Working remotely in France

What’s stopping you buying that adorable bolthole in France? If it’s work, why not pack the laptop and take the office with you, says Julie Savill?

Could you be a digital nomad? Is home where your laptop is? Admittedly it’s not a possibility for everyone but if you can occasionally work from home then you should be able to occasionally work from France. The idea of digital nomadism has grown massively since Covid with more and more people freeing themselves from the traditional constraints of nine-to-five work life and embracing their ability to escape traditional working arrangements and taking on ‘work from home’ positions.

If you do decide this is an option for you there are a few things to consider. Firstly, that you will have to be disciplined and actually work while you are at your second home. That might seem obvious but have you considered how it will feel when the rest of the family is heading out to a local château or lounging around the pool? You might be able to adapt your days and get an early start and an earlier finish to the day. And at the very least you’ll have your evenings free for socialising and those lovely long outdoor meals.

A couple of years ago we had what appeared to me to be the ultimate digital nomads come and house sit for us. We had advertised on Trusted Housesitters and got an application from a couple in their 30s from Seattle. They spent their entire time travelling to different locations, both within the United States and throughout Europe hopping from one house sit to another. So committed were they to the lifestyle that in six years of marriage, they hadn’t got around to getting their own home, either owned or rented! Wherever they were they kept to Seattle times for working which, in our home meant starting at 10pm and working through the night! That might feel a bit extreme but it gave them an incredible adventure and plenty of time in the afternoons and early evenings for exploring and relaxing poolside. If they can make that work for them, then surely it’s possible for most people to squeeze a few more weeks a year from their holiday home and maximise their enjoyment of their investment.

MAKING IT WORK

If you are already looking for a property, you might want to consider updating your wish list to accommodate working during your French breaks. Many people still like to be able to close the door to the ‘office’ at the end of the day so the laptops and notepads aren’t sitting there as a reminder all the time. If you can create the luxury of a home office, that’s great. Otherwise, consider a dual-purpose room with a desk and either a bed or sofa bed for guests so you get best value from the space. Wifi speed is a big consideration too; fibre is finding its way into small towns and villages all across the southwest. Put it on your list and ask your agent to check the availability and speed of internet connection at any property that looks like a serious contender.

Julie Savill is a director at Beaux Villages estate agency Tel: 0800 270 0101

(Freephone from the UK 0033 (0) 805 69 23 23 (France)

beauxvillages.com

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