Rachel Dods's selection of French property for sale

About my area

Where to begin, this area has it all! There are over 1000 châteaux just in the Dordogne and even a modest house here often is built from the warm, local, honey coloured stone and is part of a simply gorgeous village. The area is an explosion of gastronomy, the specialities being duck, walnuts and strawberries. The climate and soil mean it is a fabulous area for gardeners, it’s possible to grow almost anything here and I haven’t even mentioned the fantastically priced local wine! The rolling, green hills remind me of Shropshire but like Shropshire on steroids. The woods are alive with deer, sanglier (wild boar) and birds, such as the Hoopoe with it’s red head crest. The wildflowers such as orchids, cowslips and blue bells are magnificent in the spring. Whether you are searching for a second home or a permanent residence, we are extremely well situated with access to the East/West A89 motorway or the North/South A20, taking you easily to Bergerac, Limoges or Brive international airports, and further to Bordeaux and Toulouse. You can be on the beach or ski slopes in under a two-hour drive from here.

About me

Having moved here from Bristol a busy city in the UK twenty years ago with a toddler and pregnant with my second son, I can safely say I have experienced many aspects of living and working in the French system. The pace of life, peace, quiet and space is certainly a huge bonus. Having given birth in both countries, I do rate the health system in France very highly and have experienced working in a diverse array of fields here. I have run a property letting business with my husband who is a maitre d’oeuve or project manager in the building trade. I have worked in many levels of education, from maternel (preschool), primaire and lyceé as well as adult education and also given private tuition. I found that my background in science (1st class honours degree in Genetics) means that I have the precision required to deal with the challenge of paperwork here. I have my own horses and starting a riding club and using them to offer therapy within the community, was a great way to make friends. Now that my two sons are at University in Glasgow and Bordeaux, I am looking forward to finding you your petit coin de paradis.