A bit of background for those who can be arsed!

Oooh oooh ooooh, where does one start.  I mean we've already been here 7 weeks, and yet this is the first you will have read about it.  And it wasn't just a snap decision where one day we got in the car and drove to France with all our worldly possessions - oh no, it involved quite a bit more forward thinking than that - most of it I think I personally would rather forget, especially the bit regarding removals firms!  Be thankful I am not starting on that subject now.

Anyway, we are here, and rather than go into loads of details about how we got from Woodnewton, Northamptonshire, UK to Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne in the Corrèze, France, I figured I would just give you a bit of background about how we ended up here and what our plans are now we ARE here.  So grab yourself a cuppa.....or a glass of wine preferably.....here we go....

1) We have moved to Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne, which is situated in the Corrèze Department of the Limousin region in France.  To those who don't know French geography too well, it is about two thirds of the way down, left hand side, but inland a bit.....maybe this will help!

2) We chose this area because we felt it had a lot to offer - it is a lovely part of France -not overly populated with ex-pats (we didn't want to live in Little England) - and while not as well known as the Dordogne, it has just as much to offer in both beautiful landscapes, quaint towns and villages, and outdoor activities.

3) The house we have bought is on 5.1 hectares of land and about 1km from the town of Beaulieu - or about a 15 minute walk (20 minutes coming back mind you given it is uphill!).  We found out this week that we are living in the converted cow shed (!!) and the other property on the land (which it is safe to say is about to fall down!) is the old farmhouse where a farming family used to live.  There is also an old pigsty, a chestnut / tobacco drying house, and an old stable.  Here's a few piccies of the set-up....

Our House

The old farmhouse

The vegetable garden

Wintry morning view from the lounge

Surveying the snow-laden land

A quick walk into Beaulieu

4)  The plan is to convert the old farmhouse into 2/3 gites, and to start a small peaceful campsite for people to come and chill out amongst nature.  It all sounds so simple when you write it down - in reality we have a long long road ahead of us, paved with French bureaucracy.  But the plan is that we will be open for the 2014 summer season.  Gulp!  At the moment we are awaiting feedback from an architect we have commissioned to do the design stage of the work.  Once that gets through planning, then I guess it will be all systems go.

5) You may have noticed from some of the photos that it is rather hilly around here!  Therefore we also have some work ahead of us in terms of levelling some of the land so it is suitable for tents.  We also need to clear an access road to the campsite.  Not quite sure how we're going to do that yet!

6) We are also planning to grow as much fruit and veg as possible, in order to feed ourselves.  Will also be getting some hens, maybe some ducks, and if I am really lucky, I may be allowed a couple of donkeys, and I quite fancy some goats too!  Would also like to keep bees, but need to read up on that first.

Anyway, that is a very brief summary of where we are at, so you are not reading this blog blind.  Over the next year, if I can be arsed to keep writing posts, then I guess you will be able to follow our journey, share our triumphs, our difficulties, our tears, our joy.......you get the picture!  I am not a great blog writer - in fact I am quite boring and do lack humour, so don't expect a riveting read all the time.  But all the same, we hope you will tune in regularly to see how we're getting on!

Alison & Mark

xx