Provence Escape to the Continent

I'm in a region where it's thought a single book inspired

thousands of Brits to up sticks and seek a simpler life.

But what was the book? And where could I be?

Join me in just a moment to find out.

The course of today's property search takes us to

some glorious locations.

Ta-da!

Wow. Wow!

Lovely!

Our house-hunters aren't afraid to speak their mind.

-You don't like it?

-No.

-Not at all?

-THEY LAUGH

But, in the end, the properties speak for themselves.

-I'm speechless.

-Do you love it?

I think it's absolutely beautiful.

Welcome to Escape To The Continent.

I am in Provence, in the south-east of France.

And the book was Peter Mayle's A Year In Provence,

about a couple who leave London for the pleasures of rural France,

that helped paint a picture of paradise

in the minds of thousands of Brits.

It became one of the bestselling travel books of all time,

selling six million copies in its first two decades.

And with stunning scenery that's inspired the likes of Renoir

and Matisse, world-renowned cuisine and 300 days of sunshine,

maybe not right now, it's easy to understand why

so many long for a life in Provence.

A two hour flight from the UK

and 400 miles south of Paris is the French region of Provence.

Sandwiched between the Languedoc region to the west,

Italy to the east, and the Mediterranean coast to the south,

it has a population just shy of five million.

Provence comes from the Roman name Provincia Romana.

For around 700 years, the Romans settled across this bountiful

territory, leaving behind epic feats of engineering and architecture.

Such as the Roman bridge at Vaison-la-Romaine,

and the spectacular amphitheatre in the town of Orange,

thought to be one of the best preserved

ancient Roman theatres in the world.

The traditional stone towns

and villages of Provence offer a very typical French way of life,

centring on the town hall,

the central square and the weekly market.

And the local industries of agriculture, pottery,

olive oil and wine are still very much part of the local economy.

This region may well be the land of lavender fields, olive groves and

vineyards, but it's also home to the glitzy coastline of the Cote d'Azur.

Known as the French Riviera, the golden beaches

and marinas full of yachts have, for much of the 20th century,

been a playground for the rich international crowd.

But for most holiday-makers and relocators, it's the stunning

rural landscapes and the rustic way of life

that really captures the imagination.

Provence is idyllic and popular.

With just under half of all foreigners who buy in this

country moving to this region.

And with good train links to the capital,

it's also prime location for Parisians looking for a second home.

Little wonder, then, it's also the second most expensive place

outside of Paris. But it's not all doom and gloom.

Particularly if you move to the north-west of the region where

house prices are a whopping 46% cheaper than the south-east.

But what about our buyers?

Where are they looking to buy and how much are they wanting to spend?

Let's meet them to find out.

Chasing the escape to Gallic shores

are husband-and-wife duo Melanie and Richard,

who have their hearts set on tapping into the French

leisure and tourism industry,

with a grand plan that involves much more than

popping across the Channel to put their feet up.

I'm a freelance fitness instructor and we thought about possibly buying

a property offering a beautiful place,

weather, exercise, wonderful food.

We would be in stunning countryside near the mountains,

sort of walking could come into it, biking could come into it.

I love being outside. I love fiddling about.

I'm certainly looking forward to just making sure that Melanie's

business is working and helping out there,

and doing everything as much as I can.

Originally from the West Country, Richard and Melanie have rented

out their Devon home and are currently based

in South East London. Which is just a stepping stone

in their ambitious plan to relocate to more agreeable surroundings.

The long-term decision to leave England, I think

the catalyst was leaving Devon.

So the main aim was a couple of years in London to springboard us

off to the Continent.

I loved living on Dartmoor. But the weather is terrible in the winter.

I have travelled to France a lot in my past. I know it quite well.

The South of France particularly,

so I think it seems to be the obvious place.

I'm not very good at languages.

I know a little bit of French and I'm hoping to build on that.

Now that marine engineer Richard has secured a new contract in Paris,

that Provencal dream is becoming a more tangible reality.

But, of course, that brings with it a few anxieties,

especially leaving their three grown-up children.

My major concern for the move is the distance between us and the children.

I think that will be probably harder for me than you.

I probably find it harder to let go a little bit.

For me, it's probably more practical things.

All the bureaucracy that we are going to have to come up against.

You know, finding the right property, transferring the money.

But there is always going to be a way around it. You've just got to...

-Yeah, yeah.

-That's the philosophy you have to have.

By fusing both personal and professional interests,

they are hoping to finally realise their long-held aspirations

and so, are wholeheartedly embracing this wholesome new chapter.

Suddenly, we are a couple without children around,

for the first time ever.

-Enjoying every moment.

-Enjoying every minute of it.

And we just... It feels very much a new episode.

And the right time.

It's all about having an adventure, taking a risk.

-Going out and doing it.

-Absolutely.

Having each other to support each other, which is great.

With the live-in business such a core priority for today's buyers,

coupled with Richard's need to commute to Paris, we are

casting our house-hunting net over a 25-mile radius of Avignon.

With its international airport and TGV high-speed rail link,

it's a fantastically accessible part of rural France.

And as Provence is the oldest winemaking region

in all of France, we've arranged to meet our buyers

amongst the vines of the sumptuous Chateau des Fines Roche.

-Welcome to Provence.

-Thank you.

-Yay!

-It's not bad, is it?

-Beautiful.

-Gorgeous.

What's pulling you towards this region in France?

-The weather.

-THEY LAUGH

And the wine. The vines.

-The produce.

-The produce.

-The way of life.

-The way of life.

-The markets.

-Yeah.

-Why now?

I'm seconded to a project in Paris for the next three years.

I would normally work in Paris during the week.

Will your commute to be longer or shorter than it is from London?

Cos London to Paris is very speedy.

Yes, it's about two and a half hours.

But on the Avignon TGV it's also two and a half hours.

OK, perfect.

But you will have the benefit of living in the South of France.

-Yes, exactly.

-Tell me more about this business.

It will absolutely involve yoga and Pilates.

And great food and cycling.

-Are they your passions?

-Absolutely, yes.

