The Château Featured On Expedia.com.au

Yesterday, Expedia.com.au shared an interview about the Château. 

You can check out the post at - http://blog.expedia.com.au/blog-to-watch-chateau-de-gudanes/

The interview was titled "Blog to Watch: Château de Gudanes". The upbeat article was not only about the journey of restoring the Château, but also about our travel experiences and adventures both inside and outside the project. It included info on how we travel to the Château, how often we travel, Château business in Paris, lots of travel trips, such as where to stay in Paris and Australia, and some of our best travel experiences to date.  

There are also lots of photos of the Château, and some new photos that I took whilst in Paris for a few days a couple of weeks back (like the one of the Jardin des Tuileries below). So if you visit the link be sure to click on "View Gallery" on the top left of the page above the title. 

Our thanks goes out to both Lisa and Deb. Lisa is the Expedia Blog Editor and she conducted the interview. Over the past eight years Lisa has been travelling the world writing for Australia's leading newspapers, magazine and blogs! Deb is a social media expert from Orange Line (http://www.orangeline.com.au), a company specialising in online marketing. Deb contacted us to ask if we would like to do an interview, and organised it when we said yes. The interview wouldn't have been possible without her. Our thanks to them both. 

À bientôt, 

Château de Gudanes. 

A Château That Won't Lose Her Spring...

Spring has arrived at the Château as if a doorway has been opened into a realm full of hope and renewed dreams. Those cold short winter days, where life felt suspended, have simply vanished and been replaced by a joyful chirpiness in the air. 

"Now that the winter's gone, the earth hath lost

Her snow-white robes; and no more the frost

Candies the grass, or cast an icy cream

Upon the silver lake or crystal stream"

Thomas Carew

A choir of chirping now fills the valley, and trees, green and thick as they can grow, flourish beneath the shiny cerulean sky. It is impossible to walk here and not breathe in this greatest refreshment, and then breathe out with loaded bliss. 

There is something magical about the Château in spring. Even the years of neglect and abandonment, and the wet and windy winter weather, won't make her lose her spring. Château de Gudanes has thrived during springtime for the past 800 years. 

In the beginning, when the site of the Château was a fortress, and was part of what was called the "Domaine de Gudanes", it included mountain ranges that crossed to Andorra,  and the woodlands, lakes, villages and churches in between.

In the 1970's this Domaine was carved up and sold off, leaving the Château and 11 acres of parkland on the last remaining title. Soon after, the Château was decidedly left abandoned, and without the people, her spirit and soul were left misplaced. In this tyranny of despair she began to fall into decay. But frayed and in disrepair, a testament to her history of use and misuse, the Château still sits today undefeated, with undiminished poise and grace. 

Now thawed by the warmth of spring, there is a promise of expectation in the air. Not just for the first blooms of spring and bees buzzing round them, but for the works happening at the Château. 

The past two months has been a bee hive of activity in our attempt to install a small summertime cafe. The Catalonion builders have been onsite plastering some of the salons, re-installing the original doors, and making provisions for plumbing and electrics to a few rooms.

We can't venture too far into the building process, rather its just a tip toe until we receive the correct approvals.  We are still waiting for the Monuments Historic (MH) to give us the go ahead. They have until the 12th of June to decide if we can proceed with the restoration. Next week the MH board  will be onsite for a 'tour', which then allows only one week for a response. They are formally allowed 6 months to make a decision, and I am guessing we will know on the last day possible!  I can't imagine them stopping the restoration, but I have this niggly feeling that it may not be as simple as a stamp of approval. 

Last blog I wrote about some of the problems onsite and unfortunately these haven't abated. We have felt let down by bureaucracy and a general unwillingness by the authorities to get together as a team and work out how to make things happen. Deem me a romantic and an optimist, I know, but I thought that this energy in the air would be embraced by the relevant restoration people locally. Rather, engineers, plumbers, electricians and basically everyone who walks onsite now wants a certificate of some sort. The consultant and certificate list is endless along with the shrugging of shoulders and arms up in the air when asked how to acquire them and how to proceed. 

