We think there’s something about the idea of taking an old French decaying property and restoring it to its former glory that particularly appeals to us Brits so reading that channel 4 was due to release a new tv programme ‘Help! We Bought a Village’ instantly got our attention, so if like us you are a little addicted to watching programmes about people renovating properties in France then this post is right up your street.
Watching the first episode we are intrigued by the French hamlet of La Busliere, and after a look at the map we realise we were heading in that direction, so I contact the owners to see if it was ok to drive past and take some photos.
Surrounded by open fields with amazing views the hamlet has six small houses, two barns, a horse paddock, a workshop, a cider press and a communal bread oven and let’s not forget the horse box.
With the ok to call by we head for the Le Teilleul and then follow the windy road out of the village until we find ourselves turning into a narrow lane, where we soon spot Yip and Paul working in the garden.
By the time we arrive at the hamlet, we are familiar with their story but it’s good to hear it from the couple themselves.
Unable to break into the property market the couple were living in a static home in Tunbridge wells, Kent, this though was never going to be their forever home, however the prospect of buying a home in the UK for more than £250,000 was also out of the question, so the pair of landscape gardeners always had an uncertainty about where their future may lie.
However, whether it be luck or fate, things were about to change for them in 2019 when a friend of theirs had a change of heart about a property they had purchased in Normandy. So with ferry tickets booked Yip and Paul set about crossing the channel to view the house but by listening to them, we think the pair were sold by the rolling fields and stunning surroundings long before they reached the front door.
With a sale price of €12,000, the pair couldn’t believe their luck and set about sealing the deal for less than the deposit on a house in the UK.
But the pair didn’t stop there, in 2021 they decided to contact the owners of the other adjoining dilapidated buildings when one of the walls started to crumble only to learn that the rest of the hamlet was up for sale for just €14,000. Realising the potential in La Busliere they decide to purchase the adjacent buildings too.
Chatting over a cup of tea we realise how committed and passionate Yip and Paul are, they admit “If they think too much about the task ahead, it would give them sleep less nights, but they also say the excitement overrules all of that, it’s just one day at a time and it will be amazing when it’s done.”
With the house they now call home initially uninhabitable Yip and Paul spent most of the first year cleaning and renovating the property and it’s clear from the progress they have made they are hard working but the remaining houses have no electricity and need to be almost completely renovated.
As we stand on the upper floor of one of the houses with remnants of the trees that once graced the walls for many years, and only parts of the floor safe to walk on, it’s clear that Yip and Paul have nothing but a positive attitude and the work does not scare them because their plans to turn it into a holiday destination is certainly going to be a challenge.
To have the opportunity to step inside these unique hamlet steeped in history with its thick stone walls, exposed beams and centuries-old fireplaces was an amazing experience we can’t wait to see them bring it back to its full rural charm and hopefully return as guests one day.
So as we head off down the lane we thank Yip and Paul for sparing their precious time but our minds go back to the tv programme and if you are anything like us we always assumed these programmes paid the people that feature in them, so we are surprised to learn this isn’t the case which isn’t a problem for Yip and Paul because it was their decision to purchase the hamlet. However, unfortunately, they don’t have a pot of gold or another property to sell to help fund this, they are taking on outside work to pay for each stage they tackle.
Yip and Paul’s story is fascinating, they are two genuine people, what you see is what you get, it’s certainly one to watch so please follow or take a look at one of the links below, they would appreciate your support, Thank you.
Details of how to find Yip and Paul –
YouTube: Yip and Paul’s Village Gite
Instagram: yipandpaulsvillagegite
Facebook: Yip and Paul’s Village Gite
I’m obsessed with Help! We Bought a Village but love Paul and Yip the best! I’m now watching just them on YouTube. There support and love for each other is evident and inspiring. I’m in awe that something so monumental as restoring a village doesn’t become too overwhelming! You persevere and you overcome which make me want to keep going with small things around the house and life in general! Are there any pics of the interior of cottage 1?
Yip and Paul are lovely people and we were privileged to have spent time with them. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to take photos of inside that property.
Hello,
Any chance Yip and Paul would entertain an offer for one of the houses? I am a retired garden landscaper myself, and might be interested.
Thank you,
Rick
Hi Richard
I only wrote about Yip and Paul, however they are contactable via Facebook and instragram they always respond to messages
Kind regards
Karen
Hi guys I watch the program and I must say that I admire what you’re doing. Your humour is very good ???? good luck ???? and I’m considering a visit. ????
Thanks for contacting me. I only wrote about Yip and Paul but I will forward this message on to them
Hello,
I have followed your gigantic task on T V, and am so impressed with your attitude to how tough things can be. My late husband and I did similar things with houses in the 70s & 80s, but only one at a time! Well done both of you. The thing that shines through though is your love and support for each other, which we also had. My husband died twelve years ago after we had been together for forty-eight years, the last seven of which we were legally married, the second gay marriage in Poole, Dorset.
I am now housebound and not in the best of health, otherwise I would love a stay in your gite, but not possible I am afraid. We often visited Normandy and loved it, and of course it was and is very close to home. Just a Poole to Cherbourg ferry trip.
With all my best wishes and prayers for your success,
Erik-George
Thank you so much for contacting me, unfortunately we aren’t the owners of the village doing all the hard work, we just had the good fortune to meet Yip and Paul and I wrote about them.
However, I have passed your lovely message on to them and I know they are going to
contact. I would like to take the opportunity to thank you for reading my blog, I am delighted. Take care Karen
Bonjour les anglais ,votre histoire est tout simplement fantastique, et votre courage devant un tel défi est la preuve que il faut toujours vivre ses rêves à fond ,même en sachant que çà va être galère. Je passe vous dire bonjour avec mon épouse pour voir vos réalisations ,à bientôt
Un petit belge
Hei, Kiitos yhteydenotostasi. Nautimme matkustamisesta ja kirjoitamme blogia, jotta perheenjäsenet ja ystävät voivat pysyä ajan tasalla siitä, mitä olemme ja mitä teemme, mutta on myös hienoa kuulla muiden ihmisten mielipiteitä. Matkustatko matkailuautossa tai pakettiautossa? On aina hyvä kuulla muiden ihmisten tarinoita
Guys good evening … Im a roofer of 35 years with my own small business and looking for a change … Im looking for a project and love France … In return for roofing favours is it anything you can help me with? … Thanks Antony
Hi
Thank you for contacting us. Unfortunately we don’t live in France permanently at the moment, however if we come across anyone that needs your services I will pass your details on.
Many thanks
Karen
Watched the programme by chance and really enjoyed it. I have to say the2 guys enthusiasm and energy is really refreshing. The Village looks great. Me and my wife would definitely stay there when the work is done.
It’s an interesting programme. Yip and Paul are genuinely nice people and the area they live in is certainly worth a visit, you will certainly be made welcome at their village.
Love watching these 2 guys. Id love to see more up to date pics.
Thank you, new photos of where we have been on the next week. Hope you are both well, we have enjoyed following your adventure x
Fascinating!!!
Absolutely, it’s a huge challenge and very brave but they are the most genuine people,I have met for a long time, what you see is what you get x