- 10 hours ago
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Short filmTranscript
00:00Today I'm house hunting around beautiful Brittany on the northwest coast of France.
00:09I'm Jean Johansson and over the last 10 years I've been buying, selling and renovating properties both in the UK and overseas.
00:18Today I'm going to be using all my skills to find the perfect place for motorbike lover Lisa and her daughter Steffi.
00:25But do we run out of gas?
00:27Did you enjoy that?
00:30I'm exhausted.
00:32Before getting all revved up.
00:35Let's move in.
00:37This is looking promising.
00:40I visit a luxury villa that's steeped in history.
00:43It really is like stepping into 18th century France.
00:47But at the end of the day, do I find my house hunters their perfect place in the sun?
00:52I'm loving it.
00:53Aww, that's great news.
00:54I love everything about this house.
01:00Eight years ago motorcycle enthusiast Lisa went on a date with Breton local Silva.
01:05Not only did she fall in love with him but also his home region of Brittany.
01:09The roads here are a biker's paradise and now she wants to buy the perfect holiday home where she can set off to the countryside whenever she wants.
01:17And she's brought her daughter Steffi along to help with the search.
01:21Lisa, who lives in Southampton, had her first date with Sylvan in Brittany and since that day has wanted to buy a property there.
01:29Now she has a budget of £160,000 to finally do just that.
01:34Since my husband introduced me to Brittany, I fell in love with it immediately.
01:38It will be like a dream come true to have my house there, a base for my friends, motorbike friends to come and stay and I will spend half my life there.
01:49With Sylvan unable to take part in the property search, Lisa's enlisted the help of her daughter Steffi.
01:55I think I will probably fall in love with everything I'm shown.
01:58That's what I'm expecting.
01:59She'll reign me in.
02:00I think you've got a great eye and I'm going to help you refine your search and really get what you want.
02:09There are lots of different ways to get to the north-eastern corner of Brittany where we'll be focusing our search.
02:15Ferries run into St Malo from both Poole and Portsmouth.
02:18You can fly to Wren from lots of airports in the UK in around an hour and a half.
02:23And it's around a five-hour drive from Cali.
02:26Brittany is known for its beautiful countryside, traditional architecture and lip-smacking food and drink, not least the traditional Breton cider.
02:35Being so close to the UK means it's very convenient to get to but also that there's no guarantee of good weather, even in the summer.
02:42Despite that, it's still a very popular destination for us Brits and for the French as well.
02:49With working from home becoming a trend, more and more French city dwellers are moving to the Breton countryside.
02:55Typically, on the coast, a two or three bedroom house with good space outside starts at around £250,000.
03:02But drive half an hour inland and you can find similar properties for around a third less.
03:08That means I should have some good options for Lisa and Steffi.
03:11Before we get going, I'm meeting up with my house hunters on the banks of the River Rams in the town of Deenon
03:17to find out what Lisa's looking for in terms of property and how Steffi is going to help her.
03:23So, Lisa and Steffi, bienvenue, welcome to France.
03:27Merci.
03:29You are smiling from ear to ear.
03:32It feels fantastic.
03:33I've loved this place for so many years now and it's just so great to be back here again.
03:38What is it that makes you love it so much?
03:40The architecture, the people, the fantastic roads for my motorbiking activities.
03:49Everything is just really beautiful and I can't get enough of it.
03:55And what do you think of it, Steffi?
03:57Well, first impression, it is absolutely gorgeous.
04:00You've never been here before?
04:01No, I have not.
04:02Well, what do you think?
04:03I love it so far.
04:04The town village was so quaint, loving the original stonework that you see just everywhere.
04:10Mum's told me so much about it and I'm looking forward to having her show me all the places that you love.
04:16Yeah.
04:17What are you looking for?
04:19Well, I'm looking primarily for a house not too big but with enough garage space or outbuildings to keep motorbikes in.
04:28And, you know, maybe two or three bedrooms for guests.
04:32I like a traditional looking home so the curb appeal is especially important.
04:39Your budget is £160,000?
04:41Yes, that's right.
04:43Tell me there's a little bit more.
04:45Well, there is a little bit more.
04:48OK.
04:49I can probably get another £30,000 for the right place.
04:55Right, OK.
04:56Yes.
04:57OK.
04:58Two to three bedrooms, traditional, outside space for those motorbikes.
05:01Outside space is very important.
05:03Are you ready to get started?
05:04We are.
05:05I'm looking forward to this.
05:06Come on, follow me.
05:07It's so quaint down here, isn't it?
05:10Ooh.
05:11So let's get on our bikes.
05:13Well, we're in a car actually.
05:15And get cracking with this house hunt which I think is going to be lots of fun.
05:19I'm confident I can find Lisa something that will do the job for her.
05:23We're actually heading into the neighbouring region of Normandy for our first property, which
05:28is just outside the town of Saint-Hilaire du Acouer.
05:31So I thought I'd show Lisa and Steffy some of the delights on offer just a short ride away.
05:36So this is Sonny Lair du Acouer.
05:40Forgive my pronunciation.
05:41But I wanted to bring you here because it's a relatively big town with lots going on in
05:46terms of bars, restaurants, shops.
05:48It's really got that local feel but has everything you need.
05:51I like what I see so far.
05:53Yeah.
05:54It's very beautiful.
05:55There is a market that rolls into town which is quite common in these types of French
05:59towns.
