#CP2CF – Coming home to a rude awakening

“There is always a moment of great anticipation, even after 30 hours of non-stop travel! That moment arrives as you drive out of the small town of Paillet off the main road on the right bank of the Garonne that links Cadillac to Langoiran and the easterly Bordeaux Rocade ring. As you leave the town, you climb onto the Coteaux and become fully immersed in the country landscape that we love. Cardan is less than 5 minutes from Paillet and as you round the final couple of turns and steep incline towards the start of the village, the 12th century church comes into view to the left hand side together with a couple of dwellings. At this point, we are less than a minute from home.

Sunam036bookIn 2006 we were in such a hurry to get there and find out what was actually happening that we barely paused to appreciate the usual warm feeling of coming home. Passing the church, we snaked our way nervously towards Foucaud to discover what changes had taken place during our 11 month absence.

From a particular point in the road, as you pass the cemetery on your left, there is a gap in the folding landscape that allows you to look across much of what has become loved as the Hourcat Sud vineyard and behind it, there one can just see our front gates with their imposing round pine trees. To the right of this picture, there stood a new house. As we came past Chateau de Foucaud, and prepared to turn left down the road towards the house, there was another house that had been built on what was the front lawn of Ch. Foucaud.

The following day, we took a walk past the crossroads, up into Lhoste. The picturesque hamlet with a small eclectic selection of properties had been transformed almost overnight into a small housing estate. Our rural village was trying to become a dormitory town for Bordeaux. But the fact that suddenly a ‘tsunami’ of housing was heading our way meant that the dream was turning into a nightmare……”

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Every Merlot bunch was reviewed and only the best grapes passed.

Loving community hands on care has protected the rural heritage of a Bordeaux village

The above sections are an excerpt from Chapter 4 The Housing Tsunami From Cabbage Patch top Cabernet Franc by David Stannard, Founder Owner Paradise Rescued and due for release shortly. Read the story of how an Australian family accidentally became the owners of a small unloved vineyard and created a niche brand and protected the heritage of a French village.

Join Club Paradise Rescued for more details on release and special Early Bird offers for Club members.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]