it's urgent

As soon as I have posted a blog mentioning the speed that my house purchase is progressing and that I hope it takes its time whilst I am occupied this spring I get emails.

Karine at the agency is keen to get things moving with the Notaire (solicitors) and there are two other interested parties all of a sudden. All of the questions that I have been awaiting answers on for ages are swiftly answered and it is of the utmost urgency that I sign papers soon.

So, I have an appointment with a bank manager today to open a french bank account. I know the closest place to hire a car, not an agency but the local garage a few miles down the road. I have sufficient documents to start the process and the agent is arranging most of the technical details for my initial visit. With bank account in place, the deposit can be transferred and the process of buying can start.

Reality is starting to hit home as the project prepares to come to life. No longer is it the dream that I visit in my head of a cozy little house with its productive vegetable and fruit garden. A swanky yurt concealed behind flowering borders where people come to stay and enjoy the peace and quiet of rural living. Tranquil days tending crops and explaining techniques to inquisitive gardeners who visit for short courses on things gardening. Reality is an old stone shell in a grass field with no water or electricity. I have an idea of what needs to be done to restore the property, experience of some methods and techniques but no expertise in completing the whole thing. Having to arrange everything in french and deal with the intricacies of bureaucracy in a foreign country, discovering how to arrange temporary accommodation on site and get my useful belongings there. To start a garden and work out how to renovate my shell.

If I think about it all at once my head starts to abort mission, I have to decide how to approach the project and give order to the millions of tasks that will become apparent as I proceed. To stay focussed on one thing at a time, to pace myself, allow plenty of time for each phase of the project and to remember to enjoy the journey. Its going to be a time of lists, with lists for each list and research for countless questions and possibilities that will arise as I prepare. Exciting beyond belief and more than a little scary at the same time. Being outside ones comfort zone is supposed to create the best results so, if all goes to plan, something amazing will surely happen.

A spanish guest just came back into the chalet for the fourth time to collect another something from his room. We wished him a good day again and he shared a spanish saying:

“people with bad brains need good legs”

Which, in his case was definitely true, as all his friends waited patiently outside for him to gather everything necessary for a day in the mountains.

fresh air and snow

Life has been at a frenetic pace for the last couple of weeks, what with the constantly changing of guests, new people working new shifts and needing a bit of guidance here and there, shopping needing doing, the dog needing exercise and when the opportunity arises a good bit of skiing.

For living, it isn’t like being any where else that I know. There are five of us sharing a room, not exactly private but I have no complaints, it is warm, comfortable and cosy. The chalet is fairly open plan, so unless you hide away in the small, chilly staff only TV room you are on show and part of the face of the establishment, so, from time to time it is nice to get away for an hour or so of peace and quiet.

I have been taking it easy on the slopes, enjoying being back in the mountains and in the fortunate position of being able to wait for better snow (fingers still crossed). The scenery is beautiful as ever and it is a joy to be outside somewhere that makes you feel as if you are on top of the world.

Chester and I have walked too, he loves to get out and I try and grab the opportunity to get a bit of different exercise when I can. We headed to Pla d’Adet along a snowy forest track. He is still timid, rushing passed other walkers to relative safety beyond them, often turning back to check them out from behind or charging off into the trees if a group, including children, are just too threatening to pass head on.

A snowy walk is great exercise, especially when your feet sink deep into the snow with each step, it gets the heart pumping, builds a good inner warmth and utilises muscles seldom otherwise used. Believe me, I ached like a good un after my first snowy stroll.

Pla d'Adet is probably the ugliest village I have ever seen, a complete eyesore and from the valley looks like the film set for a prisoner of war movie. A hideous collection of fifties and sixties concrete apartments built on the edge of the slopes solely for easy access to the ski slopes. Thankfully It is out of sight of Chalet Lou Rider and we only visit from time to time.

Once in the village, I took a little tour, I had thought about heading back with the dog as he is erratic and there was plenty of traffic about, but we continued for a while. I was checking out construction methods and styles for my new project, it’s amazing what can be deduced from a completely finished building when it comes to studying its construction. Not that I am any further forward, it’s just good to reflect and gather ideas for when the time comes. On that note, I am still progressing slowly with the little house in the Lot. I guess that the holidays have taken their toll on moving things along, and now that I am installed in the chalet, I have no need for immediate urgency. I just hope that it proceeds in time for a spring purchase.

