We have lived in West Berkshire for the last 20 years in a lively friendly village within a short drive of Newbury, known for its racecourse, infamous bypass and as the home of Vodafone!

My main work is as Managing Director for a business consultancy and my wife is an artist creating abstract paintings and sculptures some of which can be seen in our French home – les Volets Verts in Pezenas.

We chose to buy in the South-West of France having had many holidays in different regions including Normandy, Brittany, the Vendee, Dordogne, Provence and skiing holidays in the Alps. We wanted to be certain of the weather and particularly loved the Langue d’Oc region with its relaxed lifestyle, great wines, beautiful unspoilt villages and breathtaking scenary. We first visited Pezenas in 2008 staying in a village within a 10 minute drive and it became our regular venue for its many varied restaurants, interesting artists galleries and artisans workshops, and the fantastic Saturday market.

It seemed a natural choice when looking to have a second home to buy somewhere within a 10 to 15 minute drive of this relatively unknown jewel in the South of France. Having then looked at many properties in surrounding villages on a whirlwind visit to the region in September 2013 it occurred to us that it would be better to have our home in Pezenas so we could enjoy dining out and sampling the local wines any evening that we wanted to without having to drive. We completed on Christmas Eve 2013!

The instant we saw Les Volets Verts my wife fell in love with it. It had recently been completely renovated and very tastefully furnished, the tessellated floors adding a cool Mediterranean feel and with the rare advantage of a roof terrace with both shade and sun trap it was a very quick decision to take the plunge.

Les Volets Verts is first and foremost our second home in a town which we want to become a home from home. We regularly stay at the property but would love for like minded couples to experience the ambience of this characterful town and the surrounding areas.

Although the house is literally two minutes walk from the old part of Pezenas town it is a quiet haven with everything you need close by including two bakeries, a butchers, three cafes, and even a hand made chocolate shop! It will be particularly attractive to couples who want to go out and explore the surrounding villages, vineyards, and larger towns such as Carcassone, Narbonne and Montpelier during the day and then come back, park up the car, for an evening of fine wine and dining in Pezenas town.

In the town there is a sports centre, swimming baths and also a cinema which often screens English films. As this is our home we have tried to have everything that we might need including a toaster for toast and marmalade, and a kettle to make breakfast tea – things that are often missing in French gites. Each time we stay we add a little more to the property which we leave to share with any visitors because we want you to enjoy your time there as much as we do.