Love at first sight in Purnon
Ideas for stays, Living History
©chateaupurnon.com The municipality of Wart au north of the Vienne houses one of the most beautiful castles of the end of the XVIIIth century, Purnon Castle. For more than two years, Felicity Selkrik and Tim Holding, originating from Melbourne in Australia, are the happy owners. To understand what led them to the Poitevine countryside, thousands of kilometers from their native land, we went to meet them.
" And why not ? »
The first question that comes to mind when we meet them is “ why did you buy a castle? ". Tim's response, his eyes fixed on the immense park which surrounds the castle, is not long in coming:
« And why not ? We are passionate about XNUMXth century architectureth century. We wanted to restore a castle from that period, settle in a setting where we could be happy and live “French style”. Here we found all that and even more! Happiness is a stress-free life where we cultivate our vegetable garden and do simple things ».
Le couple installed in France since 2014 literally fell in love with the old continent. Retired from Australian politics, Tim brought Felicity, director of a web agency, into his quest for a castle to restore. After several unsuccessful visits, the couple went to Verrue.
“As soon as we arrived here, I immediately knew it was the right one, it was love at first sight for everything: the building, its history, but also the annexes such as the stables, the orangery, the park… everything had a soul », confides Felicity, smiling, looking towards Tim.
The project of a lifetime
The castle and its outbuildings need major work, the roof is being repaired and the facades will be the next project. This restoration was entrusted to Frédéric Didier, chief architect of the Palace of Versailles, no less! “Being accompanied by an expert like him is an opportunity for us. Having a specialist in this period at our side is essential. »
The interior is a succession of rooms covering 700 m², a surface area very different from their Parisian apartment of 70 m² which they gave up to afford a castle life. It is on the first floor that Tim and Felicity, in DIY outfits, are particularly active at the end of winter. “We are going to welcome our family in the spring, so we are in the middle of painting, wallpapering and fitting out bedrooms and bathrooms. It will be their first visit to Purnon, we want them to have a memorable memory! »
©Château de PurnonObjective: sharing
If you think they are discouraged by the magnitude of the task ahead of them, think again!
“It’s true that nothing predestined us for this and if someone had told us one day that we would become lords, we would surely have laughed. But since we met Purnon, everything is different. We want to restore its splendor, respect it and revive it. For us it is very important to share it with others. Last year for Heritage Days, a baker came to do an event around the bread oven, it was magical, 1000 people came during the weekend. The welcome we received from the residents, the connections we have made encourage us when we have a slight drop in morale! »Felicity Selkrik and Tim Holding
During the visit, Felicity invites us to discover one of her favorite parts of the building. We leave the main building, heading towards an annex. Behind a heavy wooden door hides his treasure: a XNUMXth century chapelth century. Their “ultimate” dream: to get married in Purnon in this completely restored chapel. We wish them all the happiness!
You will also like...
©Château des Ormes
©Thomas JELINEK – Agence Zebrelle