Inspiration

The 18th-century Château and the Aussie family restoring it

Article by Homes to Love

Forgotten and crumbling, Château de Gudanes was a shadow of it’s former opulent, aristocratic-self. Until an Aussie family decided to bring it back to life

The 18th-century Château and the Aussie family restoring it

Australian couple, Karina and Craig Walters, had almost exhausted their search to find a holiday home in France when their son came across an abandoned Château on the Internet.

Château de Gudanes was a grande dame in a terrible state of disrepair. Water damage and destruction left the majority of the rooms completely inaccessible as the building literally crumbled away.

But the Walters family fell in love, and after two years of negotiations, they uprooted their life in Perth and began work in 2013 to bring her back to life.

The neoclassical Chateau was built in the 1700s for a prominent member of the Toulouse parliament, and was once a centre for artists, intellectuals and aristocrats.

Karina and Craig are determined to retain the authenticity of the mansion and region and try to be as sustainable as possible with the refurbishment. They up-cycle and recycle most of the materials and décor, and hope to preserve the history and essence of the place by keeping the furnishings to a minimum.

You can discover the restoration process on their website and Facebook page and follow their remarkable journey on Instagram.

Images via: The Château de Gudanes Facebook page

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