Maison d'Amis

Timeline: September:  Now we have the main gîte pretty much completed, its time to get stuck into the little house, our lovely 18^th century listed cottage. We want to bring it back to life as our second gîte, providing a cosy retreat full of charm and original features. It is blessed with lovely tommette clay floor tiles to both floors, an old fireplace and chimney which although covered with multitudinous layers of green paint, hopefully will yield some stone underneath and then there are lots of beamed ceilings, stone niches, fossils and a fabulous exposed timber roof construction. Although a small building, like many structures this old, it has seen changes over the years and as we gradually strip back generations of paint and plaster, some old secrets are revealed. 
 

Maison d'amis, a centuries old time capsule

We discover a low level window opening with a curved head and adjacent door opening in the rear wall, both filled in with stonework at least a hundred years ago, as we have photographs this old showing the external staircase which blocks these openings. The roof line has been increased in height, with the line of the old roof and pockets for roof timbers clearly visible. Another external door is discovered at the front of the house, more recently blocked when the massive stone gate pillars where built. My suspicions are that the rear door and window are probably original to the house, possibly dating back several hundred years when the house was in its original form. The gate pillars were possibly only erected in the 19^th century when the property became more important as a part of a larger wine producing enterprise. More research will hopefully reveal further clues and one of our neighbours family used to own much of the properties in our road as part of their vineyard, so we have some local knowledge to hand.

My now good friend and stone mason Monsieur Deschamps has already created new window openings and we had new windows fitted in July and after many attempts of finding a roofer, the old roof covering was removed in September and as I write this on the 9^th October, the ridge tiles are just being finished and we have a new watertight roof.

  

In the last few weeks, Paul and I have moved a door opening, formed another, repaired various parts of he structure, constructed the timber stud partitioning to the ground and first floors and with great satisfaction, uncovered a stone fireplace beneath all that green paint! Paul has also put all the first fix waste and hot and cold water services, while Sparky Paul has done most of the first fix electrics. There are seemingly more electrical cables than on the space shuttle, but they’re all been hidden more or less away and the rest will soon be covered up by new plaster and plasterboard.

The bathroom (yes, a bath!) to the first floor

We also have had a new purpose made steel balustrade fabricated and expertly fitted by our local metalwork man and Thomas is a remarkable and happy individual to have on your team.

So that brings up pretty much up to date, although we are just about to accept a quotation for construction of a new chimney to the barn and the bride et moi are very much looking forward to the arrival of our god daughter Laura, her sister Emily and Em’s boyfriend Pete and Laura’s friend Olivia tomorrow. We haven’t seen Laura since her last trip to the UK two years ago and Emily since Laura’s High School graduation on Maine in 2006, so we have some catching up to do. Our local restaurant, which is normally closed on Wednesdays, is even opening specially for us to have a grand reunion dinner tomorrow night. How cool is that!

Next time: Masion d’amis, continued . . .

A bientôt,

LC

At Last, We Have Guests!

Timeline: Friday 20th July: (Slightly out of order, but I was so keen to share the joy of the road racing with everyone!) Good news, the gorgeous bride arrives next week in time to help prepare our first gîte for our very first real guests who arrive in a week. Bad news, our very first real guests are arriving in just one week and the place still looks like a building site! I suppose that’s because it is a building site and if we can pull this one off, it’ll be a very neat trick!

The gîte is just about complete upstairs and it looks pretty good with last week seeing the completion of the second bedroom, including a built in wardrobe, window cill and skirting boards, leaving just curtains and rugs to do. The ground floor and staircase however need completely decorating, new lighting installed, the kitchen refreshed, a media unit building, separation of the utility room and reception from gîte space and new pictures everywhere. The work is easy enough, at least with Paul’s carpentry skills and if we had two weeks, but then there is also the transformation of the building site outside into a tranquil and lovely courtyard space where people will want to spend quality time together and remind themselves what a wonderful holiday they are having.

