Their Unbelievable Purchase: How They Nabbed a French House for $20,000 Sight Unseen
US couple Ellen and Joseph took a leap of faith in 2014 when they purchased a dilapidated home in the picturesque village of Lonlay l’Abbaye, Normandy, without even setting foot inside Embarking on a thrilling renovation project, they embraced the charm of the village and began a remarkable journey of transformation
Ellen's love for France started during a summer spent in the European country as an au pair in the 1970s. From that point on, Ellen, a native of the East Coast of the US, was determined to visit France whenever the opportunity arose.
Ellen met her current husband, Joseph, from the West Coast, in the late 1970s. The couple married and had three children, and they continued to travel to France as a family once every two years or so. "It's amusing," Ellen confesses, "Joseph and our daughter used to tease me because whenever we were planning a vacation, I always insisted on going to France."
Half house
They also enjoyed France, but often expressed a desire to visit other places. My response would be, "Yes, as long as we make a stop in Paris first or something similar." It was usually a matter of finding a compromise.
Ellen and her husband Joseph came across a rundown home in the historic village of Lonlay l'Abbaye in Normandy and purchased it unseen.
Ellen and Joseph, who preferred to keep their last name private, had been considering the idea of relocating to France for quite some time. However, it wasn't until they were nearing retirement age that they started to seriously contemplate purchasing a property in the country.
While perusing French real estate online in 2014, Ellen stumbled upon a small dilapidated home in the historic village of Lonlay l'Abbaye in Normandy, northern France.
"This house was reasonably priced," Joseph, a former business executive, recalls. "It was quite obviously in need of extensive repairs. However, it fell within our budget."
"And that was always our top priority. We constantly considered our budget and planned for improvements. The budgetary aspect was crucial for us." Afterward, they took the time to explore the "charming" village on Google Street View and stumbled upon an account of two American soldiers who had been "aided by the French Resistance in the village during World War II."
The couple decided to buy the house, with approximately 400 square meters of living space, without seeing it first, but arranged for an inspector to visit beforehand. Despite being listed for around 18,000 euros ($19,400), Ellen and Joseph ultimately bought it for around 13,000 euros after negotiating with the seller.
The couple, traveling throughout the US in an Airstream with a goat, found that the house was not in move-in condition at all. Ellen explained that it would require extensive work to make it liveable again, and the seller agreed with that assessment.
After closing the sale, they hired local builders to start the demolition of the property, managing the process from their home in California.
"Communication was good. They kept us updated with photos of the progress," Joseph said. "We were able to discuss and share ideas about the renovation process, so it all worked out well."
They made regular trips to France in 2015 and 2016 to oversee the progress of the work. The next year, they made the decision to start the process of relocating from the US to France.
The initial major step entailed applying for a long stay visa, which required several months to complete. Following that was what Joseph refers to as the "wind down procedure."
"Before leaving your home country to relocate to another, there is the deliberation and all the ramifications that come with that choice," he explains. "There's a lot of preparation that needs to be taken care of beforehand."
They sold off many of their possessions, keeping only items of sentimental value, and set things in motion so that they could manage their affairs from France.
Big move
They completed extensive renovation work on the home over a period of nearly seven years, replacing the floors and walls, as well as the electrics and plumbing.
Ellen and Joseph A.
Ellen and Joseph, who also have a property in New York, decided to rent out their home in California rather than sell it.
Settling in Paris, they decided to rent an apartment as their home base while construction on their Normandy property was ongoing. "We realized that the areas of Paris we wanted to live in were much more affordable to rent than to buy," Ellen explains.
"When you're older, it becomes increasingly challenging to secure a mortgage. We would have had to sell our current home and likely purchase a property in Paris with cash." Upon their arrival in April 2017, they embarked on their new lives in Paris.
The American couple purchased an affordable apartment in France to provide their children with a unique upbringing. Ellen and Joseph wasted no time immersing themselves in their new community, all while managing regular trips to Lonlay l'Abbaye to oversee the renovation project.
"Every year, we set aside a budget for a specific phase of the renovation," Ellen explains. She goes on to detail the replacement of the floors, walls, electrical system, and plumbing in the house.
"We made a conscious effort to source high-quality building materials and educate ourselves about ventilation and humidity concerns specific to old stone houses."
Ellen further mentions that they were able to preserve the original staircase in the house, as well as a wooden cabinet from the study. Although they had to install new windows and doors, they chose to replace them with replicas.
"We believe the American GIs who helped liberate this village would still recognize our house if they walked past," she comments. Their aim was to convert the small house into a comfortable second home while also preserving its authenticity for future generations.
"We wanted to keep it looking the way it was," says Ellen. "We didnt want to make any big changes."
Renovation project
"We're extremely proud of the builders, who managed to transform this from basically a small country ruin to a very liveable place," says Joseph.
Ellen and Joseph A.
