LIVING THE DREAM

“That year was special for all sorts of reasons,” says Alexane, “it has had a lasting and profound effect on both of us; it helped us think differently and we had plenty of ideas about how we wanted to manage our future together.”
Back in France, their careers began to take off, Alexane heading to Paris to join a PR agency specialising in gastronomy, and Felix landing a job with a business strategy consulting firm. They were in the fast lane and their first five years were a whirlwind dominated by work. Life was speeding by at 100 mph.

Then one day everything changed. A family crisis prompted Alexane and Felix to rethink their future, asking themselves whether they really wanted to continue their crazy Parisian lifestyle in which little time was spent together. (Ed: This sounds like an all too familiar story!) As Felix put it: “Wasn’t it time to leave the greyness of concrete and tarmac and replace it with the joys of the open, verdant countryside?”

“We said to ourselves, well we don’t have children yet, so there’s no real reason why we shouldn’t make a change and make it quickly”.

This was not a rash decision, and they certainly were not unhappy in their respective jobs… it was just that they wanted something different. They had a desire to work together and run their own business. The more they talked about it, the more their ideas began to steer towards tourism and specifically visitor accommodation.

“We had lots of ideas in the melting pot “comments Alexane, “but it was over a meal in a restaurant that the course of our lives changed!”

“Yes” exclaims Felix, “We have always loved unusual accommodation! Cabins, wood, that’s our thing. Perhaps it’s a legacy of our time in North America.”

So, the couple now had a vision, but they needed a plan, and what sort of wooden style accommodation would work well?

Well, treehouses are different but then there are a lot of them about!

“Why not tiny houses made of wood? “Asks Alexane “We had come across a similar styled property type in America a few years back”. (Ed: OK, this is going to need some explaining).

The idea was a small house with all the mod-cons that you would find in a larger property but tastefully done using an imaginative layout and a different style for each one.

Vision and plan were now in place but where to set up camp was the next question the couple faced.

“That was easy’ says Alexane, ”we never really had any doubts, it had to be Burgundy. As a child, I often went on vacation there with my parents. After we met, I took Felix there, giving him a guided tour of the region, and no surprise he fell in love with the region too!”

Undulating countryside, peppered with pretty villages and medieval fortified towns, overlooking vineyards whose labels adorn some of the finest wines lists in the world is a mix that has tempted many to the region.

Adds Alexane: “The grandiose wine-growing landscapes that change like paintings with the seasons, a well-established epicurean culture both for its gastronomy and for its wines, Burgundy is a land of pleasures.” (Ed: You can tell that Alexane was in the press and public relations business!!).

Burgundy it was then, but where? How to find the place of their dreams. It is befitting that they finally came across a small village called ‘Change’ in the Hautes Côtes de Beaune. Located just a few miles to the south-west of Beaune itself, overlooking the village church and vineyards, they immediately fell under the spell of a beautifully renovated old farmhouse with a big advantage- a small private garden, perfect for them, but also adjoining land that at that time was an orchard. Et voilà (as they say in French) they had found it, the place of their dreams.

Since tiny houses are a light form of habitation, these cabins are relatively unknown in France and, of course, housing regulations are quite specific. However, secure the support of the local mayor and you stand an exceptionally good chance of approval. And that’s what Alexane and Felix did, securing unanimous support from the local council. That meant that they could go ahead and purchase the farmhouse and plan their visitor accommodation.

Mini houses are an English term, you could replace it with ‘mini' or ‘petite’ but that doesn’t do them justice. Says Felix: “We wanted to anchor the project in its Burgundian terroir, so we replaced the anglicism with a term typically from the area, so we chose cabottes, which in patois designates the small stone houses in the vineyards that serve as a shelter for the viticulteurs.”

The inhabitants of Change warmly welcomed both the couple and their project. “Without knowing it, we really found the ideal place in all respects to be happy and fulfilled both personally and also professionally” adds Alexane.
Their project was completed and opened two years ago and has been a success since it started despite the pandemic.
Alexane and Felix have turned their dream into reality. With plenty of projects in mind, they have also opened three new rooms after having renovated an old dwelling in the village which is a stone's throw away.

Life is busy for them but in a good way. They appreciate the intense rhythm of the high season, with a plethora of visitors, and kilos of well-simmered beef bourguignon served every evening to their guests. (Ed: Oh, we forgot to explain that Alexane loves to cook, using both local and seasonal products.)

But, like many, after a busy season, they also appreciate the slightly calmer rhythm of the low season, which allows them to do a little more exploring of the surrounding region.
Ask them what their favourite trip is and there is no disagreement between them: “ The one that leads to Trois-Croix, just above Santenay, because it offers an incredible panoramic view of the vineyards and even Mont Blanc in clear weather!” they add in unison.

Sounds to us that they have defined the rhythm of life, something that most of us dream about and often fall short of. Good luck Alexane and Felix.

For more information about their guest accommodation “Les Cabottes,” you can visit their website  at www.lescabottes.com