I moved to France 7 years ago buying a modern architectural house in a small village. My wife is French so not exactly foreigners or my wife isn't. We live around 15 mins drive from the very large city of Niort. I think integration depends on your personality. I am the only English person ever to live in my village so I was told by the Marie. But my life has become very rich and I have many friends here. In fact I have played boule for my village team since I arrived. I see a France that many English people will never see, a very traditionally family based life with unwritten protocols in plenty. My advise to anyone who wants to live in France is simple embrace France and France will embrace you. Great Video Roger thanks for sharing your home and it's restoration ,very interesting.

How could this amazing channel get any better? Renovation and building science! Looking forward to this series, thanks so much Roger.

We get to see this architecture through the eyes of an architect. This series is a wonderful idea. Thanks so much.

I moved to a tiny village in Old France 17 yrs ago. I am finding your video really interesting to watch. I had done various houses up in the UK and found an old granite house which had happily been future proofed by an architect. I look forward to seeing what you do, thank you for sharing.

As an old still active farmer from western Canada who built his own house himself, I found your vlog extremely interesting, and learned a great deal. (Was really shocked, though, when you chose oriented strand board: it may be strong, but it will be a heavy weight on your roof, and full of one to three types of glue. Some of that glue will slowly gas off over the years and perhaps not too good for one's lungs. Also, of the four types of OSB, google says one type is not great with moisture.) Your detailed explanations are perfect for an interesting video. Keep up the good work, and cheers to your carpenter as well.

So well presented. Timely for my wife and me as we just purchased an early 20th century stone cottage in Manche and are retiring there. Thank you.

I believe allowing the walls to 'breath' comes at a cost of staining. I have a stone house with stone walls as you describe. The outside has a lime render , all in good condition. The interior stone hasn't been covered and you can see the discolouration up to a metre from the stone flags. I think today we are less tolerant of damp and minor visible traces it leaves. As the French have never used DPC's then other ways have been found to keep the damp out, dry lining being the favourite. I fully endorse living in a small town or village, use the bar and local businesses and be prepared to wait a while before you get accepted. It's worked for us.

I found this episode a wonderful deviation from the water world. I live in a colonial New England town in the USA and have been in building renovations and inspections for 50 years. Often when I start explaining ventilation, condensation, air and moisture movement, my clients look at me like I'm a witch doctor...which I am not! Very well explained. Thank you.

Thanks Roger. Now I understand my home a lot better. Built in the early 60's in a similar fashion to yours and only 23k away. We are very happy to have anchored here for the last 12 years.

This is like a phd in restoring old houses. Thank you master. Watching, learning, and storing the info for a future time :)

As a fellow architect (and sailor), I applaud your efforts to restore this lovely building. And I completely agree with your strategy to address the building science of the exterior walls and roof. These wonderful old stone buildings want to breath. Sail-on!

I bought a stone house, up a mountain in the middle of nowhere, in Portugal. 5 years later I realise that life would have been a trifle (extra large size) easier, if I had bought a house in a large village or town. I'm battling with the cement as well (why do they do it)? Funnily enough my son has built his own eco-house in the UK. Re-cycled foamed glass under the floor, wood fibre board, sprayed hemp-crete and hemp-crete block insulation form the walls, re-cycled pulped paper insulate the roof space. Lime plaster and mortar everywhere. He only uses the central heating once a year to test that it's still working! I'm looking forward to watching how you progress and also seeing if I can incorporate some of your ideas, in my house. Your films are tranquilly marvellous!

Looking forward to the next installment of the house renovation project....from another Englishman in an old stone house at the other end of Brittany!

Just the other day I was thinking it was time for a new Roger Barnes video. I expected sailing, but I am very satisfied with this one. In fact, I have enjoyed building a boat more than I have enjoyed sailing it. I once wanted to be an architect, I briefly studied naval architecture by correspondence with McNaughton, I have done a lot of comparatively minor home renovation, and I am quite the environmentalist passionate about making houses more environmentally benign. I also love old stuff, especially things like stone houses, the like of which we have almost none here in the western United States. And then you get into the technical details, which speaks to the part of me that was a professional physical scientist for decades. So this video is an unexpected thrill!

No sailing in this vid, this was fun to watch. Thanx.

What a good idea to do these videos, sympathetically restoring these traditionally constructed buildings, pre 1919 buildings were constructed using lime based products, building such as these need to breath

As a building scientist and sailor in Canada, I am really looking forward to watching this project progress. Your plan seems quite sound to me.

