Dordogne Escape to the Continent

This picturesque valley is known as the prehistoric capital of the world,

but where on earth could I be? Join me in a moment and I'll tell you.

'After years of trying to make the move happen,

'today's buyer is hoping to begin a new life abroad,

'bringing her best friend along for guidance.

'Our properties give plenty of surprises...'

-Fantastic!

-Yeah, perfect for a party.

-You could play boules here!

'..and cause something of a stir between the best buddies.'

Is this going to turn into a competition?

-Are you actually here to try to find a house for yourself?

-Could be!

It could be the end of a beautiful friendship.

Welcome to Escape To The Continent.

I'm in the Dordogne region of France

and this magnificent waterway is the Dordogne River

which gives the area its name and runs for 300 miles.

But what makes it prehistoric?

Well, around 400,000 years ago, the first hunters settled here,

and they made shelters for themselves

in those magnificent golden limestone cliffs you can see all around me,

and just beyond them,

there are around 200 caves and archaeological sites

making this the definitive area to study Palaeolithic man.

Well, fast-forward to the 21st century,

and it's still a very desirable area for both modern man and woman.

Less than a two-hour direct flight from the UK,

the Dordogne lies within the larger Aquitaine region

in south west France, and covers an area of 3,500 square miles.

It's comprised of four colour-coded zones, called the Four Perigords.

Each colour signifies a characteristic of the province,

as represented by its most important cities.

Nontron - green, for the rivers that mirror the surrounding greenery.

Sarlat - black, coming from its dark oak forests.

Bergerac - purple, for its many vineries.

And Perigeux - white, for its limestone soil.

The area boasts characterful properties

and impeccably preserved architectural history

amidst picturesque villages and authentic fortified towns

such as Saint Junien to the north and Castelnaud over towards the east.

More than 1,000 castles and manors are dotted around the region,

bearing testimony to its violent past,

including a period of incessant fighting between the ruling houses

of France and England for the territory during the Hundred Years War.

Now a much more peaceful invasion is under way.

With over 20,000 Brits now calling this region home,

the Dordogne boasts more ex-pats per head than anywhere else in France.

So how has all this British interest in this area affected the property market?

Well, an average three-bedroom house will cost around £97,000,

which is about a third of the price of an equivalent house in the UK,

but, if you want even better value for money,

the trick is to move to a more rural area

and property prices drop by a further 10%.

Now, the Brits are by far the keenest investors in the Dordogne,

racking up an impressive 50% of all international property purchases.

And our buyer today? Well, she's keen to add to that statistic.

Let's meet her to find out why.

Pursuing a new life abroad is Christine from Sussex,

who'll be accompanied by her friend Muriel,

who's been at her side through thick and thin.

We met about seven years ago.

My husband was ill and Muriel knew this.

I was a doctor's receptionist.

She went on holiday and while she was on holiday,

my husband unfortunately died,

so when she came back and she found out what had happened,

she came round to see me, which was extremely nice of her,

and we've been friends ever since.

-And we share the same interests.

-We lunch. We're ladies that lunch.

-We shop. We chatter. We have a cup of tea, then we shop again.

-Yes.

-Lots of shopping. Yes.

-Muriel does more shopping than I do!

And that's about it.

-And we have a really good time together, don't we?

-We do.

And for Christine, this move is no flash in the pan.

A fresh start in France is a plan that's been long in the making.

I've had this 40-year dream about buying a house in France,

and now is the right time before I'm too ancient.

Yeah, if you don't go tomorrow!

-Who knows?

-She is very prepared.

-She has thought about it a lot.

-I have.

-In fact, it's a bit boring.

Oh, dear! Pity you didn't tell me before.

But relocating to another country

entails far more than simply packing a suitcase.

There's the small matter of a foreign language to master.

But today's leading lady is well en-route to linguistic mastery.

Je suis tres, tres... I don't know what the word for "excited" is!

IN FRENCH:

'Almost.'

I speak reasonable French, enough to get me by.

'Christine has a much firmer grasp

'on what she does and doesn't want from her new home.'

Christine is very particular.

She says what she wants, and if it's not that, she won't have it.

-I don't deviate.

-She is fussy.

-I expect to see perfection.

So I want a characterful French house.

When I look outside of my windows, I would love to see a perfect view

of rolling hills in the distance.

-With a swimming pool in the garden.

-Yes. You and your swimming pool!

I can't even swim!

But one thing that everyone agrees on is that the move has to happen

sooner rather than later.

I'm very excited. I can't wait to get over to see what I can find.

I think you need to go, Christine.

-I have to go.

-I think you need to, if only for my holidays.

Christine would like to be close to an airport

to be able to visit her daughter and grandson easily back home.

So we're concentrating our search

to within an hour and a half of Bergerac's Dordogne Airport.

Her favourite part of Dordogne

tracks the river eastwards across the landscapes of several distinct

Perigord regions towards Sarlat,

and it's 12 miles south of this medieval idyll

where I'm set to meet today's buyer.

But in an area that basks in 2,000 hours of sunshine each year,

I'm meeting the ladies in the pouring rain.

Thankfully, we're able to take shelter in the sublime Chateau De Milandes.

-Hello, ladies.

-Hello.

-Welcome to the Chateau De Milandes.

-This is one of a thousand chateaux in this area!

-Exquisite here.

-Beautiful.

-Gorgeous.

-So, Christine, it is you that wants to live here.

-Yes, it is.

-Why?

-Why?

Well, I've had this 40-year dream and we were, my husband and I,

were going to buy out here seven years ago,

but unfortunately he became ill and died, so this dream never came true.

Then I had a grandson. He was born soon after.

That kept me busy, but now he's at school and plenty of activities.

I now think that my time to come out here is just right.

-You've brought Muriel with you.

-I've come to advise.

So you're here to encourage her?

Encourage her to buy something that I would like to come and stay in!

Let's talk about this friendship, this partnership.

-Do you trust Muriel's advice?

-Yes, I do.

-Yes, cos she...

-Christine's very fussy and particular.

