Sharyn and Steven Hall moved to France in November 2015 with their dog Claude.
"We left our Australian home of 25 years in the Queensland countryside, where we grew bananas + other tropical fruits, made gourmet dog treats, furniture and retail shop fittings, as well as public art, sculpture and paintings.
We chose Sainte Foy La Grande for its wonderful 'nearness' to daily life. After having to drive 15 minutes for a loaf of bread for so many years, we were determined to live in a place where we could walk to everything we needed and if we couldn’t walk, take the train! Sainte Foy with its lively Saturday market is just the right size, big enough to have choice but small enough to still be a proper French ville. We swapped our cars for two electric bikes, and our 15 acres of isolation for a French courtyard and village life.
Since moving to Sainte Foy we have been busily setting up & renovating our own home, discovering the local /regional food & wine, getting to know our ville, and renovating the Cottage at 7. Steven is an artist & has continued his practice with renewed vigor, drawing inspiration from the beautiful scenery discovered on our frequent walks + rides along the river Dordogne.
You can see some of his paintings in the Cottage at 7, and if you are interested he will happily show you more of his work in his atelier/studio.
We have spent lots of time and energy transforming the Cottage at 7 from a 'bare bones shell' to the warm & welcoming cottage it is now. With an eye for detail, we have tried to include everything we would want in a holiday home so that we can be confident our guests will enjoy a happy comfortable stay.