Born in Breukelen on the river the Vecht and moved to the Périgord Noir in the Dordogne in France in 1984, where I started renovating and running a hamlet, not far from a village in the French countryside. My children were born and raised here in the Dordogne and spent their school days here and have already "flew out" for a number of years. In 2006 I moved to another beautiful village, again on a river, where I started again a renovation project again . I bought an old mansion here in the friendly village of Cubjac on the river (( it looks a bit like the house "het Kraaiennest" in Breukelen on the Vecht, where I was born)) and have this stately 15th-16th century house, converted into a gites and maison d'hôtes buziness. Because of the resemblance to the Kraaiennest in Breukelen, I called this house the Bird's Nest / Le Nid des Oiseaux and not Le Nid des Corbeaux as I initially wanted. A Corbeau in France has a black reputation. This mansion, is essentially a composition of several houses and has a large barn with a horse stable upposite the mansion. The buildings, made of real natural stone, are full of many original and authentic elements and lots of charm.

This great property, a mansion and barn, build in the 15th-16th century has imposing stone and wooden staircases, floors and many fireplaces, and three-meter high ceilings. After beeing restored by the hands of a Dutch woman" :))),.... its thick layer of horrible plaster beeing removed and restored in honnor and respect to the ancient builders. This property gained and even regained, in my opinion, more beauty and charm, after some years of restoration. In the walled garden and courtyard with century old trees, you'll find different spots with tables and (lazy) chairs to have your meal, read your book or just be, breathe and take a break. The mansion is in fact a composition of more houses, under 4 roofs, which is invisible from the outside. The 3 cottages in the mainbuilding and the cottage in the big barn, are all fully fledged, nicely restored, decorated and well equiped, The cottage La Poste suits for 3/4 people and has the entrance at the streetside, with a big corridor to the open kitchen with diningroom/salon. and to the majestique staircase to the first floor with the big bedr. 2/3 pers. and the bathroom. Acces to the garden is just 10 steps to the big gate. The cottage the Marronnier (4 pers.) has its entrance at the gardenside with big corridor, where is the first bedr. (2p) and staircase to the first floor to the second bedr. (2p), the bathroom and the kitchen/diningroom/salon. The Coté Jardin,( 4 pers)., has its entrance at the courtyard and is lovely decorated in the style of the mansion, has its entrance at the courtyard. The salon , the diningroom and kitchen; very authentic, are all on the groundlevel. The salon has 2 comfortable sofa beds. The bedroom and bathroom are upstaires and spaceful L'Ecurie is the lovely transformed horsestable with the entrance at the courtyard. The fully equiped kitchen, salon and dining area is one open space. At the first floor, you'll find the romantic bedroom with the bathroom.

There is also a large outbuilding, part of which has now been transformed into a beautiful and original gîte. The main house and outbuilding are separated by a large and intimate courtyard, the walled garden with its ancient trees on the opposite side is opposite this courtyard and offers each gite its own place, equipped with tables and chairs. In short, a wonderful, quiet place, in a village on a beautiful river, where I would like to receive and welcome you and from where you can explore the breathtaking beauty of the Dordogne. The beautiful castles scattered throughout the Dordogne, the museums such as in Périgueux, the capital of the Dordogne, the medieval towns such as Sarlat, Beynac, Castelnaud, the beautiful villages with their weekly (food) markets, too many to mention, the world-famous caves such as Montignac-Lascaux, prehistoric cave houses in Les Eyzies ... The various hiking trails in this wooded area show you the most beautiful and quiet spots in the Périgord Blanc. You can also undertake various activities in the immediate vicinity such as canoeing, horseback riding, quad biking, cycling, running, ballooning and even deltaflying/hanggliding is a possibility ...