-That sounds dreadful!

-No, she knows what she likes.

Tell me what precisely you're looking for.

I found a list of criteria which I'd written something like 20 years ago,

and my criteria haven't changed at all,

so I'm looking for a...not a particularly large house,

three/four bedrooms, two bathrooms, en-suite and main bathroom,

preferably not too old.

It could've been built in the last 30-40 years but it's got to look old.

Wooden floors upstairs, terracotta tiles downstairs.

Ooh, wood-burning stove, definitely.

-That's quite some list.

-It's longer.

-Carry on!

-Beams.

-Shutters.

-Yes, shutters.

Garden probably not more than half an acre, nice tiled roof,

near neighbours preferably so that they can keep a watchful eye.

-Basically everything.

-Yes!

And what about leaving your daughter and your grandson behind?

I'm not trying to put you off, by the way.

If she doesn't do it now, she'll never do it.

I've got to at least try it, because...

-If she leaves it any longer...

-I'll be too old.

She will be too old to do it then.

The most important question -

how much have you got to spend? What is your budget, Christine?

I would have approximately £340,000 to spend.

-That's a healthy budget.

-Hopefully.

-It's quite a lot for France, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Well, I've got a few things lined up to show you.

Shall we go and spend your money?

-Yes, definitely! I can't wait.

-After you. Let's go.

'With a budget of £340,000,

Christine wants plenty for her money.

'Her demands include wooden floors,

'terracotta tiles, beams and shutters,

'an old-style property within a modern shell

'as well as three to four bedrooms, two bathrooms,

'no more than half an acre of land

'and within close proximity to village life.

'Over the next couple of days,

'I'll be taking the ladies to view four stunning French properties

'that I hope will comply with Christine's stipulations,

'but I won't be revealing the price tag until after each tour.

'And we'll end on the mystery property,

'which I very much hope will enthral today's house hunter.'

Our first house sits amongst the pastoral splendour of Proissans,

four miles from the medieval town of Sarlat,

towards the southeast of the region.

Renowned for its unrivalled representation of 14th-century France,

Sarlat is a Hollywood favourite.

Johnny Depp strutted amongst the town's sandstone buildings

in the movie Chocolat,

and Joan of Arc rampaged through its maze of narrow streets

in Luc Besson's 1999 epic film.

A 12-minute drive away, in contrast,

Proissans is a small, agricultural community, once producing tobacco

but now dominated by sunflower seeds, corn and walnut groves,

and with a population of scarcely over 1,000,

I'm hoping that this could be the rural escape

that Christine has been pining for.

Well, Christine, you said you wanted stone.

-It looks a bit like a gingerbread house, doesn't it?

-It does.

-Yes.

-Look at the roses on the walls.

-I know. It's beautiful.

-It's lovely stone.

-The stone is from the ground the house is on.

-Is it?

-Yes.

-Fantastic. Real character.

Both got huge grins on your faces. Well, let's have a look inside.

Having started life as a 19th-century tobacco farm,

the property has been painstakingly transformed over the past six years

by its present owners.

And it looks like that sun-drenched, honey-coloured sandstone facade

has made quite an impression on Christine and Muriel.

But will they still be beaming once we get inside?

-Wow!

-"Wow" is a good reaction.

-Yes. It's really, really nice.

-I think it's lovely.

-Yes. Very cosy.

-I can visualise my furniture in here looking really good.

-Ooh!

-That's nice. That's promising, isn't it?

-Yes.

-And the floor is perfect.

-I love the old stone...

-Beautiful.

-That's where they would've originally done their washing.

-Yes.

And the water would've just trickled out.

The only reservation I have on this room is that it's slightly dark.

-Yes.

-But apart from that, all is good.

'But is good good enough?'

Mind your heads!

'In addition to the living area downstairs, the rear of the property

'houses two spare bedrooms, as well as a family-sized bathroom.'

Next, we squeeze our way up to the master bedroom.

-Very intriguing.

-It's quite a challenge.

This is when it's an advantage being small.

-The master bedroom.

-Different.

-It is different.

-What does that mean?

-I could probably improve it.

Could you see yourself coming up to bed here every night?

Cos that staircase was quite an experience, wasn't it?

-Yes, it was quite an experience!

-Depends how much she's had to drink.

-Really!

-Is it easier once you've had a drink?

-It could be!

But maybe there's another room I could use as a bedroom,

and this room could be used as something completely different,

-couldn't it?

-Such as?

-Well, I don't know, but it could be.

-Studio?

-Music room?

-Well, there are other rooms,

but it does involve having to go back down those stairs.

That's all right. As long as we don't have to come back up again!

Having manoeuvred our way back down,

we'll check out the all-important kitchen-diner.

This is surprisingly large.

I mean, this table here is enormous, isn't it?

But in fact none of this in the middle would have to be here,

and it would open up the whole kitchen. Amazing.

-And you've got two lovely French doors.

-Yes.

-Beautiful.

-Yes.

-However, if you look down, it's not terracotta.

Yes, it doesn't actually worry me that these aren't terracotta.

-They're OK.

-Did you hear that?

I did say I was flexible! If it looks good, I will agree.

-Yes.

-And it does look good.

As Christine's wish list lies in tatters on that non-terracotta floor,

we're moving outside

to inspect the property's sizable exterior space.

-Fantastic!

-Yes.

-Another outdoor bit.

-Yes.

-Perfect for a party.

-And you could play boules here.

-Yes.

Not only that, you can also grow your own veg,

cook in a giant outdoor oven and consume home-grown fare

in one of several outdoor eating areas,

but we're heading to...the pool!

-Wowee!

-Yes!

-Absolutely perfect.

-The pool with Jacuzzi.

-Oh, really? A Jacuzzi.

You said you wanted to be near neighbours but not too close.

-That's your neighbour.

-That's perfect.

-You've got two acres of land.

-Goodness!

So now I'd like you to tell me how much you think this property is on the market for.

-I would say, very rough guess, £375,000.

-375?

-Muriel?

-I think slightly less. I would say 350.

