‘We Swapped A Small Flat For A Manor House'

Lysiane and Laurent Marcel went for a complete change of lifestyle, moving their family from the city to a rambling 18thcentury wreck deep in the countryside

Living room

‘The natural tones, soft fabrics and Berber rug make the living room feel extra cosy. We love spending family time here, all huddled up in front of the fire,’ says Lysiane.

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With two young children and a baby on the way, Lysiane and Laurent had outgrown their flat in Lyon and were keen to upsize and move somewhere more rural. ‘We visited about 30 houses before finding this one,’ says Lysiane. ‘Laurent initially went to see it on his own, as I was very pregnant. He came home, saying, “I’ve found our dream home, but it’s much too big for us!” So we carried on hunting. But we couldn’t get this place out of our minds, so returned to visit it together and that was that, we had to give in! Now that we’re living here, we’ve got used to having so much space.