We Finally Have the Key(s)!

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After months of planning, dreaming, paperwork, and counting down the days, the moment finally arrived... we are officially the proud owners of our house in Riguepeu, France!

But before we could celebrate this milestone, there was quite a journey to get here.

Saying Goodbye

Before leaving the Netherlands, we wanted to say goodbye to our family, friends, and neighbours in a special way. We organised a farewell party at our beloved home in Oosterhout, where we have lived with so much love and happiness for almost ten years.

To everyone who joined us: thank you for your kind words, thoughtful gifts, and, most of all, for making it such a wonderful evening. We truly appreciated having you there.

Packing... and Packing Some More

Once the party was over, reality kicked in.

We started packing everything, and wow... you really don't realise how much you collect in nearly ten years! We thought we were almost finished, but during the last few days we had to work incredibly hard to make sure everything was loaded into Tom's truck by Friday.

Thankfully, we made it! A huge thank you to everyone who helped load the truck. Many hands really do make light work, especially for me (Iris), since I'm still not allowed to lift anything because of my recovery.

Closing One Chapter

The final days in Oosterhout were spent cleaning, organising, and saying goodbye to the house that had been our home for so many years.

For me, this was probably the hardest part. Leaving such a special place wasn't easy, but we know we're exchanging it for an exciting new adventure. We're also happy that our house has been sold to a lovely couple, and we hope they'll enjoy living there as much as we did.

After that, we spent another week in Oud-Vossemeer, once again surrounded by boxes and cleaning supplies. That house will soon be up for sale as well, so if you're looking for a home in the area... keep an eye on Funda!

The Journey to France

On Saturday afternoon, Dad and Tom left with the truck, while Danny and his sister Rosina followed later that evening by car.

Unfortunately, I couldn't make the long journey yet. Sitting for such a long time isn't possible while I'm still recovering, so I had to stay behind in the Netherlands with our dogs. Missing this part of the adventure wasn't easy, but my health comes first.

First Steps at Our New Home

On Sunday, everyone arrived safely in France.

After a refreshing drink at Celine's lovely B&B, and meeting Titi, the rescued sparrow, they headed to our new home in Riguepeu.

Although the official key handover wasn't until Monday afternoon, we had permission to place our belongings on the property. There was just one small problem...

The gate was secured with a padlock, and no one had the key.

Luckily, someone had packed an angle grinder. Within seconds the lock was gone, the gate was open, and the first boxes could finally be unloaded.

After a well-deserved pizza, everyone headed to bed completely exhausted.

The Big Day

Monday started with a visit from the estate agent, who walked through the property with Danny.

The first pleasant surprise? They managed to find the water meter and even better, both the water and electricity were already connected!

Then came another unexpected discovery: there's an old well on the property. We can't wait to learn more about its history.

At 3:00 PM it was finally time to visit the notary.

As expected, things moved at a very French pace. We started about 45 minutes late, and every page of the deed was carefully reviewed. Even the smallest details mattered. At one point, an extra "s" had to be removed from the word piscine, otherwise, according to the paperwork, we would apparently own multiple swimming pools!

Then, just when we thought we were almost done, both notaries suddenly left the room.

It turned out the purchase funds had been transferred to a different branch of the notary's office. Thankfully, the issue was resolved quickly, a few final corrections were made, and at last...

The deed was signed.

Danny received the keys, well, one actual key! Apparently, most of the doors can only be opened from the inside.

And just like that...

We officially own a house in France!

Looking Ahead

Although I couldn't be there in person, I was able to join the signing remotely. Of course, I would have loved to experience such a special moment together with everyone, but I'm also learning to accept that my recovery and rehabilitation take time.

Back at the house, Dad, Tom, Rosina and Danny continued working hard. By the end of the day, the upper floors were almost completely cleared, except for a few cupboards that we'll probably keep.

They celebrated with dinner on a terrace in Vic-Fezensac before getting back to work the following morning. After another productive morning, everyone returned to Celine's B&B for a shower. Dad and Tom started the long drive back to the Netherlands, while Danny took Rosina to Toulouse Airport.

Meanwhile, back in the Netherlands, beautiful photos were taken of my parents' house.

As for me...

I can't wait until I'm finally able to travel to France myself and start this new chapter together.

The adventure has officially begun.