In the Beginning (by John Cookson.)

Selling up, moving off and settling in a foreign land sounds idyllic. Although rewarding in the end, it can also be hard work and risky. This is the story of how Joy and Simon Swindell began their project to create Menhir Ty in Brittany. Perhaps, this will give an insight into undertaking such a project for others who have this in mind. And if you're thinking of a project like this, or even already looking for a project, maybe you will be inspired to spend a few days at Menhir Ty where some useful advice can be had as well as a pleasant and relaxing time. This site also contains a photo gallery to view all aspects of the renovation project.

Chapter One - Baptism of Fire..

Simon and Joy came to France in 2004 without having found a property to convert into the gite apartments which they intended as a business for themselves. However, they were determined that this is what the future held for them. They had sold their properties in Lancashire; the bridges were burnt; they were well and truly in at the deep end.

Choosing Lanouée wasn't quite a case of sticking a pin into a map, but not far removed from that either. With the benefit of hindsight, a more focused view of where they wanted to find a suitable property might have led them to Menhir Ty just a little earlier, but then which of us wouldn't benefit from hindsight at the start of a venture? A stay in winter in the area of one's choice is an ideal way of appreciating that it isn't all sunshine and crêpes with cider on the patio. Getting the keys to Menhir Ty in winter and moving in almost immediately certainly brought that home to Joy and Simon.

Because they had moved to France prior to locating a property, the Swindells had to rent accommodation for themselves in a commercial gite. This is a useful way of testing the water for those not entirely certain of whether they have the staying power for a long project - as Menhir Ty proved to be - and can also be a way of making certain that the chosen area really has enduring attraction. After all, if it works out, you'll be there a long time.

Simon and Joy both knew the area a little from previous holidays and felt that Brittany suited their circumstances rather that the hotter, drier, more distant climes of the south. From a business sense, also, it helps that Brittany is an extremely popular holiday destination for Britons (or as the French describe us - 'les anglaises'). Without customers, no business lasts long and then the hard work and investment is all for nothing. There was certainly a lot of hard work in front of Joy and Simon when they finally got possession of their property just before Christmas in 2005.

Although structurally sound, Menhir Ty - as it became known - was not exactly a dream home neither for holiday makers nor for themselves. As time in a rented accommodation was eating into their working funds, a decision was made early on to make the property as habitable for themselves as possible and then 'camp' there as work progressed, but this was no easy task. The area they had chosen to be their new accommodation was in a desperate condition with a packed earth floor and divided into several small, dark and musty rooms. There was running water, but that's just about all. Electricity was primitive and probably dangerous and clearly in need of complete and urgent rewiring and there was no heating except for an old and rather decrepit fireplace. The purchase of a wood burning stove was an immediate necessity and, as luck would have it, the renovation provided plenty of cheap and welcome firewood for the winter. Christmas Day 2005 came and went with nothing special to mark it, other than some serious work to do in conditions which didn't produce a great deal of jollity.

Work proceeded as quickly as the cold weather, lack of a decent toilet or hot water and basic facilities - such as a reliable electricity supply - permitted. The three priorities were somewhere to sleep, to eat and to rest and these needs were met in a basic form. However, it had also to be kept in mind that there was a tight - almost impossibly tight - schedule to keep if paying guests were to be using Menhir Ty by the summer. This wasn't a time to sort out a luxurious accommodation for themselves.

There was work to be done on getting four gite-apartments ready for the summer which was a very short six months or so hence. Even in the UK, with good knowledge of the services and facilities available to them, this would have been seen as a challenge. In France, with a great deal to learn and assimilate in terms of culture, building skills and bureaucracy, and in a language which neither of them spoke, it was a challenge most of us would have regarded as impossible.

In the initial stages, the work was physically very hard. The property, almost throughout, had compacted earth floors which additionally, for many years, had been put to agricultural use - including animals. Although it makes great fertiliser, manure is not exactly the best of materials for floors which are to be used for holiday accommodation.

It was backbreaking, and there was a lot of earth to move, but it simply had to be done in order to create a decent base on which to lay a proper floor. To envisage the barn at this stage as luxury accommodation took a considerable amount of imagination. Thankfully, Joy and Simon had it.

At this stage, the floor plans had still to be finalised then, after the floors had been dug out, the necessary services had to be put in place - such as drainage.

Fortunately, the time that Joy and Simon spent in rented accommodation searching for a suitable conversion project allowed them to make friends locally. As a result of that, a number of these offered and  proved willing and able to help with some of the heavier work such as laying concrete floors. So, for example, on a very cold winter's morning, English friends Geoff and Theresa were to be found shovelling rapidly setting concrete on to the newly-levelled floors. It is, at this stage, when there is the most apparent progress in a project such as this and it's very easy to begin to believe that the job is further forward than it really is. Fortunately, Joy and Simon did not lose sight of the objective. After a hard winter's work, with basic floors and walls in place, it would have been all too easy to begin to ease back and enjoy the warmth of spring - something which has killed many similar projects.

