Alexis Stratfold

Alexis Goldberg

Alexis loved visiting France as a child and always dreamed of living there one day. Fortunately she met a man who had the same dream! So they married, then bought a beautiful 300-year-old character house in a pretty village in the Languedoc Roussillon. Alexis has been writing about France for a decade, inspiring and helping hundreds of British people to move there. She says: "Our only regret is that we did not move to France earlier! The lifestyle is tranquil, the summers are long and hot and the sun shines almost every day (or seems like it does!). We’ve made friends of many nationalities here."

5 brilliant bastide towns for property buyers

Bastide towns date from the Hundred Years’ War between England and France. Essentially they are walled towns set around a central market square, often on a grid, mainly in Southwest France. Today, their character and beauty make them hugely popular with overseas buyers looking for a French home.

The Rhône-Alpes: where you can sunbathe and ski

The Rhône-Alpes is one of the most stunning and prosperous areas of France not only for its winter sports but for its thriving cities, spectacular mountains, rivers and countryside, excellent climate and sound investment opportunities. There are some simply wonderful properties for sale here too!

Autumn opportunities in the French property market

The French property market has not seen the sharp price rises that we have seen in the UK in the last 10 years or so: quite the reverse, many areas have seen no price rises at all. However, new figures released by the French property market overseer “Se Loger” and “Insee” suggest that this is changing in some areas.

Top 5 French villages with a buzz

What comes to your mind when you think of a picturesque lively ancient French village? Perhaps pavement cafes, timber framed buildings, cobbled streets, local art, a market, the smell of freshly baked bread emanating from the local boulangerie? What about affordable property?

What should you bring with you from the UK to France?

Once you have the keys to your new French home in your hand, it is incredibly exciting to think about furnishing it, stocking up on consumable items, perhaps a bit of DIY and browsing what the French shops and brocantes have to offer. However, some things are a bit more difficult to find – so here’s what to bring with you when you move.

Installing and owning a swimming pool in France

When you start your French property search, you may well dream of building your own swimming pool. The good news is that this is something which is fairly easily achievable, even with a relatively small exterior space, and there is a huge choice of types and sizes of pool in France now. Here’s what to consider and the costs to expect.