And it just seemed the perfect sort of time to leave the big smoke

and come and bring it all together, our business...

-In a wonderful environment.

-In a wonderful...

Well, it is. You are not wrong.

It's a perfect environment to have a beautiful yoga retreat with

good food and cycling. It sounds like the sort of place

-I would happily visit.

-Wonderful. You would be welcome.

Presumably this house will have to accommodate your three

-grown-up children as well?

-When they choose to visit us.

-When they choose to visit us.

-Which isn't very often.

Believe me, if you get a fantastic place in France, I'm sure

-the kids will be here.

-That would be wonderful. Yeah, yeah.

Talk to me about this property. What is the ideal?

Paint a picture for me.

We would prefer to have something that had a lot of character.

But obviously large enough to allow us to do what we want to do.

How many bedrooms?

-Five to six.

-Yes, five to six bedrooms.

Five to six bedrooms, but we are flexible on bedrooms.

A swimming pool, most definitely. Or a space to put a swimming pool in.

But also an outside space where you could maybe put sun sails

so that we could exercise in the morning outside.

And a room that we could convert to a studio.

So this house we are looking for needs to be able to

-accommodate the people coming.

-Yes.

-Or would they stay elsewhere?

No, I need to accommodate the people coming.

If it needed a bit of work doing, it wouldn't put you off?

-Not at all.

-What about the location? Do you want to be near a town?

Do you want to be rural?

I would like to be near the hustle and bustle but outside of it.

Within easy reach of it.

-You would prefer to be more remote, wouldn't you?

-Yes.

When we lived on Dartmoor, we were quite remote.

And you loved it?

-He loved it.

-Yes.

-Yes.

-Yes.

OK, so you are in a bit of disagreement here.

I think, for me, if the business were flourishing

and there was that constant contact with people, I could be more remote.

But I certainly don't want to be isolated.

How much money do you have to spend?

What's the budget for this dream house?

£425,000.

The sun is shining, the two of you are smiling, I think,

as this mood is here, we should go off and see our first property.

-Fantastic, can't wait.

-Definitely.

-Thank you.

Come on then, follow me.

For a maximum budget of £425,000 Melanie and Richard

need at least five bedrooms to house them and their guests.

They want a pool and scope to create an exercise studio

set within a traditional French Provencal estate.

They'd happily take on major renovation work.

There is definitely some disquiet

when it comes to picking between a rural or better connected location.

And we've got a variety of properties to cheer,

charm and captivate our couple.

They will have absolutely no idea how much the houses cost

until the very end of each tour.

Then there is the mystery property - a thunderbolt of an option

that will have our buyers careering towards totally uncharted territory.

The first house in our Provencal journey

is in the village of Althen-des-Paluds,

just 20 minutes from Avignon.

With 2,500 residents, it's a relatively quiet village,

but offers all the basic amenities for day-to-day life.

Just to the north is Provence's highest peak, Mont Ventoux.

Which, during the winter months, is a ski resort.

Often used as a gruelling stage in the Tour de France,

it attracts cyclists all year round.

Just half a mile from the village itself

is our first French country property.

Melanie and Richard, welcome to property number one.

Do you know, it's quite interesting.

It's almost like a French version of our house in Manaton.

-Yes.

-On Dartmoor.

-Yeah.

-Is that right?

-Yeah, yeah.

In what way?

The shape, the stonework. Would you agree?

-Yeah, it's lovely. Yeah.

-Yeah.

-Lovely is good, Richard.

-Yes, lovely is good. Rustic.

-You said you wanted rustic.

-Yes.

-The house itself was built in 1820.

-Lovely!

Lots of wow factor. South-facing. Patio.

You can see yourself sitting out in the evening having a glass of wine.

Yes, you can. That's for sure.

Shall we go in?

-Yes, please.

-Come on.

-Great.

So often the dream is to pick up your house

and drop it in the perfect foreign location.

So hopefully this stone-fronted three-storey property could

prove to be the ideal substitute for Melanie and Richard.

Come on in.

Wow.

Honestly, this is just so bizarre

because our house on Dartmoor has this exact arch.

-Honestly, really uncanny.

-That is very strange.

The layout and the date of the house is around the same time.

-It's so similar.

-Great fireplace.

-Fab fireplace.

-I'm so glad they've kept that.

-Fantastic feature.

-It's a really comfortable feeling room.

-Yeah.

Tucked beyond the living space down here

is also a sizeable dining room.

But next, it's across to the kitchen.

-Small.

-Bijou.

-Bijou, yes.

-Very small.

It is small, yes.

Too small for me. Uh...

I have battled with small kitchens for the last ten years.

The first thing we said was you would have a big kitchen.

A big kitchen cos I'm a big cook. I cook all the time.

It is a small kitchen.

What's on the other side of that wall?

That is where you have a storage cupboard.

OK, so there could be a good be a potential opportunity to extend.

That would be interesting, if we could have a look at that.

-I like this building mind. Always looking for opportunity.

-Yeah.

OK, the room is small but certainly if we could extend,

that would be no problem.

Richard's engineering mind might just have saved the day.

But Melanie may need convincing.

Perhaps the first floor will bring her back onside.

There are four spacious double bedrooms with big French windows

and a family bathroom.

Ah. Hmm.

It's lovely.

-Very surprising.

-Yes.

-Good size.

-Yes.

Love the exposed beams.

The sort of character that our customers or guests would love.

So, yep. It's a great, great room.

There is probably enough room to put an en-suite in here, actually.

You probably could.

And if anyone could figure it out, it would be you, Richard.

Now, I am going to give you the opportunity to look upstairs

but I will tell you just now that it's got an attic and loft

-and a solid staircase going up there.

-OK.

Should you want to think about business opportunity here,

you could possibly turn the upstairs into a self-contained flat.

Use this as somewhere for people to stay and then downstairs could be...

Which is something we've talked about.

With our limitations on our budget in this area, it might be that we

would have to give the property over, in a sense,

and have a little contained space for ourselves during high season.

-Lots to think about.

-Mm-hmm.

-Let's go outside.

