Bruce and Lisa live near Montreal in Canada and whilst Bruce's French father may have influenced his connection to France, it wasn't until a 20th wedding anniversary vacay that together they discovered their mutual love of France. When visiting the Dordogne, they stayed in Sarlat -la-Canéda and on the last day of their trip they found that an apartment on the top floor of the historic building they were staying in was for sale! And that was it! The journey of French property ownership and renovation began! I've always imagined moving to an historic village and a stone cottage or apartment with my romantic-rose-coloured glasses on. So when Bruce and Lisa described some of the challenges they worked through, I began to realise  the enormity of such a decision to purchase your very own piece of French history. Issues such as getting rid of the refuse, taking it all down a tiny spiral staircase, or having ordinary items such as a sofa delivered when living in a village that is for pedestrian traffic only... Just a couple of important considerations before purchasing. Luckily Bruce and Lisa have loved every step of their journey which is not finished yet. They've enjoyed the DIY aspect, but they also retrospectively appreciate the various glitches that popped up along the way. These are the situations that make up the journey which for them is the fabric of their beautiful French story. To find out more details of the Normandy Retreat as mentioned in this episode, email Jane Hiscock at Château du Jonquay [email protected]     ** Louise Prichard is the host of the Loulabelle's FrancoFiles podcast. ** Other Loulabelle's links: FrancoFile Fix on YouTube Loulabelle's FrancoFiles Spotify Playlist Loulabelle's FrancoFiles Instagram Loulabelle's FrancoFiles website