She emphasizes that any significant alterations to the exterior of our Normandy home must receive approval from both the local authorities and the Architectes de Batiments de France. These officials are responsible for safeguarding monuments and historic areas, particularly because of the house's close proximity to the 11th century abbey in the village.
As the work was progressing, the global pandemic struck, causing renovations to come to a halt for about two years, and preventing them from traveling to Normandy to visit. Fortunately, once the restrictions were lifted, Ellen and Joseph were able to resume work on the home, and by December 2021, they had completed the structural work and painting. Their new windows were installed a year later.
Joseph expressed great pride in the builders for their transformation of the small country ruin into a comfortable living space. He mentioned that they are still working on furnishing and the decor. In the future, they hope to complete the attic, currently used for storage, and possibly add a half bath.
Ellen and Joseph have calculated that they spent approximately 65,000 euros (which is around $70,000) on the construction and labor costs, and an additional 5,000 euros on appliances and furniture. Now living in France, they regularly travel between Paris and Lonlay l'Abbaye, emphasizing that they wouldn't have it any other way.
The American couple decided to swap California for Spain because of the charming village of Lonlay l'Abbaye. Joseph describes it as a "French Brigadoon" with its rich history, beautiful Abbey, and close-knit surroundings of hills, trees, and grass.
Living in Lonlay l'Abbaye is a significant change from the bustling cities of Los Angeles, New York, or Paris. They have built lasting connections in this quaint town and make regular trips there by train every five or six weeks. They spend a few weeks at their "half house" before returning to their rented apartment in Paris.
Joseph stated that it takes a little over two and a half hours to travel between the properties. Their home is just a 20-minute taxi ride from Flers station in Normandy. They both believe that living in France has greatly benefited them. They mentioned that they walk more and enjoy much healthier meals because of the abundance of fresh produce readily available.
"Our daughter thinks that weve definitely extended our lifespans by moving here," says Ellen.
"It just seems like a much healthier lifestyle for us."
At the outset, they made the decision to take on the challenge of learning French in order to ease the transition, emphasizing that it has greatly aided in building connections. Joseph explains, "We now communicate in French 90% of the time. While we are not yet fluent, it is a priority for us. It also positively impacts those around us."
Nevertheless, the couple concedes that they still occasionally feel intimidated when attending dinners with only French speakers who are passionate about discussing philosophy. They have had to adjust to various cultural differences between the French and Americans, noting that some have been easier to acclimate to than others.
For example, Joseph observes that the French tend to be more reserved compared to Americans and may be less inclined to share personal details. He adds, "They don't immediately invite you into their homes or address you using the first person pronoun."
"And that's unlike the United States, where people are more open and willing to connect with each other."
Ellen has always felt more at ease with the French approach to socializing and making friends, so this has worked well for her.
"Maybe Im just a little more introverted," she notes.
Charming village
The couple's home is located in the village of Lonlay l' Abbaye, which is home to an 11th century abbey, in Normandy.
The couple, who documented the remodeling process in an online blog, have discovered that life in France is more budget-friendly than in the US, particularly in terms of lower health care expenses and property taxes.
The latter is actually about five to six times more expensive on their properties in the United States, which is one reason why many Americans are considering a move to Europe. This is due to the cost of living, property taxes, and healthcare.
Despite missing their life in southern California, they have no qualms about leaving. They admit that the lifestyle had become exhausting for them in the end.
"The traffic, the chaos, and even the political climate. The divisions in the US were all very anxiety-inducing," Ellen explains.
"We didn't have daily battles with people, but it was tough to witness. It's still difficult to see the international media portraying how divided America has become. It doesn't feel like the America we knew growing up."
During their time in France, they have had the opportunity to explore many regions and have been enjoying discovering the unique characteristics of each.
Ellen remarks, "We have a deep appreciation for the French love of the seasons, the moments, and the food. It's a cultural difference that we have come to admire."
When considering a similar move, it is advised to carefully research the chosen destination and avoid trying to "replicate America" in every aspect. "Leave some of those expectations behind," advises Ellen. "You don't want to just insist on thinking like an American and expect things to be easy or done a certain way."
Spending a lot of time in France beforehand definitely made things easier for them. They stress that things might have turned out differently if they had been less familiar with the country.
Joseph mentioned that they have experienced some real culture clash with some friends. Ellen and Joseph have no current plans to purchase a property in Paris. Instead, they intend to continue alternating between their apartment in the 7th arrondissement and the countryside. They may consider spending eight months in Paris and four months in Lonlay l'Abbaye in the future.
"It's the perfect scenario - having a place to escape to. You can enjoy all that Paris has to offer while also taking a break from the hustle and bustle. Despite visiting the US to spend time with loved ones, they have no plans to permanently return and envision spending the rest of their lives in France."
Joseph acknowledges that there are times when they miss certain aspects of the United States, but ultimately, they are committed to embracing the French way of life and living harmoniously in their new environment.
"But never forgetting that we are Americans and our country is very important to us."