Part Two: Making some of it look habitable...

The main internal dividing walls were beginning to put some shape into the rental accommodation by spring, albeit that Joy and Simon really would, by now, have liked to improve their own accommodation. However, bureaucracy intervened in an unwelcome way which, at least allowed them a short respite to do that.

They had already received planning permission for the conversions. However, it was at this stage Joy and Simon discovered that, in order to put in new windows and finalise the internal floor plans, they had to submit drawings to the local authorities and that these had to be done by an architect. To us Brits, it all seems like bloody-minded bureaucracy, but it's the way things happen in France and it's as well to get used to the way French fonctionnaires and the system works. You won't beat it - so just accept it. It was a slow and expensive process and meant that major internal work had to be stopped for a while. Indeed, it was a worryingly long while. Fortunately, a shift could be made to outdoor work and some time could be spent on their own accommodation. Whichever way round the work was tackled, it still had to be finished by July when it was hoped that the first fee paying guests would arrive. And at least it gave time for the kitchen and a basic bathroom to be sorted out - much to Joy's delight.

Part Three: Still a Building Site, but...

At this stage, not all services had been fitted. Internally, rewiring was becoming an urgent priority. Again, because of French regulations, this had to be contracted to qualified electricians who, over the space of several weeks, ensured that an adequate supply was brought to the property, completely wired the barn and fitted all necessary safety features.

However, as far as their own accommodation was concerned, and to keep costs down, some qualified French friends were able to assist with the wiring albeit that it had to be done at their own pace.

Other outdoor work included turning a muddy patch into a pleasant barbeque and rest area. Again, deep digging was the order of the day with approximately 15cm of hardcore put down first and then topped with around 10 cm of 'decorative' gravel. Joy showed her talents by using large pieces of field stone to create a pathway from the drive across the gravel to where the entrance of the gites would eventually be. For an artist, not bad Joy - hope the fingernail's regrown!

Other contracted out work also had to take place now relating to the fitting of a septic tank. French law is now quite strict as to where waste water can go. The days of dumping your semi-raw sewage into the local ditches is long gone in France and the regulations are rigidly applied - it seems particularly so for Britons compared with Bretons! There is a fixed volume of septic tank relating to each bedroom of a property and, with four gites and their own three bedroom accommodation to cater for, this meant a very sizeable job and, unfortunately, a significant cost. Apart from moving a considerable amount of earth to fit the tank in place, a deep soakaway filled with sand also had to be dug giving an enormous amount of spoil to dispose of. In this regard, it was fortunate that the property is on a slight slope and, therefore, much of this went into levelling the ground to create a terrace for the raised swimming pool.

Part Four: Planning Permission finally arrives...

Bureaucracy in France can be particularly frustrating and slow. Although it is a requirement to have planning permission and architects drawings submitted, neither of these functions ever gave more than a cursory visit to the site itself. The architect drew up his plans from Simon's own rough sketches and the planners trusted that the architect had done a thorough job - which of course he had. No-one will ever look at the plans again, if in fact they ever looked at them, but the letter of the law is fulfilled and Joy and Simon could get on with the work. It was time to be back inside and there was only a couple of months before the hoped-for visitors would start to arrive.

The basic structure with internal floors, stair cases, breeze block walls and rough gite layouts were now finished, but internal walls and internal wall cladding had to be started. It was now time to fit Velux roof windows and start to knock holes in the rear wall for windows. Miles of timber were sawn (mostly by hand) and acres of plasterboard applied. Work was also able to proceed swiftly on bathrooms with Joy, once again, showing her talents this time at laying tiles. With all this plasterboard, Joy's artistic talents were again put to good use as she discovered her talent for painting with crèpi. Crèpi is a curious mixture of paint and sand used in many French properties to paint directly onto plasterboard. For a talented artist like Joy, it was like swimming in wellington boots! If you ever want to wind up Joy, just start talking about crèpi!

Part Five: Panic...

We've got a booking!! We've got a booking!! Somehow, through the internet, someone had found the Menhir Ty website and had booked in for a week in early season - quite unexpected and ahead of the planned 'ready' date.

At least the ground floor was looking like it wouldn't take much to make it habitable. Therefore, because of the impending arrival of guests, it was decided to abandon work upstairs and concentrate on finishing at least one gite on ground floor level. However, one major job just had to be done upstairs and that was to put the floor down. This was also going to the the ceiling of the room below. For this, Simon managed to find a supply of excellent beech tongue and groove timber at very reasonable price which saved the day.

The arrival of guests also meant that the exterior of the property had to be brought up to standard with the usual array of garden seats and tables, etc. With gravel already laid and outdoor tables and chairs purchased, a few strategically placed geraniums made all the difference and, in June 2005, Mehir Ty took in its first paying guests who were delighted with what they found on arrival. But Joy and Simon will accept, they only made it by the skin of their teeth!

Part Six: Fixtures and Fittings, hard and soft furnishings...

