Saturday 17 May 2014

Home thoughts from abroad.................................


It seems that this year it has been feast or famine for my Normandy Life blog with more famine than feasting going on.

Dear reader that is all about to change, first the latest news from the Presbytère. After many months of preparation we finally put the house on the market in April.


However, so far there hasn't been any interest and as we know that the house market here in rural Normandy is sluggish at best we are prepared to wait for the right buyer to come along.


All the photographs in this post are of our French nest all fluffed and ready for a new owner.



In the meantime we recently spent 10 days back home in England scouting out a new place to retire to, we had a lovely time and I have many treats to share with you in future posts.


Such as Derbyshire's Chatsworth House, home to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire and Tissington Hall, a Jacobean house built in 1609 which has been lived in ever since by one family only: the FitzHerbert's.

Also, Shibden Hall situated in beautiful Calderdale, Yorkshire built by prosperous wool merchant William Otes in 1420.
Besides these stately homes there will be simpler tales of pretty villages such as Alstonefield and the plague village of Eyam in Derbyshire and Haworth, Yorkshire, home to the Bronte sisters ; churches; cottages; B&B's good and bad (!) and scenery to die for.




Hope you'll come back again soon for my virtual guided tour of two very beautiful English counties that you may never have visited before.

10 comments:

  1. Maggie, I wish you a speedy sale on your house in Normandy. It is beautiful and the right buyer will come along hopefully this summer. Once you decide to move it is hard to stay put (for me at least). I look forwarad to seeing the English villages and homes you visited. xo Jenny

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  2. Maggie your home is beautiful and can understand that England beckons for your retirement.
    Hope someone comes along soon so you can move forward with the next phase of your life.

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  3. Your home is so beautiful. Will you sell it furnished? Here there are pockets where the housing market is not. You will fine a buyer and be on your way. Where do you want settle? Of course I will join you as you share your English adventures.

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  4. I will be looking for the upcoming posts, Maggie, with pleasure!
    As you know, we too are selling our house - so I share your experience. Rural properties take longer to sell here, so we are in a keep-it-fluffed-and-wait mode. Not a lot of fun!

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  5. Maggie, it looks gorgeous! I know there will be a buyer for your amazing property.
    Of course I look forward to your upcoming posts on your recent trip back to the UK. I've missed you!
    Sending hugs across the miles……….Sarah

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  6. Maggie, your home is lovely. I wish I could live in France for a few years just as you have done. Selling a home does take time - we have one on the market, too. It's hard to be patient.

    Looking forward to seeing more of beautiful England as well.

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  7. Your house looks wonderful. I hope you find the perfect buyer soon. Good luck! xoxo

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  8. Looking forward to keeping in touch as you move on to the next life adventure Maggie.

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  9. Good to see you here Maggie - you're always missed. Of course being back in England enjoying the countryside wan't bad I'm sure, but searching for a new home must have been quite a lot of work! Meanwhile, this beautiful home you've made en France will be hard to leave - it's really gorgeous inside and out - I hope some lucky buyer comes along who will tend to it and love it just as you have all these years.

    Looking forward to reading of your travels home - I'll be there for a few days next month and looking forward to meeting family, friends and doing a little shopping prior to coming back to NC! Will you be over here this Summer by chance? Let me know if you decide to visit HH.

    Love and hugs - Mary

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  10. I'm so glad you're back, Maggie -- and with more posts up your sleeve! You have been missed! I certainly hope your home sells soon for your sake -- someone will have a glorious time living in such a lovely spot. I suspect it will be nice returning home -- but I was hoping I'd make it to Normandy before you left. Well, perhaps one day we will connect in England! Can't wait to hear more about Chatsworth -- the history of that family (including the Mitfords and Kennedys) is fascinating -- not to mention the earlier Devonshires!

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Thanks for stopping by, your visit just made my day!