FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
There are a few questions that seem to follow us wherever we go - so here are the answers to some of the things we're asked most often.
How did you buy a village?
We didn’t actually set out to buy a village!
In 2019, we bought one little cottage in an abandoned hamlet in Normandy for €10,000, with absolutely no intention of buying anything else.
But, quite organically, opportunities arose to buy the neighbouring properties and, one by one, we became the custodians of more and more of the hamlet. By 2020 we owned the majority of it, and while filming Help! We Bought a Village, we eventually acquired the remaining properties.
So there was never really a grand master plan to buy an entire French village - it just rather wonderfully happened!
You can read more about the story under About The Project.
Do you get paid for appearing on the TV show?
No, we don’t receive any payment for taking part in the TV show.
We originally applied rather naively thinking there might be a fee involved - and that perhaps it could help pay for one of our nine roofs! 😂
That turned out not to be the case, but we decided to take part anyway and we’re so glad we did. We absolutely love being part of such an iconic TV show and the extraordinary adventure it has become.
Where can I find your Amazon Wishlist?
You’ll find our Amazon Wishlist under the Fundraising tab, along with the other ways people can support the restoration of the village.
Every single item bought from the Wishlist goes directly towards helping us continue the work here - and we’re enormously grateful for the support.
Do you own the road through the village?
No. The road running through the village is a public road.
It is, however, a no-through road, so apart from our neighbours, guests, visitors and the occasional delivery driver, it remains wonderfully quiet.
And yes… people really do ask us this one a lot! 😂
Can we stay at the village?
Yes!
We have guest accommodation here at the village, which means you can actually come and stay right in the middle of everything you’ve been watching us restore.
You’ll find all the details, photographs and booking information under our Book Your Stay tab.
Where exactly are you in France?
We’re in rural Normandy, in the beautiful Manche department of north-western France.
For obvious reasons, we don’t publish precise directions to our home on the website, but guests who book to stay with us are, of course, provided with everything they need to find us.
How can we help with the restoration?
Firstly - thank you! ❤️
The support we receive from our wonderful community genuinely helps us keep this enormous restoration moving forward.
There are several ways to support the project, including donations, our Amazon Wishlist and other fundraising initiatives. We’ve brought all of these together in one place under the Fundraising tab, where you can choose whichever way of helping suits you best.
And whether you support us financially, watch our videos, leave a comment, share an episode or simply come along for the ride - it all helps enormously.