The first stroke of luck was that the barn had been left with many of its original light fittings still in place, including chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. They had been part of the previous owners’ decoration and tucked away in the cave were boxes of spare crystals. Even then, it was clear that there was potential there, although at the time many of the fittings were broken, incomplete, dusty, and in need of a great deal of care.

Our second stroke of luck came in the form of a lady named Marilyn.

Marilyn was the wife of our electrician. During COVID, his flight back to Nice was cancelled, and because he needed to return for another job, Marilyn drove up to collect him. She had been working in a five-star hotel in Nice, but like so many people at that time, she was not working because of the pandemic.

When she saw what we were trying to do here, she asked if she could stay and help. We had a few angels from heaven come to us during those early days, and Marilyn was most certainly one of them. Her skills as a seamstress, combined with her five-star housekeeping background and experience with soft furnishings, meant that I learnt so much from her. Despite the language barrier, we connected immediately and found great joy in sharing so many tasks together.

She first reupholstered the purple chairs in the reception room, and then she turned her attention to the chandeliers. One by one, she removed the crystals, cleaned them, polished them, painted the frames, and restrung them. In total, she restored more than 20 chandeliers. Having her husband on hand to rewire them was an added blessing, and whenever she called for him, he came. It became a running joke among all of us, as we tried to imitate her whenever we wanted to get his attention.

What she achieved was extraordinary. The chandeliers went from broken, incomplete, and dirty fittings — the kind many people might simply have thrown away — to becoming some of the most striking features in the château, lighting up floor after floor with character and elegance. They became far more than practical light fittings; they became part of the soul of the house.

Marilyn’s contribution did not stop there. She also polished brass, taught us how to use a floor scrubber, and played a huge part in painting the staircase. She left her mark on us and on the château forever.