Where are we now? A progress report 11 months on from moving in to a French Château
We bought our home 11 months ago, a château south of Toulouse, and moved our lives from California to rural France. We wouldn’t change it for the world, everyday is a new adventure and learning curve in chateau renovations. We’ve never been lonely in these 11 months as we’ve met so many amazing people along the way, our factotum Serge, our Mayor Michel, the locals of Riolas, and all of our wonderful volunteers. With this support, we’ve managed to make great progress on our château diy and hope that one day we can share this special place with others by opening as a luxurious château bed & breakfast. We thought we’d show you some of the progress we’ve made in this time, some projects are finished and some are just getting started. Our french château adventure is only just getting started.
Arrival of the horses & the creation of new pastures.
Back in March we welcomed Liska’s horse, Ébène, and our neighbor’s horse, Lungo. Liska and Michel have been hard at work creating 4 pastures enclosed by electrical fencing, with even the furthest pastures still having access to a water supply. Our dream of keeping horses at our château in the south of France is coming true.
From green to blue, we now have a glistening pool.
Arriving to a green pool in need of some TLC, we knew this needed some work. After a big clean out of the filters and surfaces, and lots of rebalancing, we now have a sparkling blue pool which you cannot resist. A now luxurious addition to our château for when guests stay at our bed and breakfast, or stay for a retreat.
Progress on the summer kitchen.
It’s now our tack room! In one of our outbuildings lay an ancient forge and the beginnings of a “summer kitchen” which we nixed in lieu of a place to relax and store our considerable equipment for the horses. Now with running water and a working WC. Everyone knows: an outdoor bathroom is a château essential!
The beginnings of work on the cross-ties and solarium.
This space next to the stables was full of scrap and materials used (and discarded by in the château) over the years. After a big clear out from the volunteer team, we installed a concrete pad and drain to shower our horses and keep them warm even in the winter!
Removing the helipad to make space for a riding arena.
We ripped out the old hen house and cleared the helipad to create a riding arena. This was a sizeable task and meant a lot of extra clay (which our land situates on) was relocated elsewhere on the property.
Installing a pétanque court on the grounds.
It would have been rude not to install a pétanque court on the château grounds… the game is a regional hit with friends and neighbors! Tucked away in a forested area of the grounds, the court was constructed in a day and a half. A superb addition to a stay at the château!
Renovating bedrooms and bathrooms.
A few rooms in the château have experienced some structural changes and a lick of paint. One of our bedrooms, which we call the Tulipe room, has had a full renovation including a bathroom. This room now exudes elegance and is a whimsical space to relax in for guests of the château. We’ve also repurposed a cinema room into an office and started work on a gym.
Stripping it back, new wallpaper has been added.
The games room has been given a new life with some timeless wallpaper. A project begun by one volunteer and completed by another wonderful volunteer, it’s now the perfect hosting space. We love using it for music, a rowdy game of foosball, and a round (or two) of mahjong!
Landscaping & a walking path round the property.
Our groundskeeper elegantly helps around the château. Born and raised in Riolas, he has a keen eye for green spaces, trees, and pastures. A horseman, he built pastures fencing for our horses, created a forested park and haven for private meditations, and a peaceful walking path carved out around our property lines for guests to wander.
Our château DIY adventure is only just beginning and we can’t wait for you to follow us on our journey. If you wish to view more of our château experiences, head to our Instagram for updates on all our projects and completions.
Thank you for joining us on this journey & here’s to year 2!
-Château de Riolas