Given Simon's former trade as a furniture restorer and Joy's eye for fine art, what little leisure time they had had during winter and spring had been spent around the many brocantes which take place in France. In Britain, boot sales would not necessarily be the obvious place to pick up good quality semi-antique furniture. However, Joy and Simon wanted their accommodation to have that genuine old French farmhouse feel to it. Some excellent pieces of furniture were acquired and the beds in particular, fitted with modern mattresses, were made very comfortable indeed. Those rooms that were finished took on a pleasant and comfortable feel to them.

Joy and Simon have an extended family with children, step children and grandchildren. It was at this time that a number of family members came over as paying guests which forced them to take time out, at last, for themselves. Neither of them were overweight in the first place, but both had lost a considerable amount of weight due to sheer hard, physical work. They were physically exhausted by the volume of work which they had done during the winter. A few relaxed barbeques, trips to the seaside and the occasional bottle of wine soon saw them looking healthier and more relaxed than they had achieved in a long time. One lesson to learn for those who take on projects like this is that regular and meaningful rest is every bit as important as getting the property ready to receive guests.

It was just before this time that Simon had managed to find a swimming pool at greatly reduced price in a local sale and had erected and filled this at the front of the property. It took several days to fill from a hosepipe. A certain amount of landscaping was needed to make the area around the pool safe and then it was everyone in the water for a swim. There was not doubt that, whether or not guests used it, Joy and Simon, and their family members were certainly going to get some good use from this. In summertime temperatures which frequently get into the 30s, and a coos swim is just the right way to cool down.

Part Seven: The first summer...

August was beginning to attract a number of bookings, particularly from family members and friends from the UK. However, there had not been a flood of bookings for that summer and July had been particularly quiet. Due to delays caused by bureaucracy, the building work was behind schedule. Therefore, it would have been difficult to have taken too many bookings. Joy and Simon would be the first to admit that they had lacked a formal marketing strategy and, apart from a website done by a friend, they had not undertaken much by way of advertising.

Unfortunately, there was not an unlimited supply of funds to continue through the forthcoming winter with no income. All the same, just about enough came in to keep the wolves from the door for a while, but it seriously began to look like the properties would not be into full use before 2007 - a year later than would be ideal. Whatever the trading situation, at long last, it was now time to turn their thoughts to their own comforts.

Part Eight: Making a home, at last...

After the very hard physical work which had gone before, making a home for themselves proved to be relatively easy. Downstairs, the accommodation had comprised several small rooms including a kitchen which no one would ever want to cook in seriously, a bathroom which was ancient - and probably unhygienic - by any standards and a lounge area which, curiously, had been divided by a wall immediately next to the fireplace.

The work was mostly a case of light-weight demolition and, where necessary, re-erecting stud walling. A French friend with his friend came along and, over the space of very many weeks, rewired for them, whilst at the same time, Simon and Joy laid new plumbing, tiled and painted and generally got the place into a reasonable shape.

The hardest work to be done was in the kitchen and bathroom area. A new bathroom was already started upstairs so, in quick order, the old bathroom was demolished, redundant drainage pipes blocked and sealed and, instead, a basic dining area created where the old bathroom had been. Work continued on the upstairs bathroom and, again, Joy and Simon's luck at finding bargains seemed to be with them and the necessary bathroom equipment was purchased with a good discount.

Areas of the kitchen, however, still needed some serious work doing and this was to continue for several months as funds became available and bargains were found. Rather than purchase ready built kitchen units as might be done back in Britain, Simon put his woodworking skills to good use by making the necessary units himself. Additionally, an old armoire (huge cupboard) was suitably painted and decorated by Joy for storage. The result, even though still not entirely finished, is now looking very acceptable. There's still a bit of decorating and some fixtures and fittings to be sorted, but time and a little cash will see that right. The acquisition of a dish washer from a friend who had recently had a new kitchen fitted has made life much more pleasant.

Simon is now working hard on a private garden area. This involves removal of many tons of earth and old roof slates which were dumped at the back of the house by previous owners.

A place to escape from the hustle and bustle of visitors is an absolute necessity for those who operate a gîte business. In any case, guests want to relax and let their hair down a little without the constant gaze of the proprietors upon them. Even when not guarding the property, it can seem that way to the guests.

Three comfortable bedrooms have been created for Joy and Simon, and for Joy's daughter Melida who has recently joined them with a bedroom spare for those of the family who turn up unexpectedly. One way or another, Joy & Simon, are having a good time in France. Now!

Joy's Recipe for Renovation

1. An abundant sense of humour.

2. Even more of determination.

3. Whatever the price you paid for la maison, double it for the restauration.

4. And then add a bit.

5. Be the sort of person who is flexible. Make plans at 09:00 a.m. and be prepared to change them by 10:00 a.m.

6. Always expect the unexpected.

7. Always expect the French artisan to arrive the day before the job should have been finished.

8. That goes for English workmen too!

9. A resident is far more likely to get the job done. You need to be here all the time.

10. Make a good attempt to learn the language. C'est très important.

11. Those people who come and say, "We'll give it twelve months and see how we feel", will never make it.