I first spotted the old abbey of Blanchelande in 2010. At the time I was in a boring contracts job and was constantly dreaming of a great new adventure with my ex (who is today my husband). When we came across Blanchelande for sale (we would not learn its name or location until 10 years later) we fell instantly in love. We talked about it incessantly. The fantastic ornaments, the vaulted ceilings, the waterlily pond, the viking gateways. Wow, what a place. There really was no comparison. There never has been.
We dreamed about quitting our jobs and starting a B&B there. Blanchelande is just 8 kms from the gorgeous sandy beaches of Normandy and a short drive from the channel ferry. We dreamed about ferrying off Brits who came to France for adventure and paragliding. However, even with selling both our flats we had a hard time coming up with the announced purchase price of EUR 900,000.
In 2010 Blanchelande changed owners twice at auction. It had a starting price of xxx,xxx in the first auction (to cover the previous owner’s debts) and was sold for EUR 550,000. However, the first auction was challenged and then it went up for auction again in December 2010. This time it sold for EUR 920,000 to the challenger.
Blanchelande then disappeared from the Internet and – we thought rather – never to be heard of again.
Enter 2019. All of a sudden the lovely facade of Blanchelande popped up in a picture search when I was searching for something else. I would recognise it anywhere. I lay awake at night praying that it was not an old ad. And it wasn’t. Speaking to the broker the next day, my husband and I moved fast and submitted an offer – without having seen it. Crazy, you may think? Yes, but we are a little crazy.
To make a long story short, after the offer was accepted the broker sent us a fungus report (THE fungus report from hell), showing how the entire structure was debilitating, far gone for many years. Having bought the place as private persons we just did not have the financial muscle to carry it off. And thus pulled the offer.
But I never forgot. I just could not put Blanchelande behind me. The conjecture about the place completely changed. Now were no longer daydreams about starting a fun B&B – now it was about saving the place. And this required money.
From another business venture I managed to raise the cash. This time I would not tender as a private person but set up a company.
And there we are.
My mission is simply to save Blanchelande. That takes spirits, hard work, creativity, fundraising abilities and more hard work. It’s gonna take all I have. Can’t wait.