Plenty of time for many more walks and plenty of reflection on the subject of renovations and the next phase of my live. With the quantity of snow here at the moment I shall be more likely exploring the mountain on foot than by skiing if there isn’t any more weather soon.

its christmas

Lou Rider in the snow

Goats cheese on toast with honey.......

set for dinner

I arrived at the chalet to find everything in full swing. Rooms full of guests, a new team to get to know and thankfully, for everybody, snow. It didn’t take much time to find my feet and slip back into the routine again. Few things have changed so it is mainly adjusting to the pace of a chalet full of guests with only a couple of days to go till Christmas.

Mark, the chef, is back, full of ideas for magnificent meals and treats over the festive season, deliveries arrive to fill the cellar, store cupboards and fridges in preparation. The new crew are willing and able, all that is needed is to get them up to speed in the way things are done round here and to make sure everyone has a great time.

A week ago the whole mountain had been bare, with cows grazing in the pastures and a warm southerly wind blowing so the snow has come just in time. The pistes are in a good condition for the amount of snow that has fallen and our fingers are all crossed for more snow to come.

towards the mountains

The record winning LEGO Christmas Tree at St Pancreas Station

Paris at night

Tour Eiffel across the river Seine

There is always a gap in my blog when I am in England and this time has been no exception. It seems too difficult to write, although I am sure it would work fine if I put my mind to it. Nevertheless I am on foreign soil again and I have plenty to write about.

My late winter plan was disrupted somewhat so I didn’t get to spend time back at the straw bale house as I had planned. I came instead directly to Chalet Lou Rider for a third season.

I let the train take the strain, booking a succession of tickets that took me from Dronfield, Derbyshire where I had been staying with my parents, right through to the Pyrenees via London Paris and Toulouse. The journey took a day and a half, overnighting in a proper bed in a hotel rather than a night on a slow train without the option of a cabin, I chose the right option for sure.

St Pancreas station in London was packed with pre christmas travelers and the atmosphere was less frenetic than usual. A crowd had gathered around the largest lego Christmas Tree in the world, a record breaking achievement complete with a sign requesting people refrain from taking souveneirs away with them.

Booking in for the Eurostar stretch of the journey was so easy. Feed your ticket into a machine, pass through a quick security check, present your passport and you’re done. I settled in the lounge for an hours wait and got stuck into my book. Everything was going to plan until twenty minutes before departure. An announcement reported a gas leak on the line out of London and all trains were cancelled until further notice. A while later the same announcement was broadcast along with a request for non urgent travelers to postpone their journeys. I chatted with a french guy who had been in a similar situation before and he explained that if the delay was long, eurostar would accommodate passengers in a decent hotel, refund fares and offer alternative arrangements. He was excited at the proposition of a free trip for a bit of disruption and as I had connections to make I stayed put.

The delay was relatively short and the train left for Paris mid afternoon, announcements on the train suggested later connections for passengers and to speak to staff should an alternative not be presented. We sped through south east England, the tunnel and on to the french capital without further delay. I ended up arriving too late to get my connection so stayed overnight in Paris courtesy of Eurostar. An exceptionally comfortable room in a Mercure Hotel just round the corner from my departing station for the following morning. I dined in a bustling creperie took a nighttime stroll to see the Eiffel Tower all lit up for Christmas and made the most of my unexpected stopover. Thank you Eurostar, much appreciated.

parc national regional des causse de quercy

I have just returned from a wonderful, action packed, though slightly short visit to France.  I am back in England to dogsit for my brother for a few days, then visit the rest of my family and some London based friends before heading to the mountains again for winter.

My visit was to Marcilhac-sur-célé, a tiny village that nestles in a gorge valley deep in the Parc National regional des Causses de Quercy.  The scenery there is absolutely stunning and the weather was impeccable for November, if I had packed shorts, they would have been well worn.

looking down on Marcilhac-sur-célé from the top of the gorge

I stayed with Brigitte, a wonderful helpX host whose ancient stone house overlooks the valley whilst nestling into the sparse woodland that reflects the barren nature of the limestone region.  A calm and tranquil location with great views and hardly a passing car.

terrace with potager and formal garden area beyond

My morning tasks mainly involved chasing well rooted weeds in the potager and garden areas and using my technical knowledge to bring into line a collection of roses, some of which hadn’t been dramatically pruned for a number of years.  Neither task was particularly hard work, as extracting the roots of perennial weeds takes time and concentration, else fragments get left behind to grow again and if you go at a climbing rose bush with too much vigour you tend to become hooked up, tangled and trapped far too easily, so a steady, paced approach tends to work best.  The results were excellent, possibly a bit more severe than expected, but next year will definitely show results.

Brigitte in the traditional gardener pose

                                           

the river Célé passing through Marcilhac

In return, I was incredibly well fed with delicious meals, great conversations and encouragement in my french language skills, which is always appreciated.  Brigitte did more than enough to keep me occupied and amused throughout my visit.   So much so that I feel as if we hardly ever stopped.

