Derelict château requiring total renovation

Gutsy young couple, not sure how they will do it

Australians??????

 

AGAIN, the antipodeans are doing important things in France.  I have to say “Viva La Australian” when it comes to beautiful books about restoring homes in France. Books about Aussies are all over this space. And well done to them.

 

Usually when I read a book that I want to review, I have a scruffy little bit of paper tucked into the book for notes about what I liked, or found, interesting. For this book, my note said ‘pigeons’, ‘mayonnaise’, ‘shoes under the stairs’, ‘genealogy’, journées du patrimoine’ and ‘rats’ – more on this later.

 

What a story and what a book. Physically it’s coffee table size, over 270 pages, full colour. 

 

We meet Tim Holding and his partner Felicity (“Flick”) as they make the decision to buy a château and renovate as authentically as possible. This book is the story of the journey to save Château du Purnon, starting May 2020.

 

I loved it.

 

 I have read many books about people renovating in France and what I liked about Tim and Flicks story was how honest they were about how bloody hard it was – physically, financially, and emotionally. There is the dawning on them, throughout the book, about how much time, energy and collaboration with experts will be required to achieve their goal.

 

Purnon is a monster of an undertaking. I sense that there could be a ‘book 2’ somewhere in the line as Chateau Reawakening only takes us part of the way on the journey.

 

This book delved into how the French state supports renovations of its grand buildings. I learnt about the avenues of financial support where people renovating historic places may be lucky enough to secure desperately needed government funds.

 

It’s a noble ambition to restore a ‘gem of French architecture’.

 

The book cleverly weaves between discoveries of previous families who lived and loved in Purnon, the privileges of the French aristocracy (including the feudal right to keep pigeons…if this was still a sign of wealth, then with the amount of pigeons that land on my roof, I would be very wealthy indeed…) and uncovering what the symbols, hidden by the crafts people and artisans, in the design of arms and the buildings, are telling them.

 

The journey was also humbling for Tim and Flick. Their practical skills let them down sometimes and Tims language skills were challenged but the community of people interested in what they were doing really supported them.

 

I was impressed with the energy went into unravelling the genealogy of those who lived and worked at Purnon. As someone with an interest in genealogy, the use of old photographs, the discovery of a secret stash of intimate letters from the 1830s and the resources they used were interesting.

 

I also loved the quotes used. A few favorites…

• “Il ne faut pas s’embarquer sans biscuit” (You must not set off without rations, don’t engage in an enterprise lightly)

• “La mayonnaise ne prend pas ‘(The mayonnaise is not taking; things take an unfavorable turn)

 

 

Finalement, yes, I bought the book. I know I dip back into it on quiet afternoons and enjoy the writing style and dream again and again. 

 

And the small kernel of an idea to time our next trip to France to coincide with their journées du patrimoine’ (or open day) has been planted.

 

A pleasure to read and a pleasure to review. 

 

p.s. You will have to buy the book to read the story about shoes (pg.105)!!

 

[1] (what we call Australians here in New Zealand where I live)