We have a tabulated programme of work, itemised with daily tasks and we have already used up most of our ‘float time’ over the past two weeks of the three week schedule. Fortunately, a local builder gave us three days and built a beautiful paved terrace and cleared so much building detritus away, but I still need a ‘big statement’ to be evident one drives through the gates. So I order 24 tonnes of gravel, after discussing the probability of a juggernaut being able to get into the place to drop its load. 

The first of two gravel delivery trucks

Pool and terrace in a sea of gravel

The transformation was amazing with the addition of gravel a small pool on the terrace, a big BBQ, planting, garden furniture and the sound of a tasteful fountain tinkling in the background. We were pretty close to the feel we want our guests to find when stepping out of their car. It will be even better when more planting is completed and established with playful sights, sounds and smells to delight and entertain the senses. 

The 'secret' bathroom

All that sanding the floor paid off!

With the bride here to swell the workforce and with our good friend Sarah, who has quickly become one of the bride’s favourite people in the whole world, the girls soon had acquired all the items left on the shopping list to completed the equipping of the gîte and was looking even better than we hoped. Sarah went above and beyond the call of duty, giving up two precious days to help out and enabling me to stick at the build side of things with Paul in readying the place for our guests. Thanks Sarah, we owe you.

True to their word, Andy, Sue and daughter Hannah arrived spot on schedule at 19h00, as we were carrying out important last minute preparations, like opening the bottle of bubbles in welcome.

Despite an over long day of travel, they all managed to walk up to town for the night racing and a most excellent day was spent with them on the Sunday, when the village was filled with thousands of race enthusiasts.  

The next two weeks seemed to pass in a flash for us and hopefully not so quickly for our guests, who enjoyed a mixture of wine tastings at local vineyards, castles visits, troglodyte cave expeditions, a day at the local bioparc (a wonderful zoo for endangered species with an active breeding programme) and plenty of chillaxing time around the pool and barbeque.

Having Hannah here was a wonderful tonic and this bright and engaging almost six year old was as happy to entertain as be entertained. She even got Paul dancing and provided remarkably useful feedback for us on the child friendly front. She enjoyed playing with the hastily provided swing-ball set, as have many others, including the adults.

Our first guests proved to be excellent company and we have all become firm friends and were sad to have to wave goodbye, although they hope to be back again next year. Paul however, is providing a local wine delivery service for them at Christmas en route to his own festivities.

Yes, Christmas is just round the corner and we have five guests staying for a week of frivolity!

A bientôt,

LC

Yipes, the village has been invaded . . . GP Retro 2012 !

Timeline: Saturday 28th July: This is the weekend I have been waiting for since I first came to the village. The weekend, when the mayor closes the roads, lines them with a harvest of hay bales and then the sight, sound and smell of dozens of vintage racing machines take to the streets and also take over the minds and imaginations of every boy (and a great many girls), young and old for a glorious fun filled and action packed weekend of pure enjoyment.

This weekend was doubly important for us, as our very first gîte clients were also arriving on the opening evening of the GP and as you would expect, there was still much to do in order to meet the challenge of everything being ready in time and then being able to relax and enjoy the weekend. However, more of that soon, let’s concentrate on the racing!

I thought this event might be rather fun, possible pretty good and perhaps even a bit special, as not many places still have the guts to close  part of their village to everyday traffic and hold competitive vintage motor racing. I was determined to enjoy the event as if I’d just arrived for the first time and stumbled upon it, knowing nothing about the GP Retro and therefore devoid of preconceptions. I’d therefore resisted all temptation to research, a pretty tall order for a confirmed motor race and old car nut like myself, but I managed it and I felt good as Paul and I climbed into the TR3 and drove though the village on Saturday afternoon and found our way to the circuit’s hairpin bend, parked up and wandered into the campsite to look at some cars.

