|
Quaint Medieval Hilltop
Village Charms All Who Enter |
|
Sancerre, France |
| X |
|
Village of Sancerre,
France is Home to Delightful Cottages, Farmhouses and Some
Outstanding Wines
|
| X |
|
Sancerre (population 2,500) is a small, delightfully old-world
village on the top of a hill in France's Loire Valley, roughly
2 hours south of Paris. This is wine country, and a
patchwork of vineyards dots the nearby hillsides.
Born in the 12th century when the Counts of Champagne built a
fortress to repel invading enemies, Sancerre played a
prominent role in the 100 Years War, the War of Religion, the
French Revolution, and it was a command center for the French
Resistance during WWII. Today it is known for its
first-class sauvignon blanc and goat cheese production.
|
|
|
X
Even though Sancerre is small,
numerous apartments, cottages, town houses and farm houses
are for sale, and prices can be quite reasonable. At
this writing, we found a three bedroom town house with 1,000
sq. ft., a bathroom, wooden beams, central heat and a garden
for $68,000 USD. Down the road we discovered a
quintessentially French four bedroom home for $63,000 USD
and a delightful three bedroom farmhouse with a cellar and
storybook moss-covered, brick walkway to the overflowing
garden for $275,000 USD. Cottages a little
farther out in the country can be found for less than
$40,000 USD, and rental homes are available for $500 USD or
a little more a month.
|
| Cobbled
streets and narrow lanes lined with houses blooming with
bright flowers greet visitors, and quiet cafes, beautiful
art galleries, quaint shops and tasty eateries add to the
town's charm. The Maison des Sancerre, a showcase for
the wines of the region, is housed in a 15th-century stone
tower, and the village square is a relaxing place to enjoy a
fresh baguette and a sip of wine. Particularly
wonderful is La Côte des Monts Damnés, a restaurant known
for its delicious cheese dishes.
In addition to low real estate
prices, the overall cost of living in Sancerre is
affordable. Property taxes are roughly $250 USD a year
for a $65,000 USD home. Utilities average
$125-$150 USD a month, and groceries (delicious ones, at
that) can be had for around $200 USD a month.
And the wine is plentiful and reasonably priced for the
locals! A nice dinner for two out on the town can cost
as little as $12 USD.
When searching for real estate in
Sancerre, two reputable websites are www.transaxia-sancerre.com
and www.mahaut-mathey.com.
They are, however, in French so http://babelfish.yahoo.com
and www.translate.google.com
are good translation websites.
|
Webwerxx, Inc. Copyright 2008-2011.
All rights reserved.
Contact
Us Privacy Policy No
part of this electronic publication may be reproduced without the
express written consent of Webwerxx, Inc. Various
attempts were made to verify the accuracy of the information contained in this bulletin, but some information may have changed
since publication. Webwerxx, Inc.
cannot be held
responsible for information that has changed since this
publication appeared online. |
