Charming 3BR Home in Tranquil Poitou-Charentes

Sunday morning in Savignac-Lédrier, and the smell of woodsmoke curls up from the stove before you've even put the kettle on. Through the kitchen window, open fields stretch out to the tree line, the kind of view that makes you put your phone down and just stand there for a minute. This is rural Dordogne — unhurried, deeply rooted, and still genuinely affordable for buyers who move quickly. At 99,000 euros for a four-bedroom stone village house with a flower garden and unobstructed countryside views, this property sits in a price bracket that barely exists in France anymore, particularly in the Dordogne — a département that has quietly become one of the most sought-after corners of southwest Europe for second home buyers from the UK, Netherlands, and Scandinavia. The bones are solid, the condition is good, and someone has clearly loved this house for years. It shows. Step inside through the entrance hallway and you're immediately greeted by a small interior courtyard bursting with potted plants and climbing flowers — the kind of detail that takes years to cultivate and costs nothing to inherit. The ground floor opens into a generous living and dining room anchored by a wood-burning stove, which transforms the space from October through to March when the Périgord evenings drop sharply. There's a fitted kitchen that actually functions — not a renovation project, but a room you can cook in from day one. A ground-floor bedroom with its own wood-burning stove and a built-in library doubles brilliantly as a reading room or a guest suite for friends who can't manage stairs. A shower room with WC completes the lower level. Upstairs, three further bedrooms and a bathroom with WC give the house real flexibility — a family with c ... click here to read more

Sunday mornings in Montmorillon smell like warm bread. The boulangerie on Rue du Marché opens early, and if you leave the courtyard door cracked, the scent drifts straight through to the kitchen. That's the kind of town this is — small enough to feel like yours, interesting enough to never feel dull. This 51-square-metre stone house sits right in the heart of Montmorillon, one of those genuinely underrated pockets of the Vienne département that most international buyers haven't discovered yet. And that matters. The Poitou-Charentes region has been quietly attracting second-home buyers from the UK, Netherlands, and Scandinavia for over a decade, but Montmorillon itself remains refreshingly local — no tourist traps, no inflated prices, no weekenders crowding the terraces. Just an honest French market town with a lot going for it. Step inside and the fireplace is the first thing you notice. Cast iron wood-burning stove tucked into the hearth, stone surround, the kind of setup that makes a February evening feel like the point of the whole trip rather than something to endure. The living room is compact but genuinely comfortable — a sofa, a glass of Charentais wine, something good on the screen or nothing at all. French shutters keep the summer heat out and swing open in the morning to let the courtyard light flood in. The kitchen is separate and functional, nothing you need to rip out or apologise for. The bedroom is a proper room, not a converted cupboard — enough space for a double bed, storage, and natural light. The bathroom has both a bathtub and a shower, which is rarer than it should be at this price point. The roof was completely redone in 2024, so you're not inheriting someone else's deferred maintenance. That al ... click here to read more

Stand at the kitchen window on a Tuesday morning and you'll hear the weekly market stalls being set up on the square—the clatter of metal frames, a vendor calling out to a neighbour, the smell of warm bread drifting up from the boulangerie two doors down. That's the rhythm of Saint-Savin, a town in the Vienne department of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region that most visitors discover by accident and never quite stop thinking about. This four-bedroom stone house sits right in the thick of it, in the historic core of a place that has been quietly going about its business for centuries without needing to shout about it. The façade is the real thing—aged stone that has absorbed decades of Atlantic light and turned a particular shade of warm grey that no architect can reproduce. Step inside and the scale surprises you. The volumes are generous in a way that old French country houses understand intuitively: high ceilings that keep rooms cool in July, thick walls that hold the warmth in November, and a sense of permanence that newer builds simply can't fake. At 151 square metres, there is genuine breathing room here—four bedrooms that can comfortably host a family across generations, or a group of friends who've finally committed to that long-planned French summer. Below the main living space, the vaulted cellar is the kind of feature that stops people mid-tour. Stone arches, proper depth, and a natural chill that makes it ideal for wine storage—which, given the proximity to the Futuroscope corridor and the vineyards of the wider Vienne valley, is not a minor consideration. Several outbuildings sit around the property, and multiple entrances give the whole place a flexibility that's rare at this price point. Split it into separat ... click here to read more

On a warm July evening in Saint-Maurin, the smell of grilled duck and lavender drifts up from the village square, where the weekly summer night market has spilled across the cobblestones beneath strings of amber light. You pull open the tall French doors in your living room and step straight into the garden, glass in hand, the low Lot-et-Garonne hills rolling out ahead of you in that particular shade of gold that only exists in southwest France at dusk. This is what owning this 19th-century stone house actually feels like. Not a renovation fantasy — a life. Saint-Maurin sits quietly in one of the most genuinely lovely historic villages in the Lot-et-Garonne, the kind of place that shows up on lists of the most beautiful villages in France and somehow still hasn't been discovered by the crowds. The old Benedictine abbey anchors the village center, its warm stone facade unchanged for centuries, and the weekly rhythms here are comfortingly real: a proper épicerie within walking distance, a café where the same faces appear every morning, and a village that actually lives rather than merely performs its heritage. Summer brings the marchés nocturnes that the whole surrounding area comes to — a proper, food-forward evening market with regional producers, live music drifting across the square, and a festive atmosphere that feels earned rather than manufactured. Come September, the vendanges and walnut harvests begin in the surrounding farms, and the air carries that unmistakable mix of woodsmoke and ripe fruit that marks autumn in Gascony. The house itself is 189 square metres of original 19th-century fabric, and it has kept its soul intact. Step inside and the sequence of original details is genuinely impressive: exposed ston ... click here to read more

On a quiet summer evening in Bourg-de-Visa, you pull a chair into your stone courtyard, pour something cold, and listen. Swallows cutting low arcs over the square. A muffled football commentary drifting from Rémy's café across the way. The smell of bread from the village boulangerie still hanging faintly in the warm Quercy air. This is not a simulation of French village life — it's the actual thing, and this 19th-century stone house sits right at the center of it. The house occupies an almost theatrical position on a secondary square, its stone frontage running nearly the full length of one side. That matters more than you might think. In a village this size, your address is your identity, and this one announces itself with quiet confidence. Four bedrooms, two bathrooms, three barns, a sheltered courtyard, off-street parking, and a small garden — all of it in genuinely good condition, all of it inside walking distance of everything Bourg-de-Visa has to offer. Step through the entrance and you're into a large open-plan living space that the current owners have transformed with real care. A log-burning stove anchors one end — a genuinely useful thing here from October through April, when Tarn-et-Garonne mornings carry a sharp chill. The kitchen is modern and properly fitted, which anyone who has renovated a French country property will tell you is a gift not to be taken lightly. It opens directly onto the courtyard, that private outdoor room that becomes the true heart of the house from May onwards. Aperitifs out there on a June evening, the old stone still warm from the afternoon sun, is the kind of simple pleasure this property was made for. Period features survive throughout — exposed stonework, original proportions, ... click here to read more

