Chateau Saint Michel
In the past, most foreigners buying a property in France were looking for either a holiday house or a property for their retirement. This has changed in the last ten years and I am seeing a younger generation of buyers including singles, couples and young families moving to this part of France with the aim to either work locally or to run their own business. In addition, there are more and more international buyers who commute backwards and forwards or work remotely.
There is no doubt that the wide spread availability of fast internet all over France has made this more possible but there is also still a strong vein running underneath that the quality of life in France is better and that people are looking for a more balanced lifestyle along with an income stream.
That’s not to say that taking the plunge and moving to live and work in France is easy, even in this region where we have good communications and easy access to most of the rest of Europe. It is always very hard to set up and run a business and even more of a challenge in a foreign country and in another language. That said, I am always astonished at the number of successful foreign entrepreneurs I come across out here who are doing just that. One of the more recent is a brave lady who has bought and renovated one of our local Chateaux (Chateau St Michel) and has succeeded in setting up a successful wedding, events and luxury holiday venue complete with Pilates studio and fitness retreats (also run by another incoming entrepreneuress).
Of course, we are blessed in this location with everything on our doorstep – Toulouse on one side and the Pyrenees and then Spain on the other with all the charm of rural France in the middle which provides opportunities for all sorts of lifestyles and projects. Nevertheless, it takes some doing to set up a business of the quality of Chateau St Michel which is succeeding in attracting foreign clients and a variety of businesses and events while supporting the local artisans, producers and the economy here in the Ariège. Take a look for yourself by clicking on the links below. I take my hat off to anyone who is prepared to invest so much time, effort and earnings to set up something truly special in a little-known area and make a huge success of it.
It is always good to see that, in our small corner of France, incomers are welcomed and businesses, new projects and lives are thriving. If you are thinking of moving here to set up a new life or new business and looking for the right property, get in touch: nadia@foothillsoffrance.com
https://www.chateaustmichel.co.uk
https://pilatesstudiopyrenees.com
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