Plenty to ponder on

and yet more to see outdoors.

There is a quarter of an acre of land in total,

including a beautiful swimming pool.

And in front of the swimming pool you have...

a pool house.

That's a good footprint size.

I'm sure we could block off the front portion

and maybe expand it into a studio of some description.

Is this enough for you to be able to do some work with?

Do you have enough space to do outdoor classes here?

We knew that we were going to have to compromise

when it came to the amount of land that we would be able to afford.

So I think, with a bit of inventiveness and imagination, yeah.

-Yeah.

-It comes at a price.

Melanie, how much do you think this house is on the market for?

525.

£525,000. Thank you.

Uh...

I think it's a lot less than that. It's probably around £425,000.

£425,000.

You are right, it is over budget. But only just.

It's on for £430,000.

-Huh, OK.

-OK.

Why don't you go and have an explore, feel this space.

I will come and find you in a bit.

-OK?

-OK.

-OK.

-Thanks a lot.

-Enjoy.

A pleasant surprise. Just £5,000 over budget.

This early 19th-century stone home currently offers four

double bedrooms, good-sized living and dining areas,

and a petite yet functional kitchen.

Set in a quarter of an acre, there is a pool

and a pool house which could become Melanie's studio.

As well as a fantastic attic space that could be converted to

give them the five bedrooms they really want.

Wow.

Ha!

Oh, wow. What an amazing space.

Two bedrooms in here.

Or you could have just one big living space, rather than...

A bathroom next door.

Hmm.

The actual house size is probably too small for us.

However, the pool/garage building has some definite options for us.

Ah.

Quite a good little space.

Are you envisaging it as a tool shed?

HE LAUGHS

-Somewhere to put all your tools.

-No, I'm thinking more of your studio.

The studio was fantastic. Lovely space. Really great space.

That probably was the highlight, if I'm honest.

And also, being right by the pool. Great.

But as a working option, it just doesn't quite hit the mark.

It's not big enough.

I don't think that we could share the space with the guests.

I think we'd have to give over the bottom floor to them,

which isn't really ideal.

What are the chances of the very first property reminding them

of their own home?

Is it too good to be true though?

-Seen enough?

-Yes.

-Yes.

-Shall we go on, then?

-Absolutely.

-Definitely.

-Let's go.

As dusk draws in, we've got one last port of call

which is about a half hour drive away,

in the village of Robion, at the foot of the Luberon mountain,

on the northern fringes of the Alpilles Natural Regional Park.

OK, this is where I leave you. I'm dumping you here.

-OK.

-I hope you'll be happy. I'm sure you will be.

Basically, for the rest of your time in Provence,

-this is where you will be staying.

-Wow.

-Wonderful.

But I don't want you to get too comfortable in there.

I want you to get out and do some stuff, get involved,

and try and imagine what it might be like to live like locals.

-You up for it?

-Absolutely.

-I think we can do that.

-BOTH: Definitely.

-I will see you tomorrow morning.

-OK.

-OK.

-Hope you have a good night's sleep.

-Thank you so much.

-Thank you. Bye.

But before Melanie and Richard can get out and about,

they first need to explore their temporary Provencal home.

A charming bed and breakfast within the walls

of a rustic stone farmhouse.

Wow.

-Fantastic stairs.

-So lovely.

Then there is also the minor job of unpacking.

Do you feel like this is it?

-That we are actually on the road now after years of talking about it?

-Yes.

And dreaming that it's actually going to happen.

Yeah, I think so.

I can see that there are going to be opportunities within our budget.

And yeah, no, it's very exciting.

So, encouraged now the house-hunt is underway,

our couple waste no time taking the opportunity to discover

the delights Provence will have in store for them

and their guests, aside from the bricks and mortar.

Their destination is the medieval village of Chateauneuf-du-Pape,

home to the region's most famous wine export

with a viticulture pedigree over 700 years in the making.

-Bonjour mademoiselle.

-Bonjour.

-Bonjour.

France is synonymous with wine and there are more than two million

acres of vineyards stretched out across this country.

Wow!

But it's Provence that's celebrated as the oldest winemaking

region in the entire country.

What's the process? What we have to do? Swill it around a little?

Time for a little try before they buy

and they are starting with a young, fresh and fruity grape from 2012.

Hmm. There is a bit of fizz there.

I'm assuming because it's slightly younger?

Next is a 2007 Chateau de Beaucastel.

Gosh! That's much more...velvety.

It's a higher quality grade of Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

And this bottle comes with a price tag of 81 euros.

You wouldn't put that in your beef stew.

THEY LAUGH

No. No.

Definitely not.

-Take out a mortgage on that one.

-De Beaucastel...

I think we should buy a special bottle for a special occasion

which would be...

-The next big special occasion would be your 60th birthday.

-OK.

Sounds like a plan to me.

We should have it, keep it under lock and key...

And I get to drink all of it?

And you get to drink all of it.

THEY LAUGH

-Thank you so much.

-See you. Au revoir.

-Au revoir.

-Au revoir.

Now armed with a fine vintage for Richard's milestone birthday

in a few years' time, it still remains to be seen

whether or not they will be clinking glasses for the occasion

in a new home here in Provence.

It's the beginning of our second day searching for a French rural

retreat which offers our house-hunters enough space

and land for a live-in yoga business within a £425,000 budget.

Melanie and Richard don't really know what it is

they are precisely looking for.

They don't really know the image of the dream house yet

because they are at the very early stages of their search.

Which could make things difficult

because there is no precise brief or it could make things very easy,

particularly as these two can see

the potential in pretty much everything.

Great for the start of another day.

-Good morning!

-Good morning!

-Good morning, Anita.

-Are we feeling positive?

-Absolutely.

How can you not? This is stunning, isn't it?

-Gorgeous.

-Beautiful.

-Ready for another day?

-Absolutely.

Well rested?

-Yes.

-So rested. Well fed. Watered. We are ready to go.

-Let's do it then, come on.

-OK.

Today we are looking eastwards

and heading to the village of Venasque, 25 miles from Avignon.

