Bonjour from france

gardengirl · Post: # 1650Post **gardengirl** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 5:07 pm

Just wanted to say hello from s.w. france where we live on a smallholding and are very pleased to find this site.

diver · Post: # 1651Post **diver** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 7:53 pm

Hi, gardengirl, welcome to the site...it's really friendly....whereabouts in France are you and what do you grow on the smallholding???

gardengirl · Post: # 1652Post **gardengirl** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 8:34 pm

Hi diver, thanks for the welcome , Im' an hour north of Pau, if you know the area ? What do I grow ! well almost everything I like ! I love fresh fruit and veg, so everything from spuds to peaches !!

Andy Hamilton · Thu Mar 24, 2005 9:26 pm

hello welcome to the site garden girl I am glad that you found us

So what is your small holding like? What do you keep/grow?

gardengirl · Post: # 1656Post **gardengirl** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 7:36 am

It's a ouple of hectares, which was badly overgrown when we bought it, briars 20 foot tal etc. so we have most of it cleared and planted up with fruit trees, trees for wood and also have small animals, e.g. sheep, pigs, rabbits. Also keep hens/ducks etc.

Andy Hamilton · Fri Mar 25, 2005 11:15 am

Sounds pretty fantastic. Do the rabbits have to be kept in check? I would have thought it easy to be over run with them.

I am having a go a fruit tree indoors have just planted an avacado stone in a pot and it is thriving. Just an experiment and I am not sure what I will do with it if it gets to big. I wonder if you can have bonzi avacado

gardengirl · Post: # 1659Post **gardengirl** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 6:16 pm

We have very few wild rabbits here, if there were some they would be shot and eaten by the locals !

Chickenlady · Fri Mar 25, 2005 6:55 pm

Welcome, Garden Girl! Your smallholding sounds pretty idyllic. Does it support you, or do you have a job too? Me and my husband have had a dream of moving to France for some years now, and will do once the kids are out of full time education. Look forward to your posts!

Wombat · Post: # 1663Post **Wombat** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 9:46 pm

G'DAy Garden Girl,

Nice to see you here, sounds like you have a pretty good set up. I look forward to seeing your posts.

Why is it that everyone talks about moving to France.......are the UK prices too high?

Nev

Chickenlady · Fri Mar 25, 2005 9:52 pm

Yes they are ridiculously high, especially in the south, and England is particularly crowded - particularly in the south east. When I go to France I am always impressed by the uncrowded roads, the beautiful scenery and the slower pace of life. The French know how to live!

Guest · Post: # 1668Post **Guest** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 12:42 pm

Your'e right chickenlady, your money goes so much further here and unless you are buying in a tourist area, you more or less get what you pay for. Also wombat you can buy land here, or woodland, I know of 3 hectares near us going for 10.000 euros, a little steep in price, but situated nicely and has lots of oak etc.
It's very hard to make a living on a smallholding, local taxes have to be paid, I like having electricity and a car to go around in !! We manage on quite a small income, so we more or less grow all we eat, in fruit, veg and meat and supply our own wood as well. If you can do that it is possible, but no jetting off to the Riveria for us ! We're lucky to be enough far south to have a short winter, so we have a long growing season, and can grow peaches, kiwis, grapes etc. it's much easier being poor in the sunshine !! we love it here and glad we took the chance . 8)

Wombat · Post: # 1669Post **Wombat** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 1:05 pm

Sounds really nice

mountaingirl · Mon Mar 28, 2005 8:02 pm

hi Gardengirl,
Sounds fab! Did you get a dwelling with the land? I just love the stone buildings in France. I'd love to live there if I had the money. A long growing season has so many possibilities and the light must be lovely........good for you congrats.

gardengirl · Post: # 1697Post **gardengirl** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 5:59 am

Hello mountaingirl, yes there was a cow barn, which over I don't know how many years ago was a house, but you wouldn't think it, 3walls, bad roof, no windows/doors /floors ........so quite rustic ! Also beside it was a tobacco drying shed and an old oxen shed, so lots of room for us. there is lots of seasonal work around here, that may be a way to finance you.

mountaingirl · Tue Mar 29, 2005 10:54 pm

Thats fab garden girl, wish I'd gone to France a long time ago, too late now wot with being an old hippie on benefits these days, broke and with three pussy cats.

But I wish there was a pilgrim ship at the dock to take one to a new world of open unowned space!

Great about the buildings because you can gradually convert them.
mountaingirl