Not a second after walking through the campsite gates, a tall Frenchman began waving at me and calling my name. Interesting, who could this be and I began to smile as the window delivery chief came over, face beaming and heartily shook my hand and I kissed his wife, he then shook Paul’s hand, called him ‘papa’ and we all laughed even louder. A good omen to the start of the weekend! 

There were a few ‘show’ cars scattered around the tents, mainly classic road cars plus a few vintage tourers. The really cool stuff would be in the paddock and we would need to come back to see those, as we had just ‘popped out’ for a short nose and the bride would be waiting back at base. Fortunately there was to be night racing starting at 22h00 and we returned to greet our guests and prepare for dinner.

Andy, Sue and sweet little Hannah arrived bang on the dot of 19h00 as Andy predicted and had been travelling all day since leaving home at 05h00. They really needed to sleep, but we shared a little supper with them, managed to keep Hannah out of the pool and then they actually walked up towards the mairie(town hall), which was the head of operations for the whole enterprise of GP Retro. This is where I had my first wake up call of how popular the event had become. Le Puy has a population of just 1300, yet there were thousands of happy smiling faces lining the circuit up to the mairie and the pre-war four wheel racers were out giving their gorgeous cars some serious exercise. Darkness was with us and the atmosphere was akin to the night racing at the 24 hours of Le Mans, which Paul and I know so well. While the mairie gave most of its rooms over to race organisation and support, including a huge temporary restaurant for the drivers and their teams, the extensive grounds were also wholly given over to the event, with two bars, tourist office, race merchandise and numerous hot food outlets. The star of the show was however the paddock, which was a fully accessible car museum and service area and everywhere was a hotbed of activity and would remain so throughout the next day.

Bugatti resplendent in moon light!

Leaving the paddock for the starting line

 

There was a couple dozen three wheelers from the 1920s and 30s in the main paved area, Morgans being well represented, while even more motor bikes, some with sidecars were scattered around the perimeter and access roads and then among the trees were the wonderful great racers from the stables of Riley, MG, Bugatti, Bentley, Amilcar, Aston Martin, Fiat and others.

Racing stopped at midnight, the bars stayed open until 02h30 and the partying went on through the night, although I was safely tucked up, tired, happy and with great anticipation for the next day.

I did the boulangerie run next morning (60 second walk) for fresh bread and croissants and there were cars everywhere as people had started arriving early. I spotted a friend’s TR6 from Nice whom I told of the race meeting some months before. A great shame we never met up, even though he parked almost outside our door and we even had a bed ready for him for a day or two!

Our guests had recovered sufficiently to take in the spectacle and if Saturday night had been busy, the Sunday saw thousands more in the village. The sun was out and a fantastic party atmosphere was in the air. We stopped by one of the bars for a refreshment and were served by a village roofer we knew and soon I recognised many other locals and I think most of the population had been mobilised for this weekend.

The paddock was even more impressive in daylight and an ultra rare Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic coupe road car was parked in a prominent corner. There was even more activity than the previous night, as more serious racing started and the motos went out. Riders were all attired in period gear and a particularly interesting enthusiastic competitor on a Norton, was sporting magnificently long moustaches which flowed behind him as he raced to victory.

Next up were the 3-wheelers and I took up position on the outside of the hairpin bend, the most dangerous place possible for spectators to be and utterly outlawed for spectators in every motor sport venue I’ve been to throughout Europe over the last 20 years, but we were okay, as we had a hay bale to stand behind. The course car, an old Land Rover led the cars around for a flying start and as it peeled off into the paddock, the race began and the cars continued to amble around and I started to laugh, but downgraded my mirth to a smile, as it seemed disrespectful. Perhaps it was the fact that any 3-wheeled is inherently unstable (Reliant Robins roll over easy peasy at 25mph), or that your average pre-war Morgan is worth shed loads of folding money, but all of a sudden, one chap swung his rear end out at the hairpin and put his foot down and two or three others decided to have a go and we had a race. This was more like it and precious the cars may have been, but it was fantastic seeing them being driven with such a sense of excitement and competitiveness. One of the cars dropped a chain on the racing line and the marshals took forever to move it off the track, but eventually did so and the race was over too soon and the survivors enjoyed a well deserved victory lap in front of an appreciative cheering crowd. I chatted to an English woman spectator who had taken the broken chain from the marshals, told me it wasn’t ‘one of ours’ and went in search of its owner, oblivious of her filthy oily hands to reunite them with their drive chain. It was pleasing to see such enthusiasm and willingness to help others.

Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic coupe

Meanwhile back near the paddock, our guests and my wife were chatting to a couple from Hampshire, her dad and their 9 year old daughter and discovering mutual NHS acquaintances and before I knew it, they had been invited to a bbq at chez nous in a couple of days time. Apparently, they holiday in nearby gites most years and their daughter and that of our client’s had hit it off well.

Well, the rose was only €1 a glass!

 

The big boys were soon firing up their cars for the 4-wheelers and I spotted a likely pair of blue machines gathering attention in the form of a Bugatti and a 1951 Le Mans competing Fiat 1500, both being driven by young ladies and as it turned out, driven very well. Paul complemented the Bugatti driver after learning she spoke English and thanked her for brightening his day by being a beautiful woman in a beautiful car and then asked her to make the day perfect by marrying him. Her answer was apparently lost in the roar of her exhaust! Anyway, his potential betrothed and her Fiat friend romped home at the front of the pack and overtook a few tail-enders on the way to the chequered flag. Apparently one of the girls was said to be a member of the Italian aristocracy, so well chosen Paul.

1.5 litre Fiat . . .

. . . with history!

 

After all the classes had raced, they all went out again and we ended the day in a packed local restaurant before returning again tired and very happy to Le Clos de la Rose.

Considering the closed street circuit is just a kilometre and a half in a tiny little village deep amongst the vineyards, one might wonder why and how it can draw such an array of magnificent and rare machinery and drivers, together with a crowd of 10 000, but it is just because the village has the willingness to support something so fabulous and joyous that it has become such a popular, if not universally well known event (thank goodness). It manages to retain the enthusiastic charm of a 1950s British race meeting and the atmosphere will be familiar to anyone who has attended the Goodwood Revival race meetings and I am determined to be one of those locals next year, helping to keep this event so special.

A bientôt,

LC 

 

http://youtu.be/CvGUbfTtRsM  Night racing, 3-wheelers

http://youtu.be/erGVb_IQ9LQ Whole event recap

Well, we all have to eat

You're Having a Laugh Chap!!

Timeline: Thursday 12 July: We’ve now got our new ouvertures, or openings for the windows and tomorrow, Friday the 13^th, the delivery of eleven double glazed purpose made timber windows is due. I received a phone call latish in the evening from the delivery chief saying he would be here early next morning at 07h00, but modified this to a range of between 07h00 to 07h30 when he sensed some surprise in my voice! Fortunately, I was up and had cleared a large space in the workshop in time to hear a large truck pull up outside the gates at 06h50, so was able to surprise the delivery chief by opening up ahead of time. He was a most jovial chap who had friends in the village and having inspected the space I’d prepared, informed me that he’d need some four times the floor area of my precious workshop!

However, by 07h20, all was safely stowed away in my original space and we retired to the kitchen for the paperwork and coffee. My new friend then reminded us of the GP Retro race event being held in the village the following weekend as he thought we might be interested having seen the TR3 in the workshop and said he would look out for us. He also asked if Paul was my dad with and with a cheeky grin, called him papa! Paul called him a cheeky blaguer, or something similar!

Anyway, all was now ready for the installation team and we even got some ivory topcoat paint on the more difficult to reach windows when they’re installed.

