I LEFT MY HIGH-FLYING FASHION CAREER TO BUY A RUN-DOWN B&B IN FRANCE

Just as so many dream to do, but few dare, Esther Fresco and her husband Marcel dropped out of the rat race and bought a doer-upper in the South of France to renovate and turn into a B&B. So, how did it go?

Esther Fresco doesn’t believe there’s only one career for everyone, so after years of being a high-flier in the fashion industry, she decided to turn her life upside down and start again.

‘I started to feel that the fashion and textile industry was polluting the world, and people were wanting cheaper and cheaper, clothes,’ she says. ‘There’s a challenge for the fashion world to make clothes more green, and get away from fast fashion, but I decided I wanted to channel my creativity elsewhere.’

So two years ago, Fresco one morning turned to her husband Marcel Trijselaar, who worked in IT, and said: ‘We’ve had one career, why don’t we have another one? Why don’t we leave our home in Holland and go somewhere warm, and renovate a property, and become B&B owners? A slower life, a nicer climate…what do you think?’.

Trijselaar thought it sounded idyllic, so the couple began looking all over the South of France for a house they could buy, and turn into a project. Fresco wanted to use her extensive knowledge of fabrics, colours, and shapes, and bring all of that to the renovation. This wouldn’t be simply a place for guests to lay their head, it would be stylish, modern yet cosy, too. ‘We wanted to buy a big home with land,’ says Fresco, ‘and after looking for a long time, we pulled up to a house which was up on a hill of lavender fields, 20 minutes walk from the village of Montcuq, and we thought…”this could be the one”.’

What made this the property, which dates from 1803, the one for which the Dutch couple were willing to uproot their life, and invest their savings? ‘We thought it was beautiful from the outside,’ says Fresco. ‘The style in this area is simple, big, square, white Quercy-stoned houses just like kids sketch when they’re young. I like light, simple, fabrics and natural colours so I felt my aesthetic could work well with the architectural style. If I can be creative with clothes, I can be creative with a renovation, too. Also, the landscape is gorgeous.’

The house – named Domaine Lapèze – needed a huge amount of work to turn it into a guest house that people would want to stay in on holiday. ‘Since we bought the house two years ago, there hasn’t been a day that we haven’t worked on it,’ says Fresco. ‘We did everything ourselves except for the extremely specialist jobs.’ There are now three chic B&B rooms, with wine-inspired names: Malbec, the type of wine for which the area is famous, has views over the valley, while Merlot and Muscat look over the gardens.

A gite, named Le Cabernet, lies within the grounds with its own private terrace and has benefited from Esther’s keen eye, with muted, earthy colours and simple, elegant design flourishes. French doors with delicate white curtains open over views of the countryside. A wood stove makes it cosy even in cooler weather.

A new studio apartment is also being built, which should be available to stay in in 2025. As well as building a new outdoor swimming pool, one of the aspects of the house the couple is proudest of is their work on the five hectares of land. ‘We had a vegetable garden in the Netherlands, so I wanted one here too,’ says Fresco. ‘We grow pumpkins, cucumbers and tomatoes, which I give to our guests to cook with. We have flowers blossoming from early spring to winter, and we have lavender, oleander, rosemary, basil, coriander, and then a whole orchard of figs, walnuts, apples, pears and plums.’

Adjusting to their new existence in the Lot region in the South of France, away from their native Holland, has been made easier by the couple’s kind and helpful neighbours, and Fresco’s mother enjoying travelling over to help work in the garden. ‘I am also now able to speak conversational French, I am learning every day,’ says Fresco.

Enjoying the house is for the couple, and their guests, all about balancing peace and quiet, with the liveliness of the nearby village. ‘We feel we’re not somewhere out in the countryside half an hour drive from the nearest bakery,’ says Fresco. ‘No, we’re on a beautiful, quiet hill but we can walk to the lively village of Montcuq in 20 minutes, or drive there in three. It’s known in the region as a good place for some nice restaurants, a small pub, a pizzeria, and a really great market. I remember the first time I visited the market and I felt like I was in a French movie. You sit and drink your coffee and watch people selling straw hats next to the lovely veggies and high-quality sausages. The food is really great around here, which is partly why Marcel and I like it so much.’

The majority of guests Fresco receives at the house are couples, or groups of friends. There aren’t any small children, as guests must be over 16. ‘Yesterday we had a group of female friends on a trip from Spain,’ says Fresco, ‘and often we get people from Paris, Toulouse or Bordeaux for a few days, as well as people from Belgium, Holland, and lots from the UK.’

Fresco recently received the highest possible praise from the Mayor, too. ‘He said we have the nicest house and best view in the area,’ she says. They say they feel at home in this slow but vibrant part of Southern France, and have no regrets about the move.

So what does the future hold for the couple and their French dream? ‘We have a small vineyard near the house, which is a real jungle,’ says Fresco. ‘But we are transforming it into a proper space where we can grow lots of grapes. So hopefully soon there will be something extra nice to drink here with the local cheese and fresh baguette…’.

Where is Montcuq? Directions, what’s nearby and best way to travel

If Esther and Marcel’s blissful adventure has convinced you to check out the relatively undiscovered jewel in the South of France, here’s all you need to know about getting there.

It’s easiest to fly into either the Toulouse, Bergerac or Bordeaux airports, with Toulouse closest at around 1hr 20m drive from Montcuq, Bergerac around 1hr 30m and Bordeaux a two-hour drive away.

As public transport is limited around the Montcuq region, it’s advisable to hire a car to explore the local area.

Another good option is to hire (or take) your own e-bikes, or use old fashioned pedal power. Roads are quiet and countryside beautiful to explore, with plenty of villages to stop off at to refresh and refuel.

Nearby (30m by car) is the impressive town of Cahors, with a spectacular cathedral and Gothic and Romanesque architecture.

Visit domaine-lapeze.com to see more or to book a stay.

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