Tag Archives: House-hunting

THE STORY SO FAR.

Start of November 2012 

My first attempt at ‘blogging’, or keeping a photo-journal as I prefer to call it, was two years ago under the title ‘Travels With  Harry’. Harry’s our motorhome:

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Harry was followed around, very closely, by a little red car called Sally – another cinematic reference. (Harry is a Chausson ‘Flash’ 04; Flash Harry, get it?) 

Bugarach and Galamus (14)

We spent two months of that autumn (2010) trying to decide where to live in France, looking mainly at the area west of Poitiers, known as the Marais Poitevin: 

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and Languedoc, where we had holidayed before, but friends had warned us to check it out out of season before deciding. In spite of the risk of cold winds, Languedoc won  by virtue of the spectacular scenery: 

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We found a house we really wanted to buy, in a little town in the hills, called Sournia:

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 and we thought all we had to do was get back home to Garth View:

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sell up, and come back with the money! 

Ah well, it didn’t work out just like that! It took a year to sell Garth View and by January 2012 a lot had changed. Rachel had married Sean

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and become Stepmother to Megan and Becky; Chris and Michelle were about to adopt a family and the house at Sournia, which would now have been too small anyway, was off the market. 

Quirkily, some may think, to help sell Garth View, we bought a flat in Appleby!:

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Well, it helped us declutter …. We did take time out for a month in France but we didn’t house-hunt; instead we went down the west (Atlantic) coast as far as the Pays Basque:

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 Throughout that trip the diary was kept as a series of ‘postcards’ as written by Harry. But shopping and excursions were done in the little red car, Sally:

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so it became necessary to let her write a few of the postcards in her more excitable, Gallic style. Increasingly,  the two vehicles were sparking off each other in a ‘married couple’ sort of way – a bit like us, funnily enough…. and they were coupled together a lot of the time!

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The new family situation made me hesitate again about France, so when the opportunity came to film ‘A Place in the Sun, Home or Away?’, we took it, looking on camera at three houses in Cornwall 

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and three in Languedoc. 

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There was no competition! Once a way to manage inheritance issues had been explained, it was a simple case that the money we now had from the sale of Garth View would not buy us anything as nice as Garth View in Cornwall,

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but something even nicer in France. What was to discuss? We offered to buy one of the properties the ‘Place in the Sun’ team had shown us: 

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BUT! On the way to sign the contract, before we even got to Dover, Harry broke down big time. We spent 3 weeks with Esperanto-Speaker, Trevor, waiting for the repair. The expense of that and the realisation that we might need to upgrade the motorhome meant we could no longer afford the house near Quillan. We withdrew, and eventually came back to the same area and started again. Spending two months living in Harry on a delightful, we might say, idylic campsite, beside the lake at Puivert,

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we looked at about 30 houses and finally chose this one:

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On the edge of a village and with a small swimming pool it seemed to be what we were looking for. A long wait ensued. French bureaucracy moves slowly at the best of times, but during August ! – nothing moves. We took possession on September 21st and the furniture ETC. (oh, yes – and the rest!) arrived a week later, as did our first visitor, Cousin Mark, by motorbike: 

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Five days later we had to turn our back on everything and head for the Channel. A brilliant 3 weeks included Nick’s wedding (one of Carol’s nephews):

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Rachel’s 40th birthday party

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and meeting the new Grandchildren.

Now here we are, all builders and boxes. And we are Harryless! On the way north we left him in Poitiers for a repair to some damage to his back end, expecting to pick him up three weeks later. Another ‘best laid scheme’ which ganged a-gley! M. Antoine, the nice motorhome-specialist-repair-man can’t get the part! The little red car was at first intimidated, then dead chuffed about bringing us all the way home on her own!

So for the next few weeks anything worth putting on the blog will be house related and unlikely to be reported by Sally, at least until the day comes when we are able to go and re-unite her with Harry. (Watch out for pink print – you’ll know she’s back!)

‘Sunejo’ is an Esperanto word meaning ….. (more or less) ‘A Place in the Sun’. This was sunrise the morning after we got back from the trip to the UK: 

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BUBBLES AND FIREWORKS!