06:00So would you hang out at market?
06:01Good place for you to exchange pleasantries and work on the language.
06:05Yeah, I would love to do that to build up my confidence in speaking French.
06:09Yeah, definitely.
06:10The property is about four miles from here.
06:13Eight minute drive.
06:14Are you ready?
06:15Yes, I can't wait.
06:16Please.
06:17Follow me.
06:18Come on.
06:19Property one is in the countryside just outside Saint-Hilaire du Acouer, about three quarters
06:24of an hour from the coast.
06:26Rural properties in Normandy and Brittany can be half the price of coastal ones and this part
06:31of France is still very affordable despite a big hike in demand for properties recently.
06:36All of which is great news for Lisa as I found somewhere with enough room for her and her
06:41motorbikes for a little bit below her budget.
06:44So we're nestled in the French countryside.
06:49Voila.
06:50Wow.
06:51Very cute.
06:53Very cute.
06:54It looks great.
06:55It's plenty big enough.
06:57I love the tranquility of the place.
07:00Yeah.
07:01I wasn't expecting such a rural setting but I'm very impressed.
07:05I love this kind of thing.
07:06Yeah.
07:07Three bedrooms, traditional farmhouse, two bathrooms, good sized kitchen.
07:12How's that working for you?
07:14That sounds perfect so far.
07:16Yeah.
07:17Every box ticked it seems like.
07:19You've got two barns here.
07:20One of them there I think could lend well to locking your motorcycles up.
07:24What do you think?
07:25Yeah, that's plenty big enough.
07:27Yeah.
07:28It's on the market for just over £155,000.
07:30So it's well below budget then.
07:32That leaves enough money to do a little renovation where necessary.
07:36Exactly.
07:37Yeah.
07:38Let's get you in.
07:39Oh yes please.
07:40Great.
07:43This property sits on more than an acre of land and has two barns which offer more than
07:49enough space to store motorbikes.
07:51Inside the house, which could possibly do with some updating, there's a living room and a separate
07:56kitchen diner with another living space plus our utility room downstairs.
08:01Upstairs are the main bedroom, a second bedroom and a shower room as well as a quaint attic bedroom.
08:09Come through to the living area.
08:14What do you think?
08:15Wow.
08:16I think it's great.
08:17I'm loving the ceilings and the beams and the space opens out quite nicely.
08:21It doesn't look like that from the outside and just the tiles give the impression of a bigger room as well.
08:26I would definitely paint it white, I think.
08:29I love white walls.
08:31I'm just really excited to see the rest of it now.
08:34Another good size kitchen as well.
08:36Needs a bit of modernising.
08:37Yeah.
08:38But let's take a look.
08:39Okay, fantastic.
08:44Come on in.
08:45Okay.
08:46I can see it's a good size already, you know, a neat little kitchen with a dining area, which is perfect.
08:53I'm visualising people coming down for breakfast and we all gather round the table.
08:59Yeah.
09:00Seeing how rustic it was sort of from the outside.
09:02I had no idea what to expect, but it's so, it's roomy.
09:05It's quite light.
09:06I agree.
09:07Really generous sized rooms in this house and the bedrooms are quite big as well.
09:11Shall we have a look at one?
09:12Yes, please.
09:13I have to.
09:14Go up the stairs.
09:17What do you think of this bedroom?
09:20Yeah, that opens up nicely again.
09:23The window is a little quirky.
09:25Yeah, the low window.
09:26I quite like that.
09:27It's kind of, I don't know, I like to have that sort of like a reading window.
09:31If you sit on the floor like I do.
09:33Yeah, so I never thought of that.
09:34Oh, how lovely.
09:36Traditional feeling again in here.
09:38Definitely.
09:39With the beams as well, it gives it that traditional feel.
09:43At this point, I think you two should look round the place on your own.
09:47Take it all in.
09:48Get a good feel for it.
09:49And I'll come and find you and see what you think.
09:51Okay.
09:53Take your time.
09:56I can't really tell what Lisa thinks of this.
09:58She was really happy downstairs.
10:00I'm not sure what she thinks of the bedrooms.
10:02Could it be a contender?
10:04Yeah.
10:05Okay.
10:06So this is number two, bedroom number two.
10:09Yeah.
10:10I mean, I like the exposed wall over there.
10:12Yeah.
10:13But it could have potential.
10:14It's still bigger than we were thinking.
10:16Yeah.
10:17Oh, it's quite tall.
10:19Taller than I thought.
10:20Like, is there an echo?
10:22Yeah.
10:23Yeah.
10:24That could be a good space for the car.
10:26Yes.
10:27Behind us.
10:28Yeah.
10:29But it might just be a bit too much work to make it a nice space.
10:32Okay, shall we see if we can find Jean?
10:34Yeah.
10:35Nice.
10:36Lisa and her daughter Steffi seem fairly impressed by this traditional farmhouse, which is on
10:42the market for just over £155,000.
10:46And it's also got those all-important buildings for motorbikes.
10:50So I'm hopefully going to get the motor running on this house hunt with an early contender.
10:56Bonjour, bonjour.
10:57Hello.
10:58Bonjour.
10:59What's the verdict?
11:01I like the house.
11:02I like what it looks like from the outside.
11:04I can do a lot inside.
11:08A couple of the rooms I'm not so keen on.
11:11It feels very old.
11:13The land, it's a bit too much land for me to maintain.
