A brief history of one shot de Coeur
In 2024, we're still in Névez, on our little Terr'aven agro-tourism farm that we created a dozen years ago. After 12 wonderful years spent renovating an old farmhouse, in the middle of our saffron, kiwi and vegetable fields, and welcoming holidaymakers to our 3 unusual gîtes, we've got the urge once again to start from scratch on a new adventure.
First meeting
We already loved wandering around old Quimper, and when Christophe Gueguen (Terre d'immo) asked us to come to Quimper straight away, we knew something was going to happen. The emotion we felt when we walked into the house made it obvious: this is where we're going to live for the rest of our lives!
A year and a half of work
We then embarked on almost a year and a half's work: all the bar's electricity was rewired, the house's insulation was improved, the bar was made more functional, a toilet and storerooms were created, around fifty window frames were renovated or replaced, and a host of small repairs were made here and there... And here we have the Minuellou, ready to embark on a new chapter in its history in top form!
We would like to extend our warmest thanks to the many people involved in this project: the Quimper town council and the other public bodies involved, our architect Mathilde De Broc, Urbanis, our fabulous craftsmen whose skill, patience and courage we salute, and our many service providers and suppliers.
It seems to us that, together, we have managed to respect the spirit that guided Madame Balès and Gérard Cailliau in their magnificent restoration of the 1960s, while complying with regulatory standards for safety and accessibility for all, the ecological imperative of reducing energy waste and, of course, the economic necessity of having a functional, attractive and pleasant working tool for everyday use.
Home insulation
The roof frame was stripped bare before being insulated with wood wool, a material more suited to old roof frames, by ISODET. Ventilation of the roof structure was improved. We were able to see that the framework was in very good condition overall, no doubt due to the excellent quality of the timber used, which had been established during the dendrochronology operations: mainly oak, with some chestnut and elm. The battens and rafters had been replaced during restoration work in the 1960s, along with a few more structurally important pieces. We took advantage of the opportunity to track down and fix the few small water leaks that had been found, and to treat all the woodwork as a preventive measure.
The new front door
Morgane admires the carpentry work carried out by Gueguen Toulc'hoat: the double entrance door, which was solid and poorly insulated, has been completely rebuilt, insulated and partly glazed. The carved woodwork has been salvaged, preserving all of the door's character.
Rearranging the bar
Installation of the new oak worktop and countertop by Gueguen Toulc'hoat