For many people looking to settle in South West France, an outdoor swimming pool, if not a prerequisite, is certainly an added attraction. Not so for Richard and Joan Bishop of La Bourgeade, a tiny hamlet close to Ribérac in the Dordogne, who have converted their piscine into a stylish water terrace.
“The pool was in very poor condition,” explains Richard, “and our first instinct was to renovate, but then I thought about utilising the large barn and installing an indoor pool.” Joan, who has back problems, takes up the tale. “When we lived in England I used to swim indoors every day at the golf club, so I agreed with Richard that it would be wonderful to be able to extend the swimming season.”
The Bishops had originally intended to convert their attached barn, which is twelve metres long and over seven metres wide, into a gîte, but as their house was already more than adequate for their needs, with five bedrooms and four bathrooms, they had little incentive to do so. The barn was also surplus to requirements for storage use; the property has several other outbuildings and a garage.
Having decided to go ahead with their idea, in March 2001 they made contact with an architect who, he assured them, would take on the entire project. He would be responsible for not only drawing the plans and arranging planning permission, but would also employ the workforce and liase with the pool manufacturer. They waited until July of that year before they were presented with a copy of the completed drawings and November was drawing to a close when they finally received the necessary permit, enabling them to change the use of the building.
“We felt some concern as to whether the architect was giving the project enough attention,” confides Joan, “we only had contact with him when Richard telephoned to ask about construction starting. The response was invariable, he would come to see us with a prepared set of questions, about wall finishes, flooring types, style of doors and windows and so on. It was very frustrating, at three to four weeks intervals we would answer these identical questions, without making any progress.”
Richard felt it was time to take action. “I sent him a letter at the end of November, stating that unless we heard from him before the first of January 2002, we would assume he was no longer interested in running the project and we would continue on our own. It severely taxed my knowledge of French,” he quips, “whether he understood my letter or not, I don’t know, but he has never replied.”
Towards the end of January, they received a phone call from their daughter, who is getting married in August, asking if she could hold her hen party at their home. “That really put us under pressure, we had to find some way of getting the pool installed before Sarah and nine of her friends arrived at the end of July,” recalls Joan.
Fortunately, they knew a reliable local builder, Monsieur Maziere, who was not only able to undertake the construction and renovation work, but also recommended a pool manufacturer. Monsieur Maziere was available to start work in April; therefore, although over a year had passed since instructions had been given to the architect, their indoor pool was finally underway.
Although progress was still not as rapid as they would have liked, the pool was functional by June. The plasterer hadn’t yet started on the walls or ceiling and instead of doors and windows sheets of plastic were still in place, but they were able to cross the bare concrete floor and swim in their new indoor piscine.
It was at this point that the Bishops starting thinking about the best way of using the existing swimming pool and surrounding area. Joan had decided from the outset that the pool should be converted into a pond. The pool area, however, is a separate section, raised above the level of the rest of the garden, and she did not want it to become an isolated feature that wasn’t easily accessed. They decided on a large water feature, complemented by lawns running down to ground level and a covered paved terrace for outdoor eating, which would give an interesting and practical solution.
Richard’s professional background (he held a senior position in banking) had not prepared him for physical labour. But shortly after retirement, during the course of a convivial afternoon barbecue, he volunteered his services to a friend, a jobbing builder, who took him up on his offer the following day. What was meant to be a three-month stint, working as a labourer while the regular chap was in America, lengthened to a year and a half. But, with this experience under his belt, Richard felt able to carry out the pool/pond conversion himself. Joan not only provided the design inspiration, but also, together with a friend, assisted with the manual labour.
The shape of the new pond, an offset octagonal, was determined by their desire not to have either a plain rectangle or square, as Joan states; “It simply evolved from there, we knew we had to have ledges for the plants on differing levels. I wanted a rill and a bridge across the pond, but apart from that, we had no preconceived ideas about the finished design. We made it up as we went along.” Richards interjects, “to be honest most of what we’ve done, has stemmed from the fact that at the back of the garage we had a gigantic mound of earth that had to be moved at some stage. We couldn’t find anyone who would take it away, so we decided to use it.”
Richard used a wheelbarrow to transport the sorted material to various destinations. He sighs: “Daunting was the word that summed it up. If somebody had said on day one there are 150 barrow loads to move, it wouldn’t have been so bad, because then you can count them off, but there were thousands.” Much of the soil was used to extend and level the lawn, the rocks were transformed into the low walls, which surround the entire area, and the debris went into the pool to build up the level, as it was far too deep initially for use as a pond.
Richard, using a design Joan had found in a magazine, also built the bridge, which diagonally crosses the pond. Apart from its functional use, enabling people to walk over the pond, it also helps visually in breaking up the large expanse of water.
A tiled pergola, giving both shade and interest to the walled end of the site, covers the paved terrace, which houses the table and chairs. The brick built barbeque (all that remains from the days when this was a swimming pool location) promises many lazy days, entertaining friends and family.
Joan’s horticultural prowess is much in evidence. The colourful beds and tasteful planting of the pond, all contribute to making this an exquisite spot to spend time, regardless of the hour.
“We often sit on the bridge in the evenings, having a glass of wine and watching the fish swimming underneath us,” smiles Joan, “we had no idea it was going to be as beautiful as this, it’s our favourite place in the garden.”
Richard and Joan are clearly delighted with their new outdoor living area and indoor pool, and why not? They are now able to swim all year round while enjoying the beauty and tranquillity of a superb water terrace.
© Lorraine Mace 2002