The church at La Porcherie rings at eight on Sunday mornings, and if you're sitting at the fireplace in the front room of this century-old house, you'll hear it clearly through the thick stone walls. That's the kind of quiet this place offers — not the performative countryside quiet you read about in travel supplements, but the real, deep silence of the Haute-Vienne bocage, broken only by birdsong and the distant rumble of a tractor working the fields. It's a rare thing. And at this price, rarer still. Built around 1900 and extended in the 1970s, this four-bedroom house sits in a small rural hamlet roughly two kilometres from La Porcherie village. The setting is genuinely pastoral — 380 square metres of land, a proper front garden with room for a table and chairs under whatever shade tree you'd plant in your first spring, and open views across the rolling Limousin countryside that shift with every season. In April the meadows go acid green. Come July, the sunflowers along the D15 toward Saint-Yrieix-la-Perche are head-height. By October the oak woods around Coussac-Bonneval turn the colour of old copper. The house itself runs to six rooms across two floors. Ground level gives you an entrance hall, a kitchen space, a living room anchored by a working fireplace, and a separate office — useful if you're one of the growing number of international buyers who've realised that a Limousin holiday home can double as a remote-working base for the price of a city parking space. Upstairs, four proper bedrooms, a bathroom, and a separate toilet. The footprint is honest: 120 square metres of real living space, not inflated by corridors or cupboards counted as rooms. Attached to the main house is a 27-square-metre garage — big enoug ... click here to read more

Sunday morning in Anais moves slowly. The kind of slowly you forget exists until you're standing in a French kitchen at 8am, coffee in hand, watching light creep across a garden that actually has room to breathe. That's the rhythm this four-bedroom Charente house runs on — and once you feel it, city life starts to look a little absurd. Built in the 1970s on a full basement, this solid family home in the Poitou-Charentes region sits in good condition and carries the kind of practical bones that make a second home genuinely liveable from day one. No romantic ruin-restoration headaches here. The ground floor opens into a kitchen, dining room, veranda, a corridor connecting to the basement and upper level, a toilet, a dressing room, a first bedroom, and a master suite with its own shower room. Upstairs, you'll find a second bedroom, a bathroom, a dedicated office — useful for those who can't fully unplug even on holiday — and a landing corridor linking it all together. Four bedrooms total, spread across a generous 138 square metres of interior space. The wood-burning insert in the main living area earns its keep the moment October arrives in Charente. Double glazing keeps things quiet and comfortable year-round, and the septic tank sanitation system is already in place — a detail international buyers often overlook until the paperwork stage. The outbuilding is one of those genuinely rare finds: it houses a traditional bread oven. Not a decorative one. A working bread oven waiting to be fired up for weekend baking sessions or the kind of long, smoky dinner parties that only happen in French countryside. Then there's the covered swimming pool, enclosed under a dome structure — currently in need of restoration to bring it b ... click here to read more

Some mornings in Masseret, the only sound is the wood-burning stove ticking to life and the distant call of a kite circling above the tree line. You push open the kitchen shutters and the Corrèze countryside rolls out in front of you — green fields, oak woodland, farmsteads half-hidden in the folds of the hills. It's the kind of view that makes you put the coffee down and just stand there for a while. This 132-square-metre stone house sits in the commune of Masseret in the Corrèze department, one of the least-crowded and most quietly compelling corners of the Limousin region. The price — €180,000 — reflects the real French countryside, not the glossy version sold to tourists. This is the France that locals actually live in, and it's exactly what draws a growing wave of international buyers looking for something genuine. The house reads as traditional from the outside: natural stone walls, a slate roof, timber detailing around the windows. These aren't cosmetic additions. They're original, and they carry the kind of weight and texture that new builds spend fortunes trying to fake. The mature garden wraps around the property — established trees, flowering shrubs, a sense of things that have been growing here for decades. You won't be planting hedges and waiting ten years for privacy. It's already here. Step inside and the living room does the work that every French country house should. Exposed oak beams run across the ceiling. The wooden floors are warm underfoot even in January, which matters here, because Limousin winters are real winters — crisp, clear, properly cold. The fireplace is the room's anchor, with a wood-burning stove that connects directly to the central heating system. So you're not choosing between atm ... click here to read more

Sunday morning in Verfeil, and the smell of fresh bread from the boulangerie at the end of the lane drifts through the kitchen window before you've even made coffee. That's not a fantasy — it's just Tuesday here, or any other day of the week. This is a village with an actual bakery, an actual restaurant, and an actual rhythm that you slot into almost immediately. The house itself is built from the same warm ochre stone you see throughout this corner of the Tarn and Tarn-et-Garonne borderlands — thick walls that keep things cool in July and hold heat in February. It's been restored with care. The kind of restoration where someone made good decisions: a quality kitchen that doesn't feel like a showroom, a dining area that flows without forcing it into an open-plan living space, all on the ground floor so there's a logic to how you move through the day. Cook, eat, spill out onto the terrace. It just works. And that terrace. There's a generous covered area purpose-built for long lunches that start at one o'clock and end when the light changes — something the French have perfected and visitors quietly adopt. Beyond it, the garden drops into a plunge pool, cold enough to actually matter during the weeks in July and August when temperatures in this part of Occitanie climb well into the mid-30s. Shade, stone, water. You don't need much more than that. Back inside, the stairs take you up to two bedrooms on the first floor, each with its own ensuite — so two couples, or parents and older children, can coexist without the usual morning queue for the bathroom. Then above that, the attic bedroom. It's the kind of room that people argue over quietly: sloped ceilings, the faint creak of old timber, a sense of being under the rooftop ... click here to read more

