Finally - we sign on the dotted line

Wednesday 22nd April - We fly into Bergerac Airport and drive 250 km (approx) up to the Auvergne. When we were here in February, we did get a glimpse of the landscape, but the visability was so poor, that we didn't really get the full picture. This time, we came round the corner and - Wow! the spectacle of the landscape just hits you. This picture was take from approx 20 km away and the nearer we got, the more amazing the sights.

23rd April - The day we sign - but due to my not knowing the money laundering laws (why would I?) I had created us a problem by trying to transfer the money for the house to the currency exchange by internet banking - cutting a long story short, we were on tenterhooks right until we arrived at the Notaires office to sign, as to whether the funds had arrived in time. A word of advise for anyone wanting to transfer money to another country - you can only do £10k by Internet banking - so unless you can allow plenty of time for the transfer (say 4 - 5 days) do it by CHAPS transfer.

The process at the Notaires was easy - the whole contract was read out in French - the vendors had supplied an interpreter, so any queries we had could be answered off. There weren't really any, as the house is as you see - nothing hidden. We then went to the insurance company and insured it, as you have to insure property in France, from the day you own it.

We then drove to the house via Clermont Ferrand - at rush hour! Bit of a mistake, as it is slightly stressful!! Still, we got to 'La Maison Etoile" safely and looked over our acquisition. Dominique, our neighbour came out and had a chat and as we went to leave, she kissed my hand, which I found very charming!

Happy Birthday Angela and Simon! - Just cant get a ribbon round it!

Next stage was to meet with builders and architects. We had searched the web and found an excellent site www.findatradeinfrance.com and begun the search so that we could arrange to meet on the visit when we signed. The morning appointment, I'll brush over - suffice to say, we were told that they would apply for a demolition order! Simon and I just looked at each other in disbelief, as we couldn't see the problem. And it's not that we are compete numpties either - I've renovated an old cottage before and I think I would know a wall that was collapsing if I saw it!

The afternoon appointment was much better - so much so, that the next morning, we went with the builder to visit a property that he had renovated and that the architect we'll use had drawn the plans for - the inside of the property, which had been nothing more than a great BIG barn, just blew us away. James - if you deliver a property any a league like that - I'll be happy.....

We then (James, Manuela, Simon and I) went to the bar in Bussac to have a celebratory coffee or two and get to know each other a little better. I hope the relationship can develop that we find we've made our first friends - it certainly felt like it.

So we came home and are now waiting for the prices to start rolling in. First thing first, is to renew the roof and James is working on a couple of prices for us - one to use the old fashioned peg tiles - would look great and is what is on the roof now - but needless to say - more expensive v modern machine made, which I dont fancy.

Peter, the architect is going to visit the Maire for us and discuss what is possible, what type of fosse etc., etc. and from that, will start drawing plans for us.

Here's to the next stage!

23rd April 2009 - A very important day

Not only is it my birthday, but it's the day we will sign the final contract to buy Fig Tree Farmhouse.  We need to decide at some point whether we are going to keep that as a name, or be really clever and think up something else.  Problem with its current name, as far as a business and visitors are concerned, they may think that there will be animals and acres of land.  I think that over the years, the surrounding land has been sold off to what are now neighbours, as their properties are post war, so not original farm buildings.  Plus the old guy opposite has land which wraps itself around our land in an L shape and as it is not connected to his land by any stretch of the imagination, I think it's fair to say that it probably belonged to Fig Tree in the past.

We have arranged to meet with an English architect on the Friday together with a builder who recommended him.  Also meeting with another builder in the morning, who is bringing a French architect with him.  Apparently, we are going to be over a magical number of 170 m2 of habitable space when the conversions are done, so this will require us to have the architect, adding a mere 4K Euro to the costs.  We hope that they will create a 'shopping list' of what the builder will have to do, because it's beyond DIY skills, and a list of things we can do.  I'm sure that as time goes on, our skills will grow.  I know from experience of renovation the cottage in '79/'80 that it is amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it.

By the way - above is not just a pretty picture, it's the Puy de Dome, which is a little over an hour from us and as you drive down the A71 to Clermont Ferrand, they are the most fantastic sight.  It's also probably a good vantage point, because once you go through Clermont and out onto the road for the Puy, then you start to loose the breathtaking image, as you climb up the landscape to the Dome......  Another reason for buying in this area, a great visitor experience.  There is a restaurant on the top of one of them (It's been dormant for over 10,000 years.)  We are also only 20km from Volvic and on our first visit, be had to go and search it out.  The bottling factory is enormous!!

First stage out of the way - next we sign the contract to complete the purchase and hope to do this the week after Easter (09),  It's both of our birthdays that week and so completing will be our present to each other.  Like to see you put a ribbon around it!

|This is what we would like the finished article to look like inside.  Light and airy, with a very relaxed feeling.  A large French door would led out onto a patio, facing south, where all you can see is country side.......