A Cottage in Picture-postcard France for $88,500

Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2007
Limousin, France

Read more about France in International Living Postcards--your daily escape

If you dream of a quiet life following the rhythm of the seasons in the heart of the lushest countryside in France, check out the Limousin.

Situated between Paris, the wine country of Bordeaux, and the mountains of the Massif Central, this region is ultra green with a high count of tiny picture-postcard villages, lakes, and historic sites. The Knights Templar made it one of their bases, the French resistance movement hid in its woods during World War II, and much of the country’s best fresh produce comes from its farmland.

I like the region because it’s real rural France and hasn’t been gentrified. Apart from the urban center of Limoges, the rest is rolling countryside, thick forests, and hamlets. Up to now it’s been ignored by all but French tourists. They come here in the summer to return to a life they enjoyed as children. In the summer you can paddle in streams, pick fruit in the orchards, fish in the lakes, and cycle on shady country lanes away from heavy traffic. And return in the winter for cross-country skiing and hearty stews.

VEF French Property gave me several good leads for houses in the Limousin, including a rustic stone cottage to fix up with exposed beams in the town of Bourganeuf, famous for its castle. The cottage is on its own land and has a living room of more than 400 square feet with fireplace. The price tag is 60,500 euro ($88,500).

For about the same price, you can buy a larger, finished country house. Immoboulevard’s agents--who are often Dutch and tri-lingual--showed me a three-bedroom house in the area. I liked the old wooden floors and the stone sink in the kitchen. I could just see myself turning part of the garden into a vegetable patch--and the vaulted stone cellar was the cherry on the icing. For 62,500 euro ($91,500), this would make a great vacation home.

The weekly newspaper De Particulier à Particulier is a good source of information and properties. Through the paper’s website I arranged to see a traditional stone house with a fenced garden close to the Cantal mountains. The house is ready to move into, with electric heating plus wood-burning stoves--there’s no shortage of logs in this wooded area. The property has two bedrooms and room for a third, and also a garage and an old stable. Price: 84,000 euro ($123,000).

Leigh Fergus
For International Living

P.S. I’m working on a more detailed report about this region right now, detailing the investment opportunities in the Limousin…stay tuned.