Further,  the Toulousian painting and decorating school who previously booked in to decorate the cafe salon, have decided to postpone their work. Without any consultation the 2 teachers and 8 students just 'assumed' we weren't ready for them to start! Mais c'est la vie... 

The regional tourism authorities are so eager for us to open the gates, and we are trying hard to make this happen but the forces seem to be against us. They don't even realise we have a website... even when we tell them! Nor have they noticed or acknowledged the heartfelt support the Château has felt from people from all over the world, and the resultant regaining of her spirit. 

But we refuse to be beaten. So I try not to dwell on the worries and questions that keep me up at night, after a day spent walking through dark corridors with no windows or doors.  

And as I looked for guidance, I can't help but feel the Château being the glimmer of light to guide us, as if teaching us to slow down and be patient, and to take each step only in the present moment. The restoration is not just about designating moments along the way as being 'complete', nor is it about a final destination, but rather it will evolve like the flower buds that blossom in the parc each spring, centuries after centuries.

"To ignore the past to keep locked, a casket of 800 year old memories.

Everything we do has to link to the past in order to create a vision for tomorrow."

So the Château in spring has given us the opportunity to look at ways in which we may turn chaos into clarity. Our first thought went to the fallen trees in the Château parc.

A plan was put into order to make a large kitchen table to sit in the original cellar kitchen, just as it would have hundreds of years ago. How marvellous this will be - to have a tree, that was planted hundreds of years ago in the parc, not left to rot or be firewood, but once again to be connected to the Château.

I called David. He was the perfect fit to build such a large old oak planked table.

I met David, quite by chance. I was invited to lunch in a nearby village by Angela, the editor of a european magazine. David arrived and placed the most enormous set of old iron house keys on the table as he sat down. Turned out, he was renovating a Roman hamlet not that far away, so after lunch we took a visit. I spent hours marvelling at what he had achieved, where it was impossible to determine what was old and what he had recreated not just the hamlet but also the furniture and interior fittings. Even the Historic Monuments couldn't tell the difference!

So with some Australian backbone, I helped load up David's white van with the planks of wood from the parc that had been stored and cut into lengths at the local mill. Just click on the arrow for a behind the scenes video.

Imaginary or not, I can almost see the calico coloured bread dough kneaded upon the wide grainy planked table, flour lightly dusting the air and the gentle sweet taste of homemade plum jam waiting to be dolloped onto hot buttered bread.

Other fallen trees will also be made into Louis beds - Château sized to filled the voluminous chambres (plus perhaps 4 cats purring at our feet). With these things in mind I feel my dream of sleepless nights slipping gently away into the darkness...

This spring stirring underfoot is not only at the Château, but can be seen and felt in the merriness of the village air, and in the way people carry themselves. A time of year to fold away scarves and beanies and grab a berets and put on a smile. 

It also wouldn't be right of me not to share all of natures abundance in springtime.  

Mother and foal looking happy and well, and now living on a nearby village farm.

It seems that although Château life is challenging, we are constantly being guided to step forward mindfully. To not become angry, or to despair, but to enjoy each moment of life. 

Amongst the frantic activity the Château guides us to find time to pause and to give thanks. 

À bientôt, 

Château de Gudanes. 

Downstairs Before and After!

There is always an element of fascination with renovation rescues and makeovers, showing the sexiest bedrooms, and the sleekest bathroom transformations. Rooms renewed and ready to be lived in, with attention in the detail, and always complimented with colour matched flowers overflowing from large vases on every available surface. 

We are a long way off from sharing anything as grand as this. Our greatest challenge to date has been in consolidating the Château, focusing on rebuilding it's foundation and structure, allowing us to walk around safety.

But, these past 15 months of work has allowed the Château to now welcome its restoration, a complete contrast to its almost complete ruination just a short time before. 

From the start, we had to employ an architect. This was a requirement by the Historic Monuments (HM). So, Monsieur Numen Munoz set about drawing up the plans of the existing Château, and devising a numbering system for each room. In his dossier he added photos, and a description of what work would be need to be done to each room to ensure the Château was structurally 'safe'. This dossier was submitted to the HM for approval, and we finally received the permit to begin work several months later.

