Are there benefits to living in a 17th-century building in France? Of course, there are, even though I tend to ignore them occasionally. Let’s begin with what I call our 17th-century thigh master—the stairs.
17th-century thigh master
17th Century Thigh Master: The Stairs
Our home in Arizona was one level, and I got my exercise by walking around the house (not that it was large; three-bedroom, two-bath, three-car garage, you get the idea), BUT it was enormous compared to our abode here). We live on the second floor, which is the third floor in the US. Confusing, non? The stairs are stone, and at times they test my stamina. Carrying suitcases, market bags, and pretty much anything up the stairs is a workout.
Several times I made the mistake of leaving something upstairs that I needed, and of course, I went back up to fetch it (or sent Ray- hehe). By the time I was back inside, I had talked myself out of venturing back down the stairs. If Ray went back up and didn’t return in ten minutes, I knew I probably needed to retrieve Ray and the left item.
Now, I have a mental checklist that I tick off. On the rare occasion that I DO leave something behind, it stays behind.
I can tell you that going up and down the stairs is excellent exercise. Who needs a gym when you have a 17th-century thigh master?
Nothing is Square—Rooms Run At an Angle
Our flat is quirky. I’m not sure if all the other flats in the building share the quirkiness, but they may. It took a bit of getting used to (initially, I was horrified), but now I see it as cool and very different. The rooms aren’t square but run at an angle. The lines are straight but don’t make a perfect square or rectangle. They’re something in-between, which makes furniture placement challenging (the flat is furnished, BUT we shipped a lot of our belongings in preparation for our future life.)
Main bedroom. I walked straight into the room to take the pic.
The hallway
Kitchen floor
It’s Not As Bad As a Funhouse: Sloping Floors
The floors slope. Now, in some areas, you can barely tell, but in other areas, it is noticeable…and ‘feelable.’ The slope of the kitchen floor is unnerving; You know it slopes when a ball rolls downhill quickly. Whenever I open the fridge, I brace myself from stumbling headfirst into it. We’ve been here seven months, and it still trips me up.
Cold Stone: A Way of Life
Our flat is COLD. Now, remember we moved from the Phoenix area, and 31 years in Arizona and a decade-plus in Los Angeles thinned my blood. I don’t have a thyroid, which also makes me chilly often. Folks have pointed out that I grew up in Michigan. I haven’t lived there since I was a kid, so it doesn’t count.
The courtyard
One enters our building via a large stone courtyard with a cobbled floor. When you step inside from the street, there is a remarkable change in temperature — Fab for summer, not so fab for winter.
The stone walls in our flat are thick and hold the weather. Occasionally, Ray gets chilly, but he has more insulation than I do. Come summer, he is dying, and I can often find him standing in front of our fan. The summer weather is like a humid midwest summer without A.C. Moi? I’m okay due to my body size and lack of insulation.
Thick stone walls
If these walls could talk
Our bikes miss the garage.
Bijou Kitchen: Less to Clean
Our kitchen is considered ‘bijou,’ which sounds much better than small. Less for Ray to keep clean- hehe. I’ve gotten used to the size and learned that size doesn’t determine whether or not a meal will be delicious.
Our Forever Home: What and Where will it be?
Our flat is a one-year rental, and the lease is up in June. We decided to stay for another year, which would give us time to renew our visas without added stress and allows us to look for a larger place (we have two bedrooms, but the spare room is being used as a closet.) We will probably stay in Pezenas but are open to other areas.
Will it be in an older building…16th or 15th century? Although Ray occasionally cringes at the thought (he’d like an elevator), I love the quirkiness of an older property. I know the right place is out there waiting for us. Fingers crossed.
The Benefits of Living in a 17th-Century Building first appeared in Chasing The Next Chapter.
Thank you for the tour! I enjoyed it so.
Hi Terry,
Thank you for visiting and commenting. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be living in a 17th-century building. To think that people were living here before our country was founded truly boggles my brain! It’s kind of cool.
XXX
Here is your “over the moon “ comment. The flat sounds challenging, but who doesn’t love a good French challenge?
Hi Janet,
I am over the moon, thank you! There’s nothing better than a good French challenge (well, some French challenges will drive one crazy…).
Thank you for reading and commenting!
