A Slice of Loire Valley Heaven

After many years of holidaying in France, Noelle and Michael Keating decided to start looking for their dream home. They now live in the pretty village of Bourgueil in the heart of the Loire Valley, best known for the splendour of the chateaux and quality of its wines.

What Made you Decide to Move to France?

The sheer diversity of the country, the excellent way of life, the culture and history, the wonderful food and wine, and the need for a quieter existence! France also has a safer society, with lower violent crime rates, particularly outside the big cities.

We had no language barriers, as we both speak French fairly fluently and so we both get by. It would have been hard to move to a country where the language would make integrating into the community quite difficult.

Accessibility was another great attraction. The auto routes make it very easy to drive to other parts of Europe and back to the UK. From where we live in the Centre region of France, it takes about 5 hours to drive to Calais, 35 minutes on the Eurotunnel and then whatever time it takes to get to our destination.

Property prices here are great value for money and much cheaper than in the UK, except for Paris, which may be on a par with London. You get a lot of house for your money here.

How Did you Start your Property Search?

Since 2004, we have been coming to France on holiday, travelling to the Loire and staying in a lovely little gîte in a small village nearby, attached to an old water mill, the wheel of which was a feature in the main house. It was situated in a really lovely, tranquil location. The Loire River is so magnificent that there are so many places along its flow that are just magic.

We had holidayed in other parts of France as well, staying in gîtes in pretty country locations, but never too far from a town, in places like Bordeaux, the Dordogne and Burgundy, but the properties and wine here were beyond our budget!

In September 2006, the lovely lady who owned the gîte informed us that her health was failing and that she would no longer be renting out the property. With this news, there was not a shadow of a doubt in our minds; we were going to look for our own little heaven in this little corner of France!

We wanted a townhouse, preferably in the centre of Bourgueil, with a small enclosed walled garden that would be easy to manage, and a natural wine cellar would be an added bonus. It had to have lock-and-go facilities, be in quiet surroundings, have essential shopping within walking distance, and have enough space for family and friends to visit.

We looked at several properties, and only one of these ticked all the boxes, even though the décor was very 1960s and required a lot of TLC. On entering the property, we both fell in love with it and could see its potential.

Do You Have Advice for People who Want to do the Same?

• Do your research on various regions and draw up a list of your requirements
• Learn the language
• Be prepared to integrate into the way of life instead of looking to live in English enclaves

Why Did you Choose Bourgueil?

The ambience had everything we needed, and the locals were just so friendly.

It has a population of approximately 4,000 inhabitants, two supermarkets, hairdressers, patisseries, pharmacies and a few nice little bars, including our favourite haunt, The Café de La Promenade. And all within walking distance, including doctors and dentists!

There is a wonderful street market every Tuesday, and the most amazing vineyards are just a five-minute walk from our house, producing really good-quality red wine at very affordable prices. You buy direct from the winegrowers and never from supermarkets unless, of course, you want imported wine.

One of our favourite spots of all time is Lac de Rille, where we often go birdwatching or have a picnic. Tours is 40 minutes away and is where the Airport and railway station are situated, so not far to collect visitors who arrive by air or train.

Michael is a huge Grand Prix fan, and Le Mans is approximately 1.5 hours away from where we live. Need I say more? For the last 3 years, he has been drawn there for the sheer drama of “an epic race”, and I have accompanied him because I adore this city for its vibrant nature and fun-loving people.

Situated at the crossroads of Anjou and Touraine, between Le Mans and Tours, Château du Lude is a family home and a historic monument in the Loire Valley. The breathtaking gardens are amazing, particularly the Chinese waterside garden. It is much smaller than some of the grander, more renowned châteaux like Chenonceau, Amboise, Villandry, or Angers, but it is beautiful, definitely worth a visit, and one of my much-loved tourist attractions.

Our grandchildren are obsessed with animals, so we’re very fortunate to live a short distance away from the zoo of La Flèche; a gorgeous place to visit, no matter how old you are, and a firm favourite with our family.

What is it Like Living Here?

In the seven years that we have owned the house, we have made quite a few friends. Like everything, the life you lead in a place is what you make of it yourself. We have immersed ourselves in the community. We occasionally play bridge, I have started teaching English once a week, and we have become involved with a few wine growers, so that we are now very much part of their wine production.

This year, we helped with the wine harvest, picking the grapes by hand at the vineyards of three of our friends. Although it was hard work, the camaraderie was amazing, and it was total fun. We are now helping one of the up-and-coming wine growers with his production! The social life is amazing with lots of parties and dinner parties, so it’s a really lovely way of life.

What is your Favourite Time of Year?

August, September and October, when everything is just so lively here. The family come and visits, and we have our wine festival ‘Bourgueilotherapie’.

What do you Love About where you Live?

We love the slower pace of life, the lack of traffic and being close to a product that is our passion; wine!

When it comes to castle fun, the Loire, the Valley of a Thousand Châteaux, steals the show. There are so many around here.

Chenonceau is a 15th-century Renaissance palace arching femininely over the Cher River. The château of Chambord is huge and boasts a magnificent double-spiral staircase that was designed by Leonardo da Vinci, who spent his last years here. The château of Cheverny stands in the heart of a large park and features splendid interior decoration.

If you’re interested in exploring the property offers we have in the Loire Valley, here are just a few houses for sale in the area to get your taste buds going. If you are looking for that special French château, then pour a glass of your favourite wine and take a look at these gems.