We decided to live in rural brittany, and restored our old stone farmhouse which took five years. Limestone render and pointing inside on the meter thick walls. The outside pointing is the dreaded cement, but this will eventually be sorted. Now I have time on my hands I am building a 24ft sailing boat from plans by New Zealander John Welsford. See you on the water in about three years. Looking forward to the next episode.

Congratulations to Your new old House! Douarnenez is one of the most beautiful places for sailing in Brittany I know. With Chasse- Marée and Port Rhu just round the corner! Lucky man!

Man I’ve been waiting forever for a tour of your house. She’s just lovely. 🎉

I moved to France 44years ago, the first five years, I spent in the country in the south west of France! After the collapse of my marriage, my new partner wanted to live in Paris, so we moved, well, I've lived in and around Paris for nearly 40 years, I don't speak English often, as I've really adapted to the French culture! All the best, Matthew

As the son of an architect and a strong out-of-the-current-box thinker, I applaud your ideas. I used to live in Finland, where much modern housing incorporated this controlled living inside of a plastic bag logic. My former boss had such an apartment and her kids had lots of allergy problems, so they moved into a modern log-built house and the problems basically vanished. Log houses breath, and so do stone houses built in the old way. I'm looking forward to the next episode 🙂.

As a french used to our "traditional" techniques, I'm glad to see a new way of restauration for our old beautiful houses.

Really interesting video Roger. Fascinating, an ambitious project but with such a clear rationale and explanation. Greatly enjoyed as always. Thank you 👍

Great video, a realistic view of moving to France and the work that can come with it. Lovely house. You will restore it to a beautiful home.

While my mother grew up in a stone house (2ft thick blocks) in Dunedin NZ, most homes here are built with timber throughout; so this video with its insight into yet another building technique made an interesting change from your usual sailing videos .

Firstly, congratulations Roger on escaping Brexit. All the advice I had about moving and buying in France is neatly wrapped up in this video - be careful not to isolate yourself, involve yourself in the local community, and if you buy an old house, let it breathe! I think you'll be wonderfully happy there.

This is why I really like your channel! Congratulations on this wonderful project. You have certainly accomplished quite alot up to this point! Job well done! 🇺🇸🎩🇺🇸🎩🇺🇸

Roger Im a sailor who works on houses(in the US) for my work. You’ve combined two of my interests! I have to repair alot of homes that develop moisture problems from the inside out, I enjoy watching your solutions.

We briefly visited Dourarnenz in June. Towns we visited in Brittany that size (and smaller) were lovely - beautiful houses, town centers, wonderful food, beautiful ports, and friendly people. I am very much looking forward to this new series of videos. We are hoping to do something similar in a few years.

A perfect balance so far Roger. Just a suggestion if I may - When I restored my old finca in Spain I was persuaded to fit underfloor heating as the floors had to be ripped out anyway. It was the best decision ever as the winters can be quite long, cold and damp. I am a mean old bugger and I just get the system to tick-over in the winter months which keeps the floors warm but certainly not hot - great in the bathroom. Good luck with the project and please keep us posted.

Great stuff!!! I love boats and love architecture.Goes together well. Love to hear your thoughts.

Excellent Roger, thank you. As a Church of England priest, I've had (and unofficially still do have) some responsibility for Victorian churches, and your insights into insulation and damp are highly relevant, especially when modern reordering is proposed. I await future episodes eagerly.

As a remodeling contractor in the US, I found this very informative. Thanks Roger!

Fascinating details about choices of building materials and strategies. It all makes sense to me. Sad that so many of us amateurs have been on the receiving end of bad advice (driven, presumably by suppliers just wanting to make maximum profit, and damn the consequences for the building itself). Thanks!

Very informative, common sense (bit of a rare commodity these days) and such a good vibe. Inspirational! Thank you! You made a big difference today. 💪❤️🙏

Hello Roger, I've just discovered you on KZfaq. I'm a retired Master Carpenter (specialising in Period, Historic, & Ecclesiastical Building Conservation) and Construction Professional from England, now living in the south of Spain, your video is not over theoretical at all, you use plain language and describe things in a way most will understand and find interesting, I certainly did, your narrative has the perfect balance. Your boating videos too are captivating.

Excellent work Roger. Timely, and a much needed insight into effective insulation processes in old stone buildings.

