A British resident who possesses two vintage properties inFranceand has not returned to the UK since the Brexit vote, stating he will purchase a house in Wales once the UK re-enters the EU, something he is becoming more certain will occur.
Peter Thomas, 53, a former marketing and communications officer from Ferryside in Wales, who has been involved with fintech startups throughout Europe, relocated to France with his Flemish spouse Lies Wittens in 2023, following 16 years in…Portugal.
The couple divides their time between an old stone windmill close to Vitré, Brittany, which they bought for only €40,000 in 2012, and a 700-square-metre medieval site featuring a tower in the village of Saissac, located near the Pyrenees, which they acquired for €100,000 in 2018.
“I am fully convinced of being a European,” Thomas, who is currently restoring properties, said.The i PaperThe EU is my home. I have worked, learned, and traveled across the continent. Starting as a student with little money, the EU helped me – from the remote areas of west Wales – discover love, culture, travel, excitement, and a range of fascinating careers.
Thomas, who also holds Portuguese nationality, stated: “For me, being an EU citizen is not just a document, but a fundamental aspect of my innermost being. Brexit was an illogical surge of nationalist foolishness.”
The man from Wales has not returned to his homeland since the Brexit referendum. Nevertheless, he thinks the UK will soon become more aligned with the EU, as he points out that many of the older voters who supported “Leave” in 2016 have died, and surveys indicate there is a majority in favor of adopting a model similar to Norway’s, which involves a close relationship with the EU.
If the If the UK were to rejoin the EU, Thomas mentioned that he intended to purchase a modest seaside property in a region where Welsh is spoken, specifically in Pembrokeshire or Ceredigion.
“I currently speak eight languages, but my Cymraeg has become a bit rusty; relearning it in my old age would be enjoyable,” he said.
At the moment, however, the couple are focusing ontheir French dream.
They resided in Portugal for many yearsbut in the end, they felt a desire to be nearer to the rest of Europe and favored the “general sense of joy in life in France over the melancholic saudade of Portugal” along with its overtourism and rapidly aging population, Thomas mentioned.
Intense wildfires were also becoming an issue, with several approaching their farm in Marvão, located in central Portugal.
In France, the Celtic elements of Brittany are appreciated, featuring ancient megaliths, warm pubs, stone-built villages, and “deciduous forests.” Meanwhile, Occitanie, especially Saissac, offers a cosmopolitan and artistic atmosphere, close to Spain, along with a notable pastry tradition.
Nevertheless, Thomas describes the windmill in Vitré, located amidst forests full of roe deer, as a “crazily impractical, entirely quixotic” property: a tall structure consisting of five small circular rooms connected by unstable staircases and trapdoors, giving it a medieval feel. They invested €18,000 to fix the roof, install a kitchen, build a deck, create a shed for bicycles and gardening equipment, and improve the drainage system.
Regarding the property improvements in Saissac, located on a cliff with breathtaking views of the Pyrenees, the couple have faced “hidden structural problems,” such as replacing 14 beams that are eight metres long, installing a new roof system, and clearing 60 tonnes of construction debris.
The project is expected to be finished by 2028, with total expenses exceeding €400,000.
“The task was to uncover the original, dignified spaces, showcase the predominantly 17th-century wooden coffered ceilings, and create expansive, 100-square-metre rooms on each of the three primary floors,” said Thomas.
Similar to many medieval French villages, the property is a product of several centuries of construction. The cellar features walls that are three metres thick and probably served as the foundation for a watchtower that was part of the village’s 14th-century defensive walls. Multiple houses were constructed on top of these foundations from the 16th to the 19th centuries, with the present structure forming a “labyrinthine” layout spanning three living areas.
Nevertheless, Thomas mentions that they have no regrets in undertaking such big projects. The Saissac house is a “daily joy,” he mentioned, due to its scenery and proximity to local culture.
If they decided to purchase a property in Wales, the couple would continue to maintain both French properties and divide their time between them. However, until that occurs, the couplekeep enjoying their French lifestyle, with the amazing cuisine, local markets, beautiful dog walks, and numerous castles and historical sites in the vicinity.
“One benefit of having two houses [in France] is exploring the beautiful areas that connect them,” mentioned Thomas, pointing out Lot, Aveyron, Vendée, and Loire.
“It’s a highly unique section of Europe,” he added.