A second home in France | From Tennessee to the Dordogne

Last updated on February 10th, 2024 at 08:20 am

How many of us dream of having a second home in France and living the French dream?

For some, it’s just a daydream, but for others, it’s a reality and a chance to have the best of both worlds.

In today’s interview, we meet Debbie, an American with a second home in rural France.

She talks to us about the limitations of long-distance house purchases and understanding how French real estate agents work.

But the big question is, has it all been worth it? I’ll hand over to Debbie for the answer to that one.

A couple’s journey to a second home in France

Debbie, you currently live in Tennessee in the USA, but you’ve travelled extensively throughout Europe. Can you tell me more about your passion for travelling and the countries you’ve spent time in? 

Our love of international travel started when my husband got stationed in Germany in 1980. We lived in a very small village, Oberweissenbrunn, near the Wildflecken Army base from 1980-1984.  

We took every opportunity to travel during those 4 years.  After we left for my husband’s next Army assignment in Georgia, we continued to travel back to Europe at least once a year. 

He retired from the Army in 1996 so we got a chance to travel even more. We have been all over Europe over the past 40 years.

Finding their second home in France

You’re only down the road from me in the beautiful Dordogne in a little village called Excideuil. What drew you to this part of South West France in the Nouvelle Aquitaine?

We knew that when our 2 sons were grown that we wanted a 2nd home in Europe.  We speak some German since we lived there for 4 years but wanted a location that was a little warmer.  

We thought about Italy or Spain but after looking at options and prices we decided on France.  

We love Provence but it was very expensive so started internet searches for other areas.  We had never been to the Dordogne, actually never heard of it.  

We made 4 trips to the area over 2 years looking at properties.  

Our budget was 100K – 125K euro so options were limited depending on the currency exchange.  

When we first started looking in 2014 the exchange rate was $1.32.to a euro.  However, the dollar got stronger in 2015 and 2016 so our budget could go further.  That opened up other options to buy.  

We looked at a lot of houses over those 2 years and almost gave up.  Then we found a private sale on the internet in Excideuil. By then the exchange rate was $1.07 so the house we found was in our budget!  

Excideuil has been part of the Petites Cités de Caractère (Small Cities of Character) since 2018 and is close to Périgord-Limousin Natural Park. So it’s safe to say it’s a beautiful village that’s worth visiting.

But what was it that made you decide to buy a property in this particular village?

It was really just finding that perfect place at the right time. Maybe luck but I say destiny. Even though Excideuil is very small, and has had its issues like many small villages in keeping businesses going, it is a lovely city with lovely people, both French and British. 

Excideuil is centrally located to venture out on day trips to the many other local villages. They say that the Dordogne has over 1,000 chateaux, we have only seen 25 so far so have many more to explore. 

The Ups and Downs of a Second Home in France

Tell me what your journey has been like as a second homeowner in France.

It has been mostly positive.  We needed to renovate the kitchen so that was a bit of a challenge with us living in Tennessee, but we have met some wonderful people that are willing to help as needed. 

The lifestyle here is for sure different than the US but in a good way.  

You have to plan to get things done around the long 2-hour lunch and just learn to be on a slower pace to get things done. 

As always, I have to ask, can you speak French well or is it just enough to get by?

We do not speak much French but are learning more each time we’re here. Google Translate helps and we find if we try to at least speak in French, someone will help you. I have subscribed to Babbel so working on learning more!

Taking pets to your second home in France

Like me, I know you’re a dog owner, with a Westie called Tavis. What does he think of his second home and how have you found taking a dog to France? Any advice for other people with pets coming to stay here?

Tavis is a great traveller and has been to France with us 3 times.  Make sure you look at the requirements to bring a dog to France and have everything sorted out well before leaving on your trip.

We do have a walled garden so that gives Tavis a place to run and relax. It is wonderful to be able to take your dog into hotels, restaurants, etc.  They are much more welcome here than in the US. 

Tavis actually wrote a little article about travelling with your pet. He loves to get his photo taken and has been all over the Dordogne and Paris.

When you first messaged me it was to tell me about a little shop you have back in your home town of Knoxville, called Paris to Rome. Can you tell me more about how that all started and what your hopes are for its future?

I’m a CPA and my job as CEO of a credit union keeps me busy in the financial world but does not allow my creative side.  So, about 8 years ago, I started a small boutique shop to give me the opportunity to do something with the other side of my brain. 

I rent a  shop and furnish the inventory, mainly items relating to Europe, especially France; soaps, lotions, kitchen towels, etc., and lots of lavender items! 

The place I rent from handles the sales, staff, etc., so makes it easy for me since I also have a full-time job.   

Enjoying life in their second home in France

What do you look forward to the most when you’re planning a trip to France now you’re second homeowners? 

Every time I pull up in the parking lot behind our house, I get overwhelmed with happiness and gratitude.  That first view as I pull in never gets old.  

We love our house and the way we have made it our home.  We love the friends we have met and visiting cafes and restaurants. 

Just sitting in our garden, watching the sun set and listening to the church bells ring is wonderful.

Advice for others looking to buy a second home in France

What advice would you give other Americans looking to buy a second home in France? What do you wish you’d known before you started?  

The internet is a great place to start.  Unlike the US the French don’t have a concise multi-listing system, so you have to search different agencies.  

Most of the time, they will not give you a specific address, so we found many times we had wasted trips as the house on the internet was located in an area that was not that desirable.  

We finally told the agents that we weren’t making a trip from Tennessee unless they gave us more information and we could pull up google maps.  

You need to be patient. You’ll know when you find that special place. 

Try to look past what it looks like now and imagine how it could look with a few changes.  Our kitchen was a disaster, but I knew we could change it, we could paint, and we could do other updates over time.  

In the end, you will have a home that is truly yours to love for many years and make wonderful memories.  

To find out more about Debbie, her shop and to get more details on her cottage, use the links below:

• My French Cottage Website
• Facebook
• The Shop – Paris to Rome