It was in 2020...
We are a French family with 2 children: Lubin, 14 and Louann, 7.
Myself, native from Pas-de-Calais, I left my family and friends to move to Alsace and my first job at the age of 21.
It was in this magnificent wine region that I met my husband Thierry and that we had our two children. We both worked in pharmaceutical companies in the Basel region of Switzerland;
Thierry in the field of Facility Management and I in a research laboratory.
As soon as we met, and after many trips to Asia, we quickly decided to leave France... one day... maybe... to open holiday rentals!
It was holidays in Portugal in 2019, beautiful discoveries and discussions with friends, themselves recently settled, that we said to ourselves, "Why not Portugal?"
At the beginning of 2020, the Covid arrived...and there we felt like going somewhere else, the change was then obvious! It was THE moment!
We then re-scheduled holidays in Portugal for summer 2020 and visited many properties. It was in September 2020 that we visited this property and fell under the spell of this authentic "Quinta", its magnificent garden and many palm trees!
This place would be the start of our new life and the realization of our project. We were looking for a place with a beautiful history, full of authenticity and charm in the heart of a lovely nature!
Then everything came together! In these moments, you have to go for it!
Thanks to the professionalism and kindness of great people, in 5 months our expatriation project became a reality and on February 26, 2021, our whole life is in a semi-trailer leaving for the Algarve.
The last 2 months before the big departure were very complicated, the last "Good-byes", the last moments with each of our friends and family to cry, the moments of doubt, a whole life to complete in France and to set up in Portugal. But what an experience!
But also real moments of simplicity and honesty, I just remember a group of friends lined up on the pavement in front of our house singing to us in the rain "it's only goodbye..." It was so beautiful and true!!! or the written words rich in emotions that I can not yet reread….
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Today we live a completely different life, and despite some inevitable difficult moments, it is a unique experience!
We wanted to get back to basics: family, children, simple things... we avoid over-consumption and we eat locally.
The children acclimatised very quickly to Portugal! Here, it's paradise for them!
They go to Portuguese school, the beginning was a bit complicated but they are amazing and live an incredible experience at their age!
What we appreciate most here is the light, the sun, the gentle way of life, the easy access to magical places in a short time!
The adaptation continues and our project "Palmeiras Cottages" takes shape. Today, 2 flats are available for rent, the construction of the swimming pool is now finished, and we are finalising the plans of our extension project for 4 additional rentals.
We have a lot of ideas, but we want to take the time to realize them because we are here ALSO to enjoy every moment of our LIFE!
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Céline, Thierry, Lubin and Louann
