More than twenty years ago, with three little ones under five, two dogs, and a restless sense of adventure, we left the UK behind and headed for France (via Switzerland). Five years on a mountainside in the Pays de Gex reminded us of our love for nature and so having taken the decision to leave corporate life behind, we packed up once more and crossed the country to Poitou-Charentes. Here, while renovating our baby château, we built a sustainable life and launched Living Magazine — a local favourite that we ran for fifteen years as our girls grew up and flew the nest.

Changing family commitments increasingly called us back to the UK and we took the difficult decision to sell Living Magazine in early 2024. Now we’re fully back in France again and ready for our next chapter. Through Savvy France, we’re continuing to share the beauty and realities of life here – and the joys (and challenges!) of restoring another old farm, complete with prehistoric caves and a river at the bottom of the garden.