Couple buys abandoned French hamlet for £26,000 to renovate themselves
Yip Ward and Paul Mappley saved over £100,000 by undertaking DIY restoration work on the Normandy property.
Yip Ward and Paul Mappley purchased an abandoned hamlet in Normandy, France, for £26,000 and have spent six years restoring the site. According to a Times of India report, the couple previously lived in a caravan in Tunbridge Wells, England, before the opportunity arose in 2020.
The estate, named La Busliere, includes seven cottages, two barns, a workshop, a cider press, and two traditional bread ovens. The couple initially bought a property for £12,000 by selling an old tractor and other possessions, then acquired neighbouring buildings for an additional £14,000.
The pair estimate they have saved more than £100,000 by performing much of the restoration work themselves with help from a builder friend, Ian. Paul Mappley noted that several cottages were being swallowed by nature, with ivy covering roofs and walls.
The couple has already converted the original cottage into a holiday rental and transformed a horsebox from the UK into accommodation. They are currently working towards completing their second cottage by summer 2027.