Set in an area of widespread forest,

Venasque is a small hilltop village.

Its winding streets lead past the church,

the artists' ateliers and local restaurants.

Popular with tourists, there are several hotels here.

And an old-school charm which flows right through

into today's first property.

SHE GASPS

-Thank you.

-THEY LAUGH

Wow, fantastic. Lovely aspect.

-Lovely stonework. It's gorgeous.

-Oh, it's beautiful!

-Yeah.

I'm speechless.

-Do you love it?

-It's absolutely beautiful.

-The drive up here was...

-Stunning.

-Stunning.

So you like the location?

-Oh!

-Yeah.

-Love the setting!

Love the setting.

There is so much to do around here.

There's a lot of outdoor activities you can do in this area.

-Yeah.

-Which is exactly what we had in mind.

-Yes.

-For our business.

-Yes.

You are very close to the village of Venasque, which is

one of 156 most beautiful villages in France.

-Oh, wow.

-I can see why.

'I think they like it.'

They are certainly keen on the classic stone facade of this

semidetached 18th-century property.

But will it continue

when our business-minded duo explore the interior?

Come on through. Stop right there.

-OK, let me tell you...

-Sweet.

-Sweet?

-Mm-hmm.

-Yes?

Yeah, very sweet. I love an attached kitchen-diner.

Because you don't feel isolated then, do you?

-Exactly. You are cooking, they are talking.

-Yeah.

But it does feel a little small. Especially when you're thinking

we could potentially have eight guests in here.

I think we could change it. We could get rid of this bar.

Open up the kitchen. That would create more space immediately.

-And there is also a lounge on this floor.

-OK.

-OK.

Very snug little lounge.

And also a toilet and a separate bathroom

-with a separate shower in it.

-OK.

-OK.

A rather mixed reception so far to the inside, even though

Melanie is keeping positive and focusing on the potential.

And there is plenty more to see.

Winding our way up a spiral staircase to the first floor,

we find another good-sized bathroom and three spacious bedrooms.

One is presented with twin beds, another is a bright, sunny double.

And we are heading into the third.

Come on in.

Into the master bedroom.

What do you think?

Yeah, a very good size. Surprising size.

I thought it was going to be smaller.

-And it feels tucked away.

-It does. And quiet.

I'm sensing that the outside had more promise than the inside.

-Yes.

-LAUGHING:

-Yes.

It looks fantastic on the outside

but perhaps a little bit too small on the inside.

-Don't make up your mind yet.

-No.

I think there is definitely room for being creative,

-particularly downstairs.

-Good, because there is more to see.

OK.

'I'm hoping Melanie's positivity will start to rub off on Richard.

'But he is keeping his cards fairly close to his chest.

'There are a couple of surprises left in the property though.

'The first - a potentially self-contained floor

'up in the attic.'

-Hmm.

-Hmm.

You can see there is a big double bedroom in there.

-Yes.

-And there is a space here.

-Yes.

-You have that.

-Yep, potential for an en-suite.

-Yes.

It's a really nice space.

I mean, if we could jig this around this would be

great for the two of us during the season.

-Yeah, when you have people here.

-When you have people here.

-There's lots you can do it here.

-Wonderful.

A suite is a real godsend when guests are in your home.

And this makes up the fourth bedroom.

The property doesn't offer a fifth, but outside, there is

a double garage space which could deliver on the exercise studio.

There is something else I want to show them,

which is also a great asset for guests.

It's back down on the first floor and is a pretty special spot.

Ta-da!

-Wow. Wow.

-Lovely!

-Mont Ventoux.

-It's gorgeous.

What a view.

I love the fact that this is almost like a room on its own.

I can imagine guests just coming out, sitting out here with a book.

It's almost better than it being connected to one of the rooms.

-And then the others not having one.

-Yeah.

This could be a communal balcony, couldn't it?

Oh, God, yeah, sure.

It's lovely.

You have a swimming pool. You can see the way the garden runs,

-that way. The plot in its entirety is about a third of an acre.

-Yeah.

Well, you've been making all the right noises.

Can you put a price on it? How much do you think it is on for?

I would say in the region of around £410,000.

Thank you. Melanie?

I would say in the region of £430,000.

It's actually on for £410,000. You were on the nose, Richard.

-Spot on!

-Thank you very much.

Are you smiling because you won or are you smiling

because it is below budget?

-Any time I can beat her, the better.

-It doesn't happen often, darling.

No, it doesn't.

No, no, I think that's a pretty good price.

It gives a little bit more in the pocket for us

-to do the things that we want to do.

-Yeah, yeah.

£15,000 in your back pocket, it's not bad, is it?

-So, go and have a look.

-OK.

And think about where you might spend that extra cash.

-Thank you.

-I'll be down there.

-OK.

It's hard not to get excited about this property, which has

thrown up opportunities and pleasant surprises at nearly every turn.

Comfortably under budget, this rustic property is a great option.

It features four good-sized bedrooms,

one of which is in a self-contained unit.

There's work to do to convert a large garage into Melanie's studio,

but it does come with a swimming pool

and fantastic views across the countryside.

-That's a stunning view.

-Yeah.

That is just beautiful.

-I could handle looking out to there in the morning.

-Ah.

This is definitely the sort of property that we were thinking of.

There is a bit of potential for us to do what we want to do.

The only downside is, it's just a little small

so we would have to probably forfeit one bedroom, which is

a little disappointing, but maybe we could work with that.

I can definitely see our oak dining room table here.

Get rid of this. Make it more open plan.

Oh, God, yes. Yeah. Lovely kitchen in there.

And a lovely kitchen in there.

Yeah.

The house has immense character, which I love.

What it doesn't have is the one extra room.

So maybe downsizing our expectations of how many guests

we were going to take in, from eight to six, could be a possibility.

Here they are.

I can't get enough of this view.

Have you seen enough?

-Yes.

-OK.

-But you love it, don't you?

-Yes.

-Absolutely.

-Love it.

-Love it.

Good. Which means that there is lots to think about.

-But it's not yours just yet. Come on.

-OK.