11:18It's not out of the running.
11:20Okay.
11:21But it's not a strong contender yet.
11:22What happened?
11:23You turned up here and you were so excited.
11:25The more I looked around the house, the older it felt.
11:29Okay.
11:30I'm not sure how much work or money I would need to put into it to bring it up to what I want to see inside.
11:35Okay.
11:36Yeah.
11:37And the barns, I would have to find a way of improving the inside on a low budget just to be sure my bikes are comfortable.
11:47It sounds as if there's work needed outside and inside.
11:51So moving on, how about I show you a house that doesn't need much work at all.
11:55How does that sound?
11:56I'm looking forward to that.
11:57Right, let's move on.
11:58Okay.
11:59After you.
12:00So that's not an ideal start, but there were quite a few positives there.
12:06Most importantly, it's really helped me get a taste of what Lisa's priorities are in terms of property.
12:12And talking of taste, before we visit our next place, I'm taking her and Steffi to check out something Brittany is famous for.
12:19Though it's a bit too early in the day to sample any of it.
12:23I thought we should definitely do a stop off at the Cider Museum.
12:27Yeah, that sounds great.
12:28I think this is a great place to come because it's really informative, but nice just to wander around, learn about the history.
12:35Well, it looks very interesting.
12:37It's gorgeous.
12:38I love the building.
12:393,000 different varieties of apples are cultivated here in Brittany.
12:45So that must be how you get all these wonderful flavours.
12:48When were you introduced to it?
12:49About eight years ago.
12:51And you've been hooked ever since.
12:53I've been hooked ever since, but obviously not daily.
12:56But I really like the flavours of it, yeah.
12:59It's very different to the cider made in Britain.
13:02You can come here for about £4.50, wander around, practice your French, reading the signs,
13:07and then hit the gift shop, maybe have a bite to eat and a glass of cider.
13:11Yeah, it's the sort of place we would travel 200 kilometres just to come and have a look and then drive back again.
13:17That's what we would do as bikers.
13:19My mouth is watering, but we've got another property to see, so we'll have to save the cider for later.
13:24Are you ready to see the next one?
13:25Yes, definitely.
13:26Come on.
13:30Coming up, I can't wait to see what Lisa and Steffi think of my next property.
13:34This old farmhouse that comes with plenty of character and this stunning barn.
13:46Today I'm in Brittany in the stunning north-west of France, helping Lisa find her dream holiday home.
13:51And I didn't quite manage that with the first property I showed Lisa, who has a budget of £160,000 with an additional £30,000 wiggle room.
14:00She and her daughter Steffi liked some of the things about this farmhouse, but felt it had too much land to maintain and needed too much work doing to it to make it a proper contender.
14:10So I've found her somewhere that's more manageable for my next property.
14:15It's on the outskirts of the village of Mele, in a very rural part of Brittany, which is becoming increasingly popular with French second homeowners.
14:23Even though prices have increased here in the past couple of years, it's still quite an affordable area, meaning this property is priced a fair bit below Lisa's budget.
14:33Oh, the sun's came out just in time for me to show you my second property. It's right here.
14:40Wow, that looks very nice. Yeah, I like my initial thought of the curb appeal is like, yeah, I actually prefer this to the other property.
14:51Oh, you do? Yeah, I already prefer the outside.
14:55Two bedrooms, really great condition inside. I don't think you need to do anything at all.
15:01You might want to take the furniture out. Good bit of land here as well.
15:04I felt like earlier you were maybe a bit overwhelmed by the size of the land.
15:08This is about half of what was on offer earlier, and it comes with this barn as well.
15:13Wow! The barn is bigger than the house.
15:15Yeah, it's a huge barn. What I like about it is that it's looking good.
15:20You know, the roof doesn't need any work. It's in good condition.
15:23This is on the market for just over £135,000.
15:27No way!
15:28135?
15:30That's incredible.
15:32Yeah.
15:33Let's go in!
15:34OK!
15:35Let's go!
15:36This converted farmhouse comes with just over half an acre of land.
15:43One outbuilding attached to it, and this big barn with loads of room for motorbikes.
15:49Inside, on the ground floor, there's a living and dining room, a separate kitchen and a downstairs bathroom.
15:55While upstairs, there are two good-sized bedrooms, plus a shower room.
16:00Right, come in!
16:07Oh, a nice fireplace!
16:10Wow!
16:12Compare this living space to the one you saw earlier.
16:15It feels bigger, and especially the, I don't need to do anything to the walls because it's already ready for painting or putting my own little mark on it.
16:25It's easier to make it yours.
16:27It's much easier, yeah.
16:28Let's go through the kitchen, out the back.
16:30Great.
16:33This is the kitchen, big enough, I think.
16:35Yeah, that's plenty big enough.
16:37We've got bathroom off here.
16:39Come on out.
16:42What do you think of this?
16:44Oh, that view is gorgeous.
16:45Trees, fields, no buildings, no houses to look over.
16:50It's amazing.
16:51Really cute neighbours.
16:52Yeah, lovely little goats.
16:54There's a few cows in the background.
16:56I mean, you can hear them.
16:57Yeah.
16:58It's idyllic.
16:59It's lovely.
17:00Oh, nice.
17:01It's exactly what I had in mind for my back garden.
17:03How long have you been thinking about getting a place in France?
17:06Over five years, I would think.
17:08Well, you've been imagining this for five years, so how close does this come to what you've been thinking about?
