The next instalment.  Just the front of the barn to replace now and then we're ready for tiling.......

Amy, Simon and I are getting the ferry on Monday evening - should be at the house by T time on Tuesday.  We're going to 'camp' in the snug.  Have candles, camping chairs, stove and we're going to see about taking a cheap piece of carpet, to protect the beds from any sharp bits on the floor, that may escape being swept up.  Only thing we dont have is bathroom facilities!!

If we were able to have a fire it would be the icing on the cake, but I think that temporarily, the roof has gone straight over the chimney.  James and I did discuss retro fitting the chimneys, as there will need to be one at the other end, against the barn, for the log fuelled range.  Would have been nice though to have a fire - we have a load of oak to burn!!

These pictures are the latest and work is starting to make the roof look absolutely 'magnifique'.  The weather, although it doesn't show it in this picture has been brilliant for the last 3 months, we hear.  The Fig tree in the foreground of the last blog, shows it has blossomed and has fig's on it.. Alison, next time you/ Wayne want figs for a VIP dinner, you know a very reputable supplier. 
Only snag is that you would have to travel to the supplier to check the quality and collect!!!!!  Think you could manage that on company cc?        
The picture below gives a better impression of the weather - at over 1000ft up, the air is very clear.  The nearest 'industry' that we have found so far is the Michelin factory in Clermont Ferrand.

                  

This last picture is very exciting - to us, anyhow!  The front of the house is looking almost complete structurally - Once the wood has been renewed as necessary, then the tiles will go on.

Cant Wait to see what that looks like.

A man has also now been to view the property with regard to the kind of fosse to install.  We have heard that a micro system will be best, so need to look into it.  Once the plans for the fosse have been submitted and approved, then the full plans for the rest of the renovations can be submitted.

As these will have to go before the Batiments de France, and there will be a lot for them to consider, Simon and I have set a time-scale in our own mind that after the roof is complete, it is unlikely that much work will be carried out until next March, as it can take as much as 6 months to obtain permission from the Batiments.