Having just recovered my memory after a particularly harrowing injury of the penile variety, I now realise that I have a stock of photos to post, regarding my three week stint in France, and a story to tell involving among other things, a large saucisson, a Dutch woman and a shiny black French pussy that one found impossible not to lovingly stroke.
First off, a quick round up of what the trip was all about.
Three years ago, my (not so handsome as me) older brother and I bought a Farmhouse between us, with the intention of renovating it over a period of several years, and either flogging off part of it at an exhorbitant rip off price to some Dutch or rich German folk, or renting the spare spaces out as "Gites".
The property is near Charolles, which lies at the southern tip of the Burgundy region, and is famous for it's Charollais cattle, which make wonderful steak. Charolles is about 45 mins drive from Macon, and about two hours due west of Geneva.
The property consists of one bloody great big farmhouse, and across a courtyard/car park, a smaller house, requiring total renovation.
The big house has one end which is liveable (three bedrooms, two loos, a big kitchen, a massive vaulted living room, a shower and a bath). This residential section takes up almost half of the building's length, the rest being unaltered barn space.
BIG HOUSE.....
As you can see, the house also has an outside stone staircase going up to a reasonable sized "flat" (apartment) above. The flat has potential to be extended up into the high loft area, which would give at least two vaulted bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs, with a big living room and smallish kitchen downstairs.
Internal photos of all this stuff later......
LITTLE HOUSE......
We have already fitted windows and doors into the little house, have installed underfloor heating (electric) underneath a new concrete floor.
A small mezzanine was fitted into the living room, and the target for this holiday, was (among a great list of other things) to fit a floor above the beams in what will eventually be the kitchen, so that an upstairs bedroom and bathroom can be gained.
As you will eventually see...this ended up being quite a task.
The big house is at least 400 years old, probably older, but parts of the little house is rumoured to be at least 500 years old, and once served as a bakery to the (now ruined) castle, which is our next door neighbour. It still has the bread oven....which STILL works!
Little house......
and both houses pictured together, to give some idea of their proximity to one another.....(pictured from the road....little house nearest, big house behind)
More (hopefully) later....if not, I'll carry on with it tomorrow......
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