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Travaux

Work on Le Chapy, June 2007- September 2008

This page is dedicated to Anthony Harrault who organised the restoration work: without him the task would have been at best far more difficult, and we would never have found such an excellent team. Several of them had played on the farm as children. As he says:

Pas de problème!

the old farmhouse before

restoration

This is what we bought. The old house had been used for storage and outbuildings.

One of the estate agent's pictures which attracted us to the farm. The potential is there... but there is clearly a lot of work to do.

We had a lot of help from both the Mairie and the DDE and made what turned out to be an inspired decision: to ask Anthony to oversee the works.

We fell in love with the farm at first site. We went home and looked hard at the photos, and soon the idea for four

gîtes, two large and two small, fell into place

Summer 06 - planning 1 - outside.

We saw that the area to the north of the farm

house could be divided into gardens (July 06)

But first, the area needed to be cleared

(March 08)

Summer 06 - planning 2 - inside.

We thought the garage and old kitchen/bakery

would make a good family gîte (above)

we had not yet decided this would be Bourgueil,

but knew we wanted to lose the plaster ceiling

but keep the tiled floor...

the beams had potential for character, but were

they sound, and what lay behind the fireplace?

This window would need to become a front door

into the farmyard, for a large gîte

August-September 07 - the heavy work starts.
drainage - September 07
	A new door in a very solid wall - Nov-Dec 2007.
	We found an arch-topped window, possibly original to the mediaeval work, which was reopened. These openings are needed to ensure every gîte has its own back door and garden.

December 2007 - work in full swing...

all the windows and doors were fitted...	and masonry work continued

In Allonnes, the front wall went in, but the old asbestos roof was still in place	Removing joists to fit the staircase in Allonnes

By December 2007, most of the external work was

complete...

but the farmyard was still full of debris - the

tomettes we could not use were later sold.

	the old lean-to garage goes. - 21 February 08

Interior Progress - by February 2008

Allonnes already the sense of space downstairs is apparent	....and the bread oven fireplace restored
It was an early decision to make Allones handicapped-friendly. The downstairs shower room was installed in the first of the former pig sties: with its stone construction, window and tiled floors.... those pigs had lived like kings! Slightly larger than the other bathrooms, it enables easier access. An Italian shower and high-pedestal WC were fitted.

Inside the old bulding

The rear door goes into Russé

(November 2007)

Impatient, we have torn off the hardboard cover, and found a fine fireplace. We had not yet realised that under the soot lay the outline of the old oven.

Bourgueil from above, before installation of a new ceiling. - January 2008

Getting the old ceiling down was no fun, but most of the rafters and beams were sound and could be kept to preserve the character while we put in a new and better ceiling and floor above (picture January 2008 - what a way to spend New Year's Day!).

Work on Russé

After the ceiling had been taken down and checked, six rafters were replaced, using timbers of similar age and size

Work started on cleaning the fine stone fireplace. Under the brick-effect paint and wooden additions we discovered tuffeau blocks and the original oven, filled in when the new bread oven (Allonnes) was built.

The tomettes, laid on sand, are the oldest surviving floor in the building. We were determined to retain it.

Russé -

Cleaned, ready for insulation. Work on the old building came to a halt in February, as the decision had been made to complete the gîtes in order: Saumur, Allonnes, Bourgueil, Russé.

There was one misunderstanding with Anthony, who could not understand why we should want to call two of our gîtes Russie and Bulgarie... good pronunciation is important...

Alongside the front drive: 25 tree stumps have been removed and 25 Kg of daffodils planted. By March they were just

showing. By the beginning of April we had a show which lasted for the month

March: an evening shot shows for the first

time the garden doors for each gîte.

and for comparison a shot taken

in November 2006

Progress in March: painting continues and air-conditioning is fitted in Saumur. Upstairs floors are laid, and furniture is ordered. Outside the solar panels are fitted and the internal pipework is completed. Much of the clearing outside is completed.



Work on the solar panels started in bright sunshine....	but it clouded over as soon as they were fitted.

Saumur in March: painting and furnishing

May	work well advanced in Allonnes

July swimming pool coming soon

Nearly the last appearance

of the yellow van

Allonnes and Bourgueil were ready for summer, and final work finished on Russé in September. As Anthony would say:.

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Progress in April: The gravel arrived. The outside was now complete except for planting and fencing. 5^th April: *Saumur* ready! The farmyard and drives were re-surfaced and the pile of hardcore becomes a small car park so that the farmyard can be kept clear. Some more plumbing work in Allonnes; painting and planting continued. Bedding plants bought for the summer. Placos were in again to finish ceilings in what were the sties. Wi-Fi availability was checked and confirmed for all the gites.

The farmyard complete and the rest levelled. In the foreground is the parking area - convenient but unobtrusive	Spreading the gravel behind the gites. 19th May 2008
...and at last the outside looked the way we want it.