The story of l'Histoire du Lac starts in a French apple orchard in the summer of 2021. During a walk through this orchard, we, Dagmar and Eugène (Eus), dream about the future. Our dreams take us to a place in nature. A place with a special view where we can welcome people with hospitality, in peace and tranquility.
Back home in the Netherlands, we continued to dream and talked a lot about the foundation on which we would want to build our own business. We arrived at the core values of Peace, Love, Freedom, and Meaning.
In the summer of 2022, we crossed France, searching for the story and place from our dreams. We found it in Charente, by the Lake of Mas Chaban. An old farmhouse with sweeping views over the lake, located in rolling fields. Our dream became reality in January 2023, when we signed the purchase contract and moved into the farmhouse, called La Contie.
After a short settling-in period, we began building sustainably and creating. There was a lot of work to do in a building that had not been lived in daily for more than 4 years. We built entirely on our own, with our own hands. In doing so, we kept returning to the core values which are so important to us.
We love authenticity and purity. You can see this reflected in the atmosphere of our gîte and feel it as soon as you step inside. For the creation of our gîte, we reused as many original materials as possible, sourced from the old farmhouse.
Our first gîte, La Vue, opened in 2025. La Vue is situated in the annex of the farmhouse. We also included the old hay loft with its beautiful authentic walls in this gîte.
Future
We believe that there is space for a maximum of two gîtes at La Contie. The knowledge and experience we gained from creating La Vue will be used to build the second gîte. Moving forward, La Contie will evolve into a small-scale holiday concept. A concept that connects people and nature in Peace, Love, and Freedom.
Eus about Dagmar
Dagmar, or Daggie, is a 'beautifier'. A space, a garden, a dish, a piece of clothing... Dagmar is creative and resourceful, which is why she can turn nothing into something beautiful. She knows how to play with color and materials, creating a natural atmosphere from simplicity.
When you're looking for Dagmar, follow the scents from the kitchen. If you don't find her in the kitchen, you'll probably find her in the vegetable garden, where she clears her mind and feels connected to nature.
Dagmar loves to cook: connecting and delighting people with pure dishes, preferably made entirely from her own garden. Good conversations, gezelligheid (coziness).
In the Netherlands, Dagmar worked in the food industry, and before she moved to France with me, she spent some time teaching. We met in education, sitting together in the same class after we both switched from the business world.
Dagmar’s favorite spot at La Contie is on the stairs in front of the house. Overlooking the lake, enjoying the colorful skies. Preferably just before sunrise, with a cappuccino, me, and our dog Jip by her side.
Dagmar about Eus
Eus has ‘golden hands’. What his eyes see, his hands can create. Eus has had a passion for technology since he was a child, particularly electrical engineering. This love showed itself in many places: in a submarine, in the world's largest distribution centers, in holiday parks, recreation areas, and… in the classroom.
Eus is a star at thinking outside the box, and a problem is a challenge for him: “On the boat, you can’t just call the mechanic.”
In addition to being the father of three wonderful children, Eus is a life lover and adventurer. He loves sailing, diving, is a former marine, and clearly has a thing for water. When I met Eus in 2020, he was planning to sail around the world. Luckily, I was able to lure him to the lake just in time!
Eus’s favorite spot at La Contie is on the bench overlooking the pond. In total peace, he follows his colorful koi fish every day, preferably at the crack of dawn.