-It's actually on the market at £305,000.

-Mm-hm.

-Are you surprised?

-A good buy.

-Yes. There's quite a lot of property there for the money.

-Quite a bit of land as well.

-So, I will let you go off that way.

-OK.

-And I'll stay here.

-OK.

-Thank you.

-We'll see you later.

-See you later.

At £40,000 under budget,

our first house is a tour de force of stonemasonry,

harnessing the character of the original cottage

with the practicalities of modern living.

In all, there are three bedrooms,

a brand-new kitchen, a decent-sized bathroom, a large living area

and multiple outdoor spaces as well as that Jacuzzi and pool.

The house is beautiful, the stonework is exquisite.

It is worth serious consideration.

It makes me feel happy. It's a lovely, peaceful, calm house.

-From the outside, it's fantastic. You could grow a lot of stuff here.

-Yes.

-Pick what you want for lunch. Evening meal.

-Perfect.

Don't need to go near the hypermarket.

It hasn't really changed my wish list.

Two acres is a lot of land, even if I had a gardener.

One of the big reservations is the staircase.

That could be a bit of a problem.

Obviously, I'm fit enough to do it, but I don't think that's ideal.

She could be happy in a place like this.

It's got nearly everything that she wants.

And there's always compromise, isn't there, when you're buying a house?

-Hello, ladies!

-Hello!

-Come on out.

-Still smiling.

-Yes, absolutely.

-Happy? Think you've seen enough?

-Yes.

-Shall we go on?

-Yes.

-Got the energy?

-Yes.

-Come on, then.

As dusk dawns, it's time to give Christine

a sneak peek into her prospective Gallic future.

We've arranged a treat for the ladies

in the form of their own holiday home in the historic village of Issigeac.

-Ooh!

-Oh, my goodness gracious!

-I'm so glad you're excited!

-Lovely!

-It's not for sale.

-What a pity!

-But this is your home for the next few days.

-It's beautiful.

-Enjoy yourselves.

-Thank you very much.

-See you in the morning.

-See you in the morning!

-Goodnight.

-Bye.

-Look at that.

-Beautiful.

-Look at the gazebo.

This looks absolutely superb.

I get a really good feeling about this place.

And the ladies are quick to get into the swing of things.

Ooh, it didn't make much of a pop!

It's well past six o'clock.

The sun's well over the yard arm, as they say.

This is so nice, Christine.

I may have to remind Muriel that the cottage really is not for sale.

But it's good to see that its Perigordian style, wooden beams,

terracotta and well-decorated rooms

are keeping everyone focused on the impending move.

-Are you a little bit nervous?

-Not really. It's slightly frightening,

but if I could find something like this, it would be perfect.

And I would move here in a flash.

Lock stock and barrel. Yes.

How do you think you would feel waking up, thinking,

"Golly, I'm living in France"?

I think it will feel very strange to start with,

and I probably won't be able to believe that I'm actually here.

-I'll probably have to pinch myself.

-Yes.

-Here's to your new life in France.

-Thank you.

-Here's to a 40-year dream.

-Yes.

-And here's to holidays for me in France!

-Yes, definitely!

Christine from East Sussex has £340,000 to spend

as she seeks to establish the fresh start in France

that she came so close to realising many years ago.

In support is her good friend Muriel,

who's accompanied her to the Dordogne.

But it's morning in France, so time for...

Coffee and croissants. Nothing better.

When you come to live in France, do you think you'll do this every day?

-Yes, I will.

-Sit outside and have breakfast?

It'll be the first thing I do, crack of sparrows, eating out here.

-Every day.

-It'll be the perfect start to my day.

After breakfast will be joining various activities. Joining in.

-Finding a tennis court?

-Yes, probably playing tennis. Swimming.

So my days are going to be full of activities.

-Do you think you'll have time just to sit down and relax?

-Probably not!

I could be in a field absolutely anywhere, but believe me,

I am still in the Dordogne.

This is just a reality of early mornings here.

This rather beautiful, I think, and mystical mist descends.

I'm just hoping it lifts, because I've got to take two rather

glamorous ladies to see some properties.

-Oh, here's Anita.

-Hello, girls.

-Hello, Anita.

-Sleep well?

-Very well, we slept really well.

-You love this house, don't you?

-Absolutely.

-It's not for sale though.

-Shame.

-Are you raring to go?

-Absolutely. Can't wait.

-Yeah.

-Shall we?

-Yes.

Let's do it.

Today, we're focusing our search on properties within a half-hour

drive of Bergerac Dordogne Airport, easing access to

and from the UK for Christine and her family.

First, we look north to Saint-Felix, 12 miles from Bergerac,

a sparsely populated historic village,

serviced by the occasional shop and restaurant.

This is stellar Dordogne country.

Deep cut valleys between limestone cliffs, with fields of maize

and dense oak woodland.

The countryside and farming marks the end of the Purple Perigord

and the beginning of the so-called Black Country.

And whilst the smattering of Cotswold-esque cottages and

soft countryside can easily evoke memories of a bygone rural England,

there is a modern gem awaiting us on the outskirts of town.

That I suspect will astound our house-hunting duo.

-Golly.

-This is absolutely exquisite.

-It's beautiful.

-I'm sensing that you like the look of the outside?

-Definitely.

-It looks fantastic.

-It looks fantastic.

Yeah, I like to call this one "the little house on the prairie".

-Yes, I look at the wisteria.

-Oh, it's lovely.

Shall we get in there? This way.

It feels like we are onto a winner

and we haven't even reached the front door.

-It's a real Christine type house, from the outside anyway.

-Why is that?

It's the way she likes houses to be.

She likes them to be well maintained and tidy

-and I just know what she likes.

-I could see myself here.

-Yes.

-Yes.

Let's hope the inside isn't a disappointment.

-I'm sure it won't be.

-This way.

Come through to the kitchen.

-Look at this, Muriel.

-What do you like about this?

It's clean lines, minimalist, like moving your house in England

-over here and changing just a little bit.

-Yes, I mean, it's a good style.

