all along the promenade. Always on the lookout for artefacts for our house, we found a beautiful picture, some old iron “log holders” for some of our fireplaces and some exquisite linen (the French do “do” linen well). If you keep your eyes open you can usually find at least one item which may suit amongst the many stalls and the sense of community here is tangible.

We sat outside for lunch and for the first time this year, had a drink in the evening in our garden as the sun lowered. Sunset does not come till around 6.45 pm these days and if I can prise Mr. Fix It away from the “kitchen” with a tempting glass of wine (usually fairly easily achievable), then this is the time I think we both enjoy the most.

Our friends and family keep a track of our progress on this house and those who have visited thus far have immediately seen the potential offered by its huge spaces and grand proportions. It’s true to say that not everyone would have taken on such a project and we envisage quite a while until we can say it is “done” but since we have only ourselves as our judge, we can choose how we spend our time and much of that is spent enjoying life down here in the Languedoc Roussillon. A year on and life in France just gets better.

Alexis
The Overseas Guides Company
Have a look at my website at: http://www.francebuyingguide.com/

Back in the UK for a brief trip – and my joyous return to France!

We have been living down here in the Languedoc Roussillon for almost a year now and with each passing month, the desire to stay grows stronger. It is as easy to take to living in France as a duck takes to water, we have found. One’s perspective on life changes and our homeland, the UK, takes on a different persona; or maybe the changes we see there each time we visit are more marked. Suffice to say that I could not wait to return home to France. As the plane sweeped over the coast at Beziers and back in to the airport mid-afternoon, the sun shone and the ocean glistened: an utter contrast to the start of my day standing on a sardine like platform waiting for the next tube and then being truly canned, sardine like again, as I entered the train. Oh, I am so glad to be back in France!

An early start this morning, easily achieved by waking up to the strong sun beckoning. I took this picture as I walked through our village to buy my morning baguette.

Mr. Fix It has been holding our French fort! I returned to a grand display of lilies, a handmade St. Valentine’s card and several noticeable signs of progress in our kitchen. The stained glass is just about in place and the plans for the design almost complete. As winter gives way to spring (it already feels much more like the latter), the sun takes up its glorious position of streaming through our front door in the mornings almost urging us to come out and play.

I am looking at the blue sky as I write and having seen a tiny bit of this in the UK (it’s not easy is it?!) I realise why it feels so different here. Why, it is a different shade of blue! It is a strong blue, almost azure. There is no grey. The task of renovating this grand house becomes easier in this climate. I think that, coupled with the space we have, the huge rooms, high ceilings and perfect tiled floors, make our project all the more joyous. We still have a long way to go but we can do it at our own pace: life is to be lived and enjoyed and living in France gives one the means to achieve this effortlessly.

We could not resist another visit to Marseillan the day I returned. As we sat in the sun with our glasses of fine French wine, we realised that the appeal of this lovely little port lies in its flavour of real life: it is not a tourist trap as such but a place where people live and work. We watched a fisherman bring in his catch and then looked up as the sun was momentarily hidden by the fine coloured spinnaker of a yacht coming in to moor up. The graceful old buildings on the other side gleamed. I could not help but compare this life with our previous one in the UK and be truly thankful that Mr. Fix It and I both hold the same dream.

Alexis
The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.francebuyingguide.com/

Join me as we plan the next stage in the sun!

Every single day this week has been sunny down here in the Languedoc Roussillon. We wake up to stunning blue sky, not a cloud in sight and the days are stretching. Darkness doesn’t fall until around 6.45 pm now and the early evening light becomes golden and soft. It is easy to understand why so many painters found themselves inspired to capture this: the colours are outstanding here.

Mr. Fix It has his work cut out for him and has thus far achieved so much. So it was that we took advantage of this sublime weather (it is hard to believe it is only February) to put our heads together and think about our future plans for this house. Our top floor consists of 6 rooms and has stunning views over the terracotta rooftops and the mountains in the distance. We already have 3 large bedrooms and 3 bathrooms on our first floor and unless we were planning a hotel here, we realised we do not need, say 5 more bedrooms at the top! Mr. Fix It came up with a brilliant idea. We will open up these top rooms (many are simply stud walls) and create perhaps 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a living room. Having already taken several bookings from friends and family for the summer, this will create a fantastic atmosphere: space and privacy for everyone and enough room to host many people at the same time.

