We bought a village with our parents so we could have on-site babysitters

A couple swapped their $511,970 USD Manchester, England home to live mortgage free in a village in France – and have “on-site babysitters” after their parents moved out with them.

Liz Murphy, 47, and her husband David, 56, bought the rural hamlet of Lac De Maison, in Poitou-Charentes, south-west France four years ago.

They joined forces with Liz’s mom Helen Diaper, and stepdad Terry, both 75, to buy six 400-year-old houses, two barns and three-acres of land.

Now they have turned three into holiday homes – sleeping 19 people in total – and have renovated their own home and parents house.

They are now installing solar panels to become more self-sufficient. 

The couple, who used to work in radio, don’t make as money as they did in the UK but say their quality of life is better.

Liz, a mom-of-two, originally from Altrincham, Manchester, said: “Our quality of life is so much better, and we haven’t got the pressures we had in the UK.

“In France, we’re mortgage free. So although we’re making less money than we did in the UK, it’s massively outweighed by our quality of life.

“My mom and stepdad decided to sell their house and come with us.

“COVID made us reassess, and David and I said if they’d like to come with us, we’d really love that. They both said ‘why not one last adventure? Let’s do it.’

“It’s been lovely – having them so close by for the kids has been really great. It’s great to have on-site babysitters.”

Previously the couple felt trapped in the “rat race” working “busy” nine-to-five jobs.

But after being put on furlough in 2020, the couple realised their dreams of leaving their lives in Manchester, England, and owning their own place in France.

They chose France after visiting for holidays and wanting to be “somewhere close enough for people to visit and it not cost a fortune”.  

When the couple came across the huge plot of land, they decided to sell their three-bed home and move with their two children – Tom, 14, and Charlotte, 10 – in December 2020.

They also convinced Helen and Terry to move with them from Nottingham.

Now the renovations are firmly underway and they have three holiday homes up and running.

They are now installing 60 solar panels so they can be more self sufficient.

“We’re trying to get ourselves off grid,” Liz said.

“We were thinking of renovating the ruin next to our house that a WW1 hero used to live in, but we’ve had really bad wet weather in the past year, and some of the walls collapsed in a landslide.”

Despite setbacks, the couple stand by their decision, and do not see the ongoing projects as an issue.  

“We spent more than we thought we were going to,” Liz said.

“But everything we are putting into it is to future proof it for others when they want to come and live here.

“Everything was a bit tired.

“It was blood sweat and tears but worth it in the end.

“A change for being in the rat race.

“With properties of this size and age, I don’t think renovations ever finish.”

The couple’s children have settled into their new life in France – and attend French schools.

“They’ve been here for four years now – they’re both fluent in French, and I think my daughter especially feels more French than English,” Liz said.

The family also love having Liz’s parents just a minute away.

“It’s lovely – they are so integral to our lives,” Liz said.

“It’s lovely to just cross over the driveway to see them.

“They are so much more involved in kids lives.

“We see each other everyday.

“It really nice for the special bond with the grandchildren.

“We go over for a drink or we have meal at ours or over at there’s.

“It’s nice to know they are there.”

The changing pace of life in France has brought the family closer together, as Liz felt their hectic lives in Manchester did not leave enough time to spend together.

“It’s a lovely, chilled, relaxing vibe, and it’s brought us all closer together,” She said.

The family have introduced some new members too – having taken on three goats, four chickens and two Shetland ponies.

“We don’t have the ponies anymore, but they live a life of luxury down the road, and instead we’ve inherited three cats, and we’re possibly getting a dog soon,” Liz said.

Family and friends often visit France during the busy Airbnb summer months, and Liz and her family return to the UK at least once a year.  

But the family remains happy in their move and adamant it was the right decision for their future.  

“I miss my friends and family, we all do. But other than that, I miss Walkers prawn cocktail crisps and Twining’s earl grey tea bags.

“We loved the UK, but we don’t regret moving here and don’t have plans to move back,” Liz concluded.