🕯️The First Candle Lit
Dear friend,
If you’re here, you’re probably the kind of person who gets a little thrill at the words “stone turret,” “linen cupboard,” or “exposed beams.” You might also be wildly curious (as we were) about what happens when two Americans with kids, ambition, and limited French try to renovate a centuries-old château in the French countryside… while also attempting to keep their sanity, their sourdough starter alive, and their garden from becoming a jungle.
We moved to France two years ago with big dreams and zero illusions. First came the renting, the figuring-it-out, the discovering-just-how-much-papier-you-need-for-French-admin. And then came the moment: the keys in hand, the slightly crumbling, deeply charming château that will now be our home, and our very large creative project.
This is Castle Diaries. A behind-the-scenes record of what it actually takes to restore a historic home, raise a family in a foreign country, and build a life full of magic, beauty, and meaning, without a massive renovation budget, and without speaking fluent French (yet).
In these posts, I’ll be sharing:
Real renovation updates: the wins, the chaos, the miscommunications with contractors who don’t speak English (and my French is…coming along)
Design plans and how we’re tackling each room on a budget (and with plenty of thrifted finds, salvaged stone, and trial-and-error)
Thoughts on what it really means to “build a beautiful life”
Reflections on culture, motherhood, creativity, and what we’re learning from this whole wild adventure
And I promise, it won’t be all marble moodboards and swoony metaphors. It’ll be real. With a little magic.
I’m so glad you’re here.
Kamille