November light over Figeac

We visited Figeac, the largest local town in the area, where Brigitte takes accordion lessons and then plays with a group of musicians, a double treat as I got to have a good look round the quaint old town whilst she was taking her lessons and then sat in to enjoy some great practice music.  It was almost like having a private concert, although they did repeat some pieces several times to get it right.  It has made me want to find an instrument to play!

 We visited friends for meals and evenings out so frequently that it felt as if we never stopped.  A great rural community of similarly minded folk that make sure that a good time is had without too much expense.  Family popped in and Timon, the two year old grand son was looked after on several occasions, he was great fun and his books proved to be excellent help filling in some of my vocabulary gaps.  

the garden of Stephan and his family, they are hoping to become self sufficient and autonomous 

It was a shame that I had to leave so soon, as I was beginning to get somewhat settled and could easily have spent another few weeks enjoying my visit.  Alas, plans were already made, I have four great dogs to walk twice a day, the chance to enjoy a bit of city life, some time completely on my own, which is a rare occurrence whilst helpXing the whole time and the opportunity to catch up well on all sorts of things that pass me by on my trips away.  

beauregard ruin

After a brief interlude back home I am again in France, this time more seriously searching for somewhere to settle down.

Before I left, back in October, I was staying at Nicholas’ in Ruffepeyre, and visited a ruin on the outskirts of a village some 60 km away.  

A small building with solid walls built out of the most beautiful stone, with a tumble down roof in need of complete replacement.  It stands adjacent to a communal track, a field away from the village overlooking its land.

There was no running water on site or electricity, but I was promised that both were available and that the ‘house’ had renovation permission that included a small extension.  Its terrain faces south, about an acre of pasture in total which I dream of turning into a productive vegetable garden with fruit trees in the boundary hedgerows and perhaps a tiny camping site somewhere shady for the walkers that pass by in the summer time.  

I have just been for a second visit with my current HelpX host.  Brigitte kindly drove me there, she was excited to see the project too.  We visited Limogne market en route, picking up bits and pieces for a lunchtime picnic and I had the opportunity to explore the local region a bit further.

The site is more amazing than when I saw it the first time.  I had braced myself for a disappointment as I thought that my imagination may have run wild and created some fantasy place in my head, but it hadn’t.  It was almost exactly as I remembered.  The land is slightly more sloping, which is excellent news, almost completely secluded from passers by at the lowest point.  The funny barn structure is bigger and more solidly constructed, 10 m by 12 m, with an additional 5 m of hardstanding at the front which will make an excellent workshop and storage shed, not to mention immediate chicken enclosure and sunbathing terrace (for my visitors of course).  There are still the most tasty of apples on some of the trees, and in the weak November sun, one can see that a good proportion of the land gets plenty of sunlight throughout the year.

The biggest excitement and discovery is on a small, oddly shaped patch of adjoining land.  I didn’t get chance to explore during my last visit with the agent, but this time, without any time constraints, my expectations have been verified.  After looking at the plans on line, something told me that there was a  source of water there.  My thoughts proved to be true.  A well with an almost complete hand pump, almost completely full to the brim.  I reckon the water level to be at about 2 m, so an excavation on ‘my’ side of the fence should reveal similar.  My beans and tomatoes will be happy after all.

We lunched in the corner of the land, enjoying the sunshine and the view, my head racing, not really knowing what to think or do.  Several hours later, back at the house, I am still a little stunned, in a good way, perhaps it is the excitement of taking this project one step further, or maybe the fear of taking such a large step into the unknown.  I am contented to know that my second visit has made the project one step closer and that with good news from the agent next week, I may well be in a position to proceed with the purchase.

what do you think?

in need of renovation, it could make a beautiful home

south facing, off the beaten track, although one of 

the GR walks passes along this route.

October sunshine illuminates this exciting proposition,

an acre of slightly sloping fertile land awaits cultivation and a new venture.

a lick of paint and some new carpet, it'll be fine.

anyone know how to rebuild ceilings, plaster and install a kitchen?

the old owners have even left the tiles to put back on the roof.

All I need to do now is learn the necessary skills.

Images of the second plot of land that I have viewed on my quest to settle down again after four years on the road.  My plan is to find somewhere small and affordable with a decent amount of land.  I want to produce enough fruit and veg to feed myself year round, hopefully provide courses, or at least an insight into productive gardening and for those in need of a bit of guidance. Host helpX helpers to share the bounty of knowledge that I have accumulated over the years and to live more simply with less demands on the excesses of modern consumerism.

Your comments please....