We’ll have been here a year on April 9th 2017.

Last week, on the 30th March, 2017, we completed and signed for our new house & photography studios.

It only took us a few months to find the place, which wasn’t actually on the market in the usual places we were looking. In June, our lovely pal and estate agent in the region of Lot-et-Garonne, Caroline Hubbard of Leggett, took us to see this stunning mansion house in the town and we thought to ourselves, wow… when we win the lottery maybe…

Turns out, the price was quite elevated due to the large amount of land to the rear of the place. On a second visit in October, we discussed the possibility of not taking all of the land and just retaining enough to keep separation from anyone who may buy the remaining plots.

A call was made … an offer was made and accepted all within 3 or 4 hours. We certainly hadn’t visited the place that day in October expecting to walk away with an offer accepted. Right…. mortgage time!

This bit wasn’t so easy, I’ll not go into it at any great depth on this blog but if anyone wants to hear the full story of how the French banks work with creative types (or don’t like to work with creative types), please get in touch and I’ll happily put you in touch with our amazing bank in Bergerac.

Anyhow, it all worked out in the end and we got the keys last Thursday. We have a fantastic new place to live and work. As well as the lovely 19th century mansion house (1860s), we have 2 huge studio spaces needing concrete floors and a bit of TLC as well as an out building awaiting renovation. 

We can’t believe how privileged we are and how fortunate we have been this past year or so.

Welcomed with open arms here in France by both the ex-pats and many French locals. 

I’ll have my new studio set up soon in a large room in the house, affectionately called the Usher Hall and will be starting a new portrait series to be exhibited in July in nearby city of Agen.  

We plan to have Studio Faire open for business in the spring of 2018. 

More updates soon and photos of our progress soon.

All detail & imagery is copyright © Colin Usher.
Tel: 06 34 56 10 70  E: colin@colinusher.com
SIRET: 8235 4941 500029