Haute Vienne, France - A Place in the Sun

Haute Vienne, France - Sara Damergi

After school club manager Michelle and decorator Steve met 5 years ago and just recently got engaged. They have a budget of £100,000 to buy a holiday home for them, their six children and their dog Poppy in and around the beautiful villages of Haute Vienne in Southern France. Property expert Sara Damergi is jetting in to help with 5 great properties to show – but will any be perfect? 

About the area

The department of Haute Vienne is in southern central France – just north of the Dordogne. You can fly to its main city Limoges in around two hours from the UK, or it’s 6-7 hours drive from Calais – depending on traffic. 

Haute Vienne gets its name from the river Vienne that runs through it, and is also home to more than three thousand lakes, leading to it often being referred to as the French Lake District. This very rural and peaceful area has been popular with Brits for more than forty years, with a sizeable British community here – though the area still retains oodles of French character and charm.

Property 1

Two-bed House in Oradour-sur-Vayres

This characterful semi detached house comes with just over an acre of land and a big barn space with loads of potential. The house itself has a traditional beamed living and dining room, a spacious kitchen, another living space currently used as a games room and a smaller living area, along with a bathroom downstairs. The upstairs has a slightly unusual layout – you access the main bedroom which has an ensuite WC via the second bedroom. See more from the agent.

Valued at £103,458 at the time of filming.

Property 2

Two-bed House with a barn in Cussac

This house comes with just under half an acre of land as well as a big barn attached to it with loads of potential to be converted. Inside the house there’s a beamed living and dining room plus a separate kitchen diner come living room downstairs, while upstairs there’s the main bedroom, another bedroom which needs some finishing touches, and a shower room. For more information on this property.

Valued at £109,332 at the time of filming.

Property 3

Four-bed detached House in Les Sables-Lavauguyon

This characterful house has a courtyard garden and a small wooded area. Inside there’s the main living room with a log burner, a second living room, a kitchen diner and a shower room downstairs. Upstairs there are no less than four bedrooms of varying shapes sizes and styles, one of which has an en suite WC – plus there’s a family bathroom. See more from the agent.

Valued at £115,466 at the time of filming.

Property 4

Four-bed House in Saint-Sulpice-les-Feuilles

This house sits on around half an acre of land including a swimming pool and an outbuilding. Inside there’s a living room with a wood burner, a separate kitchen, a dining room, plus a bedroom currently used as an office and a WC downstairs. Upstairs there are two spacious bedrooms along with a family bathroom and a WC and right at the top there’s a lovely attic bedroom. See more from the agent.

Valued at £127,025 at the time of filming.

Property 5

Renovated and un renovated House in Chirac

The renovated house has a living room with a fireplace, a  spacious kitchen, a charming dining room with a mezzanine bedroom in the rafters plus a bathroom downstairs – upstairs there are two very tasteful bedrooms and a shower room. The second house, which needs renovating, consists of a living room, kitchen, dining room and a shower room downstairs, as well as one bedroom and two potential attic bedrooms. It also has a good sized garden, one barn used as a garage and another which needs renovating. For more information on this property.

Valued at £127,076 at the time of filming.

Hot Property

Fifteen-bed Chateau in Saint-Barthélemy-de-Bussière

This chateau has more than 350 acres of land on which sits the main house, a huge indoor swimming pool, an equestrian centre and loads of other outbuildings for guest accommodation. Overall its valued at just under four and a half million pounds. For more information on this property.

Valued at £4,491,525 at the time of filming.