-This is nicer than mine, actually.

-Just making it slightly more French.

-Does this feel like the sort of house you want?

-Yes. It's perfect.

-You've only seen the kitchen and the outside.

-I know!

-I know, but this...

-But this is wonderful.

Oh, I love it. I want it, too.

Do you think you could live here?

-I could certainly live here.

-I could certainly live here.

Is this going to turn into a competition,

-are you actually here to find a house for yourself?

-I could be.

I could be. Yes, I'm just tagging along and shall pounce

when the right one comes up for me.

It could be the end of a beautiful friendship.

-I think you're getting a feel for this.

-I'm getting into it.

-Yes!

-Could we be shopping for to here?

-Oh, my goodness!

Well, you don't need to shop any further, because this is mine.

-This changes by the minute.

-Are you feeling a bit emotional?

-Yeah.

Oh...

Oh, Christine.

You'll be fine. It's lovely.

-Tell me what's happened, what are you thinking?

-Oh, it's gorgeous.

It's just exactly what she's been looking for.

-Exactly.

-And we've only seen the kitchen.

-Yes!

-Lead on.

I will, come on then. Let's go and have a look elsewhere.

You're going to start me off.

As her long delayed dream storms into view,

Christine still has plenty of property left to look at.

The main living space is split across a sizeable lounge

and dining area.

Well, this is lovely. I mean, I'd take the whole lot as it is. It's...

In fact, I don't think she's going to leave here today.

It's too perfect almost, isn't it?

-But you wanted somewhere that you could just move into.

-Yes.

This is like a magazine property, isn't it?

-You could just bring your family photographs and then it's yours.

-Yes.

The contemporary feel downstairs has clearly struck a chord

and appreciation abounds from Christine and Muriel.

Upstairs boasts three double bedrooms,

all generously proportioned and coupled with their own bathroom.

The master bedroom sits in the pigeonnier tower.

Let me take you into what would be your very own suite.

First things first, very important, ladies, a walk-in wardrobe.

-That would be ideal.

-Oh, perfect!

-Yes, I mean, I would need that desperately.

-Oh, fantastic!

-Right, and then this way, that is your en-suite.

-This is very smart.

-Oh, I love it.

-Look at this. It's absolutely perfection.

They love it so much, I could just disappear now

and I think they'd be happy as Larry.

And just lock the door and stay.

-Ladies, shall I show you the bedroom?

-Yes.

-This way.

-The master bedroom.

-Oh, this is very pretty.

I couldn't do it better myself. It is absolutely gorgeous.

It's all light and airy. Yes. This would be my dream house.

All that's left to find out is how much this dream house could cost.

With a vast garage, an acre of land, a Swiss style shed, with its own

electricity and water supply and, of course, the lovely swimming pool,

there is plenty to add to the equation.

-And here we are. The outside.

-This is also perfection.

-Does it match the inside?

-Yes.

-So, that brings me to the big question.

-The price.

-I would say...

£385,000.

Well, I just think a bit more than that. I think probably 395.

This property is on at £340,000.

-No?!

-Bang on your budget.

-Wow!

-Fantastic. That is...

-It's amazing.

-Well, this is it.

I want you to go and have a rummage around and if you don't mind,

I'm just going to lounge by the pool.

-Is that OK?

-Yes. Enjoy.

-I will.

Right on budget and, despite the lack of stone walls and classic

French style from that original hit list, Christine is clearly smitten.

This four bed, four bath property is boosted by modern upgrades,

significant storage and a rural setting that is still only

a 10-minute drive from local amenities.

I certainly could picture myself living here.

It may be on the large size for one person,

but rather larger than smaller.

-But you will be one person with many guests.

-Hopefully.

My goodness. This is absolutely enormous down here.

I've never seen such a large basement.

Now, where is the wine store?

Now that she's seen something that she can really imagine living in,

perhaps she was thinking that

if things had been different seven years ago, she could have been

looking at something like that when her husband was alive.

I've never seen so many wine racks. It's absolutely fantastic.

I'd need just a few bottles to put in here, wouldn't I?

You'd need quite a lot.

Yes, I could move in tomorrow and be perfectly happy.

Thank goodness for that. I thought you were never going to come out.

-We can hardly bear to leave it.

-I know.

-Oh, dear.

Genuinely, we are having to leave. How do you feel about it?

And having to leave this house behind?

Real shame. Yes, I love it. Yes, don't want to leave.

I feel as though I could stay here for good.

-Yes, well, you can't just yet. Just yet.

-Can I?

No, neither can you, Muriel. We've got more to see. Go on, after you.

OK.

WOOF

Given Christine's enthusiasm for immersing

herself in the French way of life,

it's vital that she overcomes the language and logistical hurdles

that could affect her ability to fit into the local community.

With this in mind, I'm taking Christine

and Muriel 15 miles south of Bergerac to Aime, a village

brimming with Britons who have made the leap across the Channel.

We are here to meet some expats who have made it their mission to

integrate with the locals.

Phillipa Tielier came over with her husband in 2001,

and Simon Kenworthy made the move seven years ago.

Christine, Muriel, meet Phillipa and Simon,

they've already been living in this area for a number of years

and I thought it would be great to get you kids together

and you've got something planned for us, haven't you?

Phillipa and myself, we sing in a choir.

And we thought it might be nice if the ladies joined us. Can you sing?

-Well, that's debatable. We'll soon find out.

-We'll try.

-Well, we'll see.

Tell me more about this choir. What's the purpose of this choir?

First of all, we enjoy singing.

But it was really to bring together the English

-and the French communities. So, we are a mixed choir.

-Wonderful.

It's wonderful. Yes, good for language and for singing.

-How many members in this choir?

-Between 30 to 40.

-Room for another two?

-Room for another two.

-Oh, I think so.

-Definitely.

-After you.

The Francophile choir meets in a 13th-century building that

now houses the tourist office.

And thankfully, Christine and Muriel are grabbing those last two spots.

Leaving me to look on in quiet appreciation as they attempt

a Vivaldi classic.

