Life is better in Brittany and Normandy

Now that I'm almost two... they are letting me get involved! At last... I have a legitimate reason for writing a (dog) blog:- one that's more about me and my own needs (and my species) rather than just 'the management' here and what THEY get up to - the uprights! ... One of the team that I 'work' with (and I use the term loosely) suggested that we should put out some information about the ins and outs of ferrying (literally in my case) your pets backwards and forwards across the channel to France. It's only fair to tell you how it applies to me and our own travel habits... But I will also provide links (at the bottom of this page) to other places that may be of further help. I've been to and fro between Sussex and the Cotes d'Armor around 8 times in the last 15 months so I think I qualify... n'est-ce pas? So here goes... Rudy Slade... A House in Brittany Near Loudeac, the Cotes d'Armor... We almost always travel to France with Bri...

We've watched  a load of 'Do Up' TV programmes (who, buying 'here' in Brittany hasn't?) but we have never seen that what we have been up to in Brittany is anything like any of these shows - with or without an audience... But, after a few 'mooching' trips we found this little beauty and paid just £12,000 for it. What many people would have regarded as, pretty much a ruin - perhaps,  but rather than being able to compact our work on the house into just a few months in an intensive way... or a year or two, perhaps more realistically, we have chugged our way through 17 years of ownership meandering through bite sized pieces of renovation with a few intense phases that have involved a few other trades along the way.  In the beginning we were flabbergasted; couldn't believe...that a couple of Brits could, with the greatest luck, just breeze in and pick up an 18th Century farmhouse with three barns a well, a bread oven and the three quarters of a...

Our House in Brittany • Summer 2016 It's 17 years now since we stumbled across our house in Brittany. In retrospect it was a gift, of course, at such a seemingly very silly price of just £12,000 plus Notaire's Fees and then a commission to the agent who introduced us to the property. Needless to say we were happy to pay a fee for him opening our eyes to what seemed like such a rare find. Back in 2000 the system of buying in France was somewhat haphazard and, fortunately, things have formalised to make it as simple as buying in the UK (simpler in fact). Although, the reality that you may be buying in another country, where one might imagine difficulties; where you are unfamiliar with customs that full timers over there take for granted - but for you there may be a language barrier for a start - and unfamiliar procedures and systems etc., it's wise to rely on advice from those who have trodden the path before you and who can help to clear up any potential pitfalls. Our...