Forget going out in the midday sun. Steaming off wallpaper in 35° heat is where it’s at. Someone should tell Noel Coward.
That’s how we have spent the first week in our new property in Belvès.
The hard work started last Saturday – after we’d spent Friday evening drinking champagne and generally celebrating that the property we intend to make our cheese-and-wine bar is now ours.
I began by stripping the wallpaper in the top back bedroom. It’s the largest room and has the best view, so it’s one I’ll be looking to get finished first. That way, we can start to market our chambres d’hôtes.
Damon began dismantling the fitted wardrobe next door. It had to go.
Importantly, we met up with a builder on Tuesday to go through our plans for the property. He’s asked us to draw some sketches of how we want to reconfigure the rooms and add in en-suite shower rooms.
Later in the week, we tackled the wallpaper in the other rooms and chipped off tiles in the bathrooms.
We had a meeting with the Chamber of Commerce in nearby Sarlat-la-Canéda too. They had plenty of advice on setting up the business and happily shared their tips to help make sure that we didn’t fall foul of any legal requirements.
We came away from that meeting armed with information and with heads that hurt from all we had taken in.
We’ll finish up in the building today by bringing all the debris from our work down to the ground floor, ready to take it to a déchetterie next time we’re down.
Weather-wise, this probably wasn’t the best week ever to start work on the building. Hey ho. We reckon it’s done wonders for our waistlines.
We did take a break from it all yesterday, though, with a meal at our favourite restaurant, le Vieux Logis in Trémolat. Shaded from the scorching sun, we relaxed and enjoyed a seven-course lunch. (Damon is pictured under the linden trees in their garden.)
We thought of it as payback for all our hard work this week: a very well-earned lunch.
Its a work of love should be ok. and we got the heat back here too going up to 28C!
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Damon does look pleased with himself😀
We arrive in Dordogne on July 11 for 7 weeks. Will you be around then?
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No, we head back to Lille tomorrow and probably won’t be back until late September. What a shame!
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What a pity! Next time.
Have you joined ACIP24 yet? Great organisation based in Le Bugue, about 250 members, international community. How about Sue Gordon, she lives in Belves very close to your new store.
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I haven’t yet but thanks for the tips!
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Methinks .. a wee bit of the sublime… to the ridulous… and the Muriel..is gawn! ..awwwwwe…
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The place will look far more chic once we have finished with it!
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I am sure!
I see you are not going to be in Belves until sept….no quick visit en train?
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Very tempting but I doubt it… 😦
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Well , D had just better learn to drive…. and quickly… !
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You’ve done wonders with the ground work & it sure does need a makeover – but the vision’s in place now & up & running. Congratulations! I just went “ooohh” when I read where that restaurant you celebrated in is….Tremolat is not only very attractive, it’s the location of one of my favourite classic French films – Le Boucher – so your post took me straight back there. A whiff of the Dordogne this morning in damp Cheshire!
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I don’t know Le Boucher but will seek it out. The meal was terrific and, if I say so myself, well deserved.
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A Claude Chabrol film starring Stephane Audran. A tad envious of that meal….!
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I feel your pain! We’ve just returned to Castelnaudary after 6 weeks back in the UK and it is stonking hot. I cannot imagine what it must be like stripping wallpaper. My husband is currently retiling our guest room ensuite but we are lucky enough to have a pool, into which he has been throwing himself at frequent intervals! Bonne continuation et bon courage…
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Just arrived back in Lille, where it is 16 degrees… Now, where did I put that jumper…?
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Well done and congratulations the place will look gorgeous.
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Thank you! Exciting times ahead.
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