Martin was traveling from
California—it was his
first visit to France, he was in mid-life crisis and bought the house on impulse
in 1992. The house was a ruin, but every year he would return and
work on the house. Martin
moved to France in 2004 and met Monique who was visiting her sister in
the village. Monique lives at the top tip of France near the
Belgian border. Martin and Monique move north every winter to
Monique's to stay in touch with her friends and family, and visit
California every year.