It’s good is buying houses round here! We should do it more often. Most readers know of the local product – a sort of slightly fizzy, colourless drink called Blanquette de Limoux. (Google it or go straight to its website – you might end up buying some; Rachel did!) Well, on Tuesday morning we had one bottle of Blanquette on our winebar. By the evening, we’d bought a house (sort of), drank a bottle of blanquette and we had two bottles of blanquette on the wine bar. (You might need to read that again!) By midday Wednesday we had an extra bottle of local red as well (which we hadn’t bought).

Better explain! We re-visited the house in the morning, with the agent who picked us up here at the campsite to save us going down into Quillan. We measured some rooms and walls (we can’t think in square metres, we need length and breadth in feet!), asked lots of questions and forgot to take photographs. We came away to talk about it over lunch and phoned Nathalie (agent) to make the offer. She negociated for us and got the ride-on mower, the big ‘american’ fridge and the dishwasher into the price we wanted to pay and a deal was agreed.

 I went to the little café at the site entrance and said ‘We’ve just bought a house’, then, a bit tentatively, ‘do you happen to have a bottle of Blanquette already chilled?’ ‘Of course’, said Sophie, ‘c’est indispensable – en Aude. Which one do you want?’ Then she refused payment, as the site’s contribution to our celebration. Next, Nathalie’s boss, Marie, came round with the ‘offre d’achat’ for us to sign, and brought with her – a bottle of  blanquette. But she wouldn’t have any herself because she was still working and driving.  We shared the chilled one with ‘neighbours’ from Normandy and so ended up with two bottles on the shelf, instead of one, having drunk one. Simples! The neighbours were leaving next day and before they went the gave us a bottle of Fitou.

 Wednesday 25th was a big day – or evening – here in Puivert. There had been no local celebration of the Fête Nationale on the 14th, and this was the substitute. About 200 people gathered here on the campsite, on the pitches with the most open view of the lake, for a communal meal. 

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 Not just residents on site – there probably aren’t that many, but locals and some who had travelled from further away. The meal was a splendid 3-course do – 4 if you count the apéritif with nibbles and pâtés and drinks as alcohlic as you wanted to make them. Then a starter of duck liver pâté: 

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Followed by a daube de boeuf, tarte aux fruits and coffee. During the meal, there seemeed to be an endless supply of red and rosé wine, which no doubt contributed to the general conviviality. 

 

 

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The sun had gone down, with the last rays shining onto the castle, not behind it: 

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So now it was fireworks time. Well, what a display! All reflected in the lake, of course. Here are a few pictures, but I’ll put an album on Sky Drive and the best way to see them would be as a cross-fading slide show, if you can do that, with music, of course, as we saw them in the first place. 

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We just can’t imagine anything like this event in England. Jeannine, Sophie’s no 1 helper, had taken trouble to do a seating plan and place us (the only English) where she thought there would be a good atmosphere. She got that right, too, people were very friendly – including the man who will be our refuse collector! He teased us with some local dialect, but others were quick to translate. 

But the evening didn’t end with the fireworks! There’s an evening market just outside the site every Wednesday, and this week that was ‘enhanced’ by the disco which continued till sometime after 12, but no problem to us. 

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When I thanked Sophie and Jeannine for the evening (or for their work) next morning, they both took the line that we were to be thanked for being there (!) and Jeannine was very anxious to know that we had been happy with the placing at table.

 We’re starting to unwind and relax now, and consider ourselves ‘on holiday’. We’ve had a swim in the lake the last three days – just as well it’s there, because temperatures have soared. Even at 7 pm yesterday evening (Thursday) when we went shopping it was still 33° in the town (Lavelanet).

 Unfortunately, the lawyer whom everyone (except the original agent) has recommended to us is on holiday till August 6th, but we’re told there’s still a reasonable hope that we may take possession of the house at Sonnac by mid September. Here’s another little picture: (anyone know how to make them bigger?) 

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BUBBLES AND FIREWORKS!

It’s good is buying houses round here! We should do it more often. Most readers know of the local product – a sort of slightly fizzy, colourless drink called Blanquette de Limoux. (Google it or go straight to its website – you might end up buying some; Rachel did!) Well, on Tuesday morning we had one bottle of Blanquette on our winebar. By the evening, we’d bought a house (sort of), drank a bottle of blanquette and we had two bottles of blanquette on the wine bar. (You might need to read that again!) By midday Wednesday we had an extra bottle of local red as well (which we hadn’t bought).