XXX to you and hubby
How wonderful! I had the opportunity to visit my husband’s 300 year old (now deserted!) family home in Chailles outside Blois and I immediately saw a romantic future living there.Unfortunately, the family sold it a couple years later for only $125,000!! C’est horrible! Taxes, upkeep, family squabbles, etc. You are blessed to be living your dreams. Please listen to those walls…I would love to have you share what they say!! 🙂
Hi Lori,
Thank you for stopping by and commenting. I appreciate it! I’m so glad you had the opportunity to visit your husband’s family home, BUT to have it sold. Ouch!! There are so many homes here for sale due to inheritance tax, feuding family members, the list goes on.
I know we are blessed (big time) to be living our dream. It took a very long time but I’m so glad we made it.
XXX
Insulation? Really Barb, insulation? Why don’t you just say I’m fat? Love you.
RAY, HI!
Why would I say you’re fat? You are just fluffy!
Love you more better…
Beautiful opportunity! Keep living the dream!
Hi Becky,
So grateful for this opportunity, all the stress was worth it!
We plan to keep living our dream…God willing.
Dearest Barb,
Oh my! Yes, those thick walls are BUFFERS and they don’t regulate the outside temperature very well. I’m just over a severe midback artritis pain, from cold and moist weather. Guess living in such a cold environment would be tough on me! Suffered a lot from sciatica in cold areas… and bronchitis.
Stairs would be a no-no for my Pieter, his weak heart would not manage… We do have stairs but only one level up and American stairs are lazy, European ones are mean and steep.
For having to haul everything up or down, is not the best outlook for old(er) age…
What a lot of people don’t realize either is that an airconditioning does just that; condition the air and above all, removes the moisture from the air. That creates a lot healthier environment for our lungs and for our bones…
For hygiene I like the tile floors, easy to clean and thoroughly clean but I’d love to have some less cold, wooden ones in the home as well. Like we have now. Nowhere carpet, all tiles and wood but the underfloor is all wood, that makes stepping on tiles less cold.
Yesterday I told my husband Pieter that I’d never could live again without our heating lamps in the bathrooms. Exhaust and heating combined that is. It is pure luxury!
Learned that while working in Australia and had it build into our home right away. Our German ‘son’ even adapted it for his German home, a renovated 17th century place!
A lot can be done to create more comfort but you certainly need to be searching for some more comfort for the next move…
Love the word Bijou and even our kitchen here is more like that; with our European mind it was roomy to us! You understand what I mean.
Sending you hugs,
Mariette
Hi Mariette,
Thanks for visiting and commenting, my friend. First of all, I hope your back stays okay. Back pain is not fun! Pieter would not enjoy these stairs; they are challenging. It’s great exercise but… I love the tile floor; it is easy to keep clean. We had tile and carpet in Az, so this is a nice change. I love a wood floor also. If I could choose, it would be wood and tile throughout. Maybe the next place will have wood. We have a little heater in the shower/bathroom, which helps tremendously. There’s no exhaust, but the heat is divine when in the shower or tub. The WC is just that, a toilet, and a sink, so no heater.
Comfort is vital for the next place. Fewer stairs would be great. I’ve seen a few newer buildings with elevators, but the buildings have no soul or personality. We’ll see, at least we have some time to look and decide what a good fit is. We leased this, sight unseen (just a quick video and photos), so a lease could be provided to the French consulate. This go-round, we’ll be able to visit places. Thank God!
I’m like you, a European kitchen suits me just fine.
Love and hugs to you and Pieter.
XXX
Railing on the stairs would be great too! xoxo
Hi Mariette,
There is some railing on the stairs; however, the steepest areas are without rails. I think they pooped out before they finished.
XXX
Must be…!
XXX Mariette!
Thanks for the tour. I lived in France in the early 60’s and a glass of water would freeze overnight on the nightstand and it was in a newer house. We lived there 3 yrs. Somehow I got used to being cold. It made Spring even sweeter. Remember the mantra.
