'When we dreamed of a simpler life, we somehow ended up buying a village ...'

A BRITISH couple quit the rat race and bought a French “village” for just €80k - so they can retire and have a “peaceful life”.

- By STEVEN SMITH

Ben Pearson, 39, and his husband, Nathan, 31, had always dreamed of moving to France and stumbled across the abandoned farmhouse in Sainte Segros.

When they started seriously looking to buy two years ago the property came on the market and the couple were able to purchase the “village” which comes with five outbuildings and two hectares of land. They have spent the last two years going through paperwork, but finally got the keys in December 2024.

Currently the property - which dates back to the 1600s - has no toilet or heating but Ben plans to transform it into a three-bed home all by himself. They hope to eventually turn the outbuildings into Airbnb’s and guesthouses.

Ben, a RAF aircraft engineer, from Hull, said: “It’s getting out of the nine-to-five rat race in England. There is no way we could afford something like that in the UK.