THE CHATEAU A beautiful French

from Rutland Pride July 2020

BUNNY GUINNESS Chelsea Flower

ESCAPE to the CHATEAU

The Pays de la Loire region in France is undisputedly beautiful with panoramic countryside, old country buildings and an abundance of wildlife. In fact, it’s very similar to our local area albeit with more baguettes and escargots. For Rebecca and Tim Jones of Stamford, their idyllic petit chateau in this area of France was just the challenge and the life they were looking for...

“We got married, had kids, renovated the house and found ourselves looking for the next exciting challenge in our lives. We wanted a project that we could work on together and quit the nine to five...”

IF YOU’RE AT ALL FAMILIAR with the TV show Escape to the Chateau, you’ve probably dreamt about your own French fairytale, living it up in a tastefully decorated country mansion surrounded by beautiful French countryside and living off a diet of wine, cheese and baguettes in no particular order.

If you’re not familiar, the show follows quirky couple Dick and Angel as they work on their beautifully restored 18th century Chateau de la Motte Husson. You also see the couple meeting other Brits attempting - and in many cases struggling - to restore their own crumbling castles. Escape to the Chateau certainly goes to show that there are plenty of ups and downs to owning a grand historic French castle, so is it all worth it? Rebecca and Tim Jones decided to follow the dream after watching the show in their home in Stamford.

“I’m originally from Cambridge and Tim is from London,” says Rebecca. “We met at university and planned to live in London but I didn’t like London quite as much as I expected...we lived in Bourne for some time and then we lived in Stamford for 10 years.” “We didn’t have any plans to move from Stamford and saw ourselves living there forever as we loved being close to Burghley and loved the community. We also have two boys aged eight and ten so it was a great area for them.” Rebecca was a journalist for a womens’ magazines and Tim worked in engineering. They loved their lives in Stamford but they were looking for a new challenge together “We got married, had kids, renovated our house in Stamford and we were now looking for something exciting to do together as a family. We came up with all sorts of different ideas, but most of them would mean that

one of us would have to stay within their current job and we couldn’t do it ‘together.’”

Rebecca was flicking through the channels one night when she came across an episode of Escape to the Chateau. She was hooked, and immediately started to do some research. To her surprise, they could get a Chateau in France for the price of their four bedroom house in Stamford!

It ticked all the boxes - a Chateau would allow them both to work on a new and exciting project together and they could both leave their jobs as long as they were able to make it profitable.

“It was very exciting to find such a fabulous place and a new project for us both to work on, although I don’t think we really knew what we were getting ourselves in for! They are quite the challenge.”

The Chateau that they chose to invest in was Chateau de la Rûche. It’s a magical 18th century petit chateau set in 15 acres of secluded private parkland and woodland in Le Mans in the Pays de la Loire region of France.

“It was filled with potential but we had so much to do. When we first visited, it was a lot more tired and run down than the estate agent’s pictures illustrated, and the amount of rooms seemed to overwhelm us.”

It was the structural features that Rebecca and Tim fell in love with from the original shutters and panelling to the garden full of stunning trees. It had so many elements that you couldn’t just create somewhere else, so they simply couldn’t walk away.

When they first moved in, the conditions were liveable but the electrics and plumbing were faulty at best. The family spent the first winter predominantly huddled in the kichen with an inefficient log burner, wearing lots of clothes and blankets.

It’s still not finished completely and the couple believe that it’s a project for life. It

“We wanted our guests to feel spoilt but not stuffy, so we designed the rooms to feel luxurious but to also have quite a down-to-earth edge...”

took about 18 months to do the initial renovations in order to get the business up and running.

The couple first opened with just one bedroom in August 2018. The second bedroom was complete in October and then the meadow suite was complete in May the following year.

Rebecca and Tim have recently renovated the kitchen after realising that this would be a vital component for the business to add value to their service. They are currently renovating one of the outbuildings too to turn into holiday letting.

“We had our first elopement wedding in October last year and had some booked in for Summer this year. However, with the current Coronavirus situation we are having to get these rearranged.”

They only offer small, intimate weddings currently but are planning to offer the option for bigger weddings in the future. They seem

to attract laid back couples who aren’t really looking for a massive party but more of a long, relaxed French lunch surrounded by very close family and friends.

“The countryside around the Chateau is quite similar to Stamford - wide and flat open spaces,” says Tim.