Picture this: it's a Tuesday morning in late June, and you're sitting on a stone terrace with a bowl of café au lait watching the mist lift off the Tarn-et-Garonne valleys below. No traffic. No notifications. Just the low clang of a cowbell somewhere down the hill and the smell of warm limestone. That's the ordinary Tuesday this 19th-century farmhouse in Roquecor makes possible. This is a proper French country house — solid walls, real character, a past you can feel in the thick stone and hand-worn steps. At 120 square metres it's not trying to be a château. It's a house you could actually live in, maintain without a team of groundskeepers, and love without it becoming a second job. Two bedrooms, one bathroom, and a kitchen that opens into a living room with a wood-burning stove. When January comes and the Quercy Blanc plateau turns silver with frost, you'll understand exactly why that stove exists. The covered terrace deserves its own paragraph. Long, generous, and oriented toward the kind of view that makes guests go quiet — rolling countryside in every direction, no rooftop intrusions, no pylons cutting the horizon. This is where summer happens. Lunch bleeds into afternoon, afternoon into apéro, and suddenly it's dark and nobody's moved in three hours. The productive vegetable garden alongside it means that summer lunch might involve tomatoes picked twelve minutes ago, which changes things entirely. Roquecor itself sits in the northern reaches of Tarn-et-Garonne, close to the border with Lot-et-Garonne, in a part of France that doesn't feature on the overrun tourist trail. That's the point. The village of Puylaroque is a ten-minute drive and has everything for daily life — a bakery, a pharmacy, a market on Wednesda ... click here to read more

Step out of the front door on a Sunday morning and the smell of fresh bread from the boulangerie two streets over drifts past you before you've even decided where to walk. That's Castelsagrat. A proper bastide village perched above the rolling farmland of Tarn-et-Garonne, where the main square still functions exactly as it was intended — people gathering, locals arguing cheerfully over pétanque, market stalls spilling color onto the old stone paving. This three-bedroom house sits just off that square on a quiet side road, and the address alone tells you something: you're in the middle of the action, but shielded from it. The building has its own quiet history. Before it became the house it is today, it was a workshop where craftsmen built wooden horse-drawn carriages — you can still feel that purposeful, practical quality in the bones of the structure. Thick 19th-century stone walls that keep rooms cool through the heat of July. Ceiling beams worn smooth. Wide wooden floorboards that creak in exactly the right places. The previous owners had the good sense to leave all of that alone and simply update around it — the kitchen is fitted and contemporary, the bathrooms are clean and modern, and part double glazing means the winters are manageable without the kind of heating bills that haunt older stone properties. The layout makes everyday life easy. The sitting room is on the first floor, elevated above the lane below, so the log-burning stove does its work while you watch the light change across the valley through the windows. In autumn, when the plane trees along the road start dropping leaves and the air sharpens, this room becomes the reason you bought the house. The kitchen opens directly onto a balcony — not a symbo ... click here to read more

Step off the narrow lane on a grey October morning and you can already smell woodsmoke curling from the chimney insert before you've even pushed open the front door. That's the thing about stone houses in Corrèze — they hold heat, hold history, and hold you in a way that a modern build simply never will. This four-bedroom stone village house in Lascaux sits in one of the least-trumpeted corners of the French countryside, which is precisely why it's worth paying attention to. The Corrèze department, tucked into the northern reaches of the old Limousin region, draws almost none of the tourist crowds that swarm the Dordogne just to the southwest — yet the landscape is, if anything, more raw and more rewarding. Rolling chestnut forests, granite outcrops, winding rivers cold enough to make you gasp in August. It's France before it became a postcard. The house itself covers 65 square metres across two floors, with a clear and logical layout that makes every square metre count. Downstairs, an entrance hall leads into a kitchen and a living room that opens into a lounge anchored by a fireplace fitted with a wood-burning insert. On a February evening with a Corrèze walnut cake resting on the counter and a bottle of local Marcillac wine open on the table, that insert becomes the social centre of the entire house. Upstairs, four bedrooms — generous in number for a property of this footprint — share a bathroom with WC, with a shower room and separate WC also available on the ground floor. The attic adds further storage or, with the right planning permissions, development potential. Directly opposite the house stands a barn of 66 square metres with an additional lean-to. In the hands of the right buyer, that barn is a project wort ... click here to read more

On a still weekday morning in Bourg-de-Visa, the smell of fresh bread drifts from the boulangerie four minutes' walk up the lane before you've even thought about making coffee. That's the pace of life here — unhurried, rooted, real. This 1850s stone barn, once a working forge, has been carefully converted into a two-bedroom house that sits quietly behind a stone wall on the village edge, its garden opening up to rolling Tarn-et-Garonne countryside that stretches further than you'd think possible for somewhere so easy to reach. Midi-Pyrénées is one of those parts of France that doesn't announce itself loudly. No famous coastline, no ski resort posters plastered at Charles de Gaulle. What it has instead is the kind of slow, unselfconscious rural beauty that people spend years searching for and rarely find — and Bourg-de-Visa sits right in the heart of it. The village has genuine life to it. A weekly market, a café where the same retired farmers have been occupying the same chairs since the 1980s, and those summer night markets that run through July and August: outdoor tables, local wine, grilled meats, children chasing each other between the stalls until well past dark. It's the France visitors imagine and tourists rarely stumble across. The house itself carries its history well. The original stone walls are thick enough to keep rooms cool through the heat of a Quercy summer — and this corner of France runs hot from June through September, with long golden evenings that make the tiled terrace off the kitchen feel like an extension of the living room. Step through the gated entrance off the lane, and the first thing you notice is the well at the centre of the lawn, flanked by established trees that throw proper shade. The ... click here to read more

On a still morning in Coussac-Bonneval, the only sound you'll hear from the kitchen window is birdsong and the faint clang of the village church bell marking the hour. That's not a selling point — that's just Tuesday. This is a corner of rural France that hasn't been polished for tourists, and that's exactly what makes it worth your attention. This three-bedroom stone village house sits in the heart of Coussac-Bonneval, a quietly compelling commune in the Haute-Vienne department of Limousin, and it has been fully renovated without losing the bones that make it genuinely special. The original parquet floors are still there, worn smooth in the best possible way. The exposed timber beams cross the ceilings upstairs with the kind of presence you simply can't recreate. Two fireplaces anchor the interior, and a wood-burning stove in the living and dining room turns a rainy October evening into something you'd want to repeat every year. At 153 square metres spread across two levels, the house has real breathing room. The ground floor opens with an entrance hall that leads into a generous 39-square-metre living and dining space — French doors push open to a south-facing terrace, and in summer you'll barely bother eating indoors. The kitchen is fully fitted and functional, with a ground-floor WC keeping the layout practical. Upstairs, three bedrooms share two bathrooms, each with its own WC, plus a further separate WC — sensible for families or groups of friends who all need to be somewhere at the same time on a Saturday morning. Outside is where this property really opens up. The walled garden runs to 1,101 square metres, giving you genuine privacy without feeling like you're managing an estate. There's a paved terrace for lo ... click here to read more

