All Posts · Brocantes and reclaimation · French Life · Renovation work · The Barn

The Giant Pea Cottage

Judi Castille

Finally after wrangling lime mortar, paint pots, breeze blocks, tiles, sewing machines that broke needles, the barn apartment is ready to rent. It’s taken about a year but so happy with the results.

And why Giant Pea…Well we are artists and I am writing a story book about lost family and friendships and finding them again and the apartment showcases my illustrations and has been decorated to be jolly, sunny and welcoming, just like The Giant Pea.

The barn was built around 1900 and belonged to our neighbours grandparents. Half cottage, half cow accommodation in winter, faced with manure, cobwebs and huge spiders, we cleaned, scrubbed, knocked a door gap between the rooms, built a shower room and using many uncycled pieces from the local brocantes, finally had a renovated, finished space. We used headboards for panelling, and table clothes for curtains. I broke a few needles as my sewing skills are a tad rusty, but it looks very country and welcoming.

The apartment is available for rental nightly or upto 2 weeks via Booking.com. The Creuse countryside is a lovely area for walking and biking, exploring the Unesco tapestry museum of Aubusson, Felletin, Boussac with its pretty chateau and old town and the picturesque Plateau des Mille Vache and Auzances.

The Tour De France passes through Creuse too, often via our local town of Boussac.

My illustrations on display.

There are parks, waters ports, a labyrinth, monolithic stones at Pierre De Jumatres and many ropewalks for the more dare-devil of us.

So if you want a few days or even a couple of weeks in an authentic, restored stone barn, quintessentially French, look no further. Everyone welcome. ♡

The Giant Pea.
Table cloths for cupboards.
Cosy beds. Pretty cottons.
Kitchenette.
Everything you need.
Original features. Old doors and oak beams.
The original oak shelves.
Large shower.
Bedheads upcycled for panelling.

12 thoughts on “The Giant Pea Cottage”

      3. I love the Mountain West–I’ve spent most of my life in this valley–but I went 16 miles out of my way the other day and missed an appointment because the traffic and construction was so congested I could not read the road signs and had misremembered where I actually was–subdivision upon shopping center where there used to be open farms and cattle ranches. And as I drove along, I could actually feel my mind and heart tensing up from all of the people and ticky-tacky houses cheek by jowl. I was SO glad where I am going is not like that and hopefully, will never be.

        Bucolic is now my favorite adjective♥

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      5. I had been looking on french-property dot com for many months and finally found a stone house with a tile/stone/tomette floor and a garden for 23,000 EUR, which in USD wouldn’t even buy a junk trailer and I would still be faced with lot rent of upwards of $1,000/month. I found exactly what I was looking for in Clugnat. It has a south-facing stone wall against which to espalier fruit trees, quite a lot of garden space and even a derelict chicken coop to refurbish and restock if I can find a way to exclude the neighbor’s dog. I plan to stock the garden with as many of Charlemagne’s list of trees, berries, herbs and veggies as i can and Louis Liger’s Nouvelle Maison Rustique [1700] has recipes and apothecary formulae to make from the produce of my jardin. I shall die quite happily puttering in my garden.

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      6. Idyllic. I recently had around 50 geese, chickens and ducks…had to downsize, but loved having them. Only 15 I kept and 4 cockerels. The prices are silly, but the builds need a lot of work normally…new roof, septic tank etc.
        Well it’s always a challenge moving, so do stay in touch. Sounds lovely.

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