FRENCH CONNECTION

Samantha and Oliver Hansard have spent a decade achieving an authentically rustic look for their family farmhouse in the heart of Vendée

- MANDI MILLAR

After years of holidaying in the Vendée in France, Samantha and Oliver Hansard decided it was time to stake their claim. ‘This always felt like the “real” France and with the children still young, 2010 seemed like the right time to buy our own little hideaway,’ says Samantha. They had made many friends in the area and it was the owners of the gite where they stayed who spotted this gem for sale.

‘The children Bella, now 20, Will, 18, and Connie, 14, loved the acre-sized garden, even though it was a complete jungle – or maybe because of it!’ says Samantha. ‘Oliver and I loved the original stonework, the huge rooms and its potential. As an interior designer, I’ve always been interested in renovation and interiors, especially vintage, and have gathered up bits and pieces since my student days. This was the perfect canvas to finally bring it all together.’