The bread oven is still there. So is the wine press. Standing in the larger of the two stone barns on a warm June morning, with swallows threading in and out of the rafters above you, it doesn't take long to understand that this 1847 farmhouse near Beauville wasn't just built — it was assembled with the kind of patience and permanence that nobody bothers with anymore. That original stone sink in the kitchen still works. The cast iron roll-top bath still gleams. Some things, if they're good enough to begin with, don't need replacing. This is a three-bedroom farmhouse in the rolling countryside of Lot-et-Garonne, priced at €199,000, sitting on a generous 3,500m2 garden with a separate 1.2-hectare plot attached. Two stone barns come with the property. The house itself runs to 93 square metres. It's in good condition — not a ruin, not a renovation project from hell — but it carries that particular lived-in warmth that a period property only gets after a century and a half of occupation. A little refreshing here and there, and it would be exactly what it already nearly is: one of the most quietly singular farmhouses in this corner of southwest France. Approach along the lane — and it really is a quiet lane, the kind where you occasionally have to pull over for a tractor and nobody minds — and the first thing you notice is how the house sits in the landscape. The Lot-et-Garonne valley rolls out around it in every direction, the kind of view that you'd pay an architect a fortune to fabricate if nature hadn't already done it for free. Established trees frame the garden. Gnarled vines push along their rows. Box hedging holds everything together. There's a vegetable patch, multiple fruit trees, and a small terrace positioned, wh ... click here to read more

There's a particular kind of quiet you only find in the deep Poitevin countryside — the sort that isn't silence so much as a conversation between wind, birdsong, and the occasional church bell rolling over from the village. Standing on the elevated terrace of this former railway gatekeeper's house in the hamlet of Logerie, that quiet settles over you fast. And then you start wondering why you ever lived anywhere else. This is a genuinely rare find. The house was originally built to serve the old railway crossing that once ran through this corner of the Vienne department. The line closed decades ago, and in its place grew a green corridor — a long, tree-lined walking and cycling track that now stretches peacefully past the garden boundary. The history didn't disappear; it just got quieter. On mornings when the light comes in low and gold through the kitchen window, you can almost imagine the old gateman stepping out to wave down a steam locomotive. The property itself sits in good condition throughout, updated thoughtfully without gutting the period character that makes it worth caring about. The kitchen is the obvious centrepiece — a proper farmhouse-style space fitted with shaker-style units, deep work surfaces, and enough room to actually pull a chair up and eat in there without anyone feeling cramped. It looks out over the enclosed garden, which means you catch the changing light across the grounds while you're making coffee. That matters more than you'd think. Original wooden floorboards run through the living room, worn in just the right places. A wood-burning stove sits in the corner, which gets genuinely useful in December when the Vienne valley gets a proper chill, and a discreet air conditioning unit handles ... click here to read more

On a Sunday morning in Castelsagrat, you wake to the smell of bread from the boulangerie two doors down. Not the supermarket kind — the kind where the baker has been up since four, and the baguettes are still warm when you tuck them under your arm on the way back. That's not a lifestyle you manufacture. That's just Tuesday here. This 160-square-metre stone house, built around 1700 and sitting on a quiet alley in the heart of one of Tarn-et-Garonne's most genuinely loveable villages, has been renovated by its current owners with the kind of obsessive care that you either recognise immediately or hear about later when someone tells you what it cost. Everything works. Everything fits. And yet none of it feels like a renovation show — it still feels like a house that's been lived in for three centuries, because it has. Step through the oak front door and the exposed stone does the talking. Thick walls, cool in summer, slow to lose heat in autumn. The open-plan kitchen, dining and living space at the heart of the house is where the day happens — a well-equipped contemporary kitchen with integrated appliances opens directly through glazed doors onto a private courtyard. Out there: a covered terrace, a built-in barbecue, and the particular pleasure of eating outside in the Gascon sun from June through September without ever needing to explain yourself to anyone. The wood-burning stove in the main living area earns its keep from October onward. The separate lounge, with its traditional stone fireplace and original tiled floor, is for reading, for wine, for the kind of quiet that's harder to find than people think. A grand entrance hall with walnut stairs leads up to three bedrooms, each with built-in wardrobes, and the landin ... click here to read more

There's a particular kind of quiet you don't find easily anymore. Stand on the veranda of this stone cottage on a Tuesday morning in October, coffee in hand, and you'll hear it — the faint rustle of chestnut trees dropping their load, a crow somewhere across the valley, nothing else. No road noise. No neighbors. Just the old Limousin countryside doing what it's done for centuries. That silence is something people drive three hours from Paris for and never quite find. Here, it comes with the property. Sitting roughly halfway between Meuzac and Coussac-Bonneval on a quiet country lane in Haute-Vienne, this one-bedroom stone cottage is the real thing. Not renovated into some sanitized holiday pastiche — it's a genuine old Limousin farmhouse, the kind with thick granite walls that keep rooms cool in July and warm on damp November afternoons. The bones are solid. The character is intact. Inside, the living room is anchored by a wood-burning stove. Light it on a cool spring evening and the whole space transforms. The kitchen runs adjacent — functional, honest, and large enough to actually cook in, not just heat things up. Through to the bedroom, which is generous for a single room, the kind of space where you actually sleep rather than lie awake. The bathroom has a proper bath, WC, and the utility room adds a shower and second WC — a practical layout that works just as well for a couple spending six weeks a year as it does for someone planning longer stays. But the veranda is where life really happens in this house. Decked and enclosed enough to use in shoulder seasons, it opens to a view that rolls out across open farmland with no rooftop or telegraph pole to spoil it. Morning light comes in from the east. Evenings turn go ... click here to read more