We tendered out to three French Builders, and one Catalonian. Two of the French didn't even respond, and the other handed over a costing on a piece of torn off A4 note paper. The Catalonian builder, however, used the dossier and costed out each room based on the architects numbering system. I should point out though, that many of the local building companies were not equipped to take on this project - some of them sole proprietors. In short, the Catalonian builder and his team of twelve merry men won hands down, and work began in the last week of November 2013.

From some older plans, which the architect ended up finding, the ground floor (rez de chaussée) plans were drawn up. When we purchased the Château, we could only walk into the vestibule and a few of the front salons. The ceilings and floors here were intact, and the work required will be mainly focused on restoration rather than consolidation.

I invite you to join in on a small tour of some of the ground floor, downstairs salons and areas that were consolidated during this phase, starting with room 001, otherwise known as the gold room or music room (highlighted on the right hand side of the plan above).

Piece No.1 - Le Salon de Musique

This salon only needed reinforcement of the main beam, which had rotted at one end due to water damage. A steel sleeve was used, rather than having to replace the entire gold gilded beam.

Piece No.2 Le Salon de Rose

This salon required a steel sleeve to the main beam also. Only minimal work was required in this room. The parquet flooring in the corner has rotted away and needs replacing though in the future. This is the room with the marble love heart on the fireplace mantle, and the recent discovery of the fresco behind the pink panelling.

Here you can see the original beam which required consolidation with a steel sleeve. 

Piece No. 3 Le Vestibule

L'Architect Monsieur Numen Munoz  ( try saying that quickly!) working onsite. 

The ceiling in the main vestibule needed full replacing. The rotted wooden 'rib' or 'whale bone' shaped structures, which give the curved shape to the vaulted ceiling, were replaced or repaired, using traditional methods. The work in this section took six weeks to complete.

Fortunately, the 18th century ceiling rose was still intact, and saved, complete with its ancient chandelier hook.

When the work on the ceiling was in its final stages, we were advised to paint the vestibule whilst the scaffolding was still in place. We chose a soft blue grey colour. The sun reflects the pastel colours of the stained glass, and often the vestibule appears in either lilac or pale blue. 

The gracious stairs have also been consolidated so they are safe to use for the moment, but you can feel many of them sink beneath your feet as you climb up or down, so they will need further consolidation in the future. 

In the middle picture, you can see the curved wooden skeletal structures that shape the vaulted ceiling. And, the last picture on the right, the completed vestibule ceiling.

Piece No.4 L'ancienne Salle à Manger

Propped up with scaffolding, this salon was just safe to enter when we first visited the Château. It required two new beams though, as both ends of the original beams were rotten. The flagstones were pulled up, and concrete poured to allow for the installation of infloor heating. The original flagstones will soon be relaid. Moss and  weeds were removed along with the strong smell of mould.

I managed to find a 'before' 'before' (as in before the water damage, which occurred when the previous owners had the Château) picture of this room as well.  One good thing which came out of the damage was that the water washed away the cream paint, revealing the coloured effect underneath. 

Piece No. 5 La Bibliothèque

We have just found out, from the family who last lived here, and whose relatives owned the Château after the Revolution in 1789 until the 1950's, that this room was once used as the library. 

When we first purchased the Château this room was a mess. The floor had fallen in, and the ceiling had partly collapsed. Mould and mushrooms were living happily, without a care in the world.

Once again, another concrete floor was poured. Now it's ready for infloor heating and the reinstallation of original flagstone flooring. 

This month, the walls of this room will be plastered. Then in early May, two teachers and six students from the University of Toulouse will be onsite for three weeks to transform the plastered room into a more traditional 18th century salon, as it once would have been. If all goes according to plan, this will be completed, and ready for infloor heating and stone floors, by late May. 

These are the designs that they have come up with for this room. 

Piece No. 6. 

This may take the award for one of the worst 'before' photos of all time! This room was converted to a  kitchen when the Château was used as a school holiday camp between the 1960's and 80's. Like the other salons, a concrete floor was poured. The timber flooring in the room pictured below, where the small window and frame are visible, had rotted, and a new floor was installed.

