Think that buying a property in the Dordogne area of France would be an expensive, lengthy and stressful experience, littered with red tape and wrapped in bureaucracy? Think again.

Marketing agency co-founder and self-confessed Francophile Rachel Walder, from west London, bought her tiny slice of rural French heaven – a chalet in a quiet village nestled on the edge of the Dordogne river – for under £7,000 (€8,000) and describes the process as being “quick and easy”.

She now splits her time between London and the village of Couze-et-Saint-Front, where an  average day finds her waking to the sound of church bells, walking to the boulangerie, spending time sitting outside, staying lightly connected to her UK life, sunbathing, writing, reading, making simple meals with fresh ingredients and spending quiet nights with the owls and stars for company.

She said: “I live alone, which I really enjoy, and I think that independence definitely shaped how and why I chose my place in France.”

Having been visiting the area of for over a decade and deciding to buy the property, on a site she knows well, pretty much on the spur of the moment, Rachel said: “The purchase itself was very quick. The only slightly stressful part was the paperwork. Ideally, they wanted it completed within one working day – I managed it in three.

Speaking some French herself, she said: “The contract with the site was in French, so I Google-translated everything and the English-speaking office manager also provided an English version to sign. It was formal and thorough, but completely manageable.”

Rachel enjoys the juxtaposition of the fast pace of London and the calm of her sunny corner of France and said: “Living in the Dordogne part-time feels like a balancing act between two worlds. It’s one of the best things I have ever done and I love it.

“When I arrive in Couze, I just smile. The morning begins with the steady, familiar sound of the church bells ringing for a full three minutes, as they have done for generations. They start at 7am, when it’s still dark (sunrise is later here than at home in England).”

Rachel already knew and loved the site her second home is on, having a family connection to the area, and one day inquired if there was anything was available for sale. Originally on the market for €9,000, she offered €8,000 for the chalet and the next day, it was accepted.

 

She explained: “I’ve been coming to Couze for 12 years but only this July (2024) did I buy my own tiny chalet — a static mobile home on a secure, family-run site where the owners truly care for every resident. It’s simple and peaceful, shaded by trees and filled with birdsong.

“What I loved immediately is how beautifully simple and well-decorated it is. It also came fully equipped – lovely plain crockery, glassware, cutlery and brilliant storage throughout – which made moving in effortless. It’s understated, calm and completely perfect for how I want to live there.

She added: “I trust the site, the people who run it and know the village. I also deliberately chose a managed site rather than a house. I’m not very practical and wouldn’t enjoy a renovation project. I wanted ease, safety and simplicity.

“Being single, I also value knowing there are people around, that the gardens and swimming pools are looked after and that help is available if anything goes wrong

This is more than just a holiday home for Rachel. She spends long stretches of time there, staying connected to her UK life while enjoying the rhythm of the village. She also plans to offer it to friends and family for holidays, in the future.

Rachel plans to apply for a long-stay French visa, which will allow her to visit for extended periods, enabling her to be there, pretty much full-time, from April to October, popping back to London whenever she needs to be there in person.

According to Rachel, the visa itself costs round £150 and it doesn’t affect the standard 90 day stays imposed by Schengen rules, in place since Brexit.

Couze itself is close to the fortified riverside town of Lalinde and within easy reach of Bergerac Airport – but worlds away from her other home in London. Rachel describes the village as small, friendly and very walkable. It has boulangeries, restaurants, a pharmacie and épiceries, and old, dis-used paper mills dot the banks of the river (above).

The cuisine of the Dordogne region, known as ‘Périgourdine’, is rich and rustic, centred on its famous local duck and goose products, including foie gras, confit and magret, earthy truffles – especially the black variety, prized walnuts and wild mushrooms such ceps, with dishes often cooked in duck fat with garlic and herbs.

Signature dishes of the region include Sarladaise potatoes, which are fried in duck fat, Tourin – an earthy garlic soup, Enchaud (pork) and delicious walnut cakes, complemented by local Bergerac wines, strawberries and local cheeses such as Rocamadour.

This is also wine country, with the Bergerac area containing 13 appellations d’origine contrôlées (AOCs), including powerful reds and sweet, white dessert wines.

Among things to do in Couze – should you ever tire of laying by the pool – include a walk along the canal to Lalinde to visit the markets, taking the train to Bordeaux (just over an hour) and simply enjoying slow days outside in the sunshine. In the summer there is a night market and Rachel can vouch for les escargots and rosé wine!

Integrating into the community is important to. She said: “I speak some French and also have fortnightly Zoom lessons with my tutor in Lyon. Most people in the village don’t speak much English, so I use French daily. Real-life immersion has improved my French more than anything else.