17:13So far, pretty much perfect, without seeing the rest of it.
17:16Take your time, look around the rest of the property, and I'll be interested to see if I get myself a contender with this one.
17:22Okay.
17:23All right.
17:24I'm excited to look around the rest.
17:25Off you go, ladies.
17:28Yeah, I can tell she loves this.
17:30I could have myself my first contender.
17:32I'm off to play with the goats.
17:34Oh, well, this room is smaller than the main bedroom in the other property, but I think I prefer it.
17:47You know, it's got the stone interior, which I like in a room.
17:50Yes, it does.
17:51It's got two windows, which is great, so you can actually choose where you put the bed.
17:56I like it a lot.
17:57I can't wait to go and see the barn.
17:59Shall we go and see the barn?
18:00Are you ready?
18:01Yeah.
18:02Okay.
18:05Oh, wow, it's huge.
18:09It's a mezzanine.
18:10I mean, you could do so much with this space.
18:12I mean, this is bigger than the house.
18:14You've got space for your car and your bikes.
18:16Yeah.
18:17Let's go check her out.
18:19Lisa wanted somewhere more manageable than the first place I showed her and I reckon I've done that with this farmhouse, which is on the market for just over £135,000.
18:32And it's also got the huge barn for her motorbikes.
18:35Given Lisa and Steffi's positive reactions to it, I'm feeling pretty confident it's going to be a contender.
18:41Well, how did that go?
18:44Really well.
18:45Oh, good.
18:46Absolutely well.
18:47Great.
18:48Yeah, I can see you're pretty smitten with this property.
18:50I loved it.
18:51I love the area.
18:52I like the views from the back.
18:54The feel of the house inside, it feels good.
18:56I can't put it into words, but it feels comfortable.
19:00It would need some money spending on it, but there's definitely potential in the barn.
19:04And of course, you've got the money.
19:06This comes well in your budget and wiggle room, so you could really do whatever you want with this.
19:10Do I have myself a contender here?
19:12This one is definitely a contender.
19:14Great.
19:15That's great news.
19:16I'm so glad.
19:17Moving on then.
19:18I mean, this sounds pretty perfect.
19:19How can I improve for you?
19:20A bit more living space in the main house.
19:22Okay.
19:23You happy with the location?
19:24The location is beautiful, but perhaps closer to some more shops amenities.
19:29Okay.
19:30Yeah.
19:31That gives me a couple of things to work on.
19:32This is the one to beat, hey?
19:34It is, yes.
19:35I think so.
19:36Come on, girls, come on.
19:40Well, even though I'm pleased to have such a strong contender in the bag,
19:44I still don't think I've found Lisa her perfect property just yet.
19:48As she wants a livelier location, my next place is really close to Dino,
19:52the biggest town in this part of Brittany.
19:55On the way to it, we're stopping off in another pretty town, San Dominuc,
19:59to take a look at the canal that runs through it.
20:02Time for a stroll along the canal and what a beautiful place to do it.
20:07This is San Dominuc.
20:08Okay.
20:09I've not been here before.
20:10Oh, good.
20:11Yeah.
20:12Tranquil is the word I would use.
20:14Absolutely.
20:15Yes.
20:16Yeah.
20:17You can hear birds singing.
20:18Yeah.
20:19Nice and quiet.
20:20I want to show you some places that you can come on your bike or with Philvan
20:23when you've got a place here.
20:25What do you think about taking a tandem kayak down the canal there?
20:29Oh, that would sound amazing.
20:30Very romantic.
20:32My next property is a little bit closer to Dino.
20:35I feel like that's something that you have been thinking about.
20:38Oh, yeah.
20:39Yes.
20:40Dino's my favourite town, so that would be great.
20:41So, we're heading to the town next door, which is about a four-minute drive from here.
20:44Amazing.
20:4525 minutes from Dino.
20:46Fantastic.
20:47How does that sound?
20:48Sounds great.
20:49Let's go.
20:50Coming up, I'm hoping Lisa and Steph are going to love my next property, this traditional
21:00stone house that comes with a massive barn and this lovely, manageable garden.
21:11Today, I'm in France, house hunting around Brittany's glorious countryside, helping motorbike
21:16enthusiast Lisa and her daughter Steffi find the dream holiday home.
21:20And I've hit the jackpot with my second property.
21:23Lisa is smitten.
21:25Lisa, who has a budget of £160,000 with an additional £30,000 wiggle room, and Steffi
21:31both really loved this converted farmhouse with a big barn.
21:35But they felt that it was a bit too isolated.
21:38So, I've found a place in the town of Plooganook for property number three.
21:42Plooganook has lots going on in terms of shops, bars and restaurants, but also has the countryside
21:48on its doorstep and just oozes traditional Breton charm.
21:52This has proved a winning combination for Parisians in particular, looking to move out of the city.
21:58And property prices here have increased by as much as 40% in the past year.
22:03That means I've had to go a bit into Lisa's wiggle room to find somewhere I think she'll love
22:08in a peaceful part of town.
22:10So, we're in Plooganook, and as you saw driving in, you're quite close to Deenon.
22:14So, how's the location feeling for you?
22:16Yeah, it's very calm. I love the quietness of the village.
22:19Yeah.
22:20Yeah, I'm liking it so far.
22:22Well, I've selected something a little bit quirky for my third property.
22:26This is it. Two houses that have been made into one.
