Outside Space, Well-Being and Trigonometry in French
The luxury real estate markets of the Dordogne in South West France have long been favourites for those seeking a blend of jaw dropping beauty, gorgeous weather and self-imposed isolation while still feeling a sense of connection to the world. No wonder then that it has not been a great hardship during these times of confinement under Covid-19.
Much of life has carried on as normal here in the rural Dordogne – although many ‘difficult’ activities will now appear easy since having a first-hand taste of home-schooling trigonometry in French.
I am fortunate to have a good-sized plot of land around my house in the Dordogne (1 acre, or 4000m2) with plenty of space to relax, exercise and indeed look-after. The lockdown (or confinement as it is referred to here in France) has led many to reevaluate what is important in a property and what is beneficial to our lives.
Some 7 weeks ago, we had been ordered to practice social distancing, shop only for essentials and to limit our walks to within 1km of our property. Schools are shut and the roads are almost empty. So, many of the advantages of rural living that may have been taken for granted are now in the forefront of peoples’ minds. To give you an idea of a countryside property I will tell you a little about what has been happening in my neck of the woods.
We moved to property in Montpon in the Dordogne some 14 years ago with two young children and the in-laws. Our home is a barn conversion on the edge of a 100-hectare Maize farm, and we are surrounded by wildlife including boar, deer and our potty Cocker Spaniel/Griffon cross named “Fleur.”
Work life has carried on with some level of normality – I have been dealing with plenty of enquires with regards to my luxury property portfolio – but clients are unable to view properties and I am unable to visit new ones coming on to the market. Nevertheless, technology has enabled business to continue and it is amazing how connected we still feel, even if we are limited with our physical movements. We have been sending photos, brochures, weblinks and of course unpacking client questions over the phone using Zoom amongst other tools available out there. The personal connection is as valuable as ever in the luxury agency business and we have been amazed at how many enquiries we have continued to receive these past weeks despite the lockdown situation (or perhaps because of it?)
Distances between luxury real estate in the Dordogne and generally in the South West of France are vast so the main change for me from an operational point of view is the time saved from all the driving I would ordinarily do. But there has been plenty to do and enjoy at the house. It was probably a requirement historically in days gone by, but there always seems to be a stream, river or lake in easy reach of properties in the Dordogne. Within 1km we have a river with a waterfall, which is a great place to walk the dog and go paddling with the kids. As a small tributary of the river Dordogne it is lovely spot to relax (which is allowed) and fish (which is not allowed).
There have been no food shortages, but the current crises has spurred my efforts in our garden. I have been planting plenty of vegetables (mostly potatoes and tomatoes) and even germinating seeds, including horseradish which I have not found in France. Luckily, I also have a fresh water well – the advantage of which should not be underestimated – (and interestingly many of our clients ask specifically for water wells which are in abundance with property in the Dordogne). Spring and Summer in the Dordogne can be very warm – we had two heat-waves last year – so the supply of free water for plants is a bonus. I have a couple of cheap submersible pumps at the bottom of the well, with hoses attached which do a great job.
Although the supermarkets have remained open many locals are supporting local businesses. Several local farmers and vineyards have adapted to home deliveries – again making us think how and where we get our food from as well as keeping traffic off the roads. A good example that we often use is Helen Franklin at franklinfarm.fr who offers a good range of high-quality meat. She can deliver to your door or you can pick up at one of the open-air markets that has remained open. And winemaker Robin Ruffler at Domaine de Beauregard https://www.facebook.com/domainedebeauregard/ is making home deliveries. I can personally testify to his great 2019 red!
Home-schooling has been somewhat of a challenge. Both of my kids attend the Cluzeau school near Bergerac. Le Cluzeau is a bi-lingual school, offering both the French curriculum and iGCSEs. The teachers have been great in setting work remotely, which has been good for keeping a sense of normalcy and time-keeping. But helping the kids has been a mixed bag. iGCSE English is easy (for me), History is ok, French Literature (in French) hmmm, but Algebra and Trigonometry (in French) bloody hell.
So, once we return to some sense of normality, I suspect that interest in property in areas like the Dordogne will increase both economically and figuratively. Some of the estates in my portfolio are huge, often with their own lakes, vineyards or rivers and cost less than the price of an apartment in London. And nearly all are within 45 minutes of either Bergerac or Bordeaux airports…so when this lockdown is over and travel restrictions allow I look forward to seeing you all.
Written by Dan Arnold and Michael Baynes