I was born in Paris in 1972. My father moved around during the course of his career, meaning that my sister, my mother and I moved many times during my childhood, from Paris to the Vosges and then onto Amiens, Valence, Lyon, Marseille, Grenoble until finally we arrived in Sarlat in 1998.When I moved here 15 years ago I was working as a financial comptroller in a manufacturing firm. I immediately fell in love with Sarlat, the capital of what’s called the ‘Périgord Noir’, an area in the Dordogne known for its heritage and the quality of its food and dining establishments.
I was able to buy a property in Sarlat’s medieval old town in 2011. This became ‘Le Porche de Sarlat’. It’s a magnificent 500 year-old mansion constructed from the wonderfully golden-hued local stone, located at the foot of the gothic cathedral of Saint-Sacerdos, which dates from the 12th century. The property had been completely left to rack and ruin and needed major renovation work. I began this project with a view to offering my guests a choice of luxury apartments that would be both completely contemporary, yet which would also retain the appeal of the old stonework. After a year of intensive building work, le PORCHE DE SARLAT was ready!
In 2015, another opportunity presented itself to renovate an old stone building of the type so characteristic of this region, about ten minutes’ walk from the medieval old town. Then the first guests arrived at Les JARDINS DU PORCHE. I love architecture and interior design. With each renovation project, I put myself in the shoes of the guests who would stay here. This helped me to create somewhere that’s the epitome of comfort. I am currently the only private landlord in Sarlat who rents out these kind of luxury properties (there are 9 apartments in all, 5 at le Porche de Sarlat and 4 at les Jardins du Porche). I will check you into the property myself and offer you advice and any help you may need during your stay. If you have any problems at all, just call me directly at any time of the day or night. I’m always delighted to meet my guests on their arrival and to give them a few tips on the top visitor attractions, the best local restaurants and to point them in the direction of lesser-known local gems…