Château de Montespieu
Louisa and Roger
The chateau found us while we were visiting the area for a friend’s wedding. We were looking for a DIY project but never thought we would end up in France with a Chateau. Nothing compared to Montespieu once we’d seen it and we couldn’t resist the challenge. Serendipity!
Planning a trip to France?
What has been the most surprising aspect of château life that you didn’t expect?
The surroundings of the chateau have given us much more pleasure than we expected. The 15 hectares of parkland seemed daunting at first, but in fact spending time on park maintenance has been a real source of enjoyment.
How do you balance modern living with the historic charm of your château?
It’s a battle that we feel we are winning, we have been slowly insulating, bringing heating to various areas, modern plumbing and electrics and our most recent addition of fibre-optic internet. We’re constantly stepping from finished rooms to total building sites…
What are the biggest challenges of maintaining a château?
The size… the scale of the site is sometimes overwhelming when there’s just the two of us. Restoring rather than rebuilding means we have to give more thought to keeping original features and try and keep the historic character of the building alive.
What is your favourite room or space in the château and why?
We are most excited with the Loggia project as this will be our stamp within the history of the chateau, although it is currently a building site. Our favourite useable space is probably the courtyard, we love seeing people’s faces when they first enter the gates. It certainly was one of the features which attracted us from the beginning.
What has been the most rewarding renovation project you’ve undertaken so far?
The Southwing 2nd floor was in quite a state of disrepair and some parts of it have needed more structural work than we expected. Renovating it to 21st C. living standards has been very satisfying and we look forward to making full use of it in the future.
Have you encountered any unexpected obstacles during your renovations?
Our main obstacle has been the paperwork… which we were expecting 😊 Although frustrating on the one hand, it was a good thing in the end as the 1 year delay gave us more time to fully consider the project (which did change several times during that period…).
What tips do you have for someone considering restoring a historic property?
Invest in the right (i.e. not cheap) tools from the start and ask advice from tradespeople which brands they recommend. Consider yourselves as part of the story : this will not be a project with a clear beginning or end. Be prepared to live with some discomfort to start with. Don’t sweat the choices you make, some will love it and some will hate it.
How do you source authentic materials and furnishings for your château?
Local buy-and-sell groups, brocantes, vide-grenier, vide-maison auctions and donations from neighbours.
What is the next big project you’re planning for the château?
The Loggia (as mentioned previously) is what we’ll be getting our teeth into next. This will be our private kitchen/lounge area. We are also looking forward to installing a swimming pool providing the archaeology team don’t find anything of significance.
How has living in France influenced your daily routine and lifestyle?
Our daily routine is spent in Montespieu but the French influence does seem to involve a full lunch break and apéritif every evening. Food groups such as bread, cheese, olives and saucisson seem to feature heavily in our daily routine.
What are some of your favourite local traditions or customs that you’ve adopted?
We have become rugby fans! The local team is very well supported and our neighbours’ enthusiasm is infectious, We have also adopted and hosted the “fête des voisins” 2 years running during which dinner invitations are received and reciprocated.
Can you share a typical day in your life at the château?
We work out over breakfast if either of us needs the other person (are there any 2 person jobs?). We treat every weekday as a working day from 9am to 6pm and then spend weekends doing non-chateau related jobs. The daily routine is punctuated with walks with Pepsi.
What do you love most about the local community and area?
The Tarn region is often compared to the Italian region of Tuscany thanks to gentle rolling hills and mountainous backdrops. It is beautiful 😊 Being situated in the South of France and benefiting from glorious weather doesn’t hurt either… We’re also fortunate to have Castres, a big town, on our doorstep which means we have plenty of options for restaurants and shopping.
How do you celebrate holidays and special occasions in France?
The best French tradition is to celebrate any occasion with a big meal, food definitely still holds a primary place and is reflects in such things as seasonal produce and pairing of wines. The best way to embrace this tradition is to host a dinner party from time to time. The fête de la musique (21st June) is one of favourite French fêtes where live music is played in the streets for all to enjoy.
