Having always dreamt of living in France once retired, we decided to take the plunge early and try to make a go of things and live the French life. Paul had been a policeman for 14 years and Elaine had been running Le Club Français, very successfully, for seven years, teaching French to children both in schools and in after-school clubs. For details of Le Club Français in the UK, go to our Links Page. Cheryl, our daughter, already fluent in French and finishing her A levels,(including French!) announced that she would love to live in France - which put the icing on the cake.
We thought long and hard about location - which was quite daunting, given the size of France. Having lived in Portsmouth for 22 years, we had to be near to the sea. We had always wanted a home in the country for the peace and quiet and the wildlife. Not too far from the channel for family and holiday makers to the gites alike and with plenty to occupy them during their stay, yet far enough south to enjoy a better climate. South Brittany, Morbihan, in particular and the Loire Atlantique appeared to offer the perfect location for our dream to provide self-catering holiday accommodation. In the blazing hot summer of 2003 we spent a month house-hunting in Morbihan, South Brittany, found that it was everything we had hoped for and finally fell in love with La Belle Vilaine - our little piece of France. Before leaving for England, the deal was done and our dream of offering gite or cottage holiday accommodation was starting to become a reality.
Having sold up in England and waited for Cheryl to finish her studies, we eventually arrived in Morbihan, France in July, 2004 - along with our two dogs, Gracie and Ficelle. Cheryl is working full-time - making the most of her bi-lingual skills - and sounds more French than English. She has found herself a wonderful French guy, Renaud, who very quickly became part of the family. Paul is busy running the self-catering, holiday cottage (gite) business and keeping our one and a third acres of land neat and tidy. He has become extremely competent in speaking French - no longer needing the translation services of his wife and daughter! Elaine is teaching English in 7 local primary schools, a Wednesday morning club and also to adults in the evenings. Gracie and Ficelle love all the space at home and the daily walks in surroundings that we used to have to drive to - we can't be sure whether or not they understand the French dogs, though! They now have a new friend - Harry the French kitten, who came to live with us in October 2006.
We have been welcomed with open arms by our French neighbours and have a large circle of friends, both English and French. If you are thinking of buying a home in France and have ever been told that French bureaucracy is a nightmare - be under no illusions, it is. However, if you can converse with the bureaucrats in French (or have somebody with you that can speak French) you will find that they are more than willing to help you - even if they still proceed at typical French speed!
We have recently acquired a small yacht, which we keep in the nearby harbour of La Roche-Bernard (10 mins drive). Click here for photos.
Throughout your stay at La Belle Vilaine self-catering, holiday gites or cottages, we will be on-hand to offer friendly, non-obtrusive, advice. If you would prefer to chat in French (at your level), please let us know - we have spent many holidays in France and left disappointed that we had not had enough opportunities to show off our ability to converse in French.
Optional Inclusive language-challenge package for children already studying French.
This new free service offers our younger guests the opportunity to practice their French skills, in a fun, real-life situations during their stay. In order to benefit from this new option, simply book a self-catering, cottage (or gite) holiday at La Belle Villaine, pay the normal holiday rates and tick the Language-challenge package option on the booking form. The package includes:-
1. Treasure Hunts - language challenges to be incorporated into family outings to local towns or beauty-spots - we will mark the sheet and answer any questions upon your return (children will receive a certificate and small prize).
2. Unlimitted access to a large library of language-learning materials - to include books, games and videos pre-recorded by us to cover specific areas of knowledge.
A bientôt,
Paul, Elaine and Cheryl Clark
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