The trials and tribulations of dragging a neglected nineteenth-century French farmhouse into the twenty-first century; preferably in an ecologically-sound manner, but first and foremost, as cheaply as possible!
Located in Central France is a region known as Sologne. It's so central, in fact, that the region is officially given the designation "Centre". This is an area characterised by forest and lakes, and was originally the hunting grounds of the French Kings, until they met an unfortunate end.
In the middle of a triangle of three large towns, Orleans, Blois, and Bourges, lies a long-abandoned farmhouse called La Darnoire. In the local patois, this means "The black earth" (La Terre Noir) - probably because the sandy soil is indeed a very dark colour. This neglected farmhouse is being dragged kicking and screaming from the 19th Century (when it was built) into the 21st Century. But this is not a television programme called "Find me a Place in the Country" where the prospective buyers have an initial budget of £750k and at the end of the programme have spent over £1 million to renovate their dream home.
On the contrary, we have one percent of that type of budget. So any renovations or improvements that are done not only need to be as ecologically-sound as possible, but done as cheaply as possible! And if that means using some lateral thinking to re-use an object for something else entirely, so much the better!
Follow us as we go through the trials and tribulations of upgrading our new home - and if you happen to be passing, why not come in and say hello? I'm sure we'll find something for you to do!
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