A British couple who purchased a French 'village' for just £69,125 have already spent their entire £100,000 renovation budget, having only managed to complete a bedroom and living room so far.
Dream Turned Reality
Ben Pearson, 40, and his husband Nathan, 32, had long dreamed of relocating to France when they discovered the abandoned farmhouse in Sainte Segros. Two years ago, they began their property search and secured the 'village' for €80,000 (£69,125), which includes five outbuildings and two hectares of land. Over the past 10 months, they have dedicated themselves to the colossal renovation project, but their £100,000 budget has 'all gone,' forcing them to pay for complete rewiring, new plumbing, and a septic tank installation.
Living Conditions and Progress
Ben is tackling the project single-handedly. They spent their first four months in France living in a caravan inside their barn before moving into the property in October 2025. Currently, they have a completed living room and bedroom, and aim to have a fully-functioning kitchen ready by June. Ben has also created a makeshift bathroom. They hope to start work on the upstairs by the end of 2027. Ben admits it has been 'a very steep learning curve' given this is their first major project beyond basic household DIY.
Challenges and Adaptations
Nathan, an English tutor, said: 'It's been really great but there are challenges that have come our way we've really had to overcome. There's administration thanks to Brexit but even just daily living, we're in a very rural area and communicating with people and services has been a bit of a test with our limited French. We were sleeping in a caravan in a barn at the height of summer and we put the focus on two rooms at the right-hand side of the house because they needed less work doing to them and we wanted to create a liveable space in the house.'
The couple's main goal is 'escaping the busy chaotic life in England and embracing life over here which we have achieved.'
Family and Discovery
Ben's mother, Karen Pearson, 62, relocated to France a decade ago, and the couple stumbled upon the farm in her village seven years back. They fell in love with the property but weren't ready to take the plunge. Three years ago, they began hunting for their ideal retirement home and initially drew a blank until the farmhouse reappeared on the market, leaving them utterly astounded.
Life in France
Ben, a retired RAF aircraft engineer from Hull, says: 'For us personally we thought we were stuck in a rut of coming to work, coming home and watching TV and going to bed. We were doing that most days and weekends and were that tired we didn't think we were getting the most out of life. We thought if we get over here we can stop working so much and enjoy life a bit more. It's not easy as we don't have any money, but that's the goal. We've actually really enjoyed it, it's the best thing we've ever done and we wouldn't change a thing.'
'Our little village is lovely. We're both actively learning French, Nathan has just taken his exam and is a certificate B1. We go to a local art class every Wednesday.'
Financial Reality
Ben admits: 'We had a budget of around £100,000 in mind but that's all gone now. I think realistically we'll end up spending another £100,000, maybe another £150,000. Initially, we managed to save up a bit before we came here. But our savings are dry and our bank accounts are dry and it's all on Nathan to pull his socks up.'
The couple have welcomed family members who've visited and 'stuck in' to lend a hand with the work.
Furnishing and Style
Nathan says: 'We're in the phase now of looking what I earn in a month and if we don't have the money for something we can't do it and put it on the back burner. I do try and grab bargain old furniture. For me I'm trying to keep in line with the proper traditional French farmhouse. There's a few modern elements like it needs electrics, USBs and plugs but for us it needs to look rustic. We also have things here we can use and take advantage of like beautiful armoires and stuff to do up and repurpose them, so we're fortunate in that respect. We're putting in a new kitchen but I don't want it to look like a show kitchen.'
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