Nestled in the serene landscape of Poitou-Charentes in Vienne, the quaint village of Brigueil-le-Chantre offers the perfect backdrop for this traditional four-bedroom house. This delightful property stands as a charming reflection of rustic French living combined with modern functionalities, making it a suitable contender for families or individuals looking to immerse themselves in French culture. Spanning a comfortable 155 square meters, this house uniquely offers dual living opportunities. The main living area on the ground floor is well-composed, featuring a spacious lounge that flows naturally into the dining room, creating a welcoming environment for family gatherings. The adjacent kitchen stands ready for your culinary adventures, while three well-sized bedrooms and a shower room complete this level. Additionally, an independent external staircase elevates you to a self-contained flat above, comprising a combined lounge, dining area and kitchen, along with its own bedroom and shower room. This layout idealizes privacy for guests or could serve as a potential rental opportunity. While the interior comforts are appealing, the exterior of the property is equally enchanting. The house is embraced by outbuildings that provide ample storage solutions and endless possibilities for creative spaces such as workshops or hobby rooms. The tranquil garden, coupled with additional land at the rear, invites your imagination to envision outdoor gatherings, children's play areas, or perhaps even a kitchen garden. House Features: - Four bedrooms - Two bathrooms - Spacious lounge and dining area - Two kitchens (including one in the separate flat) - Multiple outbuildings - Garden and additional land - Independent flat with external ... click here to read more

Welcome to an affordable home of character in Brigueil-le-Chantre, a picturesque and peaceful heartland in France's Vienne department of the Poitou-Charentes region. Nestled on the edge of a tranquil village and amid pretty hamlets, this cozy one-bedroom house embraces a bucolic setting, located near a serene river and numerous footpaths perfect for leisurely walks and escapades in the countryside. As you enter the property measuring 89 square meters, you are welcomed by a large living area that reverberates with warmth thanks to its corner fireplace. This generously sized room promises countless comfortable evenings, enjoying the heat from the hearth on cold nights or welcoming the soft stream of daylight in daytime. Leading off the living room is a functional kitchen, ready to inspire fulfilling culinary experiences. Beside it is a shower room that doubles as a laundry area, providing the convenience of taking care of daily household chores without needing to leave the comforts of home. Heading to the upper level, a substantial bedroom awaits, complete with a small privacy-oriented WC. Outside, a quaint courtyard garden presents a tranquil retreat. It offers enchanting views stretching towards the nearby river. Here, you'll find a compact outbuilding and a descending garden path leading to an expansive lower garden graced with mature trees. This larger garden draped over the hill beneath the house, is an invitation to enjoy al fresco dining, reading under a shade tree, or merely reflecting while taking in the natural surroundings. While the house is in good condition and immediately habitable, it presents a perfect opportunity for those inspired by 'fixer-upper' projects. An upgrade here or a stylish revamp there ... click here to read more

For those seeking an authentic French home experience amidst picturesque settings, this 3-bedroom house in Thollet, located in the Poitou-Charentes region of Vienne, France, stands out as a promising option. Nestled just about 20 minutes away from the charming town of Montmorillon, this home offers more than just a place to stay; it provides a profound lifestyle deeply connected to the beauty of rural France. Upon stepping inside, you'll notice that all the living spaces are conveniently located on the ground floor, making daily life straightforward and accessible. Its current owners have maintained it in good condition, but the potential for making it your own is endless. The house features three comfortable bedrooms, a practical living/dining room, and a functional kitchen. It's the kind of place that sparks imagination, perhaps of cozy family dinners or lazy Sundays with friends. Even though the home is ready to live in, it retains the potential for customization. Imagine adding your personal touches, maybe painting the walls or upgrading some fixtures to suit your taste. The bathroom is serviceable, and, while it could benefit from some updating, it's perfectly functional as it is. There's no rush here, and that’s the beauty of it. - House - 3 bedrooms - 1 bathroom - Living/dining room - Kitchen - Attached garage/boiler room - Detached second garage - Features - Ground floor living - Oil-fired central heating - Spacious garden - Cottage-style outbuilding - Proximity to village life Outside, the house boasts a lovely garden, ideal for those who enjoy spending time outdoors or have a passion for gardening. Whether you envision a blooming French garden or a vegetable patch, the space is yours ... click here to read more

Nestled in the heart of the picturesque Vienne region, this charming 3-bedroom cottage is truly a hidden gem for those seeking a tranquil escape into the French countryside. Located in Coulonges, a quaint village that perfectly captures the essence of rural France, this property offers potential buyers a unique opportunity to experience the authentic and peaceful lifestyle of this beautiful region. As a global real estate agent, I know how important it is to understand what living in a new country might be like, and Coulonges doesn’t disappoint. Imagine waking up to the serene sounds of nature every morning, surrounded by the stunning landscapes of Vienne. The climate here is temperate, with warm summers perfect for enjoying outdoor activities and mild winters that carry their own charm. Trust me, it's one of those places where you wake up and say, "I can’t believe I live here!" The journey into your new French adventure begins with this beautifully renovated cottage that exudes both tradition and modernity. With approximately 140 square meters of habitable space, the home offers ample room while retaining a cozy and intimate feel. On the ground floor, you are welcomed into the spacious kitchen (27 M2), which is a delightful blend of contemporary fixtures and rustic charm. It’s the heart of the home where meals can be easily prepared while chatting with family, a glass of local wine in hand. The living room (39 M2) boasts enough space to entertain guests or enjoy quiet evenings with a good book. Not forgetting the practical aspects, there is a dedicated laundry room (11 M2) and a convenient ground floor WC (1.3 M2). Moving upstairs, the first floor is home to three comfortable bedrooms. The master bedroom (25 M2) fea ... click here to read more

Welcome to the charming village of Coulonges, nestled in the picturesque region of Poitou-Charentes in the Vienne department of France. This delightful corner of the world is a perfect blend of scenic beauty, rich history, and a warm community spirit, offering a truly unique living experience for those seeking to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. And right in the heart of this enchanting hamlet lies a charming three-bedroom residence that awaits your arrival. This cottage, full of character and potential, offers a comfortable 62 square meters of living space at a remarkable value. The property whispers stories of the past with its timeless design and inviting aura. It's the type of house where you imagine cozy evenings spent by a warm fire, or Sunday mornings enjoying a croissant in the sunlit kitchen. As you step in, you're greeted by a light and airy dining and kitchen area—a perfect place for family gatherings or a quiet breakfast. This heart of the home extends into another flexible space, which can effortlessly transition into a cozy lounge or an extra bedroom, with convenient access to the rear garden. In addition, you find the practicalities of living thought out, with a shower room and separate WC just off the kitchen, ensuring functionality meets this charming setting. One of the three bedrooms is also located downstairs for ease, especially for guests or those preferring ground-floor living. A standout feature of this property is the large attached barn, brimming with possibilities. Whether you envisage a workshop, extra living space, or a studio, the potential to transform and expand is right at your fingertips. Do keep in mind, any modifications would need the go-ahead from local planning author ... click here to read more