Christine and Muriel.

ALL: Bonsoir.

So, here we are. It's Gloria In Excelsis.

There's the sopranos. There's the alto.

And...

# Gloria in excelsis

# Gloria in excelsis

# Deo. #

Bass is just a bit flat, sorry. # Gloria in excelsis. #

Sopranos! Altos!

Tenors!

Basses. Without the piano this time. Sans le piano.

After two.

One, two...

# Gloria, gloria Gloria, gloria

# In excelsis Deo

# Gloria, gloria In excelsis Deo... #

The Venetian harmony was lost in time

until its rediscovery in the 1920s.

And after a short practice and some enthusiastic guidance,

the group soon master the rousing choral work.

# ..Gloria in excelsis Deo! #

-Bravo!

-Bravo!

SIMON SPEAKS IN FRENCH

Now that Christine and Muriel's vocal talents have been

put to the test,

our hosts are ready to offer some experiences about being a

British expat in this beautiful part of the country over a glass of wine.

What a wonderful experience that was.

Singing is such a good way of getting

-integrated into the community, isn't it?

-It certainly is.

When I came to this area, I joined the choir, I joined the local

association and I certainly got involved as soon as I came here.

Integration is very easy because it's all there.

There are clubs for all sorts of different sorts interests.

How important is it to speak French?

It's absolutely essential.

Anybody who comes here who doesn't speak the language

and has no intention of speaking the language is making a big mistake.

Now, I know that you have a lot of questions. Fire away.

Is it true that it normally takes about three months to buy

-a house here?

-Three months would be pretty quick, I would've thought.

-Would it?

-Yes, I think that's pretty quick.

It's much the same as it is in England.

The only thing about the French system which is different is

that you sign a compromis de vente.

Once it's signed, you have to buy the property.

Yes, you can't go back on your word.

If you don't, you lose quite a bit of money.

There is a seven-day cooling off period.

Yes, so ask all the questions about the property,

about the houses around it, because one week passes very quickly.

It does, it's a very short time.

Am I right in thinking you can collect your British

-pension in France?

-Yes.

-You can.

But do you get any increments that happen after you come to France?

-Oh, yes.

-You still get the increments?

-Absolutely.

There is another issue here as well and that is the exchange rate.

If you are being paid a UK pension,

that can make an awful lot of difference to your income.

Now, you are fighting fit, Christine, touch wood.

But let's talk about health care. What is the situation here?

There is an opportunity for you to join the French health system.

It is sort of reciprocal with the UK.

But on top of that, you do need to take out a top-up insurance

and that can be quite expensive.

-So, Christine, has any of that put you off?

-No, not at all.

-I think you've got two new friends anyway.

-I hope so.

-Good to go.

-Cheers.

-Cheers.

-Cheers.

Armed with that extra bit of local knowledge, Christine will

hopefully be better prepared for an introduction into French life.

Pensioners living in European countries can currently claim

a range of benefits.

But under new proposals,

they are set to lose access to the winter fuel allowance after 2015.

The rules will apply to places where the average winter temperature

is higher than the warmest part of the UK.

That's 5.6 degrees Celsius in the Southwest of England.

Budgeting for a potential purchase in France, you'll also need to

set aside 10% of the purchase price for legal fees and other costs.

Finally, if like Christine, you are planning frequent trips to

and from the airport to visit and collect loved ones,

do note that motorists in France are now legally required to carry

breathalyser kits in their cars in an attempt to combat drink-driving.

Failure to do so will incur an on-the-spot fine.

It's across to the village of Bouniagues, in the heart of Dordogne

wine country for our third property.

This is the closest of all our houses to Bergerac which is

a 15-minute drive away.

Built around a 19th-century church, Bouniagues is a small,

functional village,

providing the nearby wine community their tabac,

supermarche and boulangerie.

Vines were first planted on the sunny slopes surrounding

Bergerac during the 13th century.

Now, 30,000 acres produce 530,000 hectolitres of some

of the country's most distinguished sweet wines.

The prominence of the Dordogne river is again in evidence here.

As well as irrigating the vineyards, for years it offered

passage for wine merchants ferrying their wares out to sea.

Set back from the main road, tucked away in a quiet square,

lies our next property.

It's handsome, rectangular facade contrasts with

the oblique, neo-Gothic church that stands opposite.

-No, it's not the church.

-Oh, right. Thank goodness for that.

-It would be a bit large.

-It is a curveball though.

-Is it?

-It's very quiet, isn't it?

-It is very quiet.

-It's extremely quiet.

-It's lovely down here.

-Yes.

-So, there it is. Right in front of you.

-Beautiful.

-It's enormous. It looks gorgeous, too.

-It looks lovely.

Look at the stonework.

-It's beautiful, isn't it?

-It's really lovely.

-I love that little balcony above the door.

-The windows are very nice.

-I can't wait to show you the inside.

-I'm really looking forward to this.

This elegant 19th-century property is another homage to fine

French stonework.

Built around breeze-blocks

encased by distinctive limestone Quercy stones and channel tiles.

-This is spectacular.

-Oh!

-Beautifully done.

That wood-burning stove would heat a vast area, it would be really,

really good. Really cosy.

-The modern parts have been put in very nicely and tastefully.

-Yes.

-Sympathetically.

-But we like this space?

-Yes.

-Fantastic.

-Come with me.

Whilst nice and tasteful is good, amazing would be better.

The large kitchen-diner is furnished with subtle,

functional pieces and appliances but despite the positive noises,

I'm not convinced the ladies had been blown away quite yet.

Let's see if we can rack things up a notch in the living room.

-Why don't we sit on the sofa?

-Oh, I say! This is gorgeous.

-This sofa is inviting.

-Another lovely room.

-Oh, this is a beautiful room.

-Look at the fireplace.

-It's gorgeous, isn't it?

-I can imagine it just with perhaps and candles. Yes.

-A cosy room.

Lovely and cool on a hot afternoon but in the winter it will be

lovely with the wood burner on and the lamps lit.