Hi Laurie,
Thanks for visiting and commenting. You know it’s appreciated. Yesterday was COLD and windy; even the hardcore locals were bundled up…it made me feel better. No frozen water yet, thank God. I am patiently waiting for spring. Let me tell you, the mantra is used regularly! XXX
Barb,
I love reading your posts! Being the history, travel, antiques & book addict that I am…I love living vicariously through your adventures. Climbing those stairs sounds SO much more romantic than going to the dreadful gym. Think of the footsteps that have come before you! That stone is divine. Stay warm wee friend. I would have gained 20 lbs by now eating all the wonderful breads & pastries. Such willpower you have (or maybe it’s the stairs?).
Stay well,
Scarlett
Hi Scarlett,
Thank you for coming on over, I appreciate it! The stairs do sound much more romantic than the gym; the keyword is sound! Not so bad in the winter, but come summer… ugh! I do wonder if Moliere ever walked our stairs. I believe he has. It’s funny you should mention willpower. I eat at least one baguette daily, and usually, some marvelous treat is consumed at least once a day. The ‘thyroid thing’ keeps the weight in check… a blessing and a curse.
XXX
Oh, good for you for indulging in those wonderful French treats. I can’t imagine living in France and not being able to enjoy the baked goods & wine.
I have what they say is a borderline thyroid condition (whatever that is supposed to be, still don’t truly understand). I understand that to mean it’s a bit sluggish so they have me on meds. As long as I’m moving I’m good. But as you know, one tends to be tired with thyroid issues so it’s a constant struggle to stay active for me. So…I basically eat like a rabbit to keep my weight in check. Then of course with the thyroid meds there’s the whole bone loss thing.
Funny enough, I always have an abundance of energy when traveling or exploring new areas-just dread, dread, dread the mundane gym/workout situations.
We will be in Ireland then on to Scotland this spring/early summer. I’m sure I’ll get my steps in there & enjoy every second. Rain or no.
BTW, I had no idea France got so hot & humid. Sounds like Florida so I totally understand that struggle.
Stay well and feel free to pass along any thyroid info you have AND have a sweet French treat for me!
Hugs,
Scarlett
Hi Scarlett,
I just ate a Paris Brest for you; decadence in every bite!
In 2004, I had a partial thyroidectomy due to cold nodules. We decided on a partial, hoping the remainder of my thyroid would carry the body. It worked great for a couple of years, and then it too developed many nodules. So to make a long story short, the rest of my thyroid was removed in 2006. These nodules were an issue so, I’m grateful to have that behind me and to be healthy now. The Surgeon did a fantastic job (went back through the first scar), and my scar is barely visible.
I’ve always been thin, so there was no weight change without a thyroid. I’m temperature sensitive now. Before my diagnosis, I had no idea that the thyroid performed such an important job. Love your thyroids people!
The thyroid medication led to bone loss, which is now full-blown Osteoporosis, but without the thyroid medication, I’d be with JW. The osteoporosis med is not an option. It will all be okay in the end, so I keep on doing.
Ireland and Scotland will be a wonderful break for you; that time of year, especially.
The south of France gets very hot and humid in the summer. Right now, it’s 50 degrees with 87% humidity (its been a rainy day). I’m patiently waiting for the sun to make an appearance. Maybe tomorrow.
I’m off and running. Stay well.
XXX
Dear Barb,
Thank you so much for sharing your adventures ! Reading them really makes my day !!
Its Chines New Year here in Singapore with temp 32C; and the usual visiting to friends and relatives are now
not encouraged due to C virus . Reading yr sharing relieved my mind to yr 17th century old stone Home so much more cheerful as we are kind of house bound here . Sg is very highly density city state, just to be very careful.
Much appreciations
Felice
Hi Felice,
Welcome; I’m so glad you found my blog! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. I have to say; your comment has made my day.
Happy Chinese New Year! I hope you have a wonderful holiday with your friends and family. I’ve never been to Singapore, but it is on my list. It looks like a beautiful country.
I cannot imagine what it must be like with worries of the C virus. We see coverage on TV that is heartbreaking. Please take good care. I know it is almost impossible to avoid crowds unless you are housebound. I am sending prayers that all of you stay well.
I hope you visit on a regular basis.
XXX,
Barb
Thank you for yr prayers & best wishes for Chinese New Year !
Ples do come visit Spore one day. Ples let me know.
You are most welcome Felice.
Prayers will continue for you, your friends, and your family. What a nightmare! I can’t imagine.
I’ll definitely let you know if we should be lucky enough to visit Singapore.
Take good care.
XXX