Sam and Bud were ordinary first-time homebuyers in their early thirties. Their intention, in moving to France, was to create a simple life in a place where they could spend time with their children. The home they actually bought was a 17th century chateau in the Loire valley with over thirty rooms. Chateau de la Buronniere had been the seat of noble families as far back as 1507. With only modest savings, Sam and Bud launched the exciting project of restoring this extraordinary building to its former glory. Over several years they renovated 10,000 square feet of house, installed countless bathrooms, painted 156 windows, put the 40-acre park and gardens into some semblance of order and started a bed and breakfast against resistance from the locals. Their hardwork prevailed; their chateau quadrupled in value. The things we dream do not always fit nicely with the realities of everyday life. This is an insightful glimpse of what it truly means to leave everything behind to pursue a dream.
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"the perfect read for anyone considering a... home makeover project and for all... who dream in a life in France."
-- BritMag, September 2007
'An amazing journey'
-- Living Abroad Magazine, March 08
'It's the perfect read... for all of us who dream of a life in France'
-- Living France Magazine, January 2008
-- BritMag, September 2007
'An amazing journey'
-- Living Abroad Magazine, March 08
'It's the perfect read... for all of us who dream of a life in France'
-- Living France Magazine, January 2008
About the Author
Sam Juneau was born in New Orleans and has been a television producer and writer in the US and the UK since 1992. His wife grew up on a farm in Ireland. They live in France with their four children and 22 cats.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By Marand
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The blurb suggests the book will describe the amusing tale of the renovation of a French chateau. I am clearly in the minority here but I did not find this book either interesting or amusing. The author & his wife are either startlingly naive or just plain stupid. They buy a large, run-down chateau and seem surprised that it costs so much to own, renovate, decorate & run the property. It isn't even clear to me why they chose France - there seems to be little understanding of French life & culture. This is admirably demonstrated by the episode of the hunting for wild boar. His vegetarian/formerly vegan wife objects to this longstanding element of French rural life. I am a vegetarian myself - and whilst I find hunting unpalatable there is simply no point in getting angry about it in rural France. Admittedly the author himself has some insight into the absurdity of their position: he writes "What right did I have to come to the French countryside and tell these farmers what to do?......This (i.e the hunting) was a profound issue and I could feel and understand their anger. Here we were, 'rich' Americans buying up their patrimony and then demanding they obey our rules." Quite!
It is even less obvious why the author thought he would be suited to the hospitality industry - he clearly views paying hotel guests, wedding parties, etc as a tremendous inconvenience, to be treated with disdain and/or disrespect. He even rents out part of the property before he has even seen it and of course it isn't ready for the guests.
I had hoped this would be a relaxing, entertaining holiday read - in fact I spent most of the time trying to fight down growing irritation, that became fury and finally an overwhelming urge to thump the author. Some relaxation!
It is even less obvious why the author thought he would be suited to the hospitality industry - he clearly views paying hotel guests, wedding parties, etc as a tremendous inconvenience, to be treated with disdain and/or disrespect. He even rents out part of the property before he has even seen it and of course it isn't ready for the guests.
I had hoped this would be a relaxing, entertaining holiday read - in fact I spent most of the time trying to fight down growing irritation, that became fury and finally an overwhelming urge to thump the author. Some relaxation!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book made me laugh in the face of my own troubles. I'm also starting a small business in France and this book gave me the courage to continue, because the magnitude of their chateau project suddenly overshadowed the challenges of my own project.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Perfect Paperback
I have been collecting books written by keen folks on their moves to France since I arrived here 2 years ago, A Chateau of ones Own is right up there with my favourites and contained all the entertainment features that keep me hooked and take me out of my own life for a spell.........also having seen a few Chateaux up close and knowing they are not all created equal, it was great to have the photos on the back cover to refer back to constantly, to be able to appreciate the enormity of their project........
Loved the book, loved Sams witty writing style, have recommended the book to all.
Loved the book, loved Sams witty writing style, have recommended the book to all.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars
Ridiculous
I purchased this book from my local charity shop and really wish I had left it there but on second thoughts it would be unfair to inflict it on some other poor person. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Christopher
1.0 out of 5 stars
Annoying and dull
I don't often get annoyed by books, but I did by this one! If there's a handbook on how not to go about moving and living abroad, then this is it. Read more
Published on 26 Jan 2011 by S. J. Dagg
5.0 out of 5 stars
Genuine and well executed
Perhaps one of the best, most truthful tales about the realities of life abroad.
Sharp, clear and painfully honest.
Excellent writing and bold story telling. Read more
Sharp, clear and painfully honest.
Excellent writing and bold story telling. Read more
Published on 26 Aug 2010 by europeantales
1.0 out of 5 stars
BORING
Looked forward to reading this book but was very very disappointed.
Dull and dreary. Not recommended.
Dull and dreary. Not recommended.
Published on 3 Aug 2010 by Odette
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Truth and Loads of Laughs
Well done you! One of the few (only?) books to tell it like it is. Having lived abroad, off and on, for years, I have never really found a book that paints the broad strokes of the... Read more
Published on 16 July 2008 by WorldVoyager
1.0 out of 5 stars
dull and disappointing
I was given this book by someone who thought I'd find it an interesting read due to the similarities with our own life change, although ours is on a smaller scale, we've bought and... Read more
Published on 28 Jun 2008 by Caroline
1.0 out of 5 stars
Hardly entertaining...........
I have read many books on this theme, and I have to say that this author is the most annoying and self centered of any I have come across. Read more
Published on 9 May 2008 by the book mole
5.0 out of 5 stars
Honest and Thoroughly Delicious
"A Chateau of One's Own" is one of the most honest, compelling travel memoirs I have ever encountered (and I've ready many through the years). Read more
Published on 9 Nov 2007 by JGaf (veteran reader/voyager)
2.0 out of 5 stars
A disappointing book
I read this book partly because I am embarking on a somewhat similar project elsewhere in Europe. However, I found the book poorly edited, the writing full of repetition and bad... Read more
Published on 27 Oct 2007 by Ms. Sv Lewis-morgan
5.0 out of 5 stars
Inspirational
I just finished "A Chateau of One's Own" and it was absolutely terrific. I had the pleasure to meet the author and his wife in France one summer and what they did and the resulting... Read more
Published on 12 Sep 2007 by jpb
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