Latest news with #FrenchCountryside
South China Morning Post
23-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- South China Morning Post
Where a French chef in Hong Kong eats French-style pastries, pizza and dim sum
Thomas Caro is the executive chef of Rex Wine & Grill, which is now rebranded as a French steakhouse. He spoke to Andrew Sun. I tend to eat in a very polarised way: very regimented and healthy, or purely for pleasure and comfort. Growing up in the French countryside, I remember walking to our village's farm with my dad to buy eggs and milk, and picking cherries, Reine Claude plums – also known as greengages – and apricots at my grandparents'. My grandmother, Geneviève, was an exceptional cook, making classic cuisine bourgeoise – middle-class home cooking – staples every Sunday for lunch. Grandpa Jean, who cultivated my love of food, made endless batches of jam, stored in his basement cellar to be given away during the year. A pizza from Fiata Pizza. Photo: Fiata Pizza Signature dishes at New Punjab Club, where 'everything bursts with flavour'. Photo: Black Sheep Restaurants He would spoil me at brasseries, ordering a whole sole meunière, a classic French fish dish, for my nine-year-old self. Now the only cuisine that makes sense to me in the summer is southern French.
The Sun
12-05-2025
- The Sun
We quit rat race to buy entire VILLAGE worth just £67,000 in holiday hotspot – now we'll rake in £1,000s from Airbnb
A BRITISH couple have packed in the 9 to 5 and bought themselves a whole village in France — all for just £67,000. Ben Pearson, 39, and his partner Nathan, 31, struck gold when they bought a rural French property for just £67,000. 5 5 5 The deal included a 17th-century farmhouse, five outbuildings and two hectares of land — more than they ever imagined owning. The couple first discovered the tucked-away treasure while visiting Ben's mum, Karen Pearson, 62, who moved to the same French village over a decade ago. They loved the charming, timeworn property as soon as they saw it seven years ago, but at the time, weren't quite ready to make the leap abroad. Three years ago, they started seriously looking for a retirement escape. To their shock, the farmhouse came back on the market. Ben, an RAF aircraft engineer, said: 'It was like fate. We had looked everywhere and just couldn't find anything like it. "When we saw it was up for sale again, we couldn't believe it.' They put in an offer in February 2022, which was accepted, but the deal took two years to finalise due to complex French property paperwork. The couple finally got the keys in December 2024, and are now preparing to move out permanently in July. The site is full of rustic charm — but needs serious work. We ditched the UK and bought a 200-year-old French village for just £22k The house has no toilet, heating or even running water beyond a single tap. 'There's no way we could ever afford this in the UK,' Ben said. 'You can barely get a one-bed flat for £80k back home. "Over here, we've got land, buildings, peace and a real chance to build something special.' Ben is retiring from the RAF this summer and plans to take on the renovation himself, converting the main farmhouse into a three-bed home. In the meantime, the couple will live in a caravan on the land while getting a liveable room finished within six months. The house, which dates back to the 1600s, has never been modernised. Old pots, mason jars and paperwork were still on the shelves when they moved in. Nathan said: 'It's the oldest property in the little commune. "The main house is from the early 1800s, but the farmhouse is even older. 'There's a real sense of history. "We're planning to frame some of the old documents we found — like the original land contracts.' They hope to restore the property in a way that preserves its heritage — and eventually convert the outbuildings into Airbnbs or guest houses. 'We're not under any illusions — we know it's going to cost more than we've saved,' Nathan said. 'But it's the lifestyle we want.' The couple have set aside £100,000 to start the restoration but admit it'll be a long-term labour of love. Ben added: 'We want to do it all properly — new roof, new septic tank, heating, everything. But we'll keep the soul of the place.' Despite the challenges, they say the move is the best decision they've made. 'There's no running around, no stress,' Ben said. 'It'll be a peaceful life. That's all we want.' Nathan, an English tutor, agreed: 'Even when you go into the nearest town, people are lovely and welcoming. "There's this myth that the French are standoffish — we've found the complete opposite.' The couple have documented their journey from Yorkshire to the French countryside on social media — and are already inspiring others to follow their dreams. Nathan said: 'We came here dreaming of a quieter life. "Somehow, we ended up buying a village. We wouldn't change a thing.' 5 5