22:29This is the old part, this is the new, but it's very, very modern inside.
22:33I love that facade there. It's really beautiful.
22:37I'm not sure what to make of that side, but overall, I'm very excited.
22:42This property is on the market for just over £183,000.
22:46OK, so over the budget, but within the wiggle room.
22:50Yeah.
22:51And if there's nothing major to be done inside, that could work.
22:55I just have no clue what it could be like inside with two different fronts.
23:00Let's get you and you can see.
23:02As well as the two houses joined together, there's also an adjoining barn with enough room for a couple of bikes and a spacious garden.
23:14Inside, there's a light filled living and dining room, a separate stylish kitchen diner, the main bedroom, a second bedroom and an office that could be a third bedroom.
23:24There's also a shower room with adjoining laundry room, a WC and a family bathroom.
23:30Quite a modern kitchen here.
23:35A very modern kitchen, yeah. Not much work to do in here.
23:39This is just your thing, isn't it, Mum? It's all ready to go.
23:42I'm surprised because in the last two properties I've shown you, you both kind of fell in love with the beams and traditional features.
23:48This is very different. Which one do you prefer?
23:51I love the beams, but I didn't even think where are the beams when I came in.
23:56I just saw modern kitchen, nothing to do. Let's move in.
24:01Ooh.
24:02Well, this is looking promising.
24:04Yes.
24:05Let me show you more then.
24:06Yeah.
24:07Come on.
24:11This is the lounge.
24:13Beams.
24:14Beams.
24:15I think it's so nice.
24:16Yeah, I think having the modern kitchen, I was worried that, you know, you would sort of come inside and sort of forget that you were in France.
24:23Yes.
24:24But this brings back that reminder of the location.
24:27Yeah.
24:28Let's have a look at the garden.
24:29Perfect.
24:30I think it's a good-sized garden out here, what do you think?
24:36Yeah.
24:37Absolutely.
24:38Yeah, a very manageable size.
24:39Yeah.
24:40Look round the barn, go back in, check out the bedrooms, get a good feel for the property and I'll meet you after.
24:45Okay.
24:46Okay.
24:47I threw something totally different into the mix here, but hey, good news, she likes it.
24:52We could put the car in there, covered space, there's the garage.
24:57Oh yeah, so that would open right onto the street, so your car is covered as well as your bikes.
25:01Ah, so this is the main.
25:02Yeah, this is the main bedroom.
25:03Ah, and the walk-through wardrobe, that's amazing.
25:06That would have plenty of space to keep everybody's gear in.
25:09While I think this property, which is on the market for just over £183,000, gives Lisa everything she's asked for,
25:17I was a bit concerned going in as it's very different from the previous two places I've shown her and Steffi in terms of both style and location.
25:25But I shouldn't have worried, they both seem to really like it, so I've also got no worries about whether it's going to be another contender.
25:35What did you think of upstairs and the rest of the place?
25:38I'm loving it.
25:39Oh, that's great news.
25:40I love everything about this house, this property, it needs some work.
25:46Here and there.
25:47Here and there.
25:48We would need to spend a little bit of money on the roof of the barn, maybe, but there's nothing I don't like about it.
25:54It's got the space we need upstairs, it's got the amazing space downstairs.
25:58I love it, I like it, and the area's brilliant.
26:01This sounds like the front runner, and it's so different from the previous property.
26:05I've got myself a contender.
26:07Yes, you have.
26:08Oh yeah.
26:09This is a very good contender.
26:10Well, I thought the previous one was the one to beat, is that still in the running?
26:13The other property is still in the running.
26:16I need to think about the view and the tranquility and the location.
26:21Okay.
26:22You've gave me some things to think about.
26:24I think charm and space.
26:27Oh yes, extra space.
26:29Yeah?
26:30Yeah.
26:31Extra rooms can always be used.
26:33Never too much storage space.
26:34Never too many bedrooms.
26:35No, I can use rooms for all sorts of things.
26:38Come on, let's go.
26:39Let's do it.
26:40Well, things are really motoring along on this house hunt.
26:44I'm delighted Lisa and Steffi like that place so much, but I reckon I can still top it with my two properties to go.
26:51My next one is close to the border of Brittany and Normandy, just outside the town of Saint-Germ.
26:56And before we paid a visit, I thought we'd have a little nose around the town itself.
27:01I wanted to bring you to a little town that I fell in love with.
27:04This is Saint-Germ.
27:05And look at it.
27:06Isn't it cute?
27:07It's very cute, yes.
27:08It's so gorgeous.
27:09I like it because you can just wander along, try some of the great food, pop into the bars and restaurants and take in some amazing architecture as well.
27:18It becomes a bit of a cultural hub around September when they have the Photography Festival.
27:22I mean, is that something that would appeal to either of you?
27:24Yeah, that sounds really interesting, doesn't it? Because you love photography.
27:27Absolutely, yeah.
27:28That sounds great.
27:29I studied a bit of photography in A-Level and so, you know, that interest kind of carried through.
27:32So, that sounds like the month for me to visit anyway.
27:35Yeah.
27:36Perfect then.
27:37You must be here in September.
27:39And my next property is about a ten minute drive from here.
27:42Ah.
27:43Saint-Germ could be your local town.
27:44Yeah.
27:45That sounds great.
27:46Let's wander along.
27:48Property number four is in the village of Saint-Georges du Rontombeau, where property prices have increased by around 15% in the past year.