“Definitely something to take into consideration if you’re looking to move to France or have a second home, is to consider whether the area accommodates English speakers or if you’ll have to up your French – which is what I wanted to do.”

Here’s more from Rachel, in her own words, about her simple, yet idyllic lifestyle in the Dordogne:

When I first arrived in August, it was 41 degrees and I promptly fainted from the heat. Literally. Having a black eye was a dramatic start to this new chapter of my French life, but even that became part of the story – a reminder that here, nature dictates the pace. I mean, being helped to my feet by a handsome Frenchman softened the blow!

 

 

I stay connected to my UK business while I’m there, so this isn’t a holiday bolthole; it’s another place I live from — a quieter, sunnier base for everyday life. My desk sits on the covered veranda, where I’m joined most days by the resident cat, who has entirely adopted me. He’s called Oreo and we have a love/hate relationship. He tried to bite me once (too much stroking….cats are weird) but then, one night, I woke around 4am as something was under the bed. I was slightly petrified it would be a rat, but it was Oreo!

Each morning begins with a ritual I never tire of: crossing the bridge over the Dordogne river to the boulangerie for a croissant and a ficelle (the thinner type of baguette). The water of the river shifts constantly – sometimes glassy and still, sometimes rippling with light. I take photos every single day. Along the banks of the river stand the old paper mills, a reminder of the village’s industrious past. I always pause midway across the bridge to take in the view. It’s familiar, yet never the same twice.

Couze is small but totally self-sufficient. I don’t drive, but I’ve never found that to be a problem. The taxi from Bergerac Airport is easy and once I’m here, everything I need is within walking distance. The provides everything I could possibly want — bread, wine, fruit and conversation!

 

 

There’s no train station in Couze, but Lalinde is close enough for a walk — a 45-minute stroll along the canal, shaded and tranquil: the sort of walk a Londoner like me considers a pleasure, not a chore, given how much I walk in London. On my next visit, I plan to take the train from Lalinde to Bordeaux – a small adventure that now feels entirely possible with Couze as my base.

One of the things I love about being here is its simplicity. I keep just three dresses, a swimsuit and a pair of shorts at the chalet. My toiletries wait for me in the bathroom, ready for each return (all bought locally..I do love a French pharmacy). I travel from London with a small bag and my laptop, and somehow that feels like real luxury. There’s a lightness in knowing I have exactly what I need and nothing more.

My French improves with every visit. At first, I stumbled through the words, but now the rhythm of conversation feels easier, more natural. Each small success is progress! I even made a joke the other day! I try really hard to speak in full sentences and not just throw out words.

The soundscape is part of the magic here – morning birds and the lovely older chaps who play table tennis outside chez moi at 8.30am every day, for example. Then, at night, true silence – except for the owls. Les chouettes call through the dark. There’s something especially beautiful about that word in French – somehow soft (I love it) and perfectly suited to the sound itself.

Where I am, it’s not on a road so it’s not lit and you don’t hear any traffic at all. The stars are brilliant and the quiet almost complete. It’s the opposite of London, where sound and light never entirely stop. In Couze, night still feels like night and it can be surprisingly cold, whilst getting up to sun-bathing temperatures in the afternoons, even in October.

 

 

Life here has reshaped the pace of my days. My London days are marked by meetings and rushing; in Couze, I start earlier, finish later and somehow feel calmer. Between video calls, I might hang washing, go for a walk, go and get bread or simply sit on the veranda, watching the light.

In a world that can move too fast, Couze-et-Saint-Front has shown me how to slow down without stopping, to think without rushing and to find beauty in the smallest details of the day: a warm croissant, an annoying cat, a minimalist suitcase and les chouettes at night. I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.

Rachel’s advice to anyone thinking of doing the same: “Don’t assume it has to be complicated or expensive. Be clear with yourself about what kind of property suits your life and your personality. And if possible, buy somewhere you already emotionally connect to.

“Small, simple choices can completely change how you live. You don’t need a grand plan.”

Restaurants in Couze-et-Saint-Front:

• Le Josephine (three-course set menu starts from €34)
• Au gré des saisons couze (moules frites, dessert and glass of wine: €23)

Getting there:

• Ryanair flies to London Stansted to Bergerac from (1 hour 45 minutes) regularly, from March to October, starting from as little as £50 return
• A taxi from Bergerac airport to Couze-et-Saint-Front takes around 20 minutes (taxi fare approx: €70)
• Car hire from Bergerac airport from £22 per day
• Driving time from Calais to Couze is approximately nine hours

Found what you’ve read useful? Want to read more about French adventures? Click the links for The Sun Lounger’s recommendations on 48 hours in Le Touquet or Brittany beach recommendations.

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