Before we get too comfortable, there is more to see upstairs.

Shall we had that way?

-Yes.

-So, Muriel, straight up the stairs, please.

The interiors were completely renovated over three years

by the local master craftsman and it's been decorated with finesse.

Even the windows were shipped to Holland to be restored

to their original glory.

-Up this gorgeous wooden staircase.

-Lovely staircase.

Upstairs, there are two almost identical main bedrooms with

fireplaces and more exposed stonework.

In addition to a smaller spare room, a very modern tiled bathroom.

Let's go this way.

What a view of the church. It's beautiful, isn't it?

-Against the blue sky.

-It's beautiful.

Now, I can tell you that this is about to be completely

-renovated and turned into a pedestrianised area.

-Oh, is it?

-Oh.

So you won't have these cars parked here.

-Yes.

-Right.

-It's a very lovely church, too, isn't it?

It's a very quiet spot actually.

All right, let me show you the bedroom.

So, both the house and the local village have enjoyed

a significant face-lift, but will it raise a smile from Christine?

Here we go.

The master bedroom.

-It's a good size.

-Beautiful room.

-Gorgeous wooden floors.

-Yes, beautiful floors.

-Lovely colour.

-What's going through your mind?

-Nice. I love the style.

-How do you feel about it being in a village?

Not sure, actually.

I do tend to go for more rural, but this is certainly

food for thought because the style is so nice.

And there is a little bit more to show you

-because this house is very deceptive.

-Mm-hm.

-Right, that's intriguing.

-Yeah. Wait till you see this.

The intrigue continues downstairs and out to the front,

so our ladies can experience this property's unique layout.

There is a sizeable barn attached to the rear which you need to

negotiate to reach the garden and patio.

-This is it.

-Oh, it's exquisite.

-Oh, how lovely!

-How pretty.

-I love this.

-Lovely.

-Let's get a better perspective of the whole property.

-Love the lantern.

-Come with me.

-The oasis.

-It is actually. It's very unexpected.

-How much you think it's worth?

-I think about £285,000.

-Muriel?

I'm going to go a little bit higher, I think £305,000.

It's actually on the market for £275,000.

Unbelievable!

-What was that gasp? Are you surprised?

-Oh, it's very, yes...

-For quality. Because it is quality.

-Yes.

-Superb quality.

-So, go and have an explore and I'll catch up with you soon.

-OK.

-OK.

Under budget by £65,000, this three bed,

two bath period property offers Christine all the comforts of

village living with plenty of funds left over to transform the barn.

I'm slightly confused now.

And maybe I've changed my ideas slightly now just to what

I exactly want.

I don't think she was bowled over by it.

Her reaction, it was sort of slowly, yes,

-I like this and this and that is nice.

-What a vast space, isn't it?

-It's huge.

-I shall put my gym equipment in here.

Which gym equipment is that exactly?!

All this gym equipment that I'm going to acquire.

-Oh, you haven't got it yet?

-Well, I have got some.

-OK.

-I've got...

-I forgot what...

-An exercise bike?

-No, I haven't got an exercise bike.

-Rowing machine?

-No! I can't remember the name of it. It's...

-Two dumbbells?

-No. Oh, it's a cross trainer I have.

-A cross trainer.

-Yes.

-That would be good, yes.

-Do not laugh.

-You're talking as if you had a fully-equipped gym.

-Do not mock me.

-Where is your cross trainer at the moment?

-Claire's got it.

This house relates to what I had in my diary all those years ago

very well.

It's got most of the points that I wanted

but maybe the location isn't right.

So Christine had a definite list of what she wanted and I think

showing her this house has proved that that list means nothing.

-Ladies, are you ready?

-Yes.

-Yes.

-Shall we?

-We are.

-Onwards.

-Come on then, Christine.

-Ready to go.

Christine and Muriel are making the most of the glorious weather

to visit Bergerac.

The town is dissected by the Dordogne River

and characterised by its elegant Renaissance buildings.

They are so old, these buildings.

-And the roofs!

-Lovely.

-It's all so ancient.

-Lovely.

Bergerac also offers our ladies the perfect opportunity to

practise their favourite pastime.

-Oh, look at this.

-It's...

-Two of those. Just think what we could buy.

When I'm living here, we can do all sorts of shopping.

-This is a nice shop.

-It is very nice. We must come back here.

There are gastronomic experiences

to suit any budget in this popular region.

You can get a good meal with wine for as little as £9-£12.

And after a spot of sightseeing and window-shopping,

Christine is hungry to master her language skills.

TRANSLATED FROM FRENCH:

-Bon appetit.

-Merci.

Gosh, Christine, you speak French really well.

I didn't realise you were so good, actually.

It's just by accident, I think. I've remembered it.

You actually do speak French well.

And I'm really looking forward to perfecting it.

Evening dining complete,

the ladies are free to soak up another Perigordian sunset.

There is one last day of house-hunting here in the Dordogne.

Where figuring out how to best spend a £340,000 budget has

proved to be an emotional task for Christine from East Sussex.

She is relying on friend Muriel for support and advice.

The ladies have been staying in a rented gite to experience

everyday life in the area, where trusted lieutenant Muriel's

duties include making the morning coffee.

-Christine, what are you doing?

-I'm doing my hair.

Well, that will take a long time, won't it?

-That usually takes a good ten minutes.

-It will.

Christine's clearly in no rush,

which isn't too big a problem as today's mystery house is

hidden just around the corner in the centre of town.

20 years ago,

Christine wrote a list about her dream property in France and

she told me, "Anita, that list has not changed in all that time."

I showed her a few properties, they didn't quite match,

but she's loved them regardless which tells me that Christine

is flexible and a little bit unsure about what it is she actually wants.

Today is mystery property day.

Now, she said she has no desire to live in a village.

But there are villages, and then there's Issigeac.

We remain in the Purple Perigord for our mystery house,

located 12 miles south of Bergerac in the village of Issigeac.

Issigeac is one-of-a-kind, it doesn't have an obvious town centre

rather its series of narrow, winding streets and ancient buildings

suggests a cross between a simple village and a medieval museum.

