Well after several weeks in France looking at properties we put an offer in on a place in Lower Normandy and had it accepted. Our house in Blighty is sold to a cash buyer so now we wait for the selling/buying process to continue. It was really 5 or 6 years too early for us to go but after my position becoming redundant again decided to take a chance and go early. Now have to buy a smaller house here as a UK base and have somewhere for the kids to live. As we don't speak French I'm sure there will be challenges ahead. The property has 3 x gites so this will give us an income and we plan to open a small camp/caravan site on the land and that should help until my pension kicks in......