Château de la Vergne

Lionel and Claire

We have always loved 19th century properties, we wanted a bigger version of the Regency villa we used to live in in Peckham in South London, the Chateau is about three times the size, you might argue a little too big!

Planning a trip to France?

What has been the most surprising aspect of château life that you didn’t expect?

Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance. Everywhere I look something needs to be done. Chateaux are nice but extremely hard work.

How do you balance modern living with the historic charm of your château?

We believe that living in an historic building must not constrain you to living in a 19th century setting, we will always look at creating an eclectic style.

What are the biggest challenges of maintaining a château?

Finding trades you can depend on, in any rural location they are few and far between and even more difficult to find those that are dependable.

What is your favourite room or space in the château and why?

The salon is a beautiful space bathed in sunlight from big windows on both side of the house. It is calm and comfortable.

What has been the most rewarding renovation project you’ve undertaken so far?

The Salon and the dining room are both rooms we use everyday, so we appreciate what we have managed to make of them.

Have you encountered any unexpected obstacles during your renovations?

Just the haphazard approach of previous owners, little planning of services they seem to have been added to over the years without any thought.

What tips do you have for someone considering restoring a historic property?

Don’t do it unless you have a wallet bursting with money and the patience of a saint.

How do you source authentic materials and furnishings for your château?

We spend a lot of time on Facebook marketplace, Leboncoin, local brocantes and auctions.

What is the next big project you’re planning for the château?

We really want to get the kitchen done and our shower in the new master bedroom.

How has living in France influenced your daily routine and lifestyle?

It hasn’t really changed our daily routine and lifestyle.

What are some of your favourite local traditions or customs that you’ve adopted?

Weirdly since moving to France, we drink very little, even little wine. On arrival,we gorged on cheese – now we don’t anymore. The only real change is Sunday has become Sunday again; everything is closed and we do nothing!

Up early in the morning, the traditional baguette and croissant for breakfast has been abandoned and replaced with scrambled egg or Greek yogurt and fruit. Then a couple of circuits around the grounds of the chateau to exercise the dogs, back into the office with a cup of tea and a custard cream, we run our YouTube channel, so spend a lot of time on our computers, lunch is usually fairly sizeable and time is expended to create something delicious, as we rarely eat dinner. A couple of episodes of Chateau DIY then off to bed.

What do you love most about the local community and area?

We love the isolation of the chateau, so many of the properties we viewed were alongside busy roads, ours is at the end of a 1km road that is seldom used. We have access to a wood that offers a couple of nice walks. We do however often miss the buzz of a city and a quick visit to Paris, Bordeaux or London soon rectifies that.

How do you celebrate holidays and special occasions in France?

We tend to over celebrate Christmas; the French Réveillon tradition of feasting on Christmas with seafood is a family tradition. Many oysters are eaten as well as lobster if we want to treat ourselves, all followed by a ludicrous selection of cheeses; this is probably the only time when we might invest in some great French wines. We also tend to celebrate the 14th July Bastille day in France; we love to attend the fireworks often put on by the local authorities, but for a dual purpose, the 14th July is the anniversary of our first date!