Sir. That was fascinating, educational and enjoyable. Thank you for putting the effort into the making and the sharing of it. As much that I am no sailor, I also am nothing of an architect nor builder, but in both cases, your telling of it all puts me there, helps me to experience, to understand a little, and to enjoy. I thank you. Cheers, sir.

Hi Roger, from Ken in South Australia. I have been a subscriber and admirer of your sailing adventures for a few years now and thoroughly appreciate your whole approach and philosophy toward life in general. This current offering seems to me a logical extension of pretty much everything I have come to expect from your hand. Thanks for your contribution to making my life that much better. And yes I do mess about in boats, preferably wooden ones. Cheers for now, Ken.

Great video Roger as someone living in an old farm house it is very revealing.

Excellent video and so informative. i am surprised you didnt have your friend mary chipping all the old plaster off the walls and throwing the rubble out.

Super roger great to see solutions to damp old houses worth restoring, far more character too, look forward to seeing the progress

Roger, good to see you using the other half of your skill set! As we live in an old house that needs some upgrading (happily much less than yours!) I'm very interested in learning more of the latest techniques for insulating and finishing interior walls whilst maintaining the necessary breathability. I thought you achieved a good balance of theory within the content. Looking forward to the rest of the series. Good luck!

Very interesting Roger , I've just finished my first new build passive house for a client and started the next, I like your retro solution having trained in the eightes on masonary rendered wooden structures using Murobond coloured washes to let them breathe, no rot , no leaks. Love your plans, layered CADor whatever working drawing feel like a corpse compared to hand drawn design's I used to work with.

Thank you, Roger. I’ve enjoyed your architecture content in the past, and I appreciate you sharing your personal space as an example. I’ve been learning about building with natural materials in several different locations and climates, and your approach today is so similar with an old house and new nature-based materials.

I have lived in the languedoc since 2008. My boat is in Marseillan and I live in the foothills of the Caroux. My house is 16th century. I love it, a magnificent feat of engineering. Thanks for your post, its so important to upgrade these old homes properly.

Thanks for the island of calm and soothing vibe i get from all of your videos.

Your videos are a great source of inspiration for those who love boats and sailing but live far from the sea. I wish you success in your new renovation project. This is the lovely old house and I'm sure that you will done it well.

I personally would like to see more about your work as an architect and the progress on the building restoration. Your knowledge introduces us to another interesting side of your expertise. Thank you for the great video, and cheers from the u.s.

Recycling the hot air in an attic down to the colder lower floors is a great idea in cold climates. Duct work and a small fan is all that required.

Roger, thank you so much for your insights on remodeling. I’m sure that this will help others deal with these problems. This looks like a wonderful project and place for you.

Lots of these concepts with moisture and ventilation have direct applications with our boats, especially those with wooden hulls. It is great to see other applications of these practices on shore!

I have a "French connection". Looking forward to seeing the rest of your videos. Restorations have always fascinated me. I have worked in the building industry and currently assist a friend Renovating people's homes.

Great video Rodger. You have given me a lot of ideas for my cottage in rural North Northumberland, damp is a major problem because of the type of construction. I have already opened up the old fire place (where the kitchen range was and replaced it with a log/solid fuel burner unit which also heats my water and radiators. They had smashed the range combustion chamber area and replaced it with a LPG boiler and a gas fire in front sometime in the 70's., the pipework was reconnected to my new (second hand recycled )boiler and I now heat the whole cottage by just keeping on my fire. I wholeheartedly agree with you that buildings need to breath. Insulation is my next challenge. Many thanks for sharing your knowledge. Cheers

Very interesting and informative video Roger. I look forward to seeing the house progress. I also like the communal way of life. I am half Latvian and find the similar way of life.

Very interesting! I never knew stone construction with clay bedding was a thing, here in California I've only seen it in the stone foundations and fireplaces of rural cabins considered to be "rudimentary" and likely built by poor European immigrants. With our earthquakes stone buildings don't do very well, but after 2 centuries some of those stone foundations are still around. Of course the famous California missions are built with clay bricks (adobe) and some are still standing. I want to hear your take on rain-proofing structures, especially the walls.

Hi Roger, excellent video as usual despite not being about sailing. We did up an old house in Mayenne in the early noughties so all this v interesting; keep it coming. On the subject of sailing, we towed the wayfarer to Concarneau this summer and had some excellent sails around the bay. All the best and thank you!