Better explain! We re-visited the house in the morning, with the agent who picked us up here at the campsite to save us going down into Quillan. We measured some rooms and walls (we can’t think in square metres, we need length and breadth in feet!), asked lots of questions and forgot to take photographs. We came away to talk about it over lunch and phoned Nathalie (agent) to make the offer. She negociated for us and got the ride-on mower, the big ‘american’ fridge and the dishwasher into the price we wanted to pay and a deal was agreed.

 I went to the little café at the site entrance and said ‘We’ve just bought a house’, then, a bit tentatively, ‘do you happen to have a bottle of Blanquette already chilled?’ ‘Of course’, said Sophie, ‘c’est indispensable – en Aude. Which one do you want?’ Then she refused payment, as the site’s contribution to our celebration. Next, Nathalie’s boss, Marie, came round with the ‘offre d’achat’ for us to sign, and brought with her – a bottle of  blanquette. But she wouldn’t have any herself because she was still working and driving.  We shared the chilled one with ‘neighbours’ from Normandy and so ended up with two bottles on the shelf, instead of one, having drunk one. Simples! The neighbours were leaving next day and before they went the gave us a bottle of Fitou.

 Wednesday 25th was a big day – or evening – here in Puivert. There had been no local celebration of the Fête Nationale on the 14th, and this was the substitute. About 200 people gathered here on the campsite, on the pitches with the most open view of the lake, for a communal meal. 

Rimg0039

 Not just residents on site – there probably aren’t that many, but locals and some who had travelled from further away. The meal was a splendid 3-course do – 4 if you count the apéritif with nibbles and pâtés and drinks as alcohlic as you wanted to make them. Then a starter of duck liver pâté: 

Rimg0046

Followed by a daube de boeuf, tarte aux fruits and coffee. During the meal, there seemeed to be an endless supply of red and rosé wine, which no doubt contributed to the general conviviality. 

 

 

Rimg0044

 

The sun had gone down, with the last rays shining onto the castle, not behind it: 

Rimg0045

 

So now it was fireworks time. Well, what a display! All reflected in the lake, of course. Here are a few pictures, but I’ll put an album on Sky Drive and the best way to see them would be as a cross-fading slide show, if you can do that, with music, of course, as we saw them in the first place. 

Rimg0058
Rimg0065

 

Rimg0076

 

We just can’t imagine anything like this event in England. Jeannine, Sophie’s no 1 helper, had taken trouble to do a seating plan and place us (the only English) where she thought there would be a good atmosphere. She got that right, too, people were very friendly – including the man who will be our refuse collector! He teased us with some local dialect, but others were quick to translate. 

But the evening didn’t end with the fireworks! There’s an evening market just outside the site every Wednesday, and this week that was ‘enhanced’ by the disco which continued till sometime after 12, but no problem to us. 

Rimg0110

When I thanked Sophie and Jeannine for the evening (or for their work) next morning, they both took the line that we were to be thanked for being there (!) and Jeannine was very anxious to know that we had been happy with the placing at table.

 We’re starting to unwind and relax now, and consider ourselves ‘on holiday’. We’ve had a swim in the lake the last three days – just as well it’s there, because temperatures have soared. Even at 7 pm yesterday evening (Thursday) when we went shopping it was still 33° in the town (Lavelanet).

 Unfortunately, the lawyer whom everyone (except the original agent) has recommended to us is on holiday till August 6th, but we’re told there’s still a reasonable hope that we may take possession of the house at Sonnac by mid September. Here’s another little picture: (anyone know how to make them bigger?) 

17db

 

 

THE EIGHT-DAY BATTLE COMES TO AN END, MAYBE THE HOUSE HUNT WILL SOON, TOO

“And tomorrow it’s back to the house hunt, and can’t wait to find out if that money transfer has gone through, or is going to” ….

Don’t be silly! Of course it hadn’t. That was Sunday evening, 15th July. The battle went on for another two and a half days – eight days in total! On Monday morning I began to log the calls I made and the names of the people I spoke to …

(The next three paragraphs have been removed because, Carol says, they were just too boring!)

 

 Finally, while having lunch in that lovely lay-by with the English-run snack truck just before the narrow bit with the overhangs and the rock arch, we heard that the transfer had been made! Carol almost burst into tears! Not only had the transfer been made, but they were waiving the £25 fee AND compensating us to the tune of £100 …. It wasn’t worth it, and I don’t know yet how much of the £125 was actually spent on phone calls, but it doesn’t make up for the asthma attack, the two missed beakfasts and the 8 days of stress.

