Renovation of the Moulin de Salazar: phase one complete!

It took four years to complete the renovation of Le Moulin de Salazar! Of course, there's always room for improvement, and I've already got a few ideas in mind for future developments, but this time we're there: our four bedrooms and all the living areas are ready to welcome our guests... It's a real pleasure for me to have been able to bring to fruition what was only a vision when I arrived, albeit a precise one, but far removed from reality...

A titanic task... carried out bit by bit!

Stage 1: The first bedroom and essential living areas

In 2021, the scope of the work to be carried out was staggering, and the first question to be asked was: where to start? And what facilities would be needed to welcome the first guests?
First and foremost, a bedroom, and it was Alexandrine who mobilized the first hours of labor: located on the second floor, with a terrace and a magnificent view of the pool and surrounding nature, Alexandrine was sure to seduce the first visitors.

Aware that a simple room, however beautiful and comfortable, was not enough to ensure the comfort of a stay at Le Moulin, I decided to concentrate on the essential living spaces. From June 2022 onwards, our guests have been able to enjoy their meals in the fully-renovated Moulin room, with a view through a glass roof of the watermill's fantastic engine room.

With the arrival of fine weather, the shaded terrace was immediately laid out, closely followed by the jacuzzi area, set up out of sight at the back of the dovecote.

Stage 2: Adelaide, Victoria and Eugenie: the 3 other rooms

The first summer season was barely over when I set my sights on the other three rooms. To concentrate fully on the characteristics and decoration of each room, I worked on them one by one. Adélaïde, also on the second floor, opened its doors in September. Renovation of the second floor kept me busy until the following spring. Victoria was ready in April 2023: a room even more spacious than those on the second floor, and adjustable to accommodate an extra bed. Eugénie, finally, for the very start of the summer season, was completed in July 2023 and can now accommodate 2 to 4 people with its 2 bedrooms linked by a shared lounge. As the icing on the cake, Eugénie offers 2 private bathrooms and 2 WCs, and can be booked for 2, 3 or 4 people on request...

Stage 3: Outdoor spaces: the garden and the pavilion

When renovating an old building, each step forward has the unfortunate habit of revealing a new construction site... Once the interior of the Moulin had been completed, my gaze fell on its "garden" of "only" 2 hectares!
Fortunately, nature has the art of seducing without fuss, and the small private beach was already very beautiful. Nevertheless, the banks of the various watercourses had to be cleaned up and landscaped - a Dantean task, especially when interspersed with a few (very) rainy episodes!
The small ornamental park at the entrance to the Moulin was also quite impoverished: of course, I had to call on the support of a professional, and I took great pleasure in choosing the flowers and the various species, as well as deciding on their placement. Still, I had to do a lot of work, and my back still retains a stinging memory of those moments...

As the large swimming pool had been a great success with guests the previous summer, I wanted to make its surroundings more attractive: pretty tables, comfortable seating, not forgetting the pavilion for lounging in the shade in the hottest hours, or enjoying a drink in the late afternoon.
It was the middle of June 2024 when this part of the work was completed: the new summer season could begin, and quite honestly, I was rather pleased with the result ... it makes you want to, doesn't it?

Step 4: And finally... the stairwell!

One "detail" still bothered me: the stairwell leading to the guest rooms had not yet been decorated. Admittedly, some pretty plants were providing a distraction, and nobody really seemed to care... but, personally, I couldn't walk down it without all its faults jumping out at me! So I took advantage of the off-season to take care of it - and realized, in the process, that the task was more arduous than I had anticipated...
My efforts were rewarded, however: by the end of June 2025, the stairwell was all spruced up and could even accommodate Blandine Insler 's paintings , for a summer-long exhibition!

What's next?

Will there be any further developments at the Moulin de Salazar?It seems obvious, given the inspiring nature of the place and its immense potential... I'll let myself be guided by my priority: to make your stay even more enjoyable! The first thing I'll be working on is the conversion of the small room adjoining the pavilion, which, once renovated, could be used for yoga classes in any season, or for seminars for up to 14 people...

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