After our naïve but enthusiastic offer of “cash or cheque” the estate agent gently helped us back to earth by explaining how things worked when buying a property in France.

He would make the offer to the owners who would either accept or not, but as it was the full asking price they would probably accept. 
We were told that the house had the correct “Certificate of Urbanism” and was within the designated commune “construction zone”. This meant that subject to the type/style of plans (obviously in keeping with local area and/or acceptable to the mayor and planning department) planning permission would be granted for a renovation
(NB We were not in a “listed building” situation, as can be the case in some locations near sites of special interest. This can cause severe restrictions on what can be built and how) 

We would need to pay for a “soil test” to find out where to site the fosse (septic tank) as it didn’t have one and a diagnostic check on the house to make sure it was termite lead and asbestos free. 
This could be done after we had signed the Compromis de Vente as long as we inserted clauses that if the soil test or diagnostics threw up any problems then we could pull out of the deal with deposit intact. 

We asked about searches to find out if any airports, nuclear power stations, housing estates or pig farms etc were planned to be built near us and asked that these or any other known development planned that would spoil our quiet enjoyment of the property should be added to the “get out” clause of the CdV. 
Our logic was simple in that if the vendors objected to those clauses it would indicate a potential problem and we would need to find out what it was before proceeding. 

If the vendors agreed to the offer (and get out clauses) we would sign the CdV and we then had had 7 days to change our mind (as did the vendor). 
Once the 7 days cooling off period, after signing the CdV, was up we would hand over a 10% deposit (by electronic transfer) and it would be “game on”. 
If we pulled out after the 7 days (clauses notwithstanding) we would lose the deposit and if the vendor pulled out they would owe us the same money as our deposit. 
A good idea which I guess it was designed to prevent gazumping.

Full structural surveys are not the norm in France (so it would seem) but with walls a meter thick, and open to view, it was relatively easy to see if we had any problems structurally. 
I would be replacing the roof so I was unconcerned about the condition of the roof timbers other than as salvage & reclamation to be re-used in the interior. 
As an aside I took extensive photos of every wall (inside and out) from floor to ridge beam of the roof to show my building contacts/advisors in the UK to help indentify any potential problem areas.

We were told the whole process should take about 3 months and we would then be invited into the office with the vendors, have the contract talked through, signed by all parties and the keys handed over. 

I should explain that the estate agent was English, working for a French company and had lived there for 15 years. He had already helped the two people we knew from the area (and a few we had met) to buy their houses and was highly regarded and considered totally trustworthy. 
It is difficult for me to stress how much easier and stress free this made the whole buying process from start to finish, as we were dealing with someone who was trusted and proven to deliver the goods by people we knew. 

During the explanation of how it all worked he used all the French words and phrases for the various permits and bureaucracy involved. This left us feeling a little “giddy” with the realisation that being able to order from a menu, say “hello” and swap pleasantries was not going to be enough French if we were to get through this without an increased risk of being ripped off.
We are both naturally honest and trusting people but not to the point of stupidly allowing our emotions to override our common sense. 
We were about to commit our entire savings into a building/renovation project, in a foreign country that had different laws, language and ways of doing things. 
We were acutely aware of suddenly being “strangers in a strange land” that had previously seemed so familiar to us. 
We voiced our fears to the agent and he explained that we could employ an independent professional translator, if we so wished, or we could ask him anything we didn’t understand and he would translate for us. He would also be there to translate at the reading of the deeds at the very end. 
As he had already helped people we knew, who were more than happy to vouch for him, we decided to trust him. (My wife said he had honest and gentle eyes and if I have learnt one thing in my life it is to trust her intuition when it comes to people. Thankfully she is rarely wrong) 

For the pessimists and doom lovers reading this and thinking (even hoping) that we were a pair of romantic chancers and that it is bound to end in tears, I take great delight in disappointing you. 
Every step of the process from then on was performed as described and, although it was 4 months later we finally signed the sale and shook hands on the deal, at no time were we left floundering in the mire without clear information and communications. 

To help us through the process we had taken (and acted on) wise council from experienced French dwellers which included:- 
Allowing things to just take their own course, at their own speed, in their own time. 
Forcing the issue was pointless. 
Losing patience, “tut tutting” and getting snarly with people would prove to be counter productive.
Things are different in France.
We should get every document we received translated and explained to us by a native French speaker or professional translator.
We should start improving our French. 

Of course we suffered bouts if impatience (well I did) and moments of panic when something arrived in the post we didn’t understand but it all proved to be part of the procedure and we decided to take it in our stride, canter, gallop or amble, depending on the mood of the moment. 

The process is thus:- 
View property. 
Make sure that there is a water source and electric close enough to be able to be connected without to much fuss (expense) and what the sewerage arrangements are (if any) 
Check that Certificate de Urbanism is in place and that it is in the designated “construction zone” of the commune and therefore possible to renovate property. 
Make the Offer 
Offer accepted (Whoo! Hoo!)
Sign Compromis de Vente (intention to buy/ sell) with the points marked with * as get out clauses. 
After the 7 days cooling off period pay 10% deposit. 
*After the cool off period, and if no Fosse, get the soil test done which will give the site of the fosse to be fitted. 
*Get the diagnostics (asbestos, termites, lead, energy) done 
*Check with mayor that no motorway or nuclear power stations, wind farm, pig farm, etc proposed. 
If happy with all the bits that come back, meet at the agreed time in the Notaires office to sign and hand over the cash (already done by electronic transfer) this is called the Acte de Vente (Acte Authentique) 
Shake hands pick up keys and breathe sigh of relief. 
Retire to nearest cafe for coffee or champers.

(NB:- If you are buying, or have already bought, under different circumstances, like needing a mortgage, or it is a building plot, or in listed area, or is already connected to the mains water and electric, or already has a fosse etc, then the process for you will be slightly different) 

We left the estate agents office absolutely fizzing with anticipation and excitement. We had actually done it. 
We had made an offer on a place that we both instantly connected with and it sounded like they would accept (according to the agent). 
We drove back to the (our) house to have another look and get some photos and check out our instinct.
It felt welcoming, enticing, warm, comforting and above all friendly. It should be noted that we had no idea who the neighbours were or what they were like or how they behaved and until such time as we actually started to work and stayed there we were unlikely to find out. 
Our instinct and gut feeling (not always a 100% reliable method of dousing and area I agree) was that we would be happy there.
Now we had to wait and see.