First Impressions

Well, this was our first view of La Dancrerie ! In July 2000 the Lea family, from whom we had bought Harewood House, had just started to let out their holiday home in Normandy, and we became their first paying guests. We loved the freedom and quiet of the French countryside, and decided to look at some homes there for fun. We took a look at a few houses, delighted with the low prices.

A month later, Daddy and Mummy came with me for a weekend trip to look at some houses for sale, so Daddy could give his professinal opinion on whether aged stone walls were truly safe. He and Martin had both caught sight of an old farmhouse and land in the Immobilier window, and I dismissed it, since we certainly didn't want any land. However, the agent was keen for us to see La Dancrerie and so we went to pay a visit...and were smitten! The house looked old and in need of love, but had loads of lovely outbuildings, plus lovely views down the hillside and a wee lake.

We decided to buy, in a mad few weeks, and then were kept on tenterhooks for months as the French Farmers' Union tried to exercise its right of preemption to buy any farmland for sale. Luckily, just before Christmas 2001 they decided they did not want it after all, and La Dancrerie became ours.

Picnic with Mummy and Daddy to celebrate seeing a lovely farmhouse!

We arrived for Christmas with some bunkbeds on the trailer, and went straight out to buy a stove, fridge and other necessaries so that we could spend Christmas in our new home.