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A British couple bids adieu at the French Chateau and returns to the UK dreaming of Sunday roasting in a cozy pub. Natalie and Andrew Solomon traded their Shropshire homes for 20 hectares of land around ten years ago.
Natalie and Andrew Solomon, together with their parents and young children, embark on this adventure in search of a new start in a new country, but they do not regret a moment. After settling, they built two gorgeous handmade tree houses on their property, equipped with a hot tub, serving a full English breakfast and butter chicken curry.
Now the family has decided to return to the UK. This is after you have been attracted by the pull of friends and family and have established a successful business. Their Chateau de Memanato and its vast basis are currently being held at 1.35 million euros.
Mrs. Solomon, 38, reveals that the two treehouses, built in 2017 and 2023, have always been part of a grand vision, first renting nearby Geit to run the Chateau as BNB.
The castle-themed treehouses of Castel de Labré and Cabanon Pace can be booked for two guests starting at 245 euros per night. The family sees their typical British touch as contrasted with the somewhat low French hospitality and as key to business thriving in the central Nouvere-Aquitaine region.
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“It's going to be a little different and I'm going home,” said Mrs. Solomon, the mother of both. “When we came here, our kids were two and four years old, and my parents came as well.
“It was an adventure: our uncomfortable zone type situation. We wanted our kids to be bilingual. My daughter was learning English and French at the same time. It was a long-standing challenge.
“But here it worked very well for us. We were able to destroy a house in Shropshire, sell it, buy this chateau for 20 hectares in France. When we leave, it's where we raised our family.”
Mrs. Solomon also touched on the financial aspects of their journey. The majority of the funds for their 800,000 euros Chateau acquisition came from selling the English home along with some support from her parents. She frankly discussed the first struggle she faced in the French countryside.
“If something happens at home, I know who'll call,” she pointed out. “However, here we go, “How do you say 'Plumber'? We have overcome all of that. The children were free and they could just become children. ”
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Looking back on her extensive experience abroad, she said, “We didn't just dip our toes. We spent 10 years here and made these two treehouses. It's very rural and spread out here. There's no one on the road.
After living a decade of dreams in France, the Solomon family decided to return to the British coast. Despite cherishing their adventures, they are excited by the prospect of embracing British traditions once again.
Mrs. Solomon shares her expectations of returning to simple pleasures like Sunday roast at the local pub.
She recalls her quiet life in the French countryside, saying, “It's a slower pace of life in France. Where we live, it's probably about 30 years behind the UK. I think there's more community here.”
Education also plays an important role in moving to the UK. Madame Solomon explains that the extended French student days are in stark contrast to the British timetables.
“Obviously, the kids will be excellent in French, but when they started school they didn't speak French and the teachers didn't speak English. We are grateful that we had this adventure, but now it's time for our next adventure.”
Looking back at the success of the hospitality business, Mrs. Solomon believes their British approach loves them as their guests. “I try to give everything to my guests. I'm the host and you're the guest.
“The French guest says, 'Thank you for being so kind,' but I feel like, 'That's my job!' The French are probably surprised and unfamiliar with it, so they are always mentioned in our reviews. ”
Madame Solomon revealed that his return to the UK is dependent on the sale of Chateau des Memanat, and finding a new home could affect the timing. She expressed her desire to recreate a gorgeous tree house venture in the UK, but did not dismiss the possibility of living abroad again.
“We could see us retire abroad,” admitted Mrs. Solomon. “We're going back to England with an open mind. In an ideal world, we want to do something similar to what we did here in the UK.”
