It’s like stepping into a fairy-tale – the chance to own an affordable apartment atop cobblestoned streets in the south of France and visiting for three months every year.
Two Sunshine Coast couples made the fairy-tale a reality and now hope to make someone else’s dreams come true.
Julie-Ann and Peter Lewis and Liz and Ross Halyday found their special ‘home away from home’ on the other side of the globe in March 2011 in a village that was a vibrant mix of cafe life, art, music and festivals.
“Pete and Julie-Ann hadn’t seen the village so the four of us flew over mid-January 2011 to make sure they loved it and to look for a place to buy,” Ross recalled.
“We wanted an apartment so there would be less maintenance and a ‘lock-up and leave’ ability.
“We were recommended to a lovely French agent who showed us all that was available for sale but our gut feeling was that there must be something better (special) around.
“It turned out that the apartment below the agent was potentially coming on the market so she asked the owners and they were interested in selling.
“We gained access to the apartment and immediately we all got excited. We could see the potential and our dreams started then and there.”
Their offer was accepted and, three months later, they made their own escape to the continent – just like the TV series.
So began their love affair with the property and its charming medieval town of Ceret (pronounced like beret with a silent ‘t’) in the Languedoc-Roussillon region, 20 minutes from the Spanish border.
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They say they have not only ‘lived the dream’ but also made countless lifetime friendships with neighbours and others who have rented the apartment, absorbed the wonderful French and Catalan cultures, been embraced by the locals and experienced so many things they never thought possible.
Now, family commitments are forcing the sale of the apartment, affectionately named G’day Ceret, that takes up the entire 3rd floor of the four-storey building.
And they want to grant Sunshine Coast buyers the first opportunity to buy the renovated, fully furnished two-bedroom, two-ensuite abode that has brought them and their rental clients so much joy over the past 12 years.
The price tag? Just $550,000 walk in, walk out.
The 250-year-old classical French building at 1 Boulevard Arago has an idyllic location at the foot of the Pyrenees, just 35 minutes by car from the main town of Perpignan and the Mediterranean Sea.
It is considered a ‘maison de maitre’: the term for an impressive building with a business on the ground floor.
“In our case, the business was a bank with the family home above it, and this accounts for the beautiful architecture and extensive use of marble throughout, including many marble fireplaces,” Ross said.
“There is evidence that the building was erected in the mid-1700s.
“The descendants of the original family (the Fornes) still reside on the ground floor.
“Around 40 years ago, the family strata-titled each floor to sell them off at a later stage.
“In 2008, the top floor (or third etage), which had once been the servants’ quarters, was sold to a young real estate agent in Ceret.
“This second level became G’day Ceret apartment in 2011. In 2014, 60 per cent of the first level was sold to a Norwegian lady as a holiday home, and the family kept the balance of the first level and ground floor for themselves.”
The Lewises and Halydays undertook extensive renovations and alterations, after being introduced to English tradesmen around the time of their first property inspection, to create the self-contained apartment and separate it from the once single-family home.
The stunning property has a large entry vestibule, cosy and comfortable lounge, spacious modern kitchen and separate dining room, laundry, plus a private outdoor terrace area.
Heaters are installed throughout, with ceiling fans in the two bedrooms (Chambre Picasso and Chambre Matisse) and lounge.
The Chambre Matisse ensuite has two-way access for entertaining purposes, and Chambre Picasso can be locked for letting, offering a one-bedroom/one-ensuite option.
“We fully renovated the apartment while maintaining classic French styling,” Ross said.
“We created two new modern ensuites, a fully equipped modern kitchen with a French country feel and a fully equipped laundry.
“The most fun came while searching for authentic French furnishings and decor to give the apartment its classic charm but with comfort the main priority.
“In late 2013, a wonderful outside terrace was approved and constructed, completing the final stage of renovations.
“Yes, there was a lot of hard work but it was really a labour of love.
“We had so much fun stripping the multiple layers of ancient wallpaper off the walls and even the ceilings.