Excellent and timely, we've had 3 houses fall down in this area (Aude) because of using cement render. The "theory" is that the moisture raises naturally up into the wall (no damp course) and then evaporates, creating maybe a rudimentary fridge, certainly some level of cooling. When you prevent the evaporation it's believed that the clay fines get weakened and eventually the rubble wall looses structural integrity. One of the areas noted is that they would use, back in the day, a mortar with a very high proportion of chalk to install the series of roof tiles built out under the eves, the more the layers the more prosperous the house was though to be, and then had to pay taxes accordingly. This band around the top of the house was taking on moisture and evaporating creating a cold band right at the top of the house. I'll be pointing lots of would be house builders and restorers to your channel . thanks and good luck. Oh and the more tech detail the better.

A lovely new slant on your blog. Hopefully you can run a new channel. The house looks lovely even in the raw state. The project looks fascinating and so good luck

What a fascinating and enjoyable video Roger. I visited Douarnenez in 2006 when I sailed there from Shoreham in an old wooden fishing boat. I was particularly taken with the town then and always wondered how good it would be to live there. Good for you! Really enjoy your videos.

Unfortunately most British people who move to France don't do so for the culture or integration with the locals. They simply go to France to get a cheap property and move away from Britain, which has now become overpopulated and expensive. Unfortunately not moving there for the love of France or the french culture. Love to see your fondness for the french way of life and integration with the locals etc. A breath of fresh air and best of luck to you in your adopted country

So interesting….loved every minute….well done….it will be so comfortable and cosy when done…

Lovely old house Roger. Your strategy to repair and insulate is excellent and will be effective . It may be expensive , but a very worth while project. Very much looking forward to any updates .

Excellent! I almost prefer this line of enquiry (or lecture) to the sailing . Very interesting.

Well explained....I have always been rather sceptical of the supposed efficacy of vapour barriers and plasterboard stud walls etc. - the clay/hemp interior lining is a great improvement. It is strange that in many locations there is an abundance of clay and hemp grows without the need for fertilisers and other chemicals yet the invariable recourse is to energy-intensive manufactured materials. I too am a fan of untreated OSB as an interior wall/ceiling finish. Can't wait for the next video!...

Very nice place Roger. Look forward to seeing the progress.

Very wise counsel! We are restoring our house in London applying the same principles. Five years work so far and two more to go! Training workmen to follow old techniques takes dedication.

So much work and so much time. Thank goodness we moved to Canada from the UK and my hubby can, so much easier in wooden homes, do any renovation . Thx so much for video. Good wishes.

Fascinating Roger. I love this first video showing your temporary escape from sailing.

Thanks Roger, I'll enjoy this series. As someone who chose the French countryside as home I will argue it also has benefits. A big barn in which to build boats, peace and quiet, pool to cool off in, more outbuildings to store boats and motorbikes in. All features it would be hard to get in town. We have also resisted any urge to document our life and projects here for youtube. Having defended our decision, I also fully appreciate the attractions of a place near the harbour in Douarnenez. Within 300 metres of the beach one way, similar to the port the other and 500 metres from the Port Musee. I remember visiting the build of one of those wooden boats at the boat yard just up the Boulevard de Général de Gaulle. A great place with a thriving maritime tradition. Entirely approve of the steps you're taking to renovate your home, good to see someone with genuine professional expertise tackle this sort of project.

Thanks so much. I too love sailing and exploring. I also have a great passion for working to upgrade old buildings and building with "green" and recycled materials, though I don't have a lot of formal training. It it lovely that you are prepared to share your thoughts, experience and knowledge with practical application. It is this approach that helps to spread approaches to the solutions of your accurate assessment of what we need to acheive. Just the UK was more up to speed with the supplying of materials.

You're a Renaissance man, really Roger. You always present interesting and innovative approaches to whatever you embark on. This video is such an interesting take on an alternative workable solution to modern building mistakes. Looking firward to the next!

You sir… are a compelling “raconteur”. Enjoyed this tremendously because I’ve renovated two homes here in Atlantic Canada where winters are a tad colder than those along the coast of Brittany. 😂 You’ve purchased a most interesting property which is clearly benefiting from your expertise. Will be interesting to follow as your project unfolds. Glad you decided to chronicle this restoration/refurbishment. My ancestors are originally from the Poitou/Bretagne area of France. They crossed the pond in the 1720s/1730s or thereabouts. L’expression de mes salutations les plus cordiales. Merci à vous. Cheers 🥂 👍🇨🇦

Many of the thoughts I revisit as I fall into sleep each night...many of the reasons I resist the suggestions of handymen are justified here. This old house (approaching 200 yrs.) breathes! But it's chilly in winter, something must be done (many things have had to be undone.) "Future-proofing" is the challenge! Very interesting little video, thank-you Roger. Lately I'm very excited about masonry heating. Seems a good choice for a stone house although maybe not in a place where wood is scarce. One should really avoid burning anything I suppose.

can't wait for the rest of the series, merci Roger.