Monday the 16th arrived, but window fixers did not, same thing on Tuesday and Wednesday morning, so Wednesday afternoon saw me at Lapeyre with a smile on my face and their written confirmation in my hand of delivery and installation dates, informing them that their fitters had gone AWOL. They seemed upset with this news and took my situation very seriously and two of their people started ringing the numbers for their sub-contractor and eventually got through and didn’t seem at all happy with the excuses they were getting. Apparently, there was a problem with an ouvrière, or worker. Frankly, I was expecting some problems with the ouvrières as Saturday the 14th was Bastille Day, the most important national holiday and major party across the country. I was however a bit miffed that they were still seemingly not yet over a Saturday night party by Wednesday!

I left the shop however, with a firm indication that the windows would start to be fitted the next morning and by the time I drove home. Paul said that the phone had been ringing almost constantly, with 8 missed calls. I answered the 9^th and the window chap was apologising all over the place and said he’d be with us by 10h00 the next day. Hmm, still not recovered from the Bastille Day party then, but at least I could have a lie in!

The windows were all fitted rather well in a day and a half and the quality of the windows is outstanding and should give a lifetime of pleasure. Only one item was missing and that is due in early September and I hope they turn up when they say they will this time, haha.

A bientôt,

LC

Pas mal !!

Stair balustrade is now made, just awaiting paint and fitting

Full House

Timeline: Thursday 14 June: We are a busy site of six chaps and a dog today, as the mason arrived prompt at 08h00 to cut all the new window openings, shortly followed by a roofer who set about relaying lovely old canal clay tiles over the grotty corrugated cement covering what will become the site laundry room.

Coco, Kevin the roofer’s dog, making herself at home

Meanwhile Paul is finishing off the wardrobe to the grand maison front guest room, while I’m revising the roof specification with the aim of getting the roofs to the maison d’amis and barn underway as soon as practical.

Meanwhile the bride finally made it back to the UK late yesterday after waiting four hours to get her aeroplane fixed. Why on earth the airline couldn’t find a mechanic any closer to Tours than Paris is a mystery, particularly one who seemingly must only travel by bicycle! Bonkers!!

Anyway, all is well and building work progressing a tad faster with so many workers and as the days roll by, a new routine has developed. I’m up at 07h20 and up to the bakers for breakfast croissants, back and with two pots of coffee on and the main gates open for the mason’s arrival. Paul and I have our breakfast and the masons have the second pot of coffee before starting promptly a few minutes after eight.

After I agreed the price with the head mason, a lovely man called Eric, I had imagined upon their first arrival, they would unload the stones from the truck, all carved at their workshop and begin cutting the openings and installing the stone surrounds. Oh silly me, no, the first thing the masons did was to take over the garage space of the barn and set up their workshop, while the boss went off to bring a large quantity of beautiful golden coloured tuffeau blocks to be carved on site. This was marvelous! The sound one then heard over the next few afternoons was the gentle tap, tap, tap of the stone carver’s mallets as they cut and shaped the stones into cill and jamb sections ready for phase 2. Meanwhile, the other part of phase 1 was in the mornings, when some very large holes indeed were cut through the stone wall of the ancient maison d’amis. The large size was necessary due to the sheer mass of the stone surrounds to be inserted once the stones had been carved and the openings formed.

A wardrobe with a secret!

Stonemason's tools, just the same as hundreds of years ago

Big scarey hole!

Getting there

Cleaning the old stone made a huge difference

Now for some terracing, well the BBQ's got to go somewhere!

The masons were with us for three weeks and every day we marvelled at their skill and cheerful joy of doing what they did well. I have come to know the proprietor of the company much better and he has shared so much with us and been remarkably helpful in many ways. His wife runs a gîte just outside the village and he was happy to share some good advice to us novice would be gîte operators and unlike one might have expected from a competitor, he wished us every success and I’m sure we will remain friends and indeed work together again.

We’re now looking forward to the window delivery on the 13th July and the installation on the 16th. Progress!

More soon,

LC