27:57Normandy and Brittany are well known for long-share properties, characterful houses built out of local stone traditionally lived in by farmers.
28:06These properties are very popular and often pricey, so I'm really chuffed and a bit surprised to have found one which is well within Lisa's wiggle room.
28:15This is property number four.
28:17Have you ever considered a lingerie house?
28:19I've always wanted a lingerie.
28:21Really?
28:22Yes.
28:23It's dreamy.
28:24It's what I think of when I think of the French countryside.
28:29But what do you think, Lisa?
28:30That's what's important.
28:31It just looks amazing.
28:33I can't believe this could be in my budget.
28:36I couldn't believe it if I'm honest with you.
28:38This offers five bedrooms, a good-sized garden but manageable, a barn, a carport if you like.
28:45And what it really offers inside is, oh, French charm.
28:50That je ne sais quoi.
28:51I don't know how to describe it.
28:53It's just gorgeous.
28:55It's on the market for just under £168,000.
28:59No way!
29:00What is the catch?
29:02Do you know I said the same thing when I came to view this property?
29:07And I don't think there is one.
29:09Take your time and really enjoy this one.
29:11It's something very different from what you've seen and I'll be enjoying this garden waiting for you at the end, okay?
29:17Okay!
29:18Off you go.
29:21Oh, what a lovely reaction and I'm not surprised.
29:23This is a beautiful lingerie house.
29:26Perfect for bikers to drop by.
29:28It really has everything she's after.
29:32This lingerie house has a large outbuilding and around a quarter of an acre of land.
29:38Inside there's a living room, a separate kitchen diner, a games room, the main bedroom with an en-suite shower room and its own balcony.
29:48Along with four more characterful bedrooms of various shapes and sizes and a family bathroom.
29:58Oh, my God.
29:59Wow.
30:01Look at all this.
30:02This is perfect.
30:03Look at that table.
30:04I can see all our bikers around there in the morning.
30:07And look at the fireplace over there.
30:09Yeah, yeah, yeah.
30:10But look how modern it is as well.
30:12Like, you know, just the amenities and things for you.
30:15Gosh, I don't think we'd even need to do anything.
30:17Should we see what's in the next room?
30:20Oh, that's nice.
30:21Where that could open out onto the garden.
30:24Yeah.
30:25Wow, this would make a fantastic dining area.
30:27Absolutely.
30:28I like the idea of a games room, but I'm not sure.
30:31Oh, yeah.
30:32I think I'd rather have an entertaining dining room.
30:34So, well, main bathroom.
30:38Look at this.
30:39The tub.
30:40Wow.
30:41Wow.
30:42The shower unit looks new.
30:43Yeah.
30:44All the important things are completely sort of brand new.
30:49And what have we here?
30:50The main bedroom.
30:51Oh, wow.
30:52Oh, my God.
30:53Look at the size of their bed.
30:57This place is unbelievable.
30:58Look how high that is.
30:59Can you get up on there?
31:01There's a terrace.
31:03Oh, man.
31:04There's an en suite.
31:07Wake up in the morning.
31:09Have my coffee on the terrace.
31:11Yeah.
31:12I don't need to see anyone.
31:13I can leave all the bikers in bed and enjoy my morning coffee alone.
31:17This is ready to move in.
31:19I would love this room.
31:21The landscaping's amazing.
31:23Yeah.
31:24And with all this gravel, you could just leave this for weeks at a time
31:28and it would look after itself.
31:30This place could be so good for inviting everyone.
31:33Yeah.
31:34They would never get bored here for a weekend.
31:37Lisa and Steffi seem pretty impressed outside this house,
31:40which is on the market for just under £168,000.
31:44I've got no doubt that now they've seen the very stylish interior
31:48and the outside space, they'll be even more impressed.
31:51And I can't see this place not being a contender.
31:58Did you enjoy that?
32:00I'm exhausted.
32:02What are you thinking of all of this?
32:05It's hard to take it all in.
32:07There are so many rooms and so many little nooks to look at
32:11and different areas, lots of outside area, different terraces, levels.
32:17Does it live up to the dream?
32:19I think it does.
32:20What about you, Steffi?
32:22I'm in love.
32:24I think it's definitely my favourite one so far.
32:28For the last property then, what can I show you?
32:31I don't think you're going to be able to beat this.
32:33You know, I'd like to see you try.
32:35Right, the challenge is set.
32:38Let's go girls, come on.
32:43Coming up, I hope to give Lisa and Steffi something else to think about
32:47with my fifth and final property,
32:49this traditional 18th century farmhouse.
32:52Wow, that's amazing.
33:02Today I'm in Brittany on France's stunning north west coast,
33:05helping Lisa and Dr Steffi find the dream holiday home.
33:08The Longier house is a clear front runner, but I've got one more property up my sleeve.
33:13My house hunter Lisa, who has a budget of £160,000 with an additional £30,000 wiggle room,
33:20fell head over heels for this traditional Breton Longier house with loads of space inside and out.
33:27But I reckon the charms of my fifth and final property, this 18th century farmhouse,
33:32could also win her heart.
33:34But before we go there, I'm taking a look at the top end of the property market here in Brittany.
33:41I've come just outside the town of St Malo to check out this historic five bedroom house,
33:47which comes with more than three acres of land and was built in 1720.
