Long-term French resident and father of four, Toby Morgan, likes nothing more than taking on a new project and his latest challenge, the design and construction of a mini-golf course in the world-famous seaside resort of Hossegor in south-west France is probably his biggest to date.
Originally from Buckinghamshire, former city trader Toby has a deep affinity with France and all things French, which he says comes from spending numerous holidays at his parents’ holiday home in Bidarray, in the beautiful PyrénéesAtlantiques department of NouvelleAquitaine. His parents have owned their property since 1990 and by 2002, Toby had decided to invest in his own maison secondaire in France.
Toby loves the outdoors and opted for the Landes department as it ticked all his boxes, providing easy access to stunning walking trails in the Pyrénées and world-class surfing beaches. As a keen golfer, the numerous golf courses in the area were also a factor, so he bought a beachside property in Hossegor.
HOUSE TO HOME
Holidays soon proved to be not enough and with a growing young family, Toby was keen for the children, Tashan, 17, Leon, 14, Audrey, 12 and Carmen, five, to benefit from all the advantages of living in France. So, three years later in 2005, the family moved over full time.
Despite appreciating the slower pace of life in France, Toby was soon looking for a new challenge and almost immediately got involved in a property development project in Contis, a nearby beach resort. With this first project under his belt, Toby took on the renovation of a large farmhouse in Pey before then deciding to rent out his original purchase during the summer months.
Having run this for several years as an extremely successful holiday rental business, in 2017, Toby decided to sell up and do something completely different.
This story is from the February 2020 edition of Living France.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the February 2020 edition of Living France.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Guide To: Working For A Foreign Company
If your current employer is happy to let you continue working for them after you move to France, there are a number of rules and regulations to be aware of to ensure you stay on the right side of the law, as Catharine Higginson explains
On vintage soil
Life in the vineyards of Aude is a dream come true for Leicestershire-born Katie Jones who now successfully exports her wines back to the UK, as Brigitte Nicolas learns
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
What happens if you are buying a French property but can’t attend the completion meeting at the notaire’s office in person? Matthew Cameron explains how a power of attorney can be used and how it works
In safe hands
There can be few more unusual homes than the 11th-century Château de Clérans, situated close to the Dordogne river in the Périgord Pourpre region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
THE CAPTAIN'S TABLE
Robin Ellis made his name as the original Captain Poldark but a diabetes diagnosis led the Tarn-based actor to add cookbook writing to his CV, as Richard Webber learns
My frugal France
Embracing modern technology could save you money and time on both the pleasures and essentials of life in France, says Laura Harley as she shares some of her favourite French apps
Hidden Talents
Moving to France enabled these three expats to switch off from busy careers and in turn discover new creative talents, says Gillian Harvey, who counts herself among them
Beauty to behold
With its legendary vineyards, charming old towns and rich gastronomy, Gironde is quintessential France at its best, as Alison Weeks discovers
AS SEEN ON SCREEN
A Dordogne town, a Charente city and a Pyrenean village all have a starring role in three new films hitting the big screen this year, joining a long list of French locations that have gone before them, as Vicky Leigh learns
A local's view
Trish and Mark Tyler run a beautifully restored chambres d’hôtes, set in six hectares of park and woodland near StÉmilion, which has a fascinating history
