This blog is a way of sharing the experiences of a not-so-young couple who have decided to try ‘living the dream’ in France – and, we hope, many other places.
Eric and I bought Les Bruyeres in 1989 when Helen was a newborn, and have been going there ever since – first in the long summer vacations from our jobs in Bahrain, and then, when based in Liverpool from 1999 onwards, several times a year.
Right: the cottage as we first saw it, an empty shell in danger of disappearing behind ivy and uncut grass – summer 1989.
Over the years there were improvements – a new roof and windows, a kitchen and micro-bathroom, a spiral staircase to the upstairs room that had previously been a hayloft; much later, a better bathroom and division of the upstairs bedroom into two. In the early years, all the furniture was second-hand and donated by family members. A lot of the work was carried out for us by Eric’s brother David, the multi-talented handyman and electrician who can build, make and fix just about anything. From being very slightly more comfortable than camping, Les Bruyeres gradually became a proper home. The main pr
oblem was that we kept having to go away and leave it!
So, this move really is something we’ve been dreaming of for 26 years.
Left: the four of us in summer 1995, on holiday from Bahrain.
Note: although we’ll be living at Les Bruyeres during the winter, it will still be available to rent in spring, summer and autumn. Search for it on Airbnb or Trip Advisor (try ‘Les Bruyeres Fougeres’ or ‘Les Bruyeres Louvigne-du-Desert), or contact me directly.
