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Quaint Medieval Hilltop
Village Charms All Who Enter |
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Sancerre, France |
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Village of Sancerre,
France is Home to Delightful Cottages, Farmhouses and Some
Outstanding Wines
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| 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. |
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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.
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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.
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.
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