The Fireplace at Château Destinée

Our only source of warmth

At that time, the fireplace was our only real source of warmth. Although it had been neglected for years and was far from beautiful to look at, we loved it from the beginning. Each evening, we would sit in front of it in two large chairs - chairs we later recovered ourselves - with mats on the floor, a stool serving as a table, and our laptop balanced so we could watch television. After that, we would make a run for the bedroom, where a single electric radiator was doing its best against the cold.

Uncovering the stone

By the time we came to renovate the fireplace, it felt as though we were finally able to give something back to a part of the house that had given us so much comfort in those early days. We removed the old plaster backing and uncovered beautiful stone beneath. We brushed it clean, repointed it, changed the yellow paint surrounding it, polished the brass edges holding the tiles in place, and repainted both the base and the metal back board.

It was not the biggest project we undertook, but it brought an enormous sense of satisfaction. The fireplace had given us warmth when we needed it most, and now it had received some of that love in return.

The heart of our volunteer evenings

Over time, it became much more than just part of the renovation. During the first two winters, we welcomed more than 30 volunteers to the château, and the fireplace became the heart of those evenings together. We all sat around the table in front of it, shared dinner, and played cards night after night. It was a very special time at the château - our own little bubble, filled with interesting people, wonderful stories, and a fireplace that had quietly become part of them all.