A challenge

When we see a tumble-down house as we drive through the lanes and villages of Haut Anjou, the part of the Pays de la Loire where "our" village is situated, either the Old Bat or I will sometimes remark, "Now, there's a challenge!"  Indeed, we have seen quite a few houses that would present challenges not insurmountable to fit DIY enthusiasts - which would rule me out on two grounds.  One of those potential challenges is in a hamlet just half a mile or so from "our" village.

 Le Fourneau, as the hamlet is called, consists of three fairly modern, detached houses and two rows of tiny cottages facing each other, three on one side of the road and four (or are there five?) on the other.  There is also one other, old, detached house, cosiderably larger than any of the old cottages.

It must have been about nine years ago that we first saw this house.  It was empty then and has remained so ever since.  Our first thought on seeing it was that it possessed great potential, even though it was something of a challenge back then and is more so now.  There is a small garden at the back which slopes gently down to the lake.  I took this picture standing in the garden.