33:52Though it's got more of a 21st century price of just over £1.1 million,
33:57I'm meeting the agent for a tour.
34:01Bonjour, Beatrice. Bonjour, Jean.
34:03Oh, wow, look at this. What do we have here?
34:06So here it's an authentic Malouinière.
34:09A Malouinière? Yes, that's right.
34:11Sounds very interesting. I'd love to see more.
34:14OK, let's go.
34:20I can feel the history in this room. What part of the house is this?
34:25So here is one of the two reception rooms.
34:28Uh-huh.
34:29Malouinière were all built in the 17th or 1800s.
34:33Uh, they were manor houses built for the rich merchants and ship owners.
34:39It's like a little slice of history and I would love to see some more.
34:43OK, well, follow me. OK.
34:48Wow, it really is like stepping into 18th century France.
34:52The property is enclosed by walls, but in World War II most of it and this building was destroyed.
35:01Shall we continue?
35:02OK, let's continue that way.
35:07The grounds are stunning.
35:09And is this a pond here?
35:11Actually, a few decades ago there was a storm here and a big tree fell on the ground and when the owner wanted to take it away, he found a few stones so he wondered what they were doing here.
35:26Mm-hmm.
35:27And he has done some research in the previous deeds and found out that there was a horse pool here.
35:34A horse pool?
35:35Yes.
35:36The horses that were working in the fields and needed some refreshment when they were too tired.
35:43Yeah.
35:44This was a way of getting...
35:47Yeah.
35:48Keep the horses cool.
35:49It is a really amazing property.
35:51Thank you so much for showing me around.
35:52You're welcome.
35:53I'll show you.
35:55Well, it's not every day I see a house with a horse pool, though this search has been more about horse power, finding somewhere for motorbiker Lisa.
36:06My fifth and final property is pretty much slap bang in the centre of Brittany, in the village of Plouguinast Longast, right in the heart of the Breton countryside.
36:16There's not too much for sale in this rural area and increasing demand for properties has seen price rises of around 20% in the past year or so.
36:25This means I've had to go into Lisa's Wiggle Room once again, but I think I've got a really cracking place for that.
36:32And we arrive at my final property.
36:37It's very pretty indeed, but I'm not getting the same wow as I did with the other property.
36:43You're not?
36:44No, no, not yet.
36:46Okay.
36:47No.
36:48I think you're still thinking about the last one.
36:50The lingerie, the curb appeal to me is a little different.
36:54Not as well.
36:55There's not so much wow factor.
36:57Okay.
36:58Yeah.
36:59So we've got a three bedroom semi-detached house.
37:02It's farmhouse style.
37:03This building goes back to 1700s.
37:06Wow.
37:07Yeah.
37:08So it's been restored and kept really, really well for such an old house.
37:12You can see here, spaces for motorbikes and a garage.
37:16It's got a lovely manageable garden in the back.
37:19It comes in under budget as well.
37:21This is on the market for just under £180,000.
37:25Ooh.
37:26Okay.
37:27Interesting.
37:28Yeah.
37:29Am I going to have a fight on my hands to beat that lingerie?
37:31You are.
37:32Yeah, I can tell.
37:33You've got to be something extra special.
37:35This property gives that lingerie a good fight.
37:38Let's put it that way.
37:39Okay.
37:40Shall we get inside and see?
37:41Yes.
37:42Come on.
37:43This house has a number of outbuildings for Lisa to store her bikes.
37:50A big barn which is in good condition plus a garden at the back.
37:54Inside on the ground floor there's a living room with a lovely stone wall.
37:58A kitchen diner with adjoining utility room plus a separate dining room.
38:03The first floor consists of a large landing currently used as an office space.
38:08Two light and bright bedrooms plus a family bathroom.
38:12And at the top of the house there's the main bedroom with an ensuite shower room.
38:19Let's start the heart of the home.
38:21Kitchen.
38:22Okay.
38:24Very, very nice.
38:27This strikes me as just your style.
38:29It actually reminds me of my own kitchen in England.
38:32Already.
38:33So what feeling are you getting in here?
38:36It's still not as well as the last property's kitchen.
38:41I'm not underwhelmed, but I'm not bowled over either.
38:44Right.
38:45Okay.
38:46Well, I think you should be bowled over by the property you're going to buy.
38:48This has been a dream of yours for five years.
38:50So I think I want to knock your socks off.
38:53Okay.
38:54Well, let's see if I can.
38:55Let's go through to the living area.
38:56Yep.
38:57Across the hall.
39:02Wow.
39:03That's amazing.
39:04That is an amazing wall.
39:06It's what I imagined being in my dream home in France.
39:09Yeah, I agree.
39:10That wall is pretty stunning.
39:11And throughout this house, those traditional old features are made to work really well with some modern touches as well.
39:18Well, the house is growing on me now I've moved into another room.
39:21Oh, right.
39:22Okay.
39:23Yeah.
39:24Yeah.
39:25I want this property to grow on you even more.
39:26So go off and look around the rest of it, just the two of you.
39:29Explore.
39:30Really start thinking about what you want, Lisa, and then come and find me.
39:34Okay.
39:35Tell me what you think, yeah?
39:36You got it.
39:37Off you go, ladies.
39:38Oh, I think I've thrown a spanner in the works.
39:42Lisa's in love with the Wanshare house, but could she fall in love with this as well?
39:49Oh, so this is the other dining area.
39:51This could be made into the main dining area.
