Nicola HANCOCK's selection of French property for sale

About my area

We are in the Deux-Sèvres and only 5 minutes from the Vendée border. This region is a real delight, full of beautiful countryside, historic towns and great food and wine, with plenty to do and see. It is famed for its apples, throughout much of the area you will see rows of orchards snaking their way across the land ! It has one of the most pleasant climates in France, winters are mild and thanks to the oceanic climate, summers are hot but not muggy. We are well placed for the fine, sandy beaches of the nearby Atlantic coast, just over an hour away. There are also a number of natural and man-made lakes for those who prefer swimming or simply messing about on water away from the sea. Well worth a visit is Puy du Fou, a medieval theme park 50 minutes away, which is the fourth most popular attraction in France. Also we have Futuroscope, near Poitiers, a theme park based on multimedia, cinematographic futuroscope and audio-visual techniques. We are in the middle of a triangle for three airports, Nantes and La Rochelle are 80 minutes away and Poitiers 70 minutes which makes it easy for family and friends to visit !

About me

We moved to this area in 2005 with our two small boys, looking for a better way of life, a decision we have never regretted. Our small boys are now bilingual young men having done their schooling here. We have a smallholding where we raise meat for our table and grow most of our own vegetables. 2014 saw us opening part of our house as a Chambres d'Hôtes. We had a busy first summer with guests from as far away as Australia, along with many French people visiting Puy du Fou. I hope that I can show you our lovely area, and help with any questions you may have concerning schooling, owning animals or running a business here. As well as helping you find your dream home and therefore a better way of life for you too !