Piece No. 7 (The Second Part of the 1960's Kitchen)

Following all the removal of the debris, a concrete floor and oak beamed ceiling was installed. The concrete stairs (shown in the photo on the above left) installed in the 1970's by the French government leads to another level of rooms.

I will leave the tour at No 7. for now, but promise to continue, with many of the downstairs rooms to show and tell, plus another few levels upstairs.

Maybe one day soon we will be able to have something ready to be lived in and shared, rather than simply looked upon...

À bientôt,

Château de Gudanes. 

Fact and Fairytale

Most of the time, I tend to broadly sum up all the good times living in France as:  

"This is what I came to France for".

I sort of seem to blurt it out. It's hard not to when you pass by the such quintessential beauty of the countryside each day.

But recently, in our tiny rural village, things haven't been so picture perfect. I always knew life here was going to be a crazy roller coaster ride, but lately things haven't been faring so well.  I've turned the page to that part  in the fairytale, where Snow White is just about to bite into the poison apple and Dorothy's calling out "theres no place like home"! 

To keep a long story short:

1. The architect slipped the 'bill' from the Historic Monuments under the door on Christmas Eve. This was the first time we had ever even heard about a fee! By a fee, I mean, 1 years annual salary for the person working on the project. Thinking of it, I'm trying to breath normally as I type...

2. I had to complete a 3 day 'diploma' to obtain liquor/cafe license for the Château... and it was in French! I had to sit a written exam, and I passed only because I had written everything down from the powerpoint presentation and google translated it later. Plus, it was open book. 

3. I lodged my diploma with the local village Mayor and all went well, until he mentioned a future neighbour was waiting outside to talk to me. So, I introduced myself to the neighbour and we walked to his plot of land, where he is planning to build a new home. Two of the Château's stone walls border his land.

When we arrived the Monsieur said in French "I have already rebuilt one of the Château's stone walls and am now ready to start on the next wall, which I would like to reduce the height of as the wall is currently dangerous".

I knew already that he had rebuilt the first wall, and reduced its height as well. With both walls at a reduced height this would give him perfect views over the Château and its parc. 

He followed this by saying that "the Chateau trees needed to be removed, as they are too old, and if they fall onto my new home you will have an insurance problem." And that "in France, old trees are only good for firewood."

After hearing this, I immediately said "Monsieur, California Redwoods live a long time. I think they have another 1500 years left in them!"

But the story doesn't finish there... it gets even better! 

He then declared that the horses were causing the wall to lean onto his property!

Suddenly, feeling feisty, my French improved rapidly. I said "So, Monsieur, you are building a home, and you want both my walls to be reduced in height, so your views are uninterrupted over the Château and its land, and, not only that, but you also want the trees removed and the horses gone?" 

My neighbour was left quite speechless, so I marched back to the Mayors office and told him what I thought of this.

After a short time, I had a feeling that my neighbour was listening outside the door, with his ear pressed firmly. So I opened the door quickly, and, not to my surprise, he almost fell sideways into the office! Unbelievable! This isn't what I thought would happen in a small village like ours. 

4. I know it's obvious that Chateau is synomous with cher (not 'Cher', but the other one meaning  french for expensive) but somehow every time someone walks through the gates to give a quote on work, the price goes through the roof. Anyone with Artisen (aka the next Michelangelo) or Patrimonie on their business card must now be avoided at all costs. To give you an example, a quote for digging a trench on the property, ranged from 18,000 euros to 62,000 euros. So, in this is a region where unemployment is at it's highest in France, I drove down to the local hire place and found a digger for just 50 euros a day. 

5. Next, when we bought the Château, it was meant to come with some tax breaks being a Historic Monument. Nevertheless, we had to start paying 20% (rather than the usual 10%) goods and services tax on all the work, as the restoration was deemed a 'new build'. Then, this week, I have found out that the tax office has deemed that all work done on the Château is now non claimable, as they have now decided to classify it as a 'ruin'. I have decided their decision seems to depend on which way the wind blows...

