Suzanne SALMON's selection of French property for sale

About my area

I am based in the Deux-Sèvres, one of the departments of the Poitou Charentes. It’s very rural with endless fields of maize, wheat, sunflowers and vines, with small hamlets and villages breaking up the beautiful landscape. Most of the old houses round here are built from the lovely cream-coloured Charentaise stone with red tiled roofs, and that is what really attracted my husband and myself to the area. It’s very friendly here and both the French and ex-pat community welcome newcomers. There are lots of local events, particularly during the summer, but it’s not far at all to get to the cities of Niort, Poitiers, Angouleme or Bordeaux if you fancy some bright lights and a little bit of sophisticated shopping every once in a while. And for a trip to the seaside, there are some absolutely amazing beaches on the Atlantic Coast, about an hour away, with cafes and restaurants serving the most delicious seafood. The roads are always a pleasure to drive and ride on, and from the Poitou Charentes it is easy and stress-free to get to and from the UK in a day.

About me

My husband I purchased our house in 2013 as a holiday home whilst we were both still working in the UK. We had taken a week off work and trundled down through France on our motorbikes, viewed about seven houses and fell in love with our water mill in the Deux-Sèvres. We popped down to France whenever we could but then became so attached to the house and the area that I eventually managed to persuade my employers to let me work from France! It’s a great lifestyle and we have lots of friends visiting from the UK on their motorbikes as this region is a great base to tour France and the rest of Europe from. Last year my husband and I took four weeks off to tour eight countries (including Greece and Albania) on our two Harley Davidsons. I have spent most of my working life working in the media, including several years as Court and Social Reporter on The Times, but I always had a hankering to be an estate agent! I’ve moved house many times, enjoying “doing them up” and adding my personal touch. So, working for Leggett is heaven for me because I get to look round beautiful houses every day, and meet interesting new people and help to make their dream of living in France come true!