-OK.

Moving to any country to live can be daunting.

But basing your move on a new business venture can be

absolutely terrifying.

So I'm introducing Melanie and Richard to two friends living

in Provence who have already set up their own successful enterprises.

Joanna is a British expat who runs a photography business

throughout France.

And Jane is originally from the States,

but has recently set up a company that should definitely

be of interest to Melanie.

-Hello, Jane and Joanna.

-Hey.

-Hey.

-Meet Melanie and Richard.

-ALL: Hello. Lovely to meet you.

Lovely to meet you too.

The reason the four of you are going to get together is

because they have got bags of experience,

they have lived here for a long time,

-but Jane also runs a yoga retreat.

-Fantastic.

-Fantastic.

I think the four of you should go off and have some fun.

I will catch up with you back at the ranch. Off you go.

-Shall we?

-Have fun.

-Great.

But before we talk shop, the quartet are picking up

provisions for lunch in the beautiful village of Eygalieres.

We are going to go into the boulangerie.

First stop, pastries. Both savoury.

And not forgetting the sweet.

-Une...

-Sacristain.

-Sacristain.

The really sugary one.

SHE GASPS

-Merci!

-Merci!

-Au revoir.

-Au revoir.

When it comes to fruit and vegetables,

the region of Provence grows over half the entire country's produce.

-Shall we get some fruits and vegetables?

-Yes, that would be nice.

-The tomatoes look...

-Yeah, they are absolutely beautiful.

Just come into season. They are from just up the road.

Which is just fantastic. So we will get some of these.

Beautiful.

And with foodstuffs in hand,

it's just a short stroll to Jane's yoga sanctuary.

Set in the postcard perfection of Eygalieres,

and overlooking the hills of the Alpilles,

the eight-bedroomed luxurious retreat

lies within immaculately landscaped grounds

and features a cool, calm and contemporary interior design.

Here we are. This is where we will be holding the yoga retreats.

Wow!

That's fantastic. Beautiful.

Leaving Joanna and Richard to get cracking with lunch,

the yoga devotees head out to look over the facilities.

It's absolutely beautiful, Jane.

Yeah, it is really.

Who are you marketing this to?

It is quite high-end.

It's going to cost 2,000 euros per person to come and stay for a week.

What is your high season

and what would you call your down season?

What months are we looking at?

Actually, the winter months here are quite quiet. I mean after October.

So November, December, January, February.

So an important thing to realise

when you're living here full-time is to diversify.

It's fantastic that your husband has another income, another job.

Jane, if you were to give me

a single piece of advice for lasting through the quiet season

what would you say is the most important thing to remember or to do?

I think connecting with the local community

because that's where you're also...

You are going to work with the locals as well as the tourists

coming in the summer. So that's really important.

That's what I've done.

And now the French banquet is ready, I'm rejoining the party to see

what else our couple can learn from our business-minded hosts.

Join us.

Thank you.

This looks lovely.

Joanna, just how easy is it to set up a business without the language?

It's not that difficult to set it up.

It's just that it takes time to understand what statute

you are going to take.

But you can get there. You just have to be persuasive and determined.

-It's possible.

-It's possible.

And what about health care?

Obviously, in England we have the NHS which when it works,

it works very well. Here in France, you do pay more.

It took me a while to get my Carte Vitale but once you've got it,

it does work very well.

The Chamber of Commerce here is great.

They were very helpful when I set up my business.

They will give you advice on your business

as well as the structures and how you can do that.

That's great to know.

Do you think there is a market for what Melanie wants to do,

-setting up yoga and Pilates classes?

-Absolutely.

However, I think that what you are used to in London, it's exploded,

the market for yoga and Pilates and all that.

It's just now coming here.

So if you are used to living in London and, you know,

quite a bustly life, how do you cope with the sort of

French laid-back lifestyle?

That is definitely something that is trying.

You never get used to it really.

But it's also something we love because people are more laid-back.

Still want to do it?

-Yeah.

-Yeah?

-Yeah, absolutely.

Look, we've got all this amazing produce in front of us. Shall we?

ALL: Yep.

'All in all, a successful detour

'as we tuck into our fresh local fare.'

And when it comes to moving to France,

there are a few other details to bear in mind.

If an offer on the property is made at the asking price

the owners are legally bound to accept it.

As a result,

it's common for asking prices to be some 20% above the actual value.

Also, to access health care, you need what's known as a Carte Vitale.

It holds your Social Security number,

medical insurance information,

and next of kin details, all in one automated card.

Back to the house hunt, and our next stop is 15 miles north of Avignon

and just across the Provence border to the commune of Rochegude.

It's an imposing Romanesque town that's home to nearly 2,000 people.

The ruling 12th-century chateau majestically overlooks

the Cotes du Rhone vineyards.

And there is a handful of restaurants,

shops and wine bars for sampling the local nectar.

'We've headed three miles out of town

'to a remote and tranquil wooded area.

'Here our next property offers something we haven't

'so far been able to find.'

OK...

Land.

This property comes with 2.4 acres of woodland.

-And they are all oak.

-Right.

-They are all oak?

-Isn't that wonderful?

-OK, yeah.

It's rural but you are not in the absolute sticks.

You've got neighbours dotted around.

And you can see their property from here.

I can't quite work out the shape of the house.

-Strange-looking property.

-Let's get closer.

-BOTH:

-OK.

The fairytale wooded backdrop could well fit in with the calming

escape ethos of Melanie and Richard's business.

The grounds here also boast a large, long swimming pool

and plenty of areas for outdoor yoga classes.

When it comes to the property itself, it is single-storey,

made from local stone,

and looks out over protected vineyards

and land with no risk of future building work.

I'm starting our tour with the main living area.

Come on up.

LAUGHING: Right.

-Wow.

-Hmm.

Very, very circa 1970s, '80s.

Yeah, built in the '80s, you are right.

I'm just sort of trying to absorb what I'm looking at

at the moment. The shape of it...

I quite like that sort of modern fireplace. I could work with that.

Floor plan...

The room doesn't feel very homely.