So how about the house-hunt? It’s nearly over! We have a short list of three. We’re not going to live in Quillan because it has higher rates and taxes and we don’t want the ‘extras’ (night-life, festivals, concerts ..) that they are supposed to cover. The first house we saw with a pool already in place, whose photo I’ve posted twice, is still a runner, along with this one: 

Joynsons

This is in Sournia, the same little town where we found the house we wanted two years ago! And by pure coincidence the owner (English) was sitting next to us in the plane as we flew to Carcassonne back in May for ‘A Place In The Sun’! We visited yesterday. We still like the location and the house is lovely,  though a bit small.  But access for Harry will be very difficult. Then today we saw this: 

Sonnac

It’s a bit further away from the Med, but close to a lake. It has solar panels which produce income and the pool is covered (removable) which makes it safer (for children) and, in effect, heated, so useable for longer in the year. No work needs doing immediately, though a second bathroom and a ‘Harry-shelter’ will need adding soon, but the price allows for that. Very attractive, though lacking the character of some that we’ve seen. We intend to stop looking now and to make an offer for one of the three early next week. 
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But we shall be here for the rest of summer, no doubt. Harry’s new home has space for at least one tent within the pitch, so that wouldn’t cost anything: 

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There would be a cost per person, of course, but if anyone wants to visit while we’re here, we can easily meet at Carcassonne (Ryanair) or Perpignan (a bit more choice). There’s the little lake with pedalos and supervised swimming just beside us, a castle just over the road and croaking frogs (amphibeans, not Gauls) to keep you awake, or send you to sleep …. And what’s more, the sun shines most days!

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ANOTHER SPECTACULAR DRIVE – AND A HOUSE RE-VISITED.

“But in going down an alley

To a castle in the valley

They completely lost their way,

And wandered all the day.”

Well, it wasn’t quite like that – the castle wasn’t in the valley, it was high on the ridge, as Cathar Castles are.(Google Cathar Castles , go to images 2nd row, 3rd & 5th photos – we drove up there BY ACCIDENT!)

And we didn’t wander ALL day – just for an hour.

And it was HOT.

Tell me about it.

No need – you did it.

But we jump ahead. If this journal were in sequence, you’d see that we were looking forward (?) to a drive of 100 miles each way to see a house further south from here. Nearer Spain, I said. Nearer Spain? – we could have walked it! Honest – 10 minutes through the woods. The approach was amazing. 15 minutes of narrow zig-zags up a wooded valley to absolutely nowhere, yet there was a hamlet of 10 or so houses with more dotted around the hillsides – and a bus stop!

The house was interesting, with a pool at the side, but bedrooms were very small and the situation a bit more remote than we really want, so called it a nice day out and stopped at McDs near the motorway for supper – and to send the last blog entry which had failed from here because of thunderstorms all around. Then we had a dash for ‘home’ to arrive before they closed the gate of the campsite at 10pm. We were 5 minutes late – so were they! So Sally got to park up behind Harry as usual, not in the village, and we didn’t have to walk the last bit.

It was dark when you got back – I thought you weren’t coming.

Hello – are you awake? People have been asking how you are.

Kind of them – s’pose I’m alright.

Course he is – I’m looking after him.

What? Like before? Wunderschőn!

Thank you! So, Friday 7th July, we arranged with one of the agents to re-visit one of the houses on the short list so as to remember and re-assess according to our new scoring system. We love the little pool (it is little!),  

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 but we do find this living space very disappointing, compared with some we’ve seen.

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However, we investigated the loft space above the garage – and there’s lots of it! – and here’s the first photo of Carol since last Sunday’s fall; it’s out of focus, so I’m allowed to publish it! 

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After doing some measuring we went and had a picnic by the river (as we do!).

Which brings us to Saturday, and the house-hunt that took a bit longer than expected! The problem is which photos to put up and which to leave out. Here are a few of the drive out, including the Pic de Bugarach: 

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We pinicked, as it got hotter, in a delightful spot:

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That was nice – très agréable!

