Lesley LAMBERT's selection of French property for sale

About my area

Living in the South West tip of the Lot et Garonne close to the Chateau town of Duras with the famous castle of the Dukes of Duras watching over its rolling landscapes of vineyards, orchards and sunflower fields, vibrant, colourful, open air markets and where local produce and gourmet cuisine contribute to the gastronomic reputation of this area, is a lifestyle that is here for everyone to enjoy. This region often described as a “French Tuscany” with its heritage of generous agricultural and organic produce together with its long hot summers from May to October means sitting around a table eating, drinking, sharing laughter and conviviality with friends, family and neighbours is a normal way of life here. Enjoy a beautiful red, rose, mellow or dry wine from the local Cotes de Duras appellation or one of the fine wines from Bordeaux produced over many centuries and regarded as the world capital of wine. And how can we possibly talk about the South West of France without mentioning a culinary speciality of the region ... duck confit and magret de canard (leg and breast of duck) having the meatiness of steak with the character of game. The Lot-et-Garonne is a heaven for strawberry lovers notably the sweet and aromatic Garriguette, a key area in the production of the delicious “La Noisette” (hazelnut) as well as asparagus, courgettes, green beans. melons and so much more. The famous Agen Prune harvested at the end of summer can be eaten or dried, added to sweet, salty or savoury dishes, used in desserts such as the “tourtiere aux pruneaux” (prune tart) or soaked in brandy. The Marmande tomato, juicy and sugary with a distinct flavour can be found in the markets at the beginning of summer. From Duras, 45 minutes to the west, the UNESCO registered beautiful medieval village of Saint Emilion invites you to take in the cobbled streets, chateaus and guided wine tours. In just over an hour you are in the beautiful and chic city of Bordeaux with it’s vibrant life, lively cafes, restaurants, historic monuments and shopping. Book an opera or ballet concert, wet your feet in the Miroir d’eau, the world’s largest reflecting pool, walk or cycle on the 4.4km promenade which hosts events and festivals in the summer. Shop and dine at the busy Chartrons market, visit the Cite du Vin, the wine museum of Bordeaux ... and so much more. In less than 2 hours to the west the beautiful beaches of Arcachon famous for its oyster restaurants, covered market and the largest sand dune in Europe beckon. Travelling east, there are some beautiful bastide towns to visit including Montflanquin, Villereal, and the in the neighbouring Dordogne, the bastides of Domme, Eymet, Monpazier and Villfranche du Perigord. To the south Montepazat, Vianne and Puymirol.Let your eyes feast upon the produce offered at the Friday farmers market 2-6pm at Saint Sernin 4 miles (7km) and the unmissable Sunday market in the charming medieval village of Issigeac 26 miles (42km). The traditional year round markets of the South West region of France are typically held on different days of the week in neighbouring villages. Visit local and seasonal Brocantes, Vide Greniers, Christmas markets, artists exhibitions and many varied music events typically organised each year. The tourist attractions of the Lot et Garonne are numerous, a place of castles and bastides, and rural and waterway activities to enjoy, including walking, cycling, canoeing, rugby and of course the French sport of petanque! The bustling night markets and gourmet evenings held in the summer months of July and August in Duras, Levignac de Guyenne, La Sauvetat du Dropt, Eymet, Monbazillac, Monsegur and Sunday lunch taken at Soumensac are a food lovers paradise! Duras is well served with commerce including a bank, boulangeries, butcher, supermarket, restaurants, bars, delicatessen, gift shops, café’s, a garden centre, organic food, wine and chocolate producers! There are primary and secondary schools, a vet, multidisciplinary health centre, an osteopath, insurance brokers, hairdressers, building supplies merchant and much more. There is a cosmopolitan and friendly feel to this area with French, English, German, Belgian, Swiss and American nationalities to name but a few living in the town and surrounding villages. This area of the Nouvelle Aquitaine region is very well connected to Bergerac airport (only 40 minutes -25 miles/40km), to Bordeaux airport (75 minutes - 64 miles/104km) and to Libourne (31 miles / 50km) where you can catch the high-speed TGV train and be in Paris in 3 hours! So, whether your interest is history, an architecture fanatic, a lover of nature or the great outdoors, an epicurean at heart devoted to sensual enjoyment from appreciating fine food and wine, the Lot et Garonne region is for you and will bring you a cocktail of unforgettable sensations!

About me

My husband and l bought our home in France in 2018. Having spent my last 25 years as a clinician in the medical profession and prior to that working in the areas of customer service, marketing, managing several businesses, renovating residential property, and completing a commercial renovation in 2017 it was time for life to wind down a little ... but not stop! Now we have a much healthier and active lifestyle but a slower pace and simplicity of life allowing us to spend quality time with friends, family and neighbours. Choosing to live in the sunny and beautiful Lot et Garonne in our French farmhouse where we can watch the sunrise and set every day of our lives has been one of the best life decisions we have ever made. We now work with Leggett Immobilier, one of the most respected family companies established in France and selling properties for over 20 years. My husband is very experienced selling and letting property in the UK and so this felt like the natural progression for us here. We have a very professional bilingual team both at head office and locally, (essential when you consider Leggett have the biggest international marketing presence of any estate agent in France). There are a myriad of different types of properties and prices to suit every budget. We look forward to meeting you in the very near future and will work extremely hard on your behalf to find you your dream property in this beautiful region of France. So, if you are considering selling or buying your home in France, look no further, instruct us!