1 Background to the project

Background and Introduction to the Project

Le Vieux Praderet (photo taken in 1982)

Le Vieux Praderet October 2003

In October 2003 I saw and fell in love with 'Le Vieux Praderet'. A wonderful old 'Mas Provencal' (old farm complex) - in a sad state of neglect, sitting in a valley just outside the beautiful village of Ansouis and just begging to be renovated! (In particularly urgent need of windows!)

Le Vieux Praderet 2012

So started a wonderful period of my life - renovating Le Vieux Praderet with Bernhard....... But that will have to be a separate story/blog.  Ten years later we sadly had to sell my beautiful old Mas, along with the gite and the out-buildings and the beloved chickens.






This blog is about the realisation of a my new house. Blogs seem to be the method today by which we share a story with those who may be interested - in my case friends and family who are too far away to follow, week by week, in the progress of this project.  I'll be putting down all the info I can about choices, problems, costs (expected and unexpected), nice surprises and shocks (hopefully not too many). I'll categorise things so those uninterested don't need to read or go through aspects that don't interest them. 

When I first realised I would have to sell my beautiful old farm house Le Vieux Praderet - I was devastated. But what was equally hard as losing the house was the scary thought that in a few months I would be without a home, or an address  and for heaven knows how long. I felt too old to up-roots again, have all my things in boxes,  to have to look for a new place with new neighbours and to make new friends.  So when a dear friend Nicco who was really sad I would lose the place, Suggested that I divide the land and keep half to build a new house - I gave what seemed a crazy idea a second thought. With a complex arrangement of land and topography - it wasn't that easy - but-  with a lot of thought and some sleepless nights it started to take shape and become a real possibility! Normally to stay in this area, as so I wanted, would have been impossible, building plots - even ones in allotments, are prohibitively expensive - and anything attractive is snapped up before the ever get onto the market.  Even selling Le Vieux Praderet for a lower price to compensate for reduced grounds and the proximity of a new house, it would mean I would  still have a uniquely beautiful  plot of land, in a much sought after area, for less than half the price I would otherwise have had to pay!  (And could never have afforded). I am so indebted to Nicco (now living in Australia!).

The first step of course was to apply for division of the plot of land for the construction of a new dwelling. Not easy in this bureaucratic country. This required the local 'geometres' coming and establishing the boundaries and formally setting the new division lines. The building regulations for rural areas of the Luberon require that you have to have at least 2000m2 to build a house. The total surface area of the land with the old house (including a second attached plot I had bought in 2005) was 5047m2, made up of 3 flat  levels of similar size each about 3 m lower then the next from the road down to a river. On the top level was located the old house, garage, piggery and access up to the road, the middle level had the old 'bassin' (spring, wash trough and pond) and a  field with some fruit trees, chicken house etc and the lower level was a bit of a damp field flanking the little river.

Although a bit complex (see plan of land) - the only way to ensure the old house complex maintained its views and 'space' and have equally attractive privacy for the new house was to divide the property across the 3 levels.  With a shared entrance (on what would be my land) and creating a new drive way down to the building site on the middle level, building the new house on my half of  the middle level - tucked in below the bamboo wall (a natural separation of the properties) and keeping half of the lower field to make up the necessary 2000m2.

Furthermore - I asked to buy another plot continuing up the valley from the lower field and directly below the future house location (again see land plan). Although a floodable zone and very much left to nature for many years - I would later be looking over this area directly from the house and would therefore want to be able to maintain it - or protect it and my view.  Of the 11 owners of the land (big family) 8 have agreed to sell. With majority ownership - I will have rights to basically maintain the plot and the remaining 3 owners will not legally be able to sell to another party without offering me first refusal. I'd prefer to own it out-right - but this situation is still perfectly acceptable!