12 Months of Lestrade

Now
Its hard to believe that twelve whole months have passed since we first saw the cottage in the countryside of Creuse, central France, which has become our 'home from home'. After several years of end of busy week Friday evening wish-fest (fuelled by wine) and abortive trips to France and Portugal we had given up thought of the small, overseas bolt-hole, at least until retirement.

Then (Oct 2008)
The invitation to view the cottage came unsolicited from an estate agent we hadn't seen for a year but who had remembered our interest in the kind of old, stone, cottages which few French people would seemingly give a second glance. This is where no small thanks are due to to the much maligned Ryanair. Yes they severely restrict your luggage allocation, yes they charge an extortionate amount for in-flight drinks and meals, they don't allow you to pre-select your seats, they make you do all your own administration, printing boarding cards etc - but so what - they can be dirt cheap and they fly several times a week from John Lennon Airport a half hour's drive from our Waterloo home. Within a few days Bob was on a £30 flight, collected from his Limoges hotel next day by diminutive but very sweet estate agent Laurance (female) and 75 minutes later had our first sight of No 15 Lestrade. 

The cottage was in a bit of a state, unoccupied for some time, grubby, overrun with spiders and other creatures, in need of painting top to bottom, ground floor badly tiled (cracking as you walked on them) and looking sorry and neglected inside and out. And yet, and yet - it was just what we had been looking for - detached with a small and manageable plot of land, at the very end of a small hamlet deep in the beautiful Limousin countryside (but midway between two large villages with all facilities - Bourganeuf and Peyrat and 10km from each). Ten days later Ade was able to visit with Bob and later the same day (after Ade's phone call to the vendor had secured a 10% price reduction) the agreement to buy was signed. No surveyor, no mortgage application, no chain, no time to pause and reflect. 

Then back to England, back to Friday evening musings over glasses of wine and the hope that we had done the right thing.

Next: February 2009
Final signing of official purchase documents at Notaire's office with minimal useful assistance from estate agent (not the always pleasant Laurance) - what do French estate agents do for their thousands of €?? Met the vendor Mr W for the first time and (after all papers signed) he explained there had been problems with the water pipes - went back to the cottage with him to learn of numerous bursts and leaks which he and his local friend (the estimable Brian) were in process of fixing. Lots of assurances that all would be well, system hadn't been properly drained for the winter, temperatures had been -20C etc. Merde! - but what can you do, property now ours - just have to hope all repairs carried out successfully and won't know until following winter. Explains evidence of damp in a number of places.

March 2009
Bob took newly acquired, second hand Suzuki Jimny - 4 wheel drive facility potentially invaluable given ice and snow in winter and hilly terrain (together with pots of paint, brushes etc) on 2 day trek from Liverpool to Lestrade. Nice Everton blue colour and hereafter known affectionately as 'Jimmy'. After a week of living rough in house with zero furniture and a lilo and sleeping bag for a bed Bob left Jimmy at Limoges Airport (€600 for year's parking) and returned home.

April 2009
Another week painting and sorting care of Ryanair and Jimmy.

May 2009
Large Luton van, expertly packed by Ade, daughter Alice and Bob transported a complete houseful of kit (beds, table, chairs, three sofas, wardrobes, carpets, garden furniture, pots, pans, clothes, bedding, washing machine, etc, etc on very slow (45mph) 800 mile journey (including sleeping in cab of van at Dover). Son David collected from Limoges airport to assist wth unpacking and returned for flight home by (envious) Bob who was able to make slightly speedier return home (and spend night in hotel at Boulogne).

June 2009 (i)
Ade and Bob able to spend a week at the cottage sleeping in proper beds. Helped by Alice and boyfriend Nathan to set up flat-pack furniture (when not jogging in the rain).

June 2009 (ii)
Birthday bash Bob & Ade celebrated his 59th birthday at the cottage with a party of friends - Ron & Pauline; Steve & Veronica and Kath & Greg. Some sleeping on floor required but excellent time had by all - beautiful views of the heavens, Milky Way and all. The video shows Steve Brewster trying out Bob's , very heavy, electric bike (brought from England in hope of offering a means to get to and from the nearest bar (vain hope with weight and hills!).

August 2009
Ade and Bob able to spend last two weeks of August with minimal amount of work on cottage (just as well with temperatures often exceeding 40C !). Beginning to explore the increasingly familiar countryside and towns of Creuse and Haute Vienne. Met most of the British people who have homes in Lestrade including Wendy & Dave from County Durham, who have the house on the other side of the road and generally visit at Easter and school summer holidays (Wendy being a teacher). Also entertained the French couple from No10, M. & Mde Ezinot who have a key to the cottage and can let the water and electricity people in to read meters - pleasant meeting but their English is worse than Bob's French so communication a bit limited. Made good use of the spices brought from England when we entertained Steve the ex-pat builder doing so much work for us and his wife Marie and their 11 year old daughter Courtney to a 'Curry night' which went down very well. Roof still dripping and needing complete overhaul by Steve to recover from cowboy job by previous owner (Buckets left in bedrooms).

September 2009
Ade's sister Lyns and her partner Pete spent a week holidaying in the cottage and seem to have had a good time, Fortunately Jimmy (who had been making an odd noise when first starting up) didn't let them down. Roof still not yet repaired.

October 2009
Ade and Bob spent an enjoyable week (and dry as the roof had been completely repaired by Steve). Experienced first electric blackout (not uncommon apparently in rural France) and at first were quite concerned might be just our cottage and result of dodgy electric work. Contacted Brian who lives fairly close and has considerable local knowledge (as well as being the only English person on the local council) - he kindly came out to us though unable to assist - however by this time we had discovered that the electricity was out for the entire village - restored by EDF a couple of hours later thankfully (EDF man in van called at house for information which Bob did his best to supply in poor, 1966 era GCE French - despite which he was able to get the power on!). David, his partner Louise and her 3 year old son Charlie spent the middle 4 days with us and Charlie did very well with his French. He became quite adept at 'Bonjour', 'Merci' and [his favourite] 'Jus de Pomme'. We are due back in November to close the cottage down for the winter, draining the water etc and bringing Jimmy back so he can be serviced, MOT'd and taxed.