We saw the house that afternoon and knew immediately it was for us

After several years holidaying in France we looked for a home in several regions, finally settling on the Côte d’Azur where we saw over 40 houses. None of which met our demanding requirements until, in 1999, flying back to London after another fruitless trip, Sarah, my wife, flicked through an inflight magazine and said, 'That's it'.

There is an intangible feeling, like love, when you realise something is right

We returned to Nice the following day, saw the house that afternoon and knew immediately it was for us. There is an intangible feeling, like love, when you realise something is right. We offered the asking price.

There was only one problem: the owner’s wife had locked herself in the main bedroom and wouldn't come out.

We learnt subsequently that the owner, who had built the house 40 years earlier and whose four children had been born and brought up there, had a long term mistress in Cannes, with whom he spent half the week. He could no longer afford two households.

Subsequently we became good friends both with him, his wife and his children. In perhaps a typically French denouement, a few years ago, his mistress dumped him weeks before his wife died. He went to an old peoples' home where we visit him. After our first visit we took him to a favourite restaurant and after a long, wine-fuelled lunch we prepared to take him home – but he had forgotten his address.

Mon dieu! Perhaps unwisely we stopped a police car for help, and they led us back, sirens wailing, to his new home.

Boules pitch, a walk-in shower and a sophisticated Sonos sound system

We spent several hundred thousands improving the property without, I hope, destroying its initial charm. We built terraces where you can relax, and – on the top one - overlook the Mediterranean, a boules pitch, installed a walk-in shower, a sophisticated Sonos sound system, multi channel televisions etc.

Anything you might desire either on holiday or in real life!

For us, the main advantage is having a well equipped home that retains all the charm of rural France, and is private and not overlooked, yet is minutes from an excellent supermarket, good family restaurants, and not far from the sophisticated charm of the Riviera, as well as being less than an hour from ski slopes, with wonderful old towns and mediaeval villages, historic buildings, excellent beaches and anything you might desire either on holiday or in real life!

View the property.