In 2009, a friend invited me to France to help with a remodel of their newly purchased house to use as a rental/vacation location. It was purely amazing. For six days we toiled away to remove years of recent additions to the house and return it to its original form as best as we could. I was only there for part of the process which consisted mostly of chipping away plaster added to the original rock walls. Of course, my camera was always near my side (wrapped in plastic bags since the whole house was filled with dust for days).  Here’s a selection of black and white from that event. It’s hard to tell how magical it was from the photos but I hope they convey some of the grit and history. The Beynac castle, dating from the 12th century, is literally across the road.

If you’re considering a trip to France anytime soon, I highly recommend it: La Maisonnette du Coteau.