British couple buys French manor for the price of UK flat

When John Doyle and his wife were looking to buy a larger home, they originally looked in the UK. “We live in a small flat in Walton-on-Thames,” Doyle says, and they wanted a house, but they couldn’t afford anything in the UK. So they began to look further afield.

The Doyle’s search led them to Le Lonzac, a quiet village in Corrèze, France. There, their budget didn’t just find them a bigger place, it secured them a five-storey stone house with half an acre of land for just £135,000. “We’ve got a very big house,” John says, “five floors. And a big, big garden, half an acre.”

But, as John explains below, the Doyle’s home wasn’t a fluke. You, too, can find affordable property in France.

The French plan

“It wasn’t always the plan,” John says, he and his wife had thought they would remain in the UK. But the idea was always nearby because, as John says, the Doyles “have friends who have a place out there, and my sister is married to a French person.”

What changed their thinking, like for so many others, was Covid and the lockdowns. The move to working from home showed John he “didn’t need to be sitting in my office 52 weeks of the year.”

“We thought having somewhere that was more like being at home when you’re on holiday was going to be nice,” he adds. “That’s what we’ve done.”

If you’re wondering whether buying in France is possible, our article Can you buy property in France? can help you decide.

Finding the one (before seeing it)

“We spent quite a few months looking online,” John recalls. “We were originally looking slightly further west, but we didn’t really see anything that ticked the boxes. We were looking for something that was, in a sense, not traditionally French. We wanted something with plenty of light and big windows.”

The Doyles weren’t having much luck, and then they widened their search. That’s when the listing in Le Lonzac “popped up”, John says, adding “it was exactly what we wanted.”

They made an offer before seeing it in person. “My sister’s parents-in-law went to look at it,” John says. “They took loads of pictures, did some sketches of the floor plans… it was during Covid restrictions so we couldn’t travel.” When restrictions eased, they visited the property themselves.

Planning a remote property purchase? Learn how in our guide to finding a property in France. Or, read about how to conduct a successful virtual property viewing.

Life in Le Lonzac

“The town’s called Le Lonzac. It’s got about 800 people, a hotel, a tobacco bar, a riding school, and a holiday village,” John says. “There are actually quite a few English people here, which we didn’t expect. We hadn’t thought there would be many because it’s such a rural backwater.”

“We’ve got neighbours on both sides and we know them – we’re on speaking terms. A few roads away there’s someone we know quite well. We’ve been round for dinner.”

Want to see what’s available nearby? Browse our guide to buying property in Haute-Vienne. Or, if you aren’t set on a particular region yet, take a look at where to buy a property in France to see what’s on offer.

A big house – and big potential

Built in 1905, The Doyle’s new home is more than a place to stay – it’s a project. “It’s on a slope… from the front you’ve got the ground floor and then the bedrooms, and a big full-height loft,” John says. “From the back, it’s five floors. Below the ground floor is a two-bedroom apartment, then a full garage, and below that again is the ground level from the back.”

“It’s all stone on the outside,” he says. “They lined all the inside with clay bricks for thermal insulation and to hide the cabling.”

There’s a lot of potential to expand, too, John explains. “We’ve got three bedrooms and a study, the library, and we haven’t converted the attic yet – but that could be a games room or small temporary accommodation.”

Considering buying a home that you can let or run as a gîte? Start with our guide to managing your French property.

Why Smart Currency made all the difference

John used Smart Currency Exchange for all of his payments to France. “We used Smart Currency to do the currency transaction. That worked very well – very smooth.”

The Doyles booked a Forward Contract with Smart, locking in the exchange rate so their budget was secure while they waited for the house sale to go through. It was a good thing, too, as John explains. “The time between offer and completion was about 15 months,” he says. “We had booked a Forward Contract a lot earlier, and we were able to re-forward the contract with no loss of the conversion rate. That was three times. It just kept dragging out, and they were very professional about it.”

If they hadn’t locked in the exchange rate, it may have meant losing out when it came to exchanging contracts.

Read our advice on money-saving tips when buying property in France and how to make all your essential payments in France.

Advice from the other side

“I think you have to be aware that everything is more expensive and slower than you expect,” John says. “Especially if you need to get work done and you’re not going to be there for long periods.”

He also urges caution with contracts: “Make sure you know who’s paying the estate agent fee. Whether it’s on top or coming out of the figure.”

And on legal support: “We used an English-speaking notaire, but he didn’t help us as much as we hoped. We were still using Google Translate for big sales documents.”

John also warns buyers to think practically: “Our village hasn’t got a doctor anymore. That might be something that’s important to you. We’ve found it difficult to register with another doctor because all the lists are full.”

If you’re unsure how to prepare, read our guide to choosing the perfect location for your property in France and the costs of buying property in France.

Looking ahead

At the moment, John and his wife are using the 90-day visa rule. “We’re just using all 90 days out of 180,” he explains. “We spent three weeks there in March, three weeks in May, and we’ll probably go back for three weeks in July.”

But they’re thinking long term: “I’m talking to my accountant about whether it might be sensible to become a French resident for tax purposes. We might think about getting a six-month visa to spend more time there.”

Want to know if you can gain residency in France by buying property? John is exploring the same path.

Inspired by his story? Learn how to buy property in France or book a call with one our property consultants and take your first step today.