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Then tried to drive on to the house we were to visit just 20 minutes away. TomTom got us to within a few hundred metres, but a misunderstanding with the elderly lady on the phone sent us out of the village, round the cliff with the castle and up the other side to the castle gate! Then we tried a rough track on the way down, till we realised it was going nowhere but a barn (unconverted). An hour after we arrived in the village in the first place, losing phone charge as well as signal, not to mention the will to persevere, and very hot – I mean dripping! – a lovely old man, handicapped but driving, came out and met us at the crossroads and led us to the house where before the viewing they gave us cold drinks and a sit round the table. 

The house was as lovely as the people, but only one bathroom and loo and a garden covering 3,000sq.m., most of it going up the hill towards that castle! Build a terrace and put a pool in! Yes, but not on our budget! Oh, and there were three peacocks as well.

Then the drive back by a different route. If we thought the ‘narrow bit with the rock arch’ (The Défilé de la Pierre de Lys) was spectacular, we hadn’t seen nutn! We did take some photos, but the best would be to google Gorges de Galamus and go to images. This is a must-do drive or walk for those who visit. Traffic is controlled one way at a time, but from the car – and stopping is not allowed – you just don’t see the water! Here are some of our pictures:

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Did I just come down there?

Yes, little car, you did.

Bet Harry can’t do that!

No, he can’t; he’s not allowed – so don’t go showing off about it.

Moi?

Hmmm …

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On the way ‘home’ we stopped for a meal at a ‘real’ reataurant – not outstanding, but OK, and got back without rushing before the 10pm closure.

Today we visited the market in Espéraza – a big one – and had pork chops – one each! – for lunch, prepared with mash and two vegs in Harry –

One has one’s uses.

Of course you do. Then we did some ‘housekeeping’ (tidying kitchen cupboards) since we couldn’t get a TV signal to watch the tennis.

Goodnight, all!

Bonsoir!

Nice to have tidy cupboards ….

SALLY GETS TO GO OUT.

Enfin! J’ai fait deux excursions superbes! Lundi– In English, Sally – not all our readers speak French!   – Oops, pardon, sorry! On Monday I took THEM to St. Paul de Fenouillet.

 

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The scenery was wonderful, and THEY had a pique-nique, well, a snack from a burger truck (English!), in this lay-by by the river overlooked by this big mountain:

 

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Then we went through the narrow bit where there are overhangs and a rock archway …. 

 

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OK, at St. Paul they left me to cook on the square (That’s not fair we left you in the shade under a tree!) Yes, but the sun moved while you were seeing one of those agent people; anyway it was a waste of time because the house was rubbish. (It wasn’t actually, it was just empty and neglected and there was no way we could get Harry up there even if we’d wanted to take it on!)

 

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That’s the view!

Anyway, today –  

Just a minute! We’ll have a word about yesterday first (Tuesday) – 

OK OK

 

We did two viewings yesterday morning, both wooden ‘chalet’ type houses, and very high on the short list. So we knocked 3 off and put two on. Details can wait, but while we were out with one agent, Sally was spotted by another (the one we’d rather not see) so he was on the phone saying “I see you’re in Quillan, can you pop in for a chat?” No!

 We’d kept the afternoon free because we thought we might have to pack up and move off our present site, but in the end we found we were able to stay till the 13th at the latest; trouble is, it’s high season and getting expensive, but another good thing about yesterday’s viewings was that one of them was in a village up above Quillan where there’s a campsite by a lake which turns out to be less costly than here, so we’ll probably move up there soon. So today, Wednesday, we didn’t have any appointments, so we went for a scenic drive instead – 

Let me! Let me! We began by going up the hill out of Quillan, and THEY had a real pique-nique at the top here: 

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And that’s Madame, who still won’t look at the camera because her face is not so pretty since Sunday, you know ….. And there’s a bit of MOI there, too.

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  Then we went up some very steep, twisty, winding roads, right up into the big mountains, and came to Ax-Les-Thermes, where I had a rest and THEY had an ice-cream.
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 On the way down, by a diferent road, we stopped at Puivert, the place with the little lake and THEY went and looked at the campsite and made enquiries. 