Nestled in the charming hamlet of Azat-le-Ris, within the beautiful region of Limousin, Haute-Vienne, lies a perfectly positioned 4-bedroom family home waiting for you. This cosy gem enjoys an impressive living space, emanating the warmth and love characteristic of French homes. Upon entering the property, you are greeted by two spacious living rooms. They offer ample space for both comfortable living and engaging social events. The generously sized kitchen/diner area is a delight for home-cooked meal enthusiasts, boasting a space where culinary dreams can be realized. Additionally, there’s a well-appointed bathroom on the ground floor for added convenience. Following the original staircase up to the first floor, you will find three comfortably equipped bedrooms and another bathroom, perfectly catering to the needs of a family of any size. The charm of the house continues up to the top floor, where the master bedroom is situated. This spacious room is a retreat, offering occupants a wonderful space for relaxation and rest. The top floor also houses an attic and workspace, offering potential owners plenty of room for creativity. Turn the attic into a home library, a home office, or a hobby room, the possibilities are endless. Key Amenities: - 2 Bathrooms - 4 Bedrooms - Spacious kitchen/diner area - 2 Living rooms - Attic and workspace Property Features: - Original staircase - Large living spaces - Ample natural light - Attic and workspace for extra room - Master bedroom on top floor The property is located in the heart of Azat-le-Ris, a picturesque hamlet within the Limousin region. This serene location offers you a peaceful and quiet setting, perfect for anyone longing for a break from the fast-paced, urban l ... click here to read more

Welcome to this serene and beautiful two-bedroom house located in the picturesque hamlet of Azat-le-Ris in the Limousin region of France – a location synonymous with stunning natural beauty, rolling landscapes and the promise of peace and tranquility. This inviting abode is nestled just a short 5-minute drive from the charming village of Lathus-Saint-Rémy and a 20-minute journey from Montmorillon, a vibrant town offering a variety of amenities and facilities. The property itself, a quaint and homely country house, is perfect for anyone seeking a tranquil retreat, a holiday home, or a permanent residence in an idyllic setting. Wonderfully maintained and excellent in condition, this home exudes warmth and charm from every corner. With a generous size of 75 square meters, it forms an excellent option for small families or couples. As you walk in, you are greeted by a cozy lounge and a fully-fitted kitchen that seamlessly cater to your everyday needs. On the upper floor, you'll find two airy and spacious bedrooms perfect for a good night's rest. A gleaming, well-appointed bathroom completes the home's main living accommodations. Property Features: - Two spacious bedrooms - A fully-fitted kitchen - A cozy lounge - A well-maintained bathroom - Property size: 75 square metres The property also benefits from an additional 90 square meter barn which provides abundant storage space, with the potential to further extend the house, subject to obtaining the necessary permissions. Adjacent to the barn is a brick-built outbuilding currently used to store wood. Externally, there's a beautifully maintained garden at the rear of the property that stretches over 200 square meters. A quiet and peaceful spot, it's perfect for leisurel ... click here to read more

Nestled in the heart of Poitou-Charentes in the charming Vienne region, this delightful four-bedroom house in La Trimouille holds a world of possibilities for those seeking a scenic getaway or a comfortable family home in the French countryside. For international buyers or expats considering a move to France, this property exemplifies the tranquil and relaxed lifestyle that this region offers without compromising on modern conveniences. La Trimouille itself is a picturesque village reminiscent of a postcard, where time seems to slow down, offering a peaceful retreat from the bustling world beyond. Located in a serene small hamlet, the house shares the neighborhood with other homes, creating a sense of community while ensuring your desired privacy. As a busy real estate agent working across global markets, I understand the value of this balance—a warm community coupled with private sanctuaries. Let's take a virtual stroll through this property. Approaching the home, you are greeted by a small but charming veranda—a perfect spot to hang up your coat and kick off those boots after a long day of exploring the countryside. Step inside to find a welcoming country kitchen and dining area that is both functional and cozy. Just beside, the living room beckons with its wood-burning stove, promising warmth for those chilly winter evenings—a familiar comfort in the region's moderate four-season climate. On the ground floor, you will also discover a double bedroom and a convenient shower room, as well as an office space with a staircase leading to the upper floor. As you wander, you’ll find an unrenovated room currently used for storage, presenting a fabulous opportunity for transformation. With a bit of work, this could become an ... click here to read more

Pull up the private drive on a June morning and the first thing you notice is the silence. Not the absence of sound exactly, but the particular kind of quiet that only comes with 2.2 hectares of your own woodland and gardens wrapped around a grand stone house in the Vienne countryside. Then the birds start up. Then, faintly, the church bell in La Trimouille village counts out nine o'clock. And you realize this is going to be a completely different kind of morning. This is a rare piece of rural France — a three-floor principal residence of 293 square metres plus a fully independent gatekeeper's cottage, tucked down its own private lane just a short walk from the centre of La Trimouille in the Poitou-Charentes region. At €315,650, you're looking at a property that would comfortably command double this price in Dordogne or Provence. The Vienne département still operates on its own timetable, which is one of the many reasons people who discover it tend to stay. The main house has a generous, unhurried quality. Wide wooden floors run throughout all three levels — the kind that creak pleasantly and catch afternoon light differently depending on the season. On the ground floor, the living room opens through double doors onto a south-facing terrace overlooking rolling countryside. You'll eat breakfast out there far later into autumn than you'd expect; this part of France averages close to 2,000 hours of sunshine per year. The ground floor also holds a dining room, a well-proportioned kitchen, two offices (useful for remote working or, frankly, finally writing that novel), a bedroom, a shower room, and a separate toilet. Head upstairs and four more bedrooms spread out across the first floor, served by a full bathroom. Above tha ... click here to read more

