First pictures of Brittany Higgins and David Sharaz at five-bedroom French chateau revealed
It’s been a “long few years” for Brittany Higgins as she and fiance David Sharaz settle into their five-bedroom French chateau, bought with the help of the former political staffer’s taxpayer-funded payout.
World
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The joy on the faces of Brittany Higgins and her fiance David Sharaz were evident after they were reunited with their pets as the couple get set to spend their first family Christmas together in France.
Ms Higgins and Mr Sharaz - who have moved to Lunas in France’s Haute Languedoc region - are drawing a line under five years of trauma after a sexual assault trial and defamation case, as they look forward to spending the festive season at their new chateau with their Cavoodle, Kingston, and cat, Clover, who they picked up from quarantine at Bordeaux-Merignac Airport on Thursday local time.
“We’re happy to be here in the South of France and are looking forward to spending Christmas with our pets,” Mr Sharaz said.
“And learning to mow,” he added with reference to the vast, rambling chateau they bought with the help of Ms Higgins’ taxpayer-funded payout.
“It’s been a few long years; Brittany has been through the mill and we want to start afresh. I have family here and we’re learning to speak French.”
“It’s what we’ve been aiming for – a fresh start,” Ms Higgins added. “A new life in France after leaving Australia behind.”
A NEW START
The couple flew into Paris on Tuesday where they spent the night before driving to Lunas – which has just 400 residents – to begin their new life in the idyllic village.
The 17,000km distance between Ms Higgins’ past life as a political staffer and her new future in France will offer her and Mr Sharaz the anonymity they have been craving after five years of intense scrutiny.
The couple’s new home is surrounded by stunning forests and is just a few hours away from some of France’s most prestigious wine regions, Bergerac and Bordeaux.
Perched on a hill ensconced in a sprawling prairie overlooking the tiny village of Lunas in the Dordogne, south of France, this is where Ms Higgins and Mr Sharaz plan on rebuilding their life after leaving Australia.
The couple arrived at the five-bedroom country chateau in a hire car having flown out of Australia on Monday night, both dressed in all white.
Ms Higgins later took to social media to post a series of images of her Australia with Peter Allen’s words, “No matter how far or how wide I roam, I still call Australia home.”
The couple was photographed arriving at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris on Tuesday night, this time dressed in black before making their way to their new home.
The couple collected their pet dog and cat from quarantine in Bordeaux.
‘EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT THE AUSTRALIANS’
Villagers have been stunned to learn of the arrival of “les estrangers” (foreigners) from Australia, asking what they’re doing in the tiny village of just 400 residents.
“They’re welcome here, but everyone is talking about the Australians who bought the house last year,” Mayor Lia Baste said.
“They’ve been coming and going for several months. We don’t know what they’re doing here, what the fuss is all about,” he said.
“They are more than welcome in Lunas. It’s a tiny village, where nothing much happens; beautiful wine is made, and it offers a life of tranquillity and escapism. Are they trying to run away from something?” he asked.
A local said they could understand why people would want to live in the village.
“It’s beautiful here, you can go for a big country walks, tracking, hunting for wild boar,” the elderly resident said.
“It’s a beautiful place that is so isolated from the rest of the world. It’s perfect if you want to start afresh. You’re in peace here.”
It is understood the sprawling property had been on the market for a year before Ms Higgins purchased it.
Ms Higgins was paid more than $2.4 million in compensation by the Albanese government in December 2022. The payment was made after she claimed she was raped by former Linda Reynolds staffer Bruce Lehrmann in Parliament House in 2019.
Mr Lehrmann denies the allegations and had pleaded not guilty to a single charge of engaging in sexual intercourse without consent.
The trial was aborted due to juror misconduct and the ACT Director of Public Prosecutions declined to pursue a retrial over concerns for Ms Higgins’ mental health, dropping the charge against Mr Lehrmann.
Mr Lehrmann has strenuously denied the allegation or of ever having sex with Ms Higgins.
He is currently suing Channel 10 and Lisa Wilkinson for defamation for a report which aired Ms Higgins’ allegation.
News.com.au reported that former Liberal Minister Linda Reynolds indicated that she would apply to have freezing orders issued against Ms Higgins – whom she is suing along with Mr Sharaz – for defamation over a series of comments made about her on social media.
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