I'm not feeling it. What about you, darling?

It's not what we are looking for at all.

What's wrong with it?

It's a completely unusable space for a start.

I mean, the kitchen is so small, it's minute.

In fact, I wouldn't even call it a kitchen.

This area, in my opinion, is pointing in the wrong direction.

What about the view though?

Actually, this is probably the best part of the house, this view.

From what I've seen so far.

It's pointing in the wrong direction!

It's pointing away from the sun.

It...

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

Richard is not mincing his words and it's clear the versatile

reception and living area aren't working for him, even though

they are overlooked by an extra, reasonably-sized mezzanine level

housing an office and single bedroom.

There is more to see in this house though as there are three

further ground-floor bedrooms, two of which are en-suite.

And they all enjoy high ceilings, big windows and beautiful views.

Come on in.

Come on in.

This is one of three double bedrooms in this house.

-It's light.

-It's light.

I love the doors. If the doors opened up, let's say,

onto a sort of patio area or pool area, lovely.

Not really so keen on the doors opening onto a shady bit of grass.

It's just the pine. The pine window frames. It's my worst nightmare.

-It hasn't been touched since the '80s, has it?

-You can feel that.

I could imagine this in the hands of someone

with a real retro sort of style.

But I think you have to be in love with that era of build.

-You don't like it.

-No.

-Not at all?

-THEY LAUGH

-Shall we go outside?

-Yes.

-Come on.

-Let's go.

'The property is fast running out of opportunities to impress,'

and whilst there's more diplomacy from Melanie,

Richard can't disguise his dismay.

The unique style and layout would be viewed as cool and quirky by many,

but we're some way off the mark for today's couple.

-That's beautiful. Come on, we can agree on that.

-Of course.

-Oh, yes.

-Yeah.

-This is not doing it for you.

-No.

It also comes with planning permission

for an extra 1,000 square feet,

so you could extend this property any which way you wanted

-to make it bigger.

-Oh, really?

-Yeah.

Come on, Richard. I know you've got very creative minds.

-1,000 square feet.

-I... Yes, nothing, nothing...

Is there nothing you could do to this property

that would make you like it?

Given free rein with this shell?

I just, I can't really imagine anything that we can do with it

which would suit our business.

What do you think this property with all the land is on the market for?

I would say it's on the market for £425,000.

Thank you.

Richard. What's the price tag?

I... I'm really struggling with this one.

I would say £300,000.

ANITA AND MELANIE LAUGH In Provence.

-It's actually on for £396,000.

-Yeah.

I know I'm not going to convince you,

and it's not my job to convince you,

the house should just speak for itself.

-But I would like you to go and have a little explore.

-OK.

-See you later.

Richard's big undervaluation offers a fair snapshot into his thinking

on this rather curveball property.

Built in 1980, this house is ripe for an ambitious upgrade.

Seen as a shell, it offers a large living space and four bedrooms

with planning permission in place to extend over 1,000 square feet.

That would deliver all the living and sleeping accommodation

they could possibly need.

It's an ideal setting for a yoga retreat,

but alas, I just don't think Richard and Melanie share this vision.

I'm always intrigued, so I was intrigued to come in.

I hadn't written it off immediately.

However, it does feel a little bit like it's stuck in the '80s.

I think my shabby chic style would just not go here,

so...yeah, I don't feel I'm a match for the property. Definitely.

When I look at a property...you know, normally I can see potential.

and...in this property,

I don't see...any potential whatsoever.

My thoughts, my expectations are definitely changing

with every day as the search goes on.

-Hello.

-Hi.

-Hi.

Are you ready to leave the '80s behind?

-Yes.

-Definitely. Well behind. THEY LAUGH

Let's go and find the modern world over there somewhere.

-Come on, we're off.

-OK, let's go.

After a busy day of lows and highs,

it's time for me to part company with our couple

and leave them to enjoy a well-earned evening out together

where they can reflect on the move ahead.

How do you think about leaving the kids

-and, you know, do you think...?

-Yeah!

HE LAUGHS

No, no. Not true, not true.

Do you think they will cope without us?

I hope so.

Yeah, I mean, I feel a little bit...

..anxious about the distance and if there are any problems, but...

I think they're going to be on that Eurotunnel or on the plane...

-Yeah.

-..whenever they have the opportunity.

But before their relatives can descend upon their new French abode,

Melanie and Richard need to find it.

And tomorrow, we've got one last chance to tempt them.

Fitness instructor Melanie and engineer Richard from Dartmoor

have £425,000 to spend on a new home and life

in the South of France.

It's much, much more than a house they're after.

Their dream yoga retreat live-in business

requires a very specific property in very specific surroundings.

Somewhere with grounds,

not unlike the bed and breakfast they're staying in for the week.

-Good morning.

-Hello.

-Wow. Isn't that wonderful?

-Amazing.

-What a wonderful morning.

-I know, imagine July and August.

-You'd be out here six o'clock in the morning.

-Oh, all the time.

-And I should be doing it with you.

-SHE SIGHS, HE CHUCKLES

Well, I've worked up an appetite.

-Yeah, well, breakfast is ready.

-Let's go. Yeah!

Provence has a Mediterranean climate which doesn't get particularly cold,

but does get pretty hot

with temperatures regularly hitting the mid-30s throughout August.

In winter and spring, this region is also affected by the mistral,

a strong wind which often exceeds 25mph

and can blow for days on end.

The temperate climate does however lend itself

to the production of fruit and delicious breakfast jams.

Staying here and knowing that our budget is maybe a little bit...

-Um...

-Too optimistic.

-Too optimistic.

-I would be so willing to compromise on how much land.

-Yes.

If we just had enough for the pool,

the outside area for sitting and an exercise area,

that would be enough.

Yeah, amazing.

Hearing the word compromise is very reassuring

as our couple will need a seriously open mind

for the mystery option we've lined up today

Now, Melanie and Richard know a thing or two about buildings,

so we thought we'd test their creativity

and really give them something to think about.

Today's mystery proposal is located near the village of Roussillon,

15 miles east of Avignon.

