My love for France began when, as a young Australian doctor, I was lucky enough to work at L’Hopital Americain de Paris in Neuilly, suburban Paris. The experience changed my life. I came to appreciate the 'joie de vivre' of the French, I learnt to love the French culture, style, food, wine and countryside. I travelled to the Dordogne in that first year, 1978, and was spell-bound by the beauty of the region, the river and all that it encompassed.
After my time at the L'Hopital Americain, I returned to Melbourne, completed my training as an eye surgeon, had further specialist training in Holland, the UK and in Cleveland, Ohio in the USA and then set up practice in both private and public hospitals in Melbourne. For many years, I was involved with Aid trips to treat blindness in the Pacific Islands – Vanuatu, Solomons, Kiribati, Tonga and Tuvalu.
Wonderful people, simple lives, beautiful places, bountiful natural supplies. These are the things I love and in its own way, the Dordogne embodies all of them.
In April 2014, I travelled to the Dordogne and met Gary Gunas who, with his partner Billy Rosenfield, had restored this magnificent 300 year old barn on the riverbank, now known as Le Chabrol, just a stone’s throw from one of the loveliest villages in the region.
Gary and Billy were reluctantly selling the property to purchase an apartment in Paris and we were able to purchase Le Chabrol with all their beautiful, original art, superb furnishings, a fully equipped kitchen.
We also have Paula Lopez as a wonderful manager, Corinne Jammet to keep the house spotless, Simon Batt to keep the lawns perfect and Benjamin Escarment to maintain fine gardens.