The history of the Maison du Bonheur

Once upon a time... My paternal grandparents Albert et Marguerite Patin

 were farmers in the village of Saint-Bernard and in Quincieux (a neighbouring village). They raised their livestock and poultry, cultivated their vegetable garden and orchard and harvested their wheat, corn and hay for their livestock. They owned several pieces of farmland.

One day, during a traditional local festival, my father met my mother... My parents Jean Patin et Françoise Jambon decided to get married! My father, supported by my mother, decided to build a building to house the future family. He then took a piece of land from my grandparents to build a house. It was in 1977, in Saint-Bernard, 202 chemin de la Prière!

My father and mother, very handyman-like and technologically ahead of their time, decided to build the house with their own hands, with the advice of an architect cousin... And that's how, in 1979, the house was finally inhabited, built in rubble stone, brick and plaster, with a traditional framework and insulated on all sides... My mother took care of the interior and exterior decoration, because she has a green thumb! My uncle and godfather advised her on some planting because he is a landscaper... I have a very artisanal family and full of good advice... (My other uncles are butchers, restaurant owners in farm inns, from Reunion and Brittany: I was well aware of farm products, healthy and with taste, which I define today as a quality product)

I was born in 1979 and lived in this house from the age of 4 months... This house is the house of my childhood, my house of happiness! What a chance to have been educated in this small village of Saint-Bernard, well positioned, because in spite of the few rural services, there are only a few kilometres (3 to 5) to make to find any service of the daily life or 25km to reach the big city of Lyon... But what a joy to have a garden to play in, a peaceful place to recharge one's batteries on a daily basis and above all no major safety problems, we live in the countryside!!!

This serenity was experienced on a daily basis, because in addition to a privileged location (in my opinion), my parents were very generous! Always conviviality in this house, always family, friends, neighbours, colleagues shared with us a moment of Happiness! This is how the very positive soul of this house was born...

My parents built this house on one level with the idea of growing old in this house and built a swimming pool with their own hands in 1982 to please their children, my brother Florent and myself... My parents were very modern, they used a maximum of new technologies for the running of the house.

In spite of the difficulties of life and among others the divorce of my parents, my very conservative father decided to continue to live in this house! He had a heart, always had time or space in the house for a relative or friend in need!

Then I grew up, and in turn I used my grandparents' land, on which I built my house. I moved next door to my dad's house, on the same land. With my husband, we started our family. And my brother joined us, he, in turn, built his house on the same land... As a family, grandparents, brothers, sisters, grandchildren, we all had a wonderful time, respecting each other's property and discretion. My father unfortunately left us, but that's the way life goes, even if it's not always what you want...

I realised that I have some of the same character traits as my father: I am conservative, generous and discreet. I like to share moments of happiness with my family and friends first and foremost, but also with people of all origins!

Having spent a lot of time travelling for my work, I have participated in the construction or renovation of pharmaceutical processes. I always came back to my childhood place in Saint-Bernard, my landmark...

Concerned about heritage conservation, experienced in my various travels and adventurous, I wanted to change my sector of activity, I decided to transform my father's house into a  bed and breakfast. This house had aged and needed a reorganization of the living rooms, a more modern decoration and a renovation of the defective equipment.

And here I am for a year of work, accompanied by my husband, who also comes from a family of craftsmen (and gave us a good hand). Having experience of building and process construction in my professional life, I decided to use my own arms (and those of my relatives, it must be said, in particular those of my husband, my brother, my uncles, my in-laws, my mother...) to totally renovate the house, maintain and improve the modern technologies already in place, recycle good quality material or furniture.

In July 2020, the interior of the house is completely renovated, the guests are finally welcomed. A new job starts for me. It was a year of experience! I succeeded in bringing happiness as I understood it: modern but discreet technologies, comfort in simplicity, a haven of peace in a very practical room, generosity in very enriching exchanges, sustainable development. I then decided to make it my profession and to completely renovate the exterior. In June 2021, I obtained 3 "épis" on the criteria of Gîtes de France, the standard of comfort that I wanted to obtain!

Today, my family and friends will always have priority, the house is often used for family parties or with friends! You will have the chance to meet my mother who has also returned to the roots of building her family home! She still has a green thumb and is very generous, she maintains the vegetable garden, the plants and the flowers of the house of Happiness!

You will probably come across members of my family: my husband, my brother, my children and sometimes my relatives...

And on my side, I will do my best to share with you a moment of Happiness with my heart...

I look forward to welcoming you...