It's perched on the edge of the Luberon Nature Park,

famous for its flaming cliffs and rich ochre deposits.

Ochre was first used as a natural paint

in the caves of prehistoric man

and these large local quarries were mined

from the end of the 18th-century until 1930.

Roussillon itself is known locally as the red and orange village,

as the distinctive ochre pigment

enlivens the walls and roofs of the entire community.

-Often I take you to the property first.

-Mm-hm.

-This time, I thought I'd bring you to your local town first.

-OK.

-Do you like Roussillon?

-Yeah.

-Oh, it's lovely.

-Spectacular.

A lot of character. Lots of colour.

All these houses have been built with ochre

-and painted with the colour as well.

-Yeah, stunning.

So you like the town, you approve of the town...

Yeah, beautiful approach.

-So now it's just about the mystery property.

-Ah!

-Can't wait.

And what a mystery it is today. I can't wait either.

-THEY LAUGH

-Come on, let's do it.

-Let's go.

So Roussillon has got the seal of approval.

For our next offering,

we're heading ten minutes deeper into the national park

to the tiny village of Lioux.

Inhabited since 960 AD,

today there's a small population of just 258.

Set in beautiful countryside,

it's a Mecca for hiking and mountain biking

as well as offering a calm and restful spot.

Oh, yes, this really is a mystery tour.

It is, which means it's going to be a curveball.

-I'm really going to test how open-minded you are now, OK?

-OK.

Because the mystery is...

-It's this plot.

-It's the plot.

-HE LAUGHS

-Come and look.

-The digger was the key.

-It's this plot of land.

-OK.

-Right.

-OK.

I want your first instant reactions, please.

Er, first instant reaction,

very close to the building next to us.

-It's his land.

-OK.

-He's selling it.

-OK.

Let me give you a bit more information.

It's an acre and it has permission to build a property on it

of 425 square metres.

-Yeah.

-Huge.

It's about two and half times the size of

-the second property we looked at.

-Yes.

-Right?

-Crikey.

-Also, that is the Luberon Mountain Range.

-Yes.

We are in a national park.

Land here does not come up very often.

-He's obviously built his own.

-Yes.

There's a couple of others where they've built their own.

-They look great as well.

-They do, don't they?

-Yeah.

What you think about the location?

-Oh, it's a spectacular view.

-Yeah, it's incredible.

-And this path here, where does this go?

-This is the mystery path...

No, er, that actually links to the village of Lioux,

-which is just there.

-OK, which is just up the road.

-Yeah.

-Fantastic.

-But let's go and see how far it goes that way.

-OK.

-Follow me.

Great reaction so far,

and as we gaze across all that the patch had to offer,

there's plenty to consider for anyone building

their own property in France.

The easiest bit of advice - go and chat to those neighbours.

Relatively new buildings nearby

suggest that invaluable information can be mined

regarding builders, administration problems and recommendations.

And whilst you're making friends,

add the local mayor to your contact list.

Permissions always run through the town hall,

so they'll make a useful ally.

On that note, while it's sometimes advised

to bring workmen from the UK to cut costs,

the practice will be frowned upon locally,

so think twice before you risk alienating the community.

-The view.

-Wow.

-Mm.

This is more like it.

-I mean, infinity pool.

-Yeah.

-Yoga platform.

-Yeah.

-Pilates...

-Yeah.

-..studio. Pff, I don't know.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

So, you know, this is, this is the plot.

Yeah, I can see there's a lot of potential here.

We'd have to look at whatever plans there are.

-It's a big plot, one acre.

-Shall we try and put a price on it?

-What do you think?

-I would say...for the plot.

I say £200,000.

-What do you think, Melanie?

-I think I'm going to go bit higher.

I say £250,000.

-It's actually on the market for £136,000.

-Wow.

Having known how much land is in the UK, this is, yeah, very reasonable.

To build in the UK, it's about £1,000 per square metre.

Here it's about 815,

-so you could probably get a huge house for maybe £350,000.

-OK.

-I mean, obviously, you can spend as much or as little as you want.

-Yeah.

We certainly could build a pretty good property,

-you know, for £350,000.

-Definitely.

I mean, it's always something we're interested in.

We've always said, if there was a plot that we liked,

we would definitely consider it.

You could build your dream woman her dream home.

I would love that, actually.

-That's probably one of the greatest things I would love to do.

-Aw!

Yeah.

Well, I will let the two of you just have a wonder.

I'm going to go find a spot somewhere

-and maybe go and look at, be nosy in the neighbour's garden.

-OK.

-And I'll find you. OK?

-All right, thank you.

-Thanks.

Come on then.

The mystery tag has given us leeway

to showcase what could be the best way

to create that perfect business location - building it.

The land is on the market for £136,000.

There's water and electricity supply already in place,

as well as road access and local amenities.

Generally, you can expect your total costs to break down as

25% on the land, building at 40%, interior fittings, 25%,

the garden, 5%, and professional fees, at a minimum of 5%.

So much to think about, but for Melanie and Richard,

to get the perfect property in a great location within budget,

this could really be their best option.

Honestly, love, we could make the most spectacular property here.

-Yeah.

-I mean, that would be their vista.

-Yeah.

They would wake up in the morning...and see that.

You know, just think of the studio you could build.

I have a very hopeful feeling when I look around the plot.

The views are stunning.

I can imagine...waking up in a beautiful home here.

Yeah, most definitely.

And I would imagine that guests would love it.

We've kind of regained our positivity and optimism really.

-It was waning, seeing how much our money...

-Mm.

-How far it would go.

-Mm-hm.

Whereas I think this has restored that.

We're very surprised by the price of the plot, aren't we?

-Very surprised.

-Yeah, yeah.

And, you know, we could certainly build

the property that we would want to build

on this piece of land at that cost.

-Have we drawn up the plans, Richard?

-Yes, yes. It's all in my mind now.

-Still feeling positive about this?

-Very.

-So we've got lots to talk about.

-Definitely.

-Come on then.

The medieval city of Avignon, with its famous bridge,

is without a doubt an architectural jewel in the region's crown.