Nestled in the heart of the picturesque Poitou-Charentes region, this delightful four-bedroom house in La Trimouille offers a perfect blend of rustic charm and modern convenience. Ideal for those seeking a tranquil escape, this property is more than just a house; it's a gateway to a lifestyle filled with relaxation, exploration, and unforgettable memories. Imagine waking up to the gentle sounds of the French countryside, with the sun casting a warm glow over the rolling hills. This is the daily reality for those who choose to make this house their second home. With its spacious layout and inviting atmosphere, it's the perfect retreat for families, couples, or anyone looking to immerse themselves in the serene beauty of rural France. A Home with Character and Potential The property boasts a generous 139 square meters of living space, all conveniently located on the ground floor. The layout is both practical and inviting, featuring: - A cozy living room with an open fireplace, perfect for chilly evenings. - A well-appointed kitchen that invites culinary creativity. - A dining room that comfortably accommodates family gatherings. - Four spacious bedrooms, offering ample space for guests or family. - A shower room and separate WC for convenience. - Additional storage and a boiler room, ensuring functionality. Beyond the main living areas, the property includes a large barn, stables, and several outbuildings, offering endless possibilities for expansion or customization. The attic space, ripe for conversion, presents an exciting opportunity to create additional living quarters or a unique studio space. A Lifestyle of Leisure and Adventure La Trimouille is a charming village that offers a taste of authentic French life. ... click here to read more

Experience a peaceful and serene lifestyle by owning this stunning 4-bedroom "Maison de Maître," situated in the picturesque region of Poitou-Charentes, Vienne, nestled in the quaint village of La Trimouille, France. This substantial residence occupies an elevated position within the heart of La Trimouille, effortlessly commanding your attention through its incredible presence, spacious design, and aesthetically pleasing features. Spanning across 190 m2, this striking house is warmly embraced by large rooms, high ceilings, and filled to the brim with attractive features including parquet flooring, mesmerizing tiling, and a lovely handcrafted oak staircase. Aesthetically, the exteriors of the property provide an extensive paddock space on one side, an outbuilding on the other and across the road, you will find a spacious barn, garage, ample parking, and more gardening area for you to enjoy. The property is equipped with oil fired central heating and features a convenient mains drains system. La Trimouille is a quintessential French village that enjoys the modern convenience of varied shops and services including a small supermarket, bakery, cinema, and more. A quick 15-minute drive will take you to the larger, highly appealing town of Montmorillon. Furthermore, historical cities like Limoges and Poitiers are merely an hour’s drive away where you can explore their rich heritage and catch flights to the UK and other international destinations via their fully-serviced airports. PROPERTY FEATURES: Ground Floor: - An inviting entrance hall offering 15 m2 tiled space - A spacious sitting/dining room with a comforting 30m2 parquet, complete with a fireplace - A tile-fitted kitchen of 21m2, fully equipped with modern ameniti ... click here to read more

On a still April morning in Lussac-les-Églises, the fields around this old stone farmhouse turn into something you'd struggle to describe to someone who hasn't seen it themselves. Wild orchids push up through the grass in clusters, the kind of thing you read about in nature guides but rarely actually stumble upon. Swallows cut low over the carp lake. The only sound from inside the kitchen is the creak of a wooden beam settling in the warmth. This is what 4.7 hectares of organically managed Limousin countryside looks like when no one's been rushing it. This is a four-bedroom house in genuinely good condition, sitting on land that's been farmed without chemicals for fifteen years, with a small carp lake, maintained paddocks, a polytunnel, and a converted bread oven that serves as one of the most characterful ground-floor bedrooms you're likely to find anywhere in rural France. At 238 square metres, it has enough room to breathe — and enough quirks to make it feel like somewhere, not just somewhere else. The entrance hallway sets the tone immediately. Original encaustic floor tiles run the full length from front door to back, the kind that would cost a fortune to source and lay today. To the right, the living and dining room opens up around a proper fireplace fitted with a wood-burning stove, with exposed timber beams overhead that have been doing their job for well over a century. This is a room for long winter evenings, for board games with the grandchildren, for the specific kind of quiet that only deep countryside delivers. Then comes the bread oven room. Fully restored, converted into a ground-floor bedroom, and genuinely unlike anything else in a comparable property. The curved stonework has been kept intact. It's ... click here to read more

Nestled in the serene village of Lussac-les-Églises in the picturesque Limousin region in Haute-Vienne, France, this charming 3-bedroom house presents a delightful opportunity for those looking to embrace a tranquil countryside lifestyle. With its authentic period charm and a welcoming ambiance, this property is well-suited for a family or individuals looking for a peaceful retreat or a project they can tailor to their taste. Property Features: - Three cozy bedrooms - One clean and functional bathroom - Living/dining room equipped with a wood burner that adds a touch of warmth and comfort - Additional sitting room also with a wood burner, perfect for relaxing evenings - A modest-sized kitchen that awaits customization - Attic space with potential for conversion into additional living areas subject to planning permissions - Sizeable fenced garden, ideal for outdoor activities and gardening - Useful small outbuildings that could serve multiple purposes While the house is in good overall condition, it admittedly requires some updates and renovations to modernize and personalize its spaces. This offers a unique chance for the new owners to infuse their style and preferences into the property, transforming it into their dream home. Local Area and Lifestyle: Living in Lussan-les-Églises offers residents a taste of authentic French village life. Its location in the Haute-Vienne department places it within a landscape rich with lush greenery and sprawling rural vistas. The village itself is quiet and predominantly residential, making it perfect for those seeking peace away from the hustle and bustle of urban centers. For amenities, the village provides the essentials including local shops and services, with more extensive s ... click here to read more

On a clear morning in the Haute-Vienne, the mist sits low over the river valley, and if you're standing at the rear of this farmhouse with a coffee in hand, watching it slowly burn off over the pasture, you start to understand why people come to this corner of France and never quite leave. This is rural France the way most people only see it in films — wisteria climbing the stone walls, a mature grapevine arching over the entrance, and 4.7 hectares of land that has been entirely free from chemical use for more than twenty years. This three-bedroom farmhouse in Lussac-les-Églises sits in genuine working countryside, the kind where the hedgerows are thick with native flora and the wildlife pond in the paddock attracts species you haven't seen since childhood. At 144 square metres of habitable space, the house is generous without being overwhelming — a place that actually invites you to slow down rather than simply telling you to. Step inside and the entrance hallway sets the tone immediately. The original wooden staircase is the first thing you notice, worn smooth in exactly the right places. From here, the kitchen and breakfast room extends ahead of you — traditionally proportioned, with the easy warmth of a country kitchen that has seen decades of proper use. Adjoining it is a utility room that doubles as a genuine workhorse: external access, excellent storage, and direct connection to the large two-storey barn. At roughly 6.9 by 3 metres, that utility space could just as easily become a dining room or snug if the barn conversion is ever completed. The lounge is the heart of the ground floor. Exposed beams overhead, a wood-burning stove in the corner, and dual-aspect windows that frame the surrounding land on two side ... click here to read more

