Last summer we toured around France’s charming wine region of Aquitaine. Nestled amongst Bordeaux’s and St. Emilion’s legendary vineyards, we found a gorgeous guesthouse Maison des Quatre Saisons run by an adorable English couple, Jo and Colin. Having lived in London for many years, they decided to take the big step, move to France and live in the countryside. We had a wonderful time and while staying with Jo and Colin, they shared their story with us.

MyRiveGauche: You’ve left London, moved to France and renovated a converted barn into a luxury 5 bedroom boutique guest house in Aquitaine. How did you come up with the idea to run your own guest house and when did you feel was the right moment to leave London and to take on this project?

Jo and Colin: We had always dreamt of moving abroad at some point but assumed it would be when we were retired but a few things in our lives changed direction which made us rethink our options. We realised that the time had arrived to allow us to embark on a new adventure as both of us felt we needed to shake things up and move on to a completely new chapter. I was a TV commercials producer in a large London based advertising agency and Colin was winding up his own business of which he had been MD for several years. The decision for me, as a woman, was a much harder and more emotional one as the reality of leaving family, friends and a much loved home was tough and it took me almost a year to decide to take a leap of faith and just do it.

We needed to make a living so we weren’t moving abroad just to lie in the sun and drink rose, as appealing as that sounds! We’ve always enjoyed hosting and we loved doing up our house in the UK so having a guesthouse made perfect sense. It meant we could combine our best skills as a couple, me doing the interior design, home making and cooking and Colin being in charge of the garden and being the charming host, a job he does with ease.

MyRiveGauche: What is so special about the region of the Aquitaine and why did you choose to settle there?

Jo & Colin: What really struck us about the area was the stunning city of Bordeaux. It’s like a mini Paris with the most gorgeous architecture, amazing boutiques and fantastic restaurants not to mention the galleries, museums and opera house. We also fell in love with the coastline around Arcachon and Cap Ferret is an absolute gem. It has a very special feel, unspoilt, wild and utterly charming. But what really sold it to us was St. Emilion. We spent a couple of days there exploring and were blown away by the endless vineyards, stunning chateaux and of course the beautiful town itself.

MyRiveGauche: How did you find this place and what made you feel it was the right property?

Jo & Colin: We found the house through our agents, having seen a few places prior to that which didn’t have the right kind of set up. We didn’t want to take on a complete renovation project as we needed to open the business sooner rather than later, so when we found this house which had already been run as a B&B by a French family previously, we realised we had found a gem. Having 4 guest rooms with en-suite bathrooms which were separate from our private side of the house was important to us and to future guests. We did some extensive redecorating and renovation work as we wanted to really put our stamp on it and make it our own. We added in an extra guest room and bathroom out of a store room, put in a new pool, re-landscaped the garden and redecorated almost every inch in the house so we feel we have truly made it our own.

MyRiveGauche: Your warm welcome made us feel at home right away. To us, you are passionate and fantastic hosts and we felt like staying with friends. What are your different roles behind the scenes?

Jo & Colin: We’ve always loved hosting and interior design so the combination of being able to renovate the house and open our doors to guests was a natural step for us. Hosting feels easy and we want every single person to feel at home and relax as soon as they arrive. Colin loves meeting people and is interested in chatting to everyone so he’s a perfect host. He enjoys looking after the garden and the pool so he’s usually found outside working and charming the guests! I’m very house proud so I’m in charge of the rooms and inside guest areas, working with my fantastic cleaner to make sure everything runs smoothly. Plus I’m in charge of the cooking so I’m usually found inside the kitchen!

MyRiveGauche: Where do most of your guests come from?

Jo & Colin: Last season, most guests were English speaking but came from all over – Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Canada, USA, Australia, Germany, Austria, Spain, South Africa, New Zealand and of course England. We had a wonderful Danish couple who we still keep in touch with (and are keen to go and visit in Copenhagen) and we had a few French couples and families. Plus of course we had the lady behind MyRiveGauche and her wonderful family!

MyRiveGauche: Whilst staying with you, we went to a local night market which gave us a true insight into the local neighbourhood. When is the best season to stay with you and best explore the region? The pictures & illustrations on your website and Instagram are beautiful. Where do you take most of your inspiration from and how does that reflect in your designs?

Jo & Colin: We absolutely love the main summer months of June, July and August as this is when the area really comes alive. As you’ve mentioned, the night markets are the highlight and everyone who’s visited these have a fantastic time. It’s a chance for the locals and the tourists to come out as a family and celebrate summer. The gorgeous villages put up hundreds of tables and chairs and everyone of all ages comes to enjoy food, wine and dancing. They’re totally unique to the region and we’ve loved them all.

MyRiveGauche: Three times a week, you offer a culinary dinner. Table D’Hote. What kind of cuisine do you enjoy most and where do you get your productions and ingredients from?

Jo & Colin: I’m not a trained chef but I come from a foodie family who are passionate about food and trying new things. From a young age, I would hang around the kitchen following my grandma and as I got older, I was always keen to help my mum who also loved hosting and cooking. I’ve also got stacks of cookery books so I love to experiment. I deliberately don’t focus too much on doing traditional French food as I know that guests will get to sample that when they’re out in local restaurants. I think about what’s in season and readily available in the local markets and shops and I also consider the weather when putting together the menus. A thick soup and a heavy main course wouldn’t be enjoyed on a hot evening so I’ll do a salad based starter with fish or chicken as the main course. We love Asian and Persian food as its light and fragrant and looks wonderful with all the exotic herbs and spices but we don’t offer too much of that as it can be tricky to get the right ingredients locally.

Many thanks, Jo and Colin, for taking the time and sharing your story with us. We're looking forward to meeting you again, either in France or in Berlin!