It's laid out in spiral

and concentric circles, with a 16th-century church

and 19th-century mill and hosts a nationally renowned market

that flows through the cobbled streets every Sunday.

Should Christine be wooed by Issigeac's archaic charm,

she could officially become resident number 716 of this quaint village.

-Let's have a look at these whilst we are...

-So pretty.

-Look at the timber.

-It's a medieval village.

-Yes.

And it's one of the most desirable villages in this entire area.

-It is.

-It's got so much character, hasn't it?

-Yes.

-This building is incredible, isn't it?

-It is.

-Very old.

-Absolutely.

It's gorgeous, yes.

I was reading somewhere that about 50 houses

burnt down in something like 1300 and they've all been rebuilt

-since then but obviously they are ancient.

-This is 14th century.

-Yes.

And I'm really pleased that you like this one

-because this is the mystery property.

-No!

-Yes!

-It isn't?

-It really is.

-Oh, goodness gracious. Fantastic. I mean, I love it.

-Genuinely?

-Yes.

-Because we are in a village.

-But it's a lovely village.

-You've always said you like this one.

I've always talked about this village.

All right, well, you think this is nice? Wait until you get inside.

Come on.

Christine's always wanted bags of character.

Come on in.

Well, the mystery house delivers it by the cartload.

Let's see just how much she can handle.

-It's gorgeous, isn't it?

-Yes.

-And this is just the entrance.

-Right.

-Follow me.

Impeccably furnished and loved by its present owners,

this ground floor has a fully-fitted kitchen with an extra exposed wood

oven and opens out onto a sumptuous and multifunctional living space.

-It's absolutely gorgeous.

-I never expected anything like this in here.

-No.

-Very French, too.

-It is. Yes.

-Where do we even begin?

Beams, staircase.

It's very cleverly done. Lovely home.

-Muriel?

-I think... I think I might be speechless.

-For a change. Oh, that's incredible.

-I am.

-It's gorgeous.

It's just such a surprise.

-And you haven't seen anything yet.

-Really?!

-Yes. Upstairs.

-Lovely staircase.

-This is a beautiful staircase.

Superb.

We have a lovely little area here that they have as their TV area,

-which I think is charming.

-It's a good idea, isn't it?

It's such a good idea.

But I'd like you to step into that room which is the master bedroom.

-This is lovely.

-Yes.

-Isn't it?

-Beautiful.

-My goodness, lovely and sunny, too.

-The dreamy bedroom.

-Yes.

The room next door is the dressing room attached to this room.

-Christine needs a dressing room.

-Definitely!

What do you need, Muriel?

Well, I hope there is a spare bedroom somewhere for me.

Well, it's funny you should say that. Come on.

There are in fact two fully-fledged spare rooms on this floor but

before Muriel can call dibs, things are getting a little bit heated.

-Whoa. This is big.

-This is mine.

-This is my room.

-Yes, it is your room.

And I'll show you what's brilliant.

Look, this room, if you shut the door, it's got a lock on it

so then it's a self-contained flat. It has an en-suite.

And this staircase leads down into that entrance, the foyer.

-Oh, it's ideal, isn't it? That will be your escape down there.

-Yes.

-Muriel, this is your annexe.

-Yes. So, I can live here all year round?

All year round.

I would have this as the master bedroom.

Although it's not quite so sunny, but I think this is larger.

-It's mine.

-No.

-Muriel, you know, you could...

I can have that other lovely room.

Yes, you'd have the dressing room as well.

-So, we like this?

-We love this.

You know, you don't have to argue over this room

-because there are more rooms in this house.

-Are there?

-No?!

-Yes!

-Yes, there are. Would you like to see something else?

-Yes.

-Yes.

All right, come and have a look.

If Muriel manages to muscle in on the arrangement, she'd gain access

to a period property concealing several nifty conveniences.

There's underfloor heating, a wine cellar in the basement

and significant storage throughout.

There's also an ample office space

and quite the history lesson upstairs.

In we come, we are stepping back into the 14th century.

This is untouched. They have preserved this area.

So, this bit of wall here is exposed and you can see that this is

how they would have originally built the walls. It's chalk and straw.

-And you know you mentioned the fire?

-Yes.

-You can see the charred wood and that is from the original fire.

-Really?

Yes, it is.

-Fantastic, isn't it?

-It is.

-Amazing.

Right, so, from this dark 14th-century attic,

-shall we step out into the sun?

-Yes.

-Yes.

There are plenty of decisions for Christine to make within this

vast property, including which part to take as her own

and which to hand over to Muriel.

But how much could all of this cost?

I'm going to go for £310,000.

This is really difficult for me.

I would say £295,000.

-Muriel, you are bang on the money.

-Really?

-Brilliant.

-£310,000.

-Mm...

-Good!

Is that good? I mean, it's more than you thought it was worth.

Yes, but it's quite difficult to judge, really.

It's a whole lot of house, there is lots to explore,

so off you go, have a good look around. I'll see you in a bit.

The mystery property, there is no doubt about it, it's fantastic.

But I've got a sneaking suspicion that Muriel likes it more

than Christine.

Maybe we'll have a double sale.

At £30,000 under budget, this house,

and in fact the entire village, is a slice of French history.

From the antique canvas wallpaper adorning the reception room

to the gold lining of the downstairs loo,

it fulfils its mystery property title to a T.

I think it's too big for Christine.

I don't think she would be able to utilise all

the space that there is in it.

I may be wrong, but I just think it's a bit too big for her.

It could be what I'm looking for.

Yes, because although it is an old style, it has got modern amenities.

So, I have now got to make my mind up

whether I like more modern or whether I like old French style.

Suits you. You look very good there. You look very comfortable.

-It's very nice.

-But that's it.

All the houses have been seen,

now I want to take you away to find out what you really think. Shall we?

-Excellent, yes.

-Certainly.

-Let's do it. This way.

Drive through the verdant valleys of the Perigord Noir

and you cannot help but be struck by the majestic grooves of walnut trees

that grace the landscape.

