La Furtiere is our French home located in a fairly undiscovered part of central France, about an hour’s drive from Limoges. Our property is situated on the southern edge of Le Parc naturel regional de La Brenne, an internationally important wetland site, which is teeming with birds, dragonflies, reptiles and amphibians and is a nature photographer’s paradise.

We found the house in March 2005, and a complete renovation began in 2006. The house dates back to the eighteenth century, and was originally a blacksmith’s shop. Apart from the farm nearby, our closest neighbour is nearly a kilometre away. La Furtiere is surrounded by wet meadows, woodland and numerous lakes.

We were able to move into one bedroom in the summer of 2006, and the remainder of the house, the following spring. With several rooms yet to be finished (and a barn not yet started), it is proving to be a labour of love!