“Once renovated, the apartment was just a pleasure to live in because we didn’t skimp on quality of fixtures and fittings. So, the beds, lounges and chairs were very comfortable with quality appliances, high-speed optic fibre Wi-Fi, landline offering free phone calls across the globe and a certified and working marble fireplace.
“There are two other non-certified marble fireplaces throughout the apartment.
“Having a decent-size lockable owners’ storeroom made our travelling life so much easier with us all leaving clothes, shoes, tools, golf clubs, toiletries etc to be used on each visit.”
Mountain views to the south are available from the rear of the building, while both bedrooms overlook the main boulevard.
A former medieval walled village (the circular road was once a moat), Ceret boasts cobblestoned walkways in the Old Town and magnificent plane trees lining the streets and squares, while also being surrounded by a more contemporary township totalling almost 8000 residents.
Ceret’s renowned Saturday markets draw vendors and customers from all over France and Spain for farm produce, French treasures, clothing, art, wines and artisan products, and all this passes by outside the apartment building’s front door.
“The location of the apartment is ideal because you have the feeling of living in an ancient village while at the same time having the benefit of a larger township with access to modern services and facilities including excellent medical facilities with a large clinic/hospital, several major grocery shops including Carrefour and InterMarche, auto service centres, a public swimming pool, a large ancient cathedral and numerous restaurants and bars, to name a few,” Ross said.
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Both couples have managed to stay for the allowable 90 days each per year, usually at different times with their own circles of friends but also overlapping visits to share the fun together.
“Staying for the 90 days gives you a real opportunity to ‘live the village life’,” Ross said.
“Ceret has just so much activity happening all year round with the Carnival in January, The Cherry Festival in May, The Feria in July where they run the bulls through the streets followed by actual bullfights in the town’s own bullfight stadium, and the Marathon in September.
“Last year, a leg of the Tour De France started in Ceret.
“Then there are all the music and art festivals.
“In 1950, artist Pierre Brune, together with good friends Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse, created the Museum of Modern Art in Ceret, which attracts art lovers and artists from all over the world.
“Several times a year, the museum holds exhibitions of leading artists.
“From the lounge room, vestibule and dining room in the apartment, you have a great view of Pierre Brune’s house.”
Ceret is an ideal base for visiting the rest of Europe by car, train or plane.
“Being so accessible to places has been fantastic,” Ross said.
“The high-speed TGV train goes from Paris to Perpignan (5½ hours) and onto Barcelona (1½ hours). Perpignan is only 35 minutes from Ceret and our favourite Collioure is 35 minutes on the Mediterranean.
“The Spanish border is only 15 minutes away and we go to Spain or the Costa Brava most days for lunch. There are two international airports – Perpignan (35 minutes) and Girona (60 minutes) in Spain, which are served by Ryanair.
“One December, we bought tickets from Girona to Marrakech for 40 euros each way and another time, we bought tickets to Sardinia: 13 euros each way. How good is that?”
The Lewises, now retired and living at Cotton Tree, had an import/export business in Melbourne and have lived on the Sunshine Coast for 18 years.
Alexandra Headland retirees the Halydays have lived on the Coast for 33 years, heavily involved in the management rights industry for 25 of those (they bought the management rights to Newport Apartments in Mooloolaba and ran it for 10 years through the 1990s, among other similar ventures).
Ross said the G’day Ceret apartment was perfectly set up for Australian buyers and well suited to a syndicate of two to four couples.
After 12 years, the four current owners have other places to visit and dreams to be realised, though they acknowledge that walking away from Ceret will be difficult.
“When you realise that this was initially thought to be a three-year project, having a property in France to get it out of our systems, and we are now heading quickly towards our 12th year, it was always going to pull at the heartstrings when the time eventually came to move on,” Ross said.
“At the same time we have had such fantastic experiences, made lifelong friends from many countries. To know that we can return to Ceret at any time and be made welcome eases the pain somewhat.”
Prospective buyers can contact Ross on 0408 521 956 or email info@gdayceret.com.au.
