Julia's Story

Four years ago my husband and I had a shared dream to restore and live in part of a Chateau on the Canal du Midi.

Two years later he decided to leave me and relinquish that dream. I was, of course, heartbroken but determined to stay in the house that had become a much loved home and pursue the dream alone.

So I now rent out the whole house for part of the year for self catering holidays, and return home for the Spring and Autumn ,when I offer B&B and some wonderful activity courses.

Of course it has been incredibly hard work both physically and emotionally but it is so rewarding and I love that this wonderful house is being enjoyed by so many people.

Julia’s website, with information and gallery, is at ChateauVentenac.com

From telegraph.co.uk, 13th November 2008:

Property in France: The queen of the castle

A determined English woman has turned a derelict French château into a stylish holiday let.

When Julia Bristow went to southern France four years ago to buy a holiday home, she had in mind a small stone cottage with shutters, somewhere that she and her husband, Geoff, would let out in summer and live in for the rest of the year.

Then they saw Château Ventenac, an imposing four-storey 19th-century castle overlooking the Canal du Midi in the Languedoc. “It was Friday afternoon, just before we were flying home, and the estate agent only had a photo of its vast padlocked iron gates, but we thought we might as well have a look. We walked around with our mouths open,” says Julia, 54.

The landmark castle, parts of which date back to the 12th century, even had a turreted winemaking “cave” that towered over everything else in the Unesco Heritage Site village of Ventenac, near Narbonne.

The house hadn’t been touched for 50 years, the gardens had gone to rack and ruin, and it blew the couple’s budget out of the water. “I suppose we’ll have to have it,” said Geoff.

So began the three-year slog to restore life to Château Ventenac for which their relationship was later to pay a heavy price…

You can read the rest of Julia’s interview with The Telegraph online here.