House prices in the UK have been increasing more and more every year – and they’re likely to shoot up even further in Bedford, following the announcement of a new Universal theme park in the area.
But one former Bedford local, Nick Paolozzi, 62, is laughing all the way to the bank, having moved to France with his wife Beatrice two years ago.
The retired business owner is now the proud owner of a 3,500 square-foot, eight-bedroom mansion in Vanxains, a commune in Dordogne – and paid just €232,000, after tax, for it.
That works out as just under £200,000 – ‘the same price of a quite nice one-bedroom flat in Bedford, and then you’ve got the service charge as well’, says Nick.
‘The place is massive,’ he continues. ‘It’s got quite a big swimming pool, eight bedrooms, seven en-suite bathrooms, two kitchens, two big front rooms, a games room and a huge garden.
‘It’s quite nice here in north Dordogne. It’s rolling countryside, and all the villages are quite old, so there are plenty of castles and really nice places to go.
‘It’s not as busy as south Dordogne, but it’s very scenic, it’s lovely, and there’s a lot of English people that live here.
‘We live not far from Brantome, which is beautiful, and we’re only about three and a half hours from San Sebastian in Spain, so we go there quite a lot.’
Former Bedford local, Nick Paolozzi, 62, pictured, moved to France with his wife Beatrice two years ago
The retired business owner is now the proud owner of a 3,500 square-foot, eight-bedroom mansion in Vanxains, a commune in Dordogne – and paid just €232,000, after tax, for it. That works out as just under £200,000 – ‘the same price of a quite nice one-bedroom flat in Bedford, and then you’ve got the service charge as well’, says Nick. Pictured is one of the bedrooms in the house
![‘The place is massive,’ he continues. ‘It’s got quite a big swimming pool [pictured], eight bedrooms, seven en-suite bathrooms, two kitchens, two big front rooms, a games room and a huge garden.](https://www.americanpolibeat.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1745141681_33_I-quit-the-UK-for-stunning-European-country-My.jpeg)
‘The place is massive,’ he continues. ‘It’s got quite a big swimming pool [pictured], eight bedrooms, seven en-suite bathrooms, two kitchens, two big front rooms, a games room and a huge garden.
Nick chose to move to France when he retired at 60, as his wife Beatrice is French and was unable to get permanent residency in the UK following Brexit.
He also felt that, despite having retired with £150,000 saved, it wouldn’t be enough to have the comfortable life he wanted if he stayed in the UK.
He explains: ‘Although I was earning a good wage I got divorced about 10 years ago, so half the house went to my ex-wife and I had to still pay for my kids and things like that, so the money just went in and went out again.
‘It didn’t really seem an option of staying in the UK and I didn’t really particularly want to stay in Bedford.’
In contrast, Nick says he has very little outgoings in France.
‘I’ve hardly spent any money here,’ he says. ‘The food is cheaper, and, because we’ve got land, we grow all our own vegetables.
‘Here, you can enjoy the natural things without spending much money too. Or we can go to Bordeaux, which is an hour and a bit away, and a bit like London in that it’s very cosmopolitan with lots of things to do.
‘But, unlike London, you don’t get charged loads to park.
Nick says he has very little outgoings in France. ‘I’ve hardly spent any money here,’ he says. ‘The food is cheaper, and, because we’ve got land, we grow all our own vegetables. Pictured is the garden in Nick’s house
Nick now rents his house out in the summer, while he and Beatrice stay at their neighbour’s house or in a campervan, so gets an extra income from that. Pictured is the games room
Nick has an outdoor bar in his garden too, pictured
‘We went to the old U-boat museum there, the Base de submarinos de Burdeos , and paid 50p to park for four hours!
‘They don’t rip you off here, like they do in England, and there’s less pressure on you, moneywise, here.’
What’s even better for Nick is he now rents his house out in the summer, while he and Beatrice stay at their neighbour’s house or in a campervan, so gets an extra income from that.
He says: ‘It gets fully booked every summer. The only problem is we have to clean the pool every morning, so It’s not like we can go very far.’
Although Nick does have a very charmed life in France these days, he acknowledges it wouldn’t be as easy for most Brits to follow in his footsteps.
‘It’s very difficult for English people to move out here, especially since Brexit,’ he says. ‘You have to get an entrepreneur visa or you can come as a retiree, but you have to get health insurance and show a certain income, so It’s not easy.
‘I didn’t even get a visa. I just came, got married out here, and then applied to the local Town Hall for a Residency, and got it in a year and a half.’
He continues: ‘It can also be quite difficult For English people to move out here if you don’t speak the language at all.
Nick says: ‘It’s quite nice here in north Dordogne. It’s rolling countryside, and all the villages are quite old.’ Pictured is a field in Vanxains
‘Obviously with the French wife, it’s been a bit easier, and I’m trying to learn the language, but it’s not easy.’
Nick frequently comes back to the UK to see his sick mum in Bedford and his sister, who lives in Blackheath, London – but he’s very reluctant to leave France for good now.
‘It’s a bit depressing going back home,’ he says ‘I don’t think it’s a nice life in Bedford.
‘Maybe, if I lived somewhere like the Cotswolds or Devon, I’d think differently, but the only way I’d move back is if something happened to my wife.
‘If she wasn’t there anymore, I’d feel a bit isolated in France, and I ‘ve got 5 kids in the UK, so I probably would move back then.
‘But we’re hoping to spend our life together here in France.’