This delightful 3-bedroom country cottage nestled in Lussac-les-Églises, Limousin, truly captures the essence of tranquil living in rural France. Now, as a bussy real estate agent who values your time, let me take you through this charming home and the captivating area that surrounds it. Imagine yourself driving through the serene landscapes of Haute-Vienne, with its sprawling fields and quaint hamlets until you arrive at this welcoming property. Standing proud in a peaceful hamlet, this cottage radiates charm with its lovingly preserved original features like exposed beams and stonework, which give it a sense of history and character. Upon entering, you'll find the ground floor dominated by a spacious lounge stretching from the front to the back of the house. With patio doors opening to the rear, it beckons you to relax and enjoy the gentle breeze that dances through the space. A wood-burning stove, set in a fireplace with an oak mantle, promises cozy evenings during the cooler months. From the lounge, a quirky passageway ushers you into a generously appointed kitchen and dining area, where a feature fireplace adds warmth and charm. Perfect for those who love to cook and entertain, it makes for a wonderful setting for family gatherings. The door to the side terrace invites you to step out and savor the fresh air at any moment. The first floor reveals three well-sized bedrooms, each with its own story to tell. The master bedroom delights with its ensuite shower room, while the other two bedrooms share a thoughtfully designed separate shower room and WC. Exposed stone walls in the bedrooms create an authentic rustic aesthetic that seamlessly blends with the modern comforts of the house. Lussac-les-Églises is a vibra ... click here to read more

Discover the charm and potential of a rustic country home nestled in the serene landscape of Saint-Léomer, within the Poitou-Charentes region of Vienne, France. This unique fixer-upper is ideally positioned for those who relish the peace of rural living and the opportunity to bring their architectural vision to life. Property Overview: This traditional French farmhouse awaits a complete renovation, offering a remarkable canvas for creating a bespoke residence. The property spans approximately 90 square meters, comprising four ground-floor rooms and a spacious attic ripe for conversion, potentially increasing living space or adding bedrooms. Structurally, the farmhouse demands significant updates, including a new roof and septic system installation, to restore its former glory and modern functionality. Amenities Include: - Water access - Electricity connection Additional Buildings: - A sizable barn presenting further development opportunities. - A charming former stable set around a quaint courtyard, perfect as an artist's studio or workshop. Location and Lifestyle: Living in Saint-Léomer offers a deeply tranquil countryside experience, with just two neighboring properties nearby, ensuring privacy and a tight-knit community feel. Nature enthusiasts will delight in the local landscapes, featuring verdant fields and meandering paths right at your doorstep, ideal for hiking and enjoying the bucolic surroundings. The nearest town, Montmorillon, is just a 15-minute drive away and caters to all daily needs. Montmorillon, known as the 'City of Writing and Book Professions,' not only provides essential amenities but also cultural enrichment through its museums, bookshops, and annual literary festivals. Local Climate: The re ... click here to read more

Nestled in the picturesque village of Saint-Léomer, this delightful two-bedroom house offers an idyllic escape in the heart of the Poitou-Charentes region. With its serene countryside views and proximity to the vibrant town of Montmorillon, this property is a perfect retreat for those seeking a second home in France. Imagine waking up to the gentle sounds of nature, sipping your morning coffee in the garden as the sun rises over the rolling hills. This is the lifestyle that awaits you in Saint-Léomer, a quaint village that embodies the charm and tranquility of rural France. Property Highlights: - Location: Situated in the peaceful village of Saint-Léomer, just a short drive from Montmorillon. - Size: Cozy 70 square meters, perfect for a holiday retreat. - Bedrooms: Two comfortable bedrooms, ideal for family or guests. - Bathrooms: One well-appointed bathroom. - Garden: A wrap-around garden offering privacy and stunning countryside views. - Additional Building: A separate prefabricated structure with potential for renovation or use as a workspace. - Condition: Good, with opportunities for personalization and upgrades. - Price: Affordable at €66,000, making it an excellent investment opportunity. Local Lifestyle and Amenities: Saint-Léomer is a hidden gem in the Vienne department, offering a peaceful lifestyle with easy access to modern conveniences. The village itself is a tapestry of traditional French architecture, with charming stone houses and narrow lanes that invite exploration. Climate: The region enjoys a temperate climate, with warm summers perfect for outdoor activities and mild winters that allow for year-round enjoyment of the beautiful surroundings. Activities and Attractions: - Montmorillon: Just a shor ... click here to read more

Nestled in the idyllic countryside of Limousin, Haute-Vienne, Tersannes, France, this 5-bedroom house is your chance to embrace a peaceful and serene lifestyle. Located in a charming hamlet, this property offers a generous 115m² of living space that balances rustic charm with modern conveniences. Let me walk you through the features and what it’s like to live in this delightful area. ### Property Features: - 5 spacious bedrooms - 1 bathroom with shower - Separate toilet - Open kitchen/diner - Summer kitchen - Mezzanine for leisure or storage - Enclosed garden - Detached 3601m² parcel of land - Barn located in a nearby hamlet - Electric radiators for heating - Wood burner insert in the living room Upon entering the ground floor, you’ll find an open kitchen and diner room, perfect for family meals or entertaining friends. The shower room is modern and convenient, while a separate toilet adds to the practicality of the layout. One of the five bedrooms is also located downstairs, alongside a cozy summer kitchen, ideal for those warm, lazy afternoons. As you head upstairs, you’ll discover three more bedrooms and a versatile mezzanine space. Whether you want to set up a leisure area or need extra storage, this mezzanine will suit your needs. The living room exudes cozy warmth, thanks to a charming wood burner insert, and the home is heated by electric radiators throughout. Outside, the property includes an enclosed garden where you can enjoy your morning coffee or an evening glass of wine. Additionally, a 3601m² parcel of land sits just opposite the house, offering endless possibilities—be it for gardening, pets, or even additional projects. One of the unique features of this property is the barn located a quick 5-minute ... click here to read more