“In our immediate area, we’re surrounded by trees. It is so peaceful and tranquil. The roads certainly seem to be a lot quieter than Stamford!”

In addition to weddings and accommodation, Rebecca and Tim also offer slow living, signature retreats. This is a three night stay with mornings spent foraging for seasonal foliage and flowers across the park, gardens and woodlands.

Photography tuition takes place with fine art photographer Kim of Maru Photography and various visits to local French markets are arranged to collect fresh produce in order to create evening feasts.

If you’re looking to immerse yourself in French culture, go back to basics and learning something new, this is a fantastic experience. “When we set out with the interior design, we wanted guests to feel spoilt but not stuffy, so we opted for a luxurious look with more of a down-to-earth edge. Every room will feature a stunning antique bed made with crisp cotton sheets and wool duvets.” So the couple have spent over three years at Chateau de la Ruche now and find themselves well suited to the French way of

“To be able to take on a project such as this, it’s crucial to fall in love with the building. It gives you the passion and determination to continue...”

life. If you find yourself inspired by the incredible journey this family has been on and you’re now busily researching Chateaus of your own, Rebecca has some wise advice.

“Just do it. If you really want to do it, you’ll do it. However, you need to understand that you will have to work extremely hard and you will need to have plenty of dedication.”

“I’ve discovered that it is crucial that you fall in love with the building to give you the passion and determination to continue. It’s a long process and a very enjoyable one, but it’s not without its hardships!”

“It was definitely a shock to the system for the kids but I grew up on a farm and had a wonderful childhood. The feeling of being able to roam free is something that I really wanted my children to experience.” “Before the move however, there was one request from the children - we had to bring along the trampoline!”

“If we had our chance again, I don’t think we would change a thing! It would be great to have more pennies, but when the budget starts to run out, it allows you to be more creative and that is half the fun of it!”

Rebecca and Tim started out looking for something they could work on together, and a project that would allow them to quit the mundane nine to five, and that’s certainly what their wonderful find in the Pays de la Loire region has given them. We wish them all the best for the future and look forward to seeing their home evolve!

n For more information about Rebecca and Tim’s Chateau de la Ruche and to book a future visit yourself, please go to www.chateaudelaruche.com.

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We’re a little biased towards grand country kitchens, farmhouse styling and rich fabrics in this magazine and whilst this style of decorating is beautiful in homes in the countryside, it’s worth taking a few styling notes from big cities too...

The best thing about interior design is that there are no limits. Everyone has different tastes, preferences and styles and they can all look beautiful in their own unique ways.

This month, we’re taking on a more urban styling from John Lewis in their SS20 homes collection called Urban Renewal. The modern furnishings, fabrics and decorations are very chic, practical and would suit a small London apartment or a grand country mansion.

What we love most about this collection is its simplicity and subtlety. It’s not shouting in vibrant colour nor is it a complete wash out; it’s not void of all decorations nor is it

cluttered and messy. They’ve chosen punchy patterns where necessary and toned down background items.

The ‘60s revival’ trend seems to be growing and growing over recent years, but the brand has gone about it in a much cleverer, subtler way; instead of throwing orange all over the place, they’ve picked just the smallest of elements from the 60s to give you that retro feel without leaving the current decade.

Satisfyingly, they’ve also used lots of house plants - another growing urban trend - without overdoing it and creating an indoor jungle that needs watering all the time.

Elements like the fluted glass cabinet and reed sideboard add a touch of the 60s whilst still looking modern...

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Above: Reed sideboard, £899, Broste Copenhagen Arild Stoneware Vase, £80 and matching flower pot, £12.

Right: No.206 cushion in evergreen, £60, cotton velvet cushion in ivy, £25, quilting cushion, £30, rib knit throw in navy, £50, and finally, Belgrave two seater sofa, £1,599.

Above: Reed sideboard, £899, velvet orange pouffe, £65, Gooch luxury hand knotted rug, £1,500.

Top/Right: A selection of coloured crockery available online

Above/Right:

Canvas, £250, Jute rug, £140, Serax Inis black pot, £64, and Cello Hi-Fi music system, £199.

Right: John Lewis’s designer glassware brand LSA offers a fantastic range of glass decorations. Tilt LED marble table lamp, £85.

For more information visit the website www.johnlewis.com.

House plants add so much to a home, but don’t overdo it. You don’t want to create an indoor jungle, and you don’t want to spend all your days watering plants....

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