In 2023, my husband Sean and I left Southern California with our two young children and moved to the French countryside in search of a different kind of life.
A slower one, one with more history, more music around the table, more homemade meals, more time outside, and a little more room to breathe.
Along the way, we did something that still feels slightly unbelievable:
We bought a centuries-old château, and now we’re restoring it one room (and one story) at a time.
This publication is where I write the chapters that don’t always fit anywhere else.
The YouTube videos capture the biggest moments, and these letters tell the rest of the story, such as:
The history behind what you’re seeing.
The conversations that happened after the cameras stopped rolling.
The unexpected lessons of learning to live in another country.
The funny disasters.
The small but mighty victories.
The moments that remind us why we came here in the first place.
If you’ve ever dreamed about old houses, France, slow living, creating a meaningful family life, or taking an unreasonable dream seriously, I think you’ll feel at home here.
So if this sounds like your kind of story, I’d love to have you along.
Subscribe free to receive new letters from France, or become a Supporting Member to go deeper into life at the château.
START HERE:
WHAT YOU’LL FIND HERE
Most of what I write falls into two ongoing series, each telling a different part of the story.
Life in France, Unfiltered
The joys, surprises, and occasional bewilderment of building a new life in rural France, from culture shocks and parenting to everyday moments that rarely make it onto social media.
Some essays are free. Others are reserved for paid Supporting Members.
Castle Diaries
This is where I document the ongoing story of restoring a 17th-century château. Not every nail and invoice, but the decisions, discoveries, triumphs, mistakes, and beautiful moments worth remembering.
Paid Supporting Members receive every chapter, along with additional photography, behind-the-scenes stories, helpful resources, recipes from our kitchen, and occasional extras that don’t appear anywhere else.
MEMBERSHIP
Free
Beautiful essays, occasional public Castle updates, Notes, and a front-row seat as the story unfolds.
Supporting Member
Go deeper into life at the château with every Castle Diaries chapter, members-only essays, additional photography, behind-the-scenes stories, recipes, seasonal playlists, monthly live gatherings, and more.
Founding Patron
For readers who want to help preserve this remarkable place for generations to come.
Founding Patrons receive every Supporting Member benefit, plus our deepest gratitude, special recognition (if desired), invitations to Founding Patron gatherings, and future opportunities we’ll reserve especially for those who believed in this dream from the beginning.
If you’d like to help preserve this remarkable place, and receive every Castle Diaries chapter, members-only essays, recipes, live gatherings, and behind-the-scenes stories, you can become a Supporting Member at any time.
WHY I WRITE
Instagram captures moments, YouTube lets you walk beside us.
These letters are where we can slow down long enough to understand what any of it meant. Because restoring a château isn’t really the story. Building a life inside it is.
I’m so glad you’re here.
Warmly,
Kamille