What is perhaps not so well known is that in the 14th century,

it was also one of the most powerful cities in the Western world.

For almost 70 years, this was the seat of the Catholic Church

when the papacy moved here from Rome.

An extravagant papal residence was built,

and I'm exploring this Pope's palace

with my guide from the office of tourism, France Olliver.

-This is incredible.

-Wonderful, isn't it?

France, I just wasn't expecting it to be so huge.

And you haven't seen anything yet. THEY LAUGH

OK, talk to me about this

because I didn't even really fully appreciate that

the Pope spent time living in France.

-Yes.

-Not in Italy.

So the Popes arrived in Avignon in the 14th century

because there was problems in Italy, civil wars.

So they came to settle here.

The first Pope who came to Avignon lived in a very simple place.

Benedict XII, which was the third Pope,

started to build this palace,

and he started with this side here,

which is called the Old Palace.

-The Old Palace. What year was that?

-1335.

-So this was the third Pope.

-Yes.

Talk to me about this bit of building, cos this is enormous.

-Who built this?

-The fourth Pope, Clement VI.

So two Popes, basically, Benedict XII for the Old Palace,

and Clement VI for the New Palace.

But let's start with the Old Palace, if you want.

Lead the way, lead the way, France.

Built in an era of political instability,

the papal residence was constructed as a fortress

protecting the Pope and his followers

whilst showing off the church's considerable power and wealth.

Wow.

What was this place, France?

So this is the tinel, which means the dining room.

-I can imagine this would be one heck of a room to throw a party in.

-Yes.

And this is about showing dominance and might and power.

And luxury cos you think at that time,

the ceiling was covered with blue fabric with gold stars on it

to represent the sky.

Is that right?

That would've been absolutely magical.

Over the next 20 years, the palace was vastly extended.

-ANITA LAUGHS

-Another massive room.

A more ornate Gothic style was introduced,

and the floor space increased to a colossal 15,000 square metres,

the equivalent of four Gothic cathedrals.

Living with the Pope inside the residence were around 100 people

made up of clerics, guards and domestic staff.

And on any given day, around 1,000 people

would be coming in and out of the palace.

The period of the Avignon papacy

saw the reign of seven successive Popes.

Now, let's talk about this thing staring at us.

What is this?

So this is called the indulgence window.

This is where the Pope, freshly elected,

would come and give a blessing to the crowd.

And I bet there would've been quite some crowd down there.

Yes, cos at that time,

the doors would be open for the public to come in

on official days like this one.

Standing right where all those Popes would've stood.

-Bless you all, bless you all.

-THEY LAUGH

At the end of the 14th century, the papacy moved back to Rome,

leaving the palace to become military barracks and even a prison.

But this period in history changed the face of Avignon forever.

With the Pope's palace being here,

did it really impact the town and the shape of the town as well?

Yes, of course, cos there was 6,000 people living in Avignon

before the Popes arrived.

And under Clement VI, there was about 30,000 people.

Huge then. It grew five times.

It exploded because of all the merchants and all the people

who had come here and be with the Pope.

-So he really boosted the city.

-Yes.

Now designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site,

it receives over 650,000 visitors a year

and remains one of Europe's largest and most important

medieval Gothic buildings.

Back at the farmhouse in Robion,

Richard and Melanie are getting ready to leave

and are also reassessing their next move.

-Come on then, help me pack.

-What?

Standing around. HE LAUGHS

Our couple are starting to doubt that their budget

will match up to their high hopes and dreams

in this particular part of the country.

I'm not upset that we've discovered

-that Provence is a little bit beyond us.

-No.

Because Provence wasn't the dream...

-No.

-..France is the dream.

-Yes.

I'm not particularly concerned.

I think that we just need to look at our options,

you know, and see where we're going to go next.

The tour is now over.

We've shown Richard and Melanie all our options here in Provence,

so I'm joining them at the B&B farmhouse

to find out if any of our possibilities

have convinced them to make their dream a reality.

Melanie and Richard, we've come to the end of our time together.

I feel like we've been on quite a journey.

I mean, it's been a windy road,

-a lot like the roads around Provence, hasn't it?

-Yes.

-Yeah, it has, it has.

-It has.

Talk to me about the mystery property, or the plot of land.

-The plot of land.

-You loved it.

-Yeah.

-Yes.

It was interesting on arrival, cos we were quite,

I think, we felt a little bit demoralised on arrival, didn't we?

-Yes. We couldn't quite see a way forward for us here.

-Yeah.

Er, you know, most of the properties

that we would be perhaps interested in

were, you know, were beyond our budget.

So we would be very restricted, I think,

in what we wanted to do here.

However, with the plot of land, you know, there were more options.

Unfortunately, the acre of land was quite narrow

and very close to the other property,

so that was a bit of a sting in the tail, unfortunately.

-Oh, otherwise, how close, how close are we talking?

-So close.

Well, so close that he said to me, "We could buy it now."

-HE LAUGHS

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-We were that close.

-Yeah.

Maybe this has shown you that, actually, maybe a plot of land...

Yeah, maybe a plot of land is an option.

In actual fact, that probably has given me, you know, an idea,

maybe that's what we should do.

-I think it's really added fuel to the fire.

-Yeah.

It's been just so interesting, the journey.

And it's just, I think, cemented in our minds that,

yes, we're coming, but we still have quite a way to go.

Well, I have no doubt, absolutely no doubt,

that you will make this dream a reality.

You will build it and you will make it happen.

And I've really enjoyed myself this week.

-And we've enjoyed ourselves as well.

-Yes, it's been so amazing.

So here's to the two of you and the dream and to headstands.

To the dream and headstands.

-May we do many of them.

-Cheers. Thank you.

Melanie and Richard came to Provence with a dream,

and things don't quite match up precisely.

Either the house was perfect and the land was too small

or the land was perfect and the house was too small.

But what they've come to realise is with the skills that they have,

if they want their dream to become a reality,

they should probably build it themselves.

And you know what? I think they will.

Join me next time for another Escape To The Continent.