Back at valley (Aude) level we found, eventually, the first house we viewed with a pool – the one whose photo we put up – and measured the distance to the nearest shop. Less than a mile! Ideal! It moved up a notch or two. Back with Harry as daylight faded we enjoyed the dish we’d bought at a supermarket: ‘Boules de Picoulat’ with some pasta shells, and tomorrow we travel some distance to see another house (with pool) that we’ve found on the net. Nearer Spain and nearer the Med. We’ll see. Sleep well, Sally – you’ve got a couple of hundred miles to do tomorrow!

Oo là , là!  On exagère, quoi! 

  

 

 

 

 

NEW MONTH – DISAPPOINTING START.

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That’s a bouffadou. I bought that one over in the Pays Basque last year, and it’s for reviving a dying fire or barbecue – by blowing through it. As regular readers already knew.

Yes, July hasn’t started well here! After blazing heat a week ago, there were two dull days at the end of June, then this morning a huge drop in temperature (about 18°) and rain to go with it. Then Carol had to leave the van (I was still dozing) and she tripped over one of the guy ropes of the awning. Flat on her nose and quite bloody … a neighbour who came round for Lapin Au Vin last night was there before I was and helped pick her up. Happily he’s a first-aider, but we wondered whether treatment was needed. When we contacted the (English) owner of the site she said we could go to the hospital in Carcassonne, but the wound didn’t look like it needed stitching and there was no evidence of concussion, so we decided to administer pain killers and take it easy – no appointments today, anyway. I’m sorry, but she wont let me take her picture! …. Spoilsport!

Then we found half of Sunday dinner has gone missing! After yesterday’s shopping we couldn’t get everything into the fridge, so some stuff stayed in the insulated bag in the awning. Including 2 chops. Today only one chop can be found! Did we bring 2 home? Did we leave the bag unfastened, so the cats could get at the content? This is reminiscent of a similar incident a few years ago at St. Valery, where a burgling cat was definitely the culprit. But there’s no evidence, like packaging, lying around and the person who looks after the cats says if they take anything they always bring it ‘home’, and she hasn’t seen it!  C’est un mystère! And it looks like ‘one chop between two’ this evening. (Can anyone place the quote?)

Thanks for a comment on the house-hunting. Anyone may chip in and we’ll take no notice if we don’t want to. If you really want to see stuff, this is the short list:

http://www.abessan.fr/fr/liste.htm?ope=1&ville1=&habmin=&termin=&prixmin=&prixmax=&ref=1100318553

We call this one “The Oaks” – there are many oak trees all round – reduce some and remove others and we have a supply of wood for years!

http://www.hdcimmo.com/300000euro/2852/2852FR.htm

There’s lovely! Owned by a Welsh couple. The living room is less pink now, but it’s still a disappointing space.

http://www2.housescape.org.uk/cgi-bin/full.pl?&aud1&&1867&&

Harryport! We’d found this one on the web before we came with APITS, and wanted to see it. The APITS team said we wouldn’t want it, but we’re not sure.

http://www2.housescape.org.uk/cgi-bin/full.pl?&aud1&&1907&&

Massive! Built for a former Mayor of Quillan and way above budget, but the agent says he wouldn’t have shown it to us if he didn’t think the owner would come down to our price. It’s currently a holiday home!

http://www.mmimmobilier.com/detail-bien.php?ref=131;

Exterior and living space superb! Kitchen corner very cramped and bedrooms small. Unlikely that vendors would reduce by enough, but might be worth an ask!

More viewings on Tuesday. On Wednesday we plan to change campsite. This has been fine, but pitch is small (no room to walk wide of the tent – hence tripping hazzard, it wasn’t the first time, just the most serious). Also, we’d quite like a pool on site and maybe a bar/restaurant as well. We hope to find ‘the’ house within a week now. We’ll see … 

A PLACE IN THE SUN …… WELL, YES!

Garth View,    Saturday 12th May 2012

After the disasterously unsuccessful attempts to add a day-by-day journal of the Cornish house-hunting and filming, it seems rather silly to do the whole thing in retrospect now that we’re back from France. I’ll put an album or two of the best photos from both visits on SkyDrive for those who’d like to see them.

Anyway, the three days in Cornwall left us with a clear favourite among the houses we had seen.  It was this bungalow in Pelynt, four miles from the sea. It had ample space for Harry at the front and a nice, though small, conservatory at the rear.

B ?

And a conservatory .... It's a 'possible'.