Mr. Fix It never rests for long: having pondered this idea for a while as we sat by the sea, he came straight home and put some rough sketches down on paper. One of the joys of having a house which needs work doing is being able, within reason, to plan it just as you would like it – and I can tell Mr. Fix It will enjoy making the most of the space we have at the top. Venturing up there the other day to give fruit to these preliminary thoughts, we looked down to the bottom and it is only then that the solid and perfect tiled floors come into their own. Our entrance hall is square and large and there are 2 great views from here: one to the small living room and the other through the double doors to the kitchen. I feel sure that Eddie & Alfie would agree about the space here: they seem to use a lot of it as a sort of doggie playground. Take a look!

But the sun won this week! We went to a small fishing port called Marseillan and sunbathed (yes, sunbathed in February) as we ate a delicious seafood lunch and watched the world go by. It is during these moments that we feel inspired to carry on with our renovation and although I have said it before, many times, we thank our lucky stars that we chose to come down here to the South of France to live.

Alexis
The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.francebuyingguide.com/

A peek inside our beautiful French home

It may sound rather odd when I say I am not sure exactly how many fireplaces we have here but it’s true: I think it is either fifteen or sixteen! Furthermore, all are in solid marble and all draw outstandingly well. In this house of over 3,300 sq.ft. we have, thanks to the Church from whom we bought it, so many wonderful features that we count our lucky stars every day at finding it for just €200,000. Just stop and think about that for a moment: where in the UK could you possibly find such a place, with its wealth of stunning artefacts, for such an amount? I still think of this as quite an extraordinary fact!

Scarcely a day goes by without us thinking about the potential of this house. Yes, we still have a mass of work to do to bring it up to its former glory but the square rooms, high ceilings and the stunning layout with its grand entrance hall and sweeping marble staircase give it such an air of grandeur that even in its present state of on-going renovation, it feels gloriously luxurious. I cannot emphasise enough how great space lends an air of comfort. I find I can ignore the dust and debris; even these two bugbears cannot take away from the beauty, peace and grace that seem to pervade this house. Why, even Eddie & Alfie seem to appreciate it, sitting as they often do in a sunny spot on one of the ancient tiled floors.

There is something magical about a log fire but lit or not, these old, solid marble fireplaces do take some beating. Like to see a couple of them? Coming right up!

As we bid January a somewhat fond farewell, Mr. Fix It has his work cut out for him preparing our future kitchen. He is, as I write, inserting the stained glass in what was once a door but will now simply be a feature at the side of the kitchen. Next stop will be to lay the timber and joists in readiness for our wooden floor which has lain for some months in our entrance hall, drying out and maturing. The joists must be laid ahead of the electrical layout naturally and I have every confidence in Mr. Fix It’s ability and tremendous eye to create a stunning light effect in this, the heart of the home. My task is to source the detail: taps, an oven and hob and then the fun part: wall colours and kitchen equipment, the latter of which we have mostly but I feel sure that fact will not stop me from finding the odd beautiful bowl, jug or candlestick to adorn the corner fireplace.

My dear mother in law, who is staying with us for a while, loves this French life. Naturally, she is used to her son drilling, sawing and the like and she spends many a happy hour simply people watching across from our house to the Church whilst he toils away. “Mr. Fix It is a good name for him,” she said to me the other day. “He was just the same as a little boy.” Ah, the acute memory of someone in her 90th decade!

So as the log fire burns in our sitting room each evening, we all have much to be thankful for as we watch our house become a home.

So January draws to a close, the days are stretching and we look forward to many more days pottering around the markets, quirky shops and fine French towns. Mr. Fix It as ever is still full of ideas and I admire his finesse. We have already achieved so much in this house and shall, I have no doubt, continue to enjoy the rest of what is to come.

Alexis
The Overseas Guides Company
Have a look at my website at: http://www.francebuyingguide.com