You have the most interesting life!! You sure know how to squeeze everything out of it!! Sailing , a beautiful house and country and a great profession to boot! Thanks for sharing all this! I always look forward to your videos! I know your house will be amazing!

Brilliant Roger as usual, fascinating restoration insights. I have modified a couple of houses in my time and look forward to more from you, my only worry is that now I may start looking at architecture/restoration channels and I already have enough with the sailing! I have no plans to do any more building work!!

Very nice Roger, look forward to seeing how it progresses...

Couldn't agree more about location....we have a small comfortable apartment (originally required some renovation) with a lsrge terrace and amazing sea view erght in the heart of an old Provence town....beautiful Provencal Market, 4 Supermarkets, Cafes, Restaurants galore, shops, buses (cheap) & train station to go further but we feel in the heart of French life daily and it's great.!

Salut Rodger. Love the video and looking forward to the build series. My wife is French, I'm Irish and we've just settled in correze for the winter where we can search for a permanent home from. I really like the way you explain the building process in an easy to understand way. Keep up the good work. Looking forward to the series.

I have enjoyed very much your dinghy cruising videos however this departure has captivated me and I look forward to the series! My wife and I spend as much time as we can (being foreign) on a sailing boat in Europe but due to circumstance can only dream of what you are doing - if only… Cheers!

Interesting to see the different options for insulating an older building. Hope the processes for getting approval are reasonably efficiently

What a nice little house! And what a huge amount of work 😀

Well done, Roger. You have given me some ideas especially for my roof. This is going to be a lovely house when you finish the work. Avel Dro will be really cosy in her garage. Of course my own case as an expat Brit is untypical and I have had my fill of urban life. As you have seen, my own house is in a compromise situation - half countryside and half small village with some really nice people involved in the "café associatif". It just takes a bit of time and effort to get to the sea with my boat!

I am here for the renovation process, the more details the better!

This is a brilliant idea for a series Roger. Really looking forward to it. Thank you.

Enjoyed this video. Fascinating. I love your commentary and insights. The music, narration, pacing, cinematography - everything is just excellent.

What you're saying about the breathability of products makes so much sense. Also the use of the OSB boards for the roof & loft is inspirational. Looks great as a finish.

Beautiful project and setting. Quite an adventure. Your technical explanations were excellent. Thank you for sharing.

I subscribed for the sailing but thoroughly enjoyed the current theme. From what I've read, traditional building materials & techniques require that walls are allowed to breath. Your take on how to achieve this whilst increasing energy efficiency was fascinating. Thanks.

Wonderful - thanks Roger. Looking forward to seeing how the house progresses!

Fantastic video , looking forward to the rest of the development

i knew you were a special person when i started watching your sailing videos. this new avenue just reinforces my opinion. great content!

Thanks so much for this video and your insight into old buildings. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the wall structure.

Sure you are busy with your house Roger. Would love a video. Adds peace to our lives. Many Happy returns.

these videos is why i dont watch tv anymore fantastic and very lucky thanks roger

Thank you for sharing your house project with us Roger. I'm currently dealing with all of the same issues in a very similar way, all be it stuck back in brexitland. It's good to see that traditional boat people look at houses in similar ways too. I love your videos, please keep making them.

Thank you Roger, I really like your building philosophy , in not using an impermiable membrain in the house, thereby alowing it to breath. My home is owned by a housing assosiation, and a few years ago they took off my roof and cut down the chimney stack, then capped it off in the loft area. They then replaced the roof with modern materials. This has resusted in a very damp house because now the poor thing can't breath and im becoming unwell with Arthritis. I also enjoy your lovely boat and would love to own one just like it. However, I'm quite a bit older than you ( I'm retired from working)and fear my boating is going to stay limited to the plywood canoe I build in 2020. I am presently making a sail for this though , so soon I'll be sailing in the lake district and lochs of Scotland. Your friend, Steve Wilson

Great video. Nice change of pace.