The History - Why are we here in this village?

My story of our French farmhouse in France goes all the way back to 1983.

I'm in an arts theater in Cambridge, England. I’m a young doctor working to gain more medical experience at the prestigious hospitals in Cambridge. I am about to see a play with my friends when a face appears in the semi-darkness of the theatre, moving to take a seat near me. And that face was like I’d never seen before. That was Claire. Beautiful beyond my wildest dreams. And that describes love at first sight!

I am the most fortunate man in the world (in my opinion) because Claire accepted my marriage proposal a year later. Not only was she beautiful, but she was bright, intelligent and brave. Ready for adventure on the other side of the world.

As it turned out, Claire had a very close relationship with a family in France. She began writing as a pen-friend to Christine, who lived with their parents in a farmhouse in the tiny village of Juillé near Niort, in southwest France. This family became like a second family for Claire in her teens, and she would visit as often as possible during her years of nursing training at Cambridge. After we were married, we went to visit her family, not only in England but to the very special family in France. I was accepted into that family, and after visiting several times, we decided that we would buy a house in the same village. The house at the farm at 6 Chemin du Lierre became ours in 2008.

Over the last 15 years, we have spent time at the house every year, gradually renovating: replacing faulty electric wiring, adding bathrooms, and making it a home for us when we visit during the summer months and a place worthy of renting to others. We've spent many hours trimming the garden, clearing dead branches from trees, fixing walls, installing new doors, installing double-glazed windows and adding furniture that represents the romance and comfort of rural France. Now, we will turn our attention to the older, original house and dairy, which will also be transformed into beautiful spaces for guests to enjoy.

This is a magical place in the heart of real France, away from the usual busy tourist destinations, where we can nurture and feed the souls of the people who visit.