To add to the attraction of the area we were taken there (apparently) by boat, along the coast from Polperro to Looe. Here’s Looe:

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And so to France, where in spite of a few drops of drizzle as we landed at Carcassonne, the weather treated us to a heat waive, reaching 36.5° on Friday afternoon.

Hannah was still in charge as Producer, and the stop sign above her head in the photo is pointless because during the working day she never does!

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But in France the Presenter was Laura Hamilton (Dancing On Ice).

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Assistant Producer, Antonio, introduced himself at the airport, when he met us, as our ‘babysitter’ for four days, and it has to be said that he sat on us (looked after us, that is,) very well.

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The schedule was the same as in England; up at six, on the road at 7.30 or 8. Again, one property stood out, a 20 year old villa (?) built into the hillside above the suburb of Ginoles, near Quillan (in Aude). The views as we approached the house took our breath away – as did the walk up the hill, but never mind that …

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Being built into the hill means that the main living space (and there’s plenty of it) is at ground level at the back, but one floor up at the front. The ‘basement’ is shared between the garage, a huge storage area and a potentially self-contained guest flat with its own french windows!

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At the rear of the house (which stands in half an acre of garden to lose children in) there’s a wonderful full-width conservatory, or “véranda” in French …

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The only disappointment was the kitchen which I just couldn’t see myself working in….

(Plot spoiler alert!!) I could go on, but let’s say that the TV programme ends with us making an offer to buy this spot. The price is amazingly well below what we are getting for Garth View, which will cover expenses and a new kitchen, and there’s talk of selling the flat at Murton View (which we’ve not managed to let yet) to put in a swimming pool.

Once the filming was over everything happened so fast! (Maybe too fast for comfort). The estate agent called for us at the hotel and we went to his office to give our details. “We’ve got nothing on you” he said. (He’s English) “Keep it that way”, I said. Then to the Notary’s office to make an innitial payment for him to draw up the ‘Compromis De Vente’ (We’re not legally committed till that is signed – a bit like exchanging contracts) then another visit to the house where this time we met the owners, also English. 

We treated ourselves to a special supper and this morning Antonio completed his minder’s duties by driving us to the airport and ensuring we left the country. So that’s that! Removal men on Friday morning …

Take another look, though …

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A PLACE IN THE SUN …… WELL, MAYBE!

Tuesday May 1st 2012:  It’s been quite a day! Up at 6am, breakfast at 7, on the road (soon after) 7.30.

7.30am Tuesday ; are his trousers falling down, or is he just grumpy?

Grumpy old man!

First stop, Talland Bay Hotel, where we did the introductory interviews; a curious coincidence since it was at Talland Bay that we spent a week in the third ‘box’ in 2007! (Log and pics here:

http://sandconoliday.posterous.com/cornwall-september-2007   )(Everything from Posterous has vanished, unfortunately.)

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First location, Talland Bay, where, by coincidence, we stayed with Box 3 in 2007.

The views are just as good, but the caravan park where we pitched is now an upmarket holiday village.

Carol gets miked up for the first time.

Carol gets miked up for the first time.

The team look happy:

The team look happy.

The team look happy.

Cameraman and sound technician get set up:

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Carol gets close to Presenter, Luke: 

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And finally, even Producer, Hannah, seems pleased with how things are going!

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And Stephen finds a friend (gets a wet bum – the bench was damp).

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Next, a picnic of Cornish cheese and cyder on the village green at Herodsfoot.  

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Where we then did our first house viewing. We wont say too much about it, but it was a charming beckside cottage in this little hamlet with the church high above.

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There was much to like, but one particular downside – no Harryspace within the property, nor even immediately outside. Various possibilities were mentioned, but …

Anyway, we were then treated to a nice lunch at the ‘Fat Frog’ cafe in Liskeard, and driven back to our Hotel, The Crooked Inn:

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Apart from a wet bench and some spillt cyder, a disaster had occured to one of SKT’s shoes which had more or less disintegrated during the morning! In that we were free of further commitments at about 4pm we went out in Sally and found a shopping outlet by the nearest major roundabout to buy a replacement pair, looking as close as we could get to the useless ones. (Same clothes tomorrow are a requirement.)

We then drove, as last year around Whitsand Bay, with the Sea a perfect blue – beat that, Med! – had fish and chips in Torpoint and returned to base, hoping to be able to get up at the same time and do it all – and more – again tomorrow!

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