Allez Francais: The logic of a logis

Below: An example of good restoration, from the stone flag floors, to the fireplace, exposed beams and stone walls.

Gently does it
Sympathetic restoration brings out the best in an old French home, says Peter Elias

      The best floors tend to be in oak, but chestnut and elm are also frequently seen. The same applies to beams; some immense oak beams make you wonder how they were ever manoeuvred into place originally.
      We currently have a pair of properties for sale at 285,000 euros, with the principal house having a superb stone floor, lovely fireplace, potager, oak beams and an elm staircase. The beamwork is extraordinary but then the vendor is a specialist inspector for termites, capricorn and wood-boring insects, so he really appreciates such quality. The main house will make a lovely home, while the second would make a super rental property, with the possibility of three or four bedrooms.
      Where you have a stone fireplace and the property is old enough, there is always the possibility of finding a glorious stone staircase leading to the first floor and even beyond. The French have a tendency to have lovely tiled floors on the first floor and even in loft spaces these can be real treasures if located.
      One thing the French have a love affair with, that some British view with less enthusiasm, is the bread oven. I am a great fan and would love to have such a feature in our house.




	Top: Renovated bread oven in the artist's studio Middle: This magnificent stone fireplace is being lovingly restored Bottom: An ornate fireplace with potager alongside Left: Rosewood doors on an old potager

Often located in a separate part of the building, they can make a superb studio or study as one of our clients has achieved in their artist's studio.       These clients have made a very successful restoration of two cottages, both of which have been let throughout the summer of 2002, and there is still scope to develop further into the large barn. The houses are priced at 191,863 euros and come with manicured gardens and a complimentary family of owls.
      Where a restoration of a bread oven is attempted, it is vitally important when relighting it to build up the heat gradually allowing the newly restored area to bed in and naturalise, before increasing the fire to the point where the internal heat becomes intense. All common sense really.
      Although there are many other possible features, the final one I will mention is for many the most important room in the French household - the wine cave. Unfortunately some, although perfectly adequate for the job, are too low to stand upright inside. Others are magnificent, with the vaulted style the most popular.
      We currently have a priory with a superb cave. The room looks almost like a church, and you can see the origins of the design from the priory building. This property has five bedrooms and a large range of outbuildings, including stable block, barns and a small house to convert into a gîte, all for 360,000 euros.

      It is a great shame, but many truly lovely properties get mutilated by well meaning new owners who want to stamp their personality on their French home. Most houses abound in character and just need a little TLC, but sadly the efforts of some over-enthusiastic DIY-ers can be destructive.
      Without doubt, in general the best restoration work is carried out by suitably qualified French artisans, whose work also comes with a guarantee. Unlike their British counterparts, artisans specialise in a particular area of expertise and through that become superb craftsmen.
      Virtually every old French house (75 years-plus), will have some special qualities, sometimes hidden, sometimes obvious, but always attractive.
      Dates marking the construction of the
property are often a talking point; many appear as '1785' while some are in Roman numerals, 'MDCCLXXXV'.
      In Poitou-Charentess people fall in love with the graceful stone Charentaise fireplaces. Some are big enough to stand in, and some have ornate decoration, making them even more special. Quite often it is possible to find a potager alongside the fireplace, which would once have been used to warm soup, utilising the hot ashes from the fire. Many potagers will not be immediately obvious to the untrained eye, obscured by a large piece of furniture perhaps. Often the giveaway will be the magnificent cherry-wood doors.

      Another exceptionally popular feature is the stone sink or 'evier', often found on the outside wall, and frequently with an 'oeil de boeuf' looking out on to the garden. Many of these details may be hidden by existing French owners who do not necessarily value them as we might.
      Stone walls are a feature of this area, with the south using a soft honey-coloured stone and the north using granite. Personally, I prefer the softer tones of the south, but we see many examples of poor restoration through ignorance, using inappropriate materials or failing to match colours. If you are going to tackle the job yourself, prepare the ground thoroughly, scrape out existing joints (use an old vacuum to clear the joints fully), and experiment first in an area that is not immediately visible (a corner of a room, for example).
      Use a lime-based material to allow the house to continue to breathe, otherwise you will end up with condensation problems.
      Many houses have stone flag floors, some polished once or twice a year with beeswax, others left untouched and just swept from time to time. Wooden floors are also popular, referred to by the French owner as 'parquet', but different from the style of parquet that we are used to.