The sweetness of a healthy atmosphere  

Still in overalls, Daniel the owner, begins to tell us the history of the Granges de Murel. However, he doesn’t have time – « the construction site doesn’t wait ». The project he is talking about is the end of the development of top-of-the-range guest rooms that opened in August, set in 476m², in the former stable of the estate made of Occitanie stone.  

But passion always wins out and the story he shares with us deserves our time. So, in a warm atmosphere, surrounded by elegant and refined decor designed by Claudie, an interior designer, he explains to us this crazy and extraordinary project of the Granges de Murel: « to renovate this property as much as possible with original materials, of very high quality and where possible ecologically ». 

We listen to the history of this place in an extremely welcoming, soft environment, curled up in cream bergère armchairs. Looking at the nineteen hectares of vegetation as far as the eye can see, from the huge bay windows of the veranda, we understand that the comfort we enjoy here today is the result of twelve years of meticulous and committed work. 

Attention to detail, to the end  

Never neglecting attention to detail in the 818m² surface area to be renovated: this has been the ambition of the owners, since their installation in 2011 at Les Granges de Murel, with their Haflinger breeding horses that graze in the meadows of the estate. Attention to detail is hidden everywhere here, even behind what is not visible: The walls, ceilings, and floors. 

The insulation, for example, is made of wood wool, sheep’s wool and fibre-gypsum board from Fermacell. « The Fermacell product does not contain solvents or binders and is water-based. For people who are very sensitive, there are things that you feel inside homes. Here, the air is very healthy and you quickly realize it, » explains Daniel. « Fermacell has the advantage of having a high mechanical resistance with an M0 fire rating. It also retains heat better and is ideal for better thermal insulation. Its only disadvantage is perhaps its weight, » says Daniel. And in direct line with the eco-responsible thinking that led them to choose this product over another, all of Fermacell’s panels and insulation materials were ordered « as close as possible to the site », in Aveyron. 

A restoration within the rules of art  

For six years, masons, plumbers, carpenters, roofers, electricians, heating engineers, aluminium joiners accompanied the owners and passionately carried out the restoration of the property. Twelve years earlier, the dog carving on the façade fell off, today even the dovecote, located fourteen metres high in the center of the building, has been restored as a guest room. In total, twenty-five rooms have been furnished, all according to artistic rules, with a meticulous layout that allows both family privacy and a professional part annexed as a guest house. 

These « exceptional craftsmen », whose owners are extremely grateful for, have respected Daniel and Claudie’s requirements to the letter, « even if it takes time ». Daniel remembers: « I sometimes bordered on the ridiculous, like when I called two concrete mixers to ask them if they could make me a lime top for the cellar. » Finally, for lack of anything better, Claudie, Daniel and one of their friends did the entire screed, alone, with the cement mixer. « It must be said that I am a die-hard in detail, » explains Daniel, with conviction. 

But it is also thanks to this determination that all the materials used today offer incredible acoustics, an extremely soft atmosphere and guarantee invaluable durability to the place, from floor to ceiling. For the roofs of the property, 60% of the old tiles have been restored, cleaned up and re-installed to preserve the charm of yesteryear of the place. The cellar, too, has been given a 100% ecological renovation with its lime screed foundation and stones sealed with slip made from natural rock. 

On the entire property, 95% of the materials used are natural, but Daniel is keen to temper this: « As much as possible, we used natural materials, but we didn’t want to become slaves to these materials either. We could have favoured natural wood joinery, but we didn’t want to have to maintain the whole thing every year. » This is how Daniel resonates: linking eco-natural catering to a philosophy of life, combining natural materials with materials that are sustainable over time. « I didn’t want to go too far just to be able to say ‘I’m 200% green’. No, I’m in favour of ecology, but I want to remain in line with a certain logic and ergonomics when restoring »  

Obviously, they do not hide the fact that all this has a cost: « We must not hide from the fact that it is more expensive to use natural materials. But the return on investment will be very good. We are starting to see the beginnings of it today, after twelve years in the property. » 

A remarkable energy rating  

« The diagnostician who came to do the energy assessment of the property told us that he had not seen anything like this in twenty years of work and had very rarely seen these construction techniques in old properties, » explains the owner with pride and emotion.  It must be said that the annual heating bill for the place is remarkable. « I surprise everyone when I tell them the annual cost of electricity for the building, » Daniel tells us. The amount is less than €4000 for a property of 818m² (€3850 in 2022). For the moment, this amount does not cover the guest rooms which are still under construction, but which will be equipped with the same Stibeel Eltron heat pump technique. 

The 19th century estate has an energy rating of C for all 25 rooms, including 8 bedrooms. « At the time, I was told that it was unthinkable to put a heat pump in a property of this size. But I did some calculations and tried to understand why this solution had not been recommended. By dint of research, I favoured this renewable energy technique which was in line with my convictions ». The wooden floors have also been reinforced with intermediate cork floors so that the heat from the living room does not reach the bedrooms. Why cork? « Because it is natural and it insulates the rooms very well from each other, thermally and acoustically, » explains Daniel with passion and pedagogy. 

Nevertheless, the owner expected a better ranking on his DPE: « I was convinced that we could get close to the B » he says with slight disappointment. But the DPE criteria includes the entire property, including a pottery workshop and a professional office, connected to the house’s heating system. However, he remains aware of the feat of obtaining a C rating for a building from this period and believes that the main thing to remember is what you feel in this property: « My satisfaction focuses on the well-being that we all have in this house, without having additional heating costs as we could have in this type of property ». He adds with remarkable logic: 

« For me, it’s the result that counts. To breathe healthily in a house, have heat well distributed throughout the rooms, and not overheat in certain places or temperature differences in others. » All this is what allows Daniel and Claudie to be convinced of the merits of the materials they have chosen for their restoration. « There is a certain satisfaction on a personal level to have done all this: to have renovated Les Granges de Murel with high quality natural materials. » 

Decoration is the core of their life’s philosophy  

« We really tried to keep the spirit of the house in its design, as well as in the decoration, » explains interior designer Claudie. « For example, in the guest rooms, we have a headboard which is the old door of the barn. Some old shutters that were in good condition were used to make headboards in other rooms. I tried as much as possible to reuse a certain amount of furniture by giving back its sense of nobility. » 

It’s this clever mix of trendy, modern objects and antique furniture that allows the place to be preserved authentically and with maximum comfort. In the same way, some stone walls have been preserved in the building: « We came to Aveyron because we were in love with its stones, so we didn’t insulate every wall. We wanted to preserve the beauty of certain elements. » 

This desire to preserve the old, to restore it to its former glory has also allowed the old staircase of the main entrance to be renovated « We chose to restore it, to give it back its shine by adding a very contemporary light fixture in the centre ». And this is how the monumental staircase becomes a decorative element in its own right. Claudie adds with commitment and conviction: « We have to keep what is still valid, while giving a soul to objects and furniture. We thus preserve the solidity of the elements by joining our philosophy and primary intention, to restore nobility to this ruined property. So, we had to deal with the marriage of the old and the contemporary. » It is this subtle conjugation, this delicate and masterful mixture that makes the place so charming. 

Things will change… and the Granges de Murel is the first beautiful stone in the building of reasoned, logical and ecological restoration. Respect for a construction with quality materials, while combining utility with the ergonomics of the place.