6. We found out late last year that the Tour de France was coming through the region - wonderful! But, after that, the accommodation doubled for July even though we had booked six months before the dates were even released! Wonderful... 

7. Number 7 isn't a complaint, only an observation of French systems. When my family was here with me in December and January, we decided to buy a car. We have been hiring up to now, as we weren't too sure how to launch into the car market. However, my son found a second hand car at a car yard, and we ended up buying it the same day. But, when I say that we bought it the same day, in France, that doesn't mean drive away. We had to wait four weeks to pick it up! Plus, I had to scan in 5 years of insurance premiums and almost sell the kids! To be fair, the sales guy was fantastic. I can't even imagine what could have happened if we had chosen to buy a car from a private seller!

8. I'm going back to Australia this month to see my family. I didn't tell you earlier but my husband broke his leg when he was here skiing, plus tore two knee ligaments! At least he's still smiling. 

Serendipity Part Trois

Serendipity: (noun) finding something good without looking for it.

Just to recap, in part one and deux of Serendipity, I mentioned some of the hidden treasures which the Château has gently yielded, whether by chance, or whether the restoration has nurtured her from a long sleep, and a feeling of trust has been forged to once again believe in a future together.

We have discovered many treasures along the restoration journey, such as painted beams underneath plaster, quite by 'accident', or the hole in the ground leading to goodness knows where, and the wax seals on the doors, tied once with tricolour ribbons to prevent entry into the rooms after the Revolution. Or the story of the family crest, scratched out or erased with white paint, removing any traces of the original family's aristocratic past. 

And now, following on, this story is about the Salon de Rose - a beautiful soft pink wood panelled room. It is immediately to the right when you walk in the front door.

Constructed under the strict guidelines of 1700's neoclassical architecture, and aristocratic interiors, it is orchestrated around the doors and windows. Main structural lines intersect in the middle of the room which established the position of the fireplace. And to enhance these lines, tall mirrors were set above the mantle. 

I can almost see a young women sitting in front of the mirror, her hair raised, carefully curled and powdered, in a spectacular manner around a wire framework and adorned with feathers, fabric and perhaps fresh flowers. Meanwhile her face covered with white lead and her cheeks rouged pink. Afterwards, she steps into her gown, and it is stitched into place, after choosing a delicate bow or ribbon with which it is attached. 

Then one day, many years later, the ply wood crumbled and fell from the 'salon de rose' walls. It revealed blue, grey and white brushstrokes, hidden away from a by-gone century.

Excited and delighted, the gorgeous Frantz, the art restorer from Paris, and I picked away the rotten timber, tearing it down.

I could see and smell the pressed muddy brown shaped mushrooms of mould. It was musty and strong, falling from the wall as we disturbed its lurking presence behind the panelling. 

And underneath was a magnificent fresco. 

The filagree shapes, graceful and florid, rise about two metres high, I should think. Without a long ladder I can't be sure.

This type of elaborate fresco was perhaps unusual for a country Château. The 18th Century was keen on the countryside, a simple getaway from the clique of the French court. But then again, levels of pomp reflected social status!

The original owner, Louis Gaspard de Salles was a Marquis and a member of the Noblesse de Robe, and hence, a high display of luxuriousness and lavishness was required in his home. Whether it be in the display of interior decoration, porcelain, horses, etc...

Anyway, the snippet of history aside, I suppose now the question remains: do we remove the pink panelling to reveal what is underneath? And, why was it covered up in the first place? 

This week I have an appointment with the archives office in Foix, where I hope to find the answer to this last question and more. The French love paper work, and I expect renovations which have taken place over the past 300 years are probably still in the top drawer of the local village filing cabinet!

I look forward to adding this project to Tonio's wish list at the restoration workshop in July (http://www.messors.com). 

"We can dream, create, and build the most wonderful place in the world, but it takes people to make the dream a reality."

- Walt Disney.

The Château continues to lead us on its adventure...

A bientôt,

Chateau de Gudanes. 

Bonne Année!

These photos courtesy of Raquel Tullá  www.raqueltrulla.com