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."

Why France remains top for lifestyle

Sometimes it’s easy to forget, when you’re busy researching Brexit rules or running around trying to organise estate agents and viewing trips, exactly why France is regarded by all right-thinking people as the nicest place in the world to live. So we thought we’d give you a quick reminder!

Why British families are choosing France and its schools

New figures just released by the Office of National Statistics reveal that France is in fact the top country for British people relocating with children. There are 20,000 British children in France, compared to 16,000 in Spain.

The art of gardening in France

One of the joys of living in France is all the space. When we bought our house in the Languedoc-Roussillon eight years ago, we were determined to make our outside space both pretty and manageable. We knew this would allow us to take full advantage of the wonderful Mediterranean climate, and from May to October a good deal of our time would be spent outside. With this in mind we created a small corner in our garden for sunbathing and relaxing beneath our ivy clad wall, which is both lovely to look at and easy to maintain.

How to make a little money on your French home

The rental market in France was very buoyant until Covid struck, and will be again by mid-2021, hopefully. If you’re considering buying a second home you can let out when you’re not in residence, or perhaps you’re moving permanently and you’re looking for a property that comes with a gîte, now is a great time to start planning.

The wine regions of France

There are countless reasons why France remains us Britons favourite country to visit: its location, its diverse landscape, the food, the historic cities, the relaxed lifestyle – the list goes on. World-class wine certainly makes the list as well. With over two million acres of vineyards across the country and up to eight billion bottles being produced each year, the country’s wine producing regions deliver quantity and quality.

Driving south via the Millau Viaduct

The convenience of getting to your pad in France is a real draw for British property buyers. It’s close proximity to the UK means you can pack up the car, head to a channel port and roll onto a ferry or the Eurostar, without the stress of worrying about budget airline baggage restrictions.