We first met at college in the UK in 1993, where we were both training to become nurses. We always had a sense of adventure and, over the years, started dreaming about doing something completely different together. We loved France and eventually decided to combine that with our ambition to create a business of our own.

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In 2006, we started looking for the perfect property in France. We had a list of around 15 properties to choose from, and Arc en Ciel was actually towards the bottom of that list! However, when we visited for the first time in July 2008, everything changed. With four cottages, large grounds and stunning views, we could immediately see the potential and knew we had found the right place for us.

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The property dates back to the 1740s and was originally a working farm. From the outset, it was really important to us to respect its history and retain as much of its original charm and character as possible. We started the renovations in 2009, beginning with Lavender Cottage, which took around 12 months to complete. Our first guests arrived in 2010, which was a very exciting moment for us and the start of our new adventure.

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Hibiscus was a rather different story! Planning permission was granted in 2012, but it took until 2022 for the renovation to finally be completed. Bougainvillea Studio was thankfully a much quicker project and took just nine weeks. We also added the swimming pool in 2013, which has become such an important part of the experience for our guests.

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The history of the property is particularly special because our neighbour, Bamby, has a close family connection to it. His mother, Marie grew up here and was actually born in what is now Lavender Cottage, where his grandparents also lived. Marie lived to be 98 and got to see the completion of Lavender's renovation. His aunt Celine and her daughter lived in what was the main farm house and now our home, while one uncle lived in Hibiscus and the other in what is now Bougainvillea Studio. Knowing that generations of his family lived here makes the history of Arc en Ciel feel very real to us.

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Today, Arc en Ciel is a place we are incredibly proud of. We have worked hard to restore the cottages while keeping their original character, and to create a place where our guests can relax, enjoy the beautiful surroundings and experience a little piece of the property's history. What began as a dream between two best friends has been nurtured and blossomed into a much-loved business, and we feel very lucky to have found this special place all those years ago.

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"Avec amour" Larni et Corinne

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