How are things going with the French dream of the Jansen family? – I’m leaving

On Sunday, January 1, 2023, we follow the adventure of the Jansen family of seven. In Burgundy, in the small village of Marsigny, they bought an old mansion that needed to be converted into rooms and motives. It didn’t go without hitches, but how are Ray, Margaret, and their daughters doing now?

Jansen-Marcigny Family Update

Winter has also appeared here and it is cold now, also in the house. We heat ourselves with the pellet stove in the kitchen and use less of the rest of the house, because it is not heated yet. However, we did a lot of the work in unheated rooms. The bathroom of the second chambre d’hote is now ready for our new guests. The episode on TV made us realize how much work we’ve done over the past year and that we really should take a break now that the temperature has dropped so much.

We have been working on our project non-stop, 7 days a week since August 2021; There are a few more starting blocks. We started by demolishing the first floor in the attached room. It was in such questionable condition that we replaced it before we started building. Hopefully the gîte (holiday home) will be finished before summer, but whether that will work…

To be a guest and to feel at home

Now the first part of our project has finally started with two rentable rooms, each with their own bathroom and one of which can be expanded into a family room. We always missed it during our travels. It is not easy to accommodate seven people. Our credo is ‘to be a guest and feel at home’ and fortunately our visitors feel that way too. It makes us happy to welcome people. This of course is also what a bedroom is for, because you’re staying in someone’s house and not in a hotel.

A touch of luxury

However, we try to offer our guests a touch of this hotel luxury, the best of both worlds. In Marcigny you can live a truly Burgundian life; There are plazas, markets, nature and relaxing active options. The great thing about our location is that we live freely, but also close to the center, perfect for guests who want a drink or want to get out of the house without a car. Lots within walking distance.

camping

Our recently purchased land will be the new entrance for people who want to stay with us with their camper. Once passes are received this summer, motorhome guests will be able to access the motorhome area via a long driveway without having to make weird turns. In the future, the gîte can also be easily accessed via this entrance. As long as permits are not obtained, we will keep our job so we can continue working on plans for 2023.

The completion of the “Ik Vertrek” recordings was a closing point for all 2022 charter contractors. New electrical has been installed, stucco is ready, broken windows have been replaced, and a water pipe has been installed. Peace has now been restored.

Fevre and France

The end of the year is often a time to take stock. Looking back on this past year, we’ve invested on many fronts; The palace, each other, the rooms, the people around us, new friends and colleagues, the French regulations (sometimes a good job); given everything. But what you give you often get back and that is certainly true. We have met many lovely people and many we can call our friends, we are close to the locals and we feel accepted and at home.

The children settled down at school and made friends. Christmas reports show good results. Next year we want to make sure all the girls have their own bedroom. We hope in the coming years to have camper pitches, maisonettes, cabins and guest rooms to be fully operational and to be a household name in the area. We are grateful that we can work on this and invest in our future, the future of our children, and the world around us.

Despite the fact that life here goes at a slower pace, you live and experience it more intensely. This is the beauty of France, and now we understand “life in France”! We are living our dream.

À bientôt et avec meilleurs voeux,
Jansen family