39:53Yeah, I can see all the bikers sitting around there for breakfast.
39:56Oh, what's there?
39:57Oh.
39:58Wow.
39:59Another level.
40:00Yeah, I didn't expect the third level.
40:03Oh my God.
40:05A mezzanine.
40:06This is so cute.
40:07It's my mezzanine level.
40:09It's romantic, it works.
40:12Can you see yourself here?
40:13Oh, I think so.
40:14I think I can let go of the kitchen and, yeah.
40:19Yeah.
40:20It's fair to say that this house, which is on the market for just under £180,000,
40:25didn't make the best first impression on Lisa, though things improved a lot as we looked around.
40:31I'm hoping those improvements continued so I can end what's been a terrific house hunt with another contender.
40:39You've got a little smirk on your face.
40:41What does that mean?
40:43It means I love the house.
40:45Oh.
40:46It's so beautiful.
40:48Everywhere we looked, it became more and more stunning as we walked through and we got to the top.
40:54The mezzanine bedroom is to die for.
40:57It's amazing.
40:58Yeah.
40:59I can really make this work.
41:00Do I hear a contender?
41:01You definitely have a contender.
41:03Yeah.
41:04Okay, great.
41:05Well, two great properties to think about.
41:07You'll need some time.
41:08I'm going to give you the evening.
41:09You've got a Steffi here to help you get some columns going on all the pros and cons.
41:13And I'll meet you in the morning to see if I found your French hole.
41:17It's exciting.
41:18Come on.
41:19If you'd like more information about any of the properties featured on today's show,
41:26go to aplacenessan.com forward slash programs.
41:30We've now shown house hunter Lisa and her daughter Steffi all five properties here in Brittany
41:36for her budget of £160,000 with an additional £30,000 wiggle room.
41:41After a great search, we've ended up with two contenders.
41:45This five bedroom lingerie house and this traditional semi-detached farmhouse.
41:50I think Lisa's got a tough decision to make and now she's had the chance to talk things through with Steffi
41:56and no doubt her husband Sylvain, I can't wait to find out what she's decided to do.
42:02Good morning.
42:03Good morning.
42:04How are you feeling?
42:05Excited.
42:06Yeah.
42:07You have a good night's sleep last night?
42:09Eventually we did.
42:11Yes and no.
42:12Lots to talk about.
42:13We did have a lot to talk about.
42:15We were still making decisions at midnight.
42:17No.
42:18Yeah.
42:19Yeah.
42:20Oh, there was really two properties on your mind.
42:23Two great properties.
42:24Yeah.
42:25The lingerie house that you loved and then that semi-detached farmhouse that had all the French charm as well.
42:31Yeah.
42:32It was a very hard decision.
42:33It was.
42:34Yeah.
42:35Two amazing properties.
42:36Did one come out in front?
42:38One did.
42:39I think so.
42:41Two.
42:42Which one?
42:45You say.
42:46The lingerie.
42:47Oh.
42:48C'est magnifique.
42:49What a beautiful, beautiful property.
42:52Yeah.
42:53Should we get the agent involved in this?
42:55Yes, please.
42:56We would like to make an offer.
42:58Now that property was on the market for just under £168,000.
43:02What offer would you like me to take forward to the agent?
43:05We'd like to start with £153,000.
43:08Okay.
43:09Go down a little bit under.
43:11Yes, because we want to convert the barn into a proper garage with electric doors.
43:18So there's a bit of work to be done for a little bit of conversion there.
43:21I'll take that offer forward to the agent.
43:25Good luck.
43:26It's gross.
43:27Bonjour, Rebecca.
43:28It's Jean from A Place in the Sun.
43:30Okay.
43:31I have news.
43:32Lisa would like to make an offer on the lingerie house.
43:35The offer she'd like to make is £153,000.
43:39Okay.
43:40What a far?
43:41She'll get back to us as soon as she can.
43:42Good, good, good.
43:43How are you feeling?
43:44Confident.
43:45Yeah.
43:46Excited.
43:47Good.
43:48I'm making plans already.
43:49Oh, that's wonderful.
43:50Hello.
43:51Okay.
43:52I'm going to take that back to the ladies and I'll give you a ring back.
43:55The owners have said the property is yours if you can go to £155,500.
44:17£155,500.
44:20I was kind of expecting a higher counter.
44:23We'll take it because, yeah.
44:26Hang on.
44:27Yeah.
44:28Let me seal the deal.
44:31Rebecca, the ladies are willing to do a deal at £155,500.
44:36Do we have a deal?
44:41Merci, merci.
44:42We're done, ladies.
44:43Yes, we're done.
44:44Yes, Lisa.
44:45You did it.
44:46Oh, my goodness.
44:47Amazing.
44:48That's amazing.
44:49That's amazing.
44:50It was meant to be.
44:52I think it's time to say santé to female bikers.
44:56Yes.
44:57And to your place in France.
44:58Santé.
44:59Santé.
45:04This search has been so full of charm.
45:06We've seen some great properties, but it was the linger house that Steffi and Lisa really
45:10fell in love with.
45:11And Lisa got it at a great price.
45:13I wish them many happy biker holidays here in beautiful northwest France.
45:18And we've seen some more at the Hollywood fountains here in the West France.
45:19And we've seen a very beautiful station in West France.
45:20And we've seen a very beautiful place in the world.
45:21And we've seen a very beautiful spot on the West France.
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