Although the trees you see today are newer, there is evidence that the

walnut has existed in this corner of the world for at least 17,000 years

and that the nuts figured in the human diet up to 50,000 years ago.

Today, walnut oil is a thriving local product

and I have popped down to meet Katja Veri at Ecomusee de la Noix

in Castelnaud-la-Chapelle.

We are in a forest full of walnut trees.

-This has been growing here for how long?

-12 centuries, I think.

So, walnuts really do flow through the veins of the Dordogne?

Yeah, we have walnuts until the beginning of the medieval age.

-So, it's rooted in the culture here.

-It's a culture. Really.

And this farm is very famous for walnut oil and every year

they make over 14,000 litres of walnut oil, so it's very important.

So, what are they doing over there?

-They are collecting the walnuts.

-So, they are harvesting?

-Yes.

Right, I will go and talk to the chaps over there

-and catch up with you in a bit.

-OK!

It's time to get hands-on as I pop across to meet Xavier,

one of the senior walnut farmers.

Hello, bonjour.

-Bonjour, Anita. How are you?

-I'm very well, how are you?

-Fine, thank you.

Pleased to meet you. So, tell me about this tractor, Xavier.

We are collecting walnuts and this is for shaking the tree.

-So, you literally shake the tree?

-Yes. You want to try?

-I would love to try.

-Yes.

Merci. Wow.

And we're off.

Now what?

That's a good shaking.

-That's it. Wow.

-Superb.

-Brilliant.

And that's it. A walnut. Let's see how strong you are now.

Try the nut first. My first-ever walnut, straight of a tree.

-The freshest walnut...

-They are the best.

-Are they?

-Yes.

-Let's see.

I do love walnuts.

-Take the skin off.

-Yeah.

-Mm!

-It's wonderful.

-That is delicious.

That's really good. I wasn't expecting that at all.

What happens then?

You clean, you dry and after you make oil with a very,

very ancient process.

-And you can see the moulin if you want to.

-Lead the way.

And Xavier is eager to show me exactly how this humble nut gets

turned into the oil that is such an important part of Dordogne cuisine.

It's an ancient process,

first mastered by the Egyptians, who used the oil to embalm bodies.

The fresh walnuts are ground to a fine paste in a 500-year-old moulin.

I'm fascinated and terrified by this machine.

They are then roasted up to 60 degrees to get the best

flavour possible and to optimise release of the oils.

In we go. In it goes.

20 minutes later,

and the nuts are finally ready to be pressed into oil. And this is it.

The nectar is coming out. Fresh, organic, walnut oil.

-I have to try this. Shall we?

-OK.

13th-century merchants considered it as precious as gold.

In the 18th century, it constituted a thriving trade along the river

and beyond, towards the Netherlands, Germany and Great Britain.

And in parts of Europe, artists even used walnut oil for painting.

Traces have been found in the French Impressionist

paintings of Monet, Cezanne, and Pissarro.

Back on the farm, I've been invited to taste this hallowed nectar

with owner Jean-Pierre and the rest of the team.

-Bon appetit.

-Merci! Right, so, shall I try the oil?

Some bread with walnut oil.

My first taste of organic walnut oil in Dordogne.

-The flavour is so...

-The perfect setting.

-Yes.

THEY SPEAK IN FRENCH

Oh, my goodness. That is heaven.

So, Katja, Jean-Pierre, Bertrand, Xavier,

thank you very much, what an incredible experience.

You are welcome.

You are just going to have to trust me that this is delicious.

Mmm...!

OK, what shall I try next?

It's the end of the French house hunt.

Time for Christine to pack up her things

and finally decide what her next step will be.

Christine's dream has been 40 years in the making and finally

she has come to the Dordogne, we have shown her some properties

and she had that very definite list at the beginning of this experience.

I've got a feeling that that might have gone out of the window,

I can't wait to hear what she and Muriel have to say about it all.

-Hello, ladies.

-Good morning.

-Hello. Look at this. This is gorgeous.

Isn't it beautiful?

-Is this the life you are hoping to have, should you move to France?

-Yes.

I can imagine myself sitting out on the terrace somewhere,

eating breakfast just like this.

-Do you have a terrace in mind?

-I certainly do.

-You do?!

-Yes!

-I think she has.

-Well, it could well be the house with the tower.

It was me exactly. This is what I wanted.

And this is what I would be happy in.

-You could just visualise living there, couldn't you?

-Yes.

Opening the door and this is home. Fantastic.

-That would be a dream come true.

-But it's not the magic list house.

-I know. But I've changed.

-So, what's happened?

I don't know, I mean, when I saw it I thought, "Wow, this is it."

And yet, beforehand, I'd have probably gone for an older property.

We've been trying to find a fault with it and we can't.

I think, Christine, you've got to do it now if you're going to do it all.

-Because if you don't, you...

-I'll regret it.

In two years' time, back in East Sussex, we'll be saying,

"I wish I had bought that house."

-How soon will you do that?

-Sooner rather than later

-because I don't want to miss it.

-This is very exciting.

I'm terribly excited. And I'll be terribly upset if she doesn't go for it

-because I want to go there.

-Are you ready to start a brand-new life,

-a new adventure, Christine?

-Yes, absolutely. I'm up for it.

Show all those old people out there that it can be done.

Life, it's just too short.

Life begins at 70. Definitely.

We'll drink to that. There we go.

I am absolutely thrilled for Christine.

What a journey she's been on and I don't just mean in the last week.

This is a dream she's had for 40 years

and finally, she is going to make that dream come true.

In that time, she's brought up her daughter, she sadly lost

her husband eight years ago and then she had the joy of a grandson.

But now it's time for her to live her life for herself

and, as she said herself, "Life begins at 70." Why not?

Join us again for another Escape To The Continent.

Christine remains besotted with that house with the tower.

Within days of flying back to the UK,

she put her house on the market in order to make an immediate offer.

Fingers crossed everything falls into place,

so that Christine gets that dream home she so thoroughly deserves.