uAbout Us

Our friends call us Tom and Barbara, but we are actually Steve and Jane!  Since moving to France in 2003 we have become 90% self sufficient in fruit and vegetables; we make our own sausages, bacon, salami and air dried ham; brew beer and generally do all things 'Good Life'.

 

We keep chickens for eggs but the next logical step for us was to start keeping animals for meat.  This meant we needed to move and in 2012 we found Les Soudieres.  The previous owners had installed Eco Lodges and so we thought why not share our little corner of paradise and The Good Life in France was born.

 

One of our greatest pleasures is eating a plate of food that has all been produced by ourselves, knowing everything that has gone into your food and that it has made very little impact on the planet is quite amazing.  We try to live in a sustainable manner, that is, producing what we need without impacting on the environment.  We cannot say we are 100% there but we are 90% self-sufficient in fruit and veg and we are just embarking on producing our own meat so that’s a start.  We are always trying to find ways of reducing our carbon footprint, minimising waste and recycling what we can.  Having said that, we don’t believe in making life too hard and feel that it is possible to be responsible whilst still enjoying life’s little luxuries.

Steve & Jane Hovey The Good Life in France
Steve & Jane Hovey sitting on the fountain wall Angers 2012

About Us

Our friends call us Tom and Barbara, but we are actually Steve and Jane!  Since moving to France in 2003 we have become 90% self sufficient in fruit and vegetables; we make our own sausages, bacon, salami and air dried ham; brew beer and generally do all things 'Good Life'.

We keep chickens for eggs but the next logical step for us was to start keeping animals for meat.  This meant we needed to move and in 2012 we found Les Soudieres.  The previous owners had installed Eco Lodges and so we thought why not share our little corner of paradise and The Good Life in France was born.

One of our greatest pleasures is eating a plate of food that has all been produced by ourselves, knowing everything that has gone into your food and that it has made very little impact on the planet is quite amazing.  We try to live in a sustainable manner, that is, producing what we need without impacting on the environment.  We cannot say we are 100% there but we are 90% self-sufficient in fruit and veg and we are just embarking on producing our own meat so that’s a start.  We are always trying to find ways of reducing our carbon footprint, minimising waste and recycling what we can.  Having said that, we don’t believe in making life too hard and feel that it is possible to be responsible whilst still enjoying life’s little luxuries.

Steve & Jane Hovey The Good Life in France
Steve & Jane Hovey sitting on the fountain wall Angers 2012