From North Yorkshire to the beautiful Barèges
Pyrenean dream - Live the dream
When did you move to France?
We took the plunge four years ago in the spring of 2005. We’d already made an offer on the hotel, Les Sorbiers, in December of the previous year, just a month after seeing it – it was all very quick!
Why did you move to France?
Rachel and I felt like we needed to take a step back – I’d been putting in 70-hour weeks as a sales manager, and with two small girls (Mary, now 9, and Rosie, now 7) growing up very quickly we
them as possible. We love France so it felt like a natural place to move to for a change of lifestyle.
Why did you choose Barèges?
I’m a keen cyclist so I was familiar with the Col du Tourmalet from my passion for the Tour de France. This area is something approaching Mecca for cyclists – I was events secretary for my local cycling club back in Pocklington and I always made sure we came to this bit of the Pyrenees for our trips abroad! It goes without saying that the scenery in the Pyrenees is stunning and the mountains are just beautiful to wake up to in the morning.
Where do you live?
We live on-site in the hotel; it’s a ninebedroom property so it’s essentially like running a big house! It’s just me and Rachel running the show at the moment. The hotel can take 18 people at full capacity so we get to know the guests well. It’s a very sociable place, great for the girls and for us as we meet people who enjoy Barèges as much as we do.
What attracted you to your property?
It was happy coincidence actually. I had been in touch with the previous owners in the November of that year for a summer holiday. They told me that they couldn’t take our booking as they wanted to sell before the season started. Rachel has a background in hotel management and we met at catering college so we jumped at the chance to buy the property as a going concern and put in an offer a few weeks later in December.
What do you do in a typical day?
We serve breakfast to the guests from 7.45am to 9.00am and then the rest of the morning is spent tidying the rooms. We get down to paperwork in the afternoon, after which we collect the girls from school. We generally spend the afternoon with them in the outdoors, either skiing, snowshoeing or walking depending on the weather. I’m aiming to get them to do their first 3,000m peak by the end of summer!
What’s your level of French?
It’s getting there! The girls are both fluent so often correct us on our pronunciation and grammar; we also ask them what the best way is to say things if we get stuck. Also, having a hotel means that we interact with other local businesses for services and goods which has really pushed us to learn more French.
What is the best thing about being in France?
It is definitely that we’re much more of a family unit now. We work together, we live together – we’re constantly together. It’s not for everyone, but 4 years down the line, it’s still working for us. It’s a complete change from the days where I used to come in shattered from my office job and not have time to spend with the children.
What do you do in your spare time?
Rachel and I teach English at the primary school, which we love; the children are very quick learners and have even picked up a bit of a Yorkshire accent! I have also set up a cycling club over here; when you’re in a small community it’s important to contribute as much as you can.
What advice would you give to Brits hoping to move to France?
Stick with it, keep going, and have faith! It’s always when you’re at your wits’ end that you’ll make that crucial breakthrough – we’ve been here for 4 years and we’re still learning.