We moved to France to escape the mud!

At the end of the day, it was all because of the mud. Anyone who works with animals, or indeed outside, will know exactly what I mean. England has very many good points, but from about September onwards the green and pleasant land seems to vanish under gallons of mud. So there we were, my better half and I, in what had previously been a field, surrounded by a sea of mud and four grumpy horses, the drizzle seeping into the very pores of our skin when she slams down the bale of hay and exclaims, Right! Thats it, I'm sick of mud! Were moving to France!"

Well, Ive allowed myself a bit of artistic licence (for example, she always makes me carry the hay) but thats basically how it happened. We had been wanting to move for some time, and because our budget would not allow us to purchase anything with land in England, we had begun to research other countries, and had narrowed it down to Ireland, France and a 20-bedroom hotel in Transylvania (dont ask!). France won the day however: the thought of rural French life was too irresistible.

Having made our decision, we conducted some further research and selected the Limousin region, which seemed to offer the best trade-off in terms of value for money, facilities like schools and hospitals, and importantly, weather, not to mention the beauty of the landscape and the truly French way of life we were looking for.

The area to the west of Limoges has warmer summers, milder winters and less average rainfall than to the east. And less rainfall means less mud! All we had to do now was actually find the house of our dreams. We had been reading lots of specialist magazines about moving to France and had spent long hours looking at various internet sites, but to be truthful, no one we contacted seemed to be very efficient at providing information or returning calls. Then we came across VEF, a very professional and knowledgeable company based in London, with 25 local VEF offices all over France. They also had a passion for France which we felt was so important. Shortly afterwards, my wife, children and I arrived in France for an appointment with one of their offices in the Limousin.

We spent a whole day with the office, which is run by English people, and after narrowing down our property requirements, the rest of the day was spent looking at the various properties that fitted all or some of our ten-point wish list. Indeed, the only difficult part was finally deciding on which house to buy! After we had chosen, the VEF offices in London and the Limousin made the buying procedure both simple and stress- free, taking us through the legal process and assisting us right up to the day of the final signing, where one of their team came with us to the Notaire. Contrary to the many horror stories we had read, we found the entire process to be painless. We moved in March and, for the first time in a long while, we could sit down and relax in our own house and toast the start of our new life in France.

From that day onwards, the learning curve began in earnest! At Easter, the chickens arrived, a mixed flock of light Sussex, Marans and some French breeds obtained at the local poultry market, all vaccinated and in good health, and kept in order by a magnificent light Sussex cockerel called Seymour (what else!) We decided to take the first year slowly, observing the land and assessing issues such as drainage, and how the land behaved in all the seasons of the year in order to work out a development plan for the second year based on our observations. My wife and I both believe very strongly in organic principles, working in partnership with the land and to an extent allowing it to dictate to you what ideas to pursue, not beating it into submission with chemicals. One of the best things that anyone can do here is to make sure that you befriend your neighbours, because over time you will find them to be a wealth of information.

Our French neighbours plant and garden according to the phases of the moon and follow the principles of companion planting, amongst other things. They also know what works well in our area, and whilst that wont stop us trying new things, it is great to have their experience to draw upon, especially in the mushroom picking season! In fact, thats the best piece of advice we could give anyone moving here; integrate as much as possible with the French, and always remember that we are guests in their beautiful country.

Looking back over our time in France, we have achieved a great deal. The children are settled in their schools and speak fluent French. We have met an extraordinary variety of people and have made some very good friends. Our horses are happier than they have ever been on 11 hectares of good grazing, and the weather has been so good that we havent had to use any of they hay that we had cut last summer. Our plans for this year are well under way, and the best thing of all - no mud!

Top tips for buying in France: ,,X Try not to focus on one particular property. Instead, choose an area which matches your budget, access and lifestyle requirements. Once you have ticked these boxes, you can then begin your house search. Remember, you have to live in the area, as well as the house! ,,X Seek professional assistance. It is important that someone is acting in your interests, the Notaire acts for both parties. ,,X Use agents who have a good localknowledge and with whom you can communicate. Dealing with agents who are English or English-speaking undoubtedly has its advantages. You have to be able to tell them what you want and be sure that they understand! Beware of hidden costs; make sure you know exactly what you are paying.

Top tips for buying small holdings in France: ,,X Research where you are going, eg; weather. ,,X Ensure your idea is viable for the area ,,X Be prepared to be flexible about your requirements and be prepared to compromise ,,X Try to integrate with your neighbours ,,X Always be prepared to take their advice ,,X Always use the services of professionals

VEF (UK) Ltd. can be contacted on 020 7515 8660 or see their web site at: www.vefuk.com