Having stayed in the rat race in England for as long as we could bear we decided in 2004 to look for a small house - a place to escape to for long weekends and holidays, preferably somewhere warm, tranquil yet just a short flight from the UK.  More importantly we intended to use the house as a stepping stone to a new life in France.

We subsequently bought a small house south of Albi - the perfect size for a holiday home with its own manageable, private garden. Following just a few days work with a paintbrush it was transformed into a chic retreat from our hectic life in the UK and we were able to enjoy many long weekends and holidays there. The Tarn soon became our spiritual home, the rolling hills, slow pace of life, wonderful climate and helpful local people were but a few of the attractions...


This gave us an opportunity to ease into the French way of life before deciding to make the permanent move, and after enjoying several years getting to know the area we started our search for a larger house which we could make our home.  We found an old stone farmhouse with an attached stable which was in need of extensive renovation and its idyllic setting was the peaceful haven we had been looking for. Part of the house was habitable, but a large proportion had no electricity or water, the original stable stalls and stone feeding troughs were still in place and the floor was just compacted soil.

The stone masons were the first people on site, stripping the building back to bare stone, retaining as many features as possible and replacing whatever couldn't be saved. They were followed by the electrician & plumber who had the task of working out the logistics of getting electricity and water to the building. There were times when it seemed there would be no end to the rubble, dirt and dust, or to the endless decisions and choices necessary when undertaking a renovation project. 

Once the stonework had been finished and the electrics and water installed (which took approx 12 months) we had a fabulous blank canvas.  We were then able to start choosing kitchen units, bathroom fittings, tiles and furniture which would transform what had been an uninhabitable stable into a wonderful contemporary living space. Two years on the house is completed and we are thrilled with the result. 
 
There is no escaping the fact that buying and renovating a property is stressful.  Choosing artisans for a restoration project can be a minefield, even finding good suppliers of furniture and household items can be time consuming when you are new to an area or have limited time to spend due to commitments in the UK. You can't just flick through the "pages jaunes" or the local paper and select artisans to work on your house - if only it were that easy!  Meeting people who have been through the renovation process, being introduced to good tradesmen and having the opportunity to see their work before parting with your hard earned cash is crucial.

If work has to start before you are ready to move permanently, it's a real advantage to have a project manager to crack the whip occasionally. French tradesmen are no different to any in Europe, they work on several projects at the same time and need to be reminded from time to time that you would like to be a little higher up their list of priorities.  There will be long periods of inactivity and then just as you are starting to lose hope of the project ever being finished, the plumber will appear closely followed by the electrician and the stonemason and before you know it your house will become a hive of activity. 

That's just the way it is, particularly in rural France, and you have to adapt - after all isn't that why you came to France, to escape the frantic pace of the UK? 

So having lived the dream, and also the reality, we now aim to use our experience and contacts with artisans and tradesmen to help fellow Francophiles on their journey to a more relaxing and rewarding lifestyle here in France.  By combining our local knowledge and good communication skills we can take away much of the stress and strain from both the buying and renovation process.  Whatever your choice of property, modern or old, there will be things that you will wish to alter or add - so whether its a total renovation, a new kitchen or bathroom, new shutters or just re-tiling a floor you need help with, we can assist with all levels of project management. 

Ian & Bernie Sadler
Tel : 00 33 (0)6 8372 8022
ian.sadler47@orange.fr