When Sylvie Jeannot decided to change her life, she really did change everything – moving nearly 1,000km across the country and swapping her large family home for a 40m² prefabricated modular property.
It was an extraordinary undertaking, especially for someone heading towards retirement, but as she explained, it was a huge adventure along the way.
Sylvie, 60, has a track record of rising to challenges. Having studied construction in the 1980s, she worked as a project assistant and was often the only female on building sites. A divorce in 2000 left her raising her two daughters – then aged seven and two – as a single mum, and the economic crisis of 2007 required her to retrain in sales to supplement her income.
“It was a balancing act but I learned a lot,” she said.
“I also trained in non-violent communication around that time, and completed a course in Tibetan bowls, later opening up my home as a work space and offering accommodation.
“Eventually, my daughters Elodie and Lorane both moved away, and the house started to feel too big; I felt the need to strip back, but also [answer] a call to head towards the sea, to the west.”
In November 2022, Sylvie decided to settle in the coastal town of Concarneau in Finistère, Brittany.
Annaliza Davis
“My initial plan was to establish my business of Tibetan-bowl relaxation sessions, but finding premises proved difficult,” she said. “So I rented a small apartment while I looked for a building plot.
“The prospect of project-managing a build didn’t faze me, although for my budget being as close as possible to the sea meant a smaller plot, and that meant looking at alternative types of housing including prefabricated modules.”
Sylvie advertised locally, finding a private individual selling a 450m² plot that was formerly part of a larger garden, so it was already located in a residential area.
Ad
Only 800m from the beach, the plot came with a 20m² breezeblock building that Sylvie decided to renovate, building her own accommodation separately.
In September 2023, the plot was hers and work could begin.
Sylvie used a French company called Natibox, which specialises in building ready-to-use modules.
“They're typically purchased for working from home or as extra accommodation for a grown-up child or grandparent – I'm the first Natibox client to live in one permanently! I talked with them about my design preferences, opting for an L-shape with 40m² of habitable space and plenty of windows for maximum light.
Annaliza Davis
“Where the two sections meet, I added a utility room and I included a small office space in the bedroom module. The front section is both a living area and treatment space, with a small kitchen that I can screen off.”
Sylvie had allowed up to €150,000 for the plot, and while it would have been cheaper inland or on an estate, the sea was a priority that she was happy to pay more for.
“Building plots 800m from the beach are not easy to find,” she said.
“Planning permission is not always straightforward, either, but Natibox took care of that.
“Their modules start at €25,000 but taxes for connecting the services are just as expensive as for a big house.”
The modules were craned into place in May 2024. It took several months to complete the connections and to add the wood-composite decking.
Sylvie also needed time to renovate the existing 20m² building at the bottom of the garden, which she now rents out as an independent holiday studio. Guests can also enjoy the added bonus of a separate sauna next to the studio, and can book Tibetan-bowl relaxation sessions with Sylvie.
“Most people would only downsize after a major life event, but I didn’t want to wait for that,” said Sylvie.
“Certain comments from friends were pejorative, as if I planned to live in a tiny caravan, but when they visit, their reaction is often: ‘What a great idea.’
“Both my daughters have come to stay; they understand why I chose this way of life and they’re happy for me.”
Sylvie said the hardest aspect of downsizing is deciding where to put the things you do not need every day.
“After 23 years in the same house I'd accumulated so much, including what my daughters had left behind. When I sold the house, everything had to be sorted out and stored. After living out of boxes for two years, it was a delight to unpack the boxes and be truly at home, in a space with good energy.
“I was prepared for delays, some inconvenience, and a bit of discomfort, but if you’re focused on the end result, it’s absolutely worth it.
“I have all my creature comforts but in reduced size: two rings to cook on is plenty, I’m not holding dinner parties for 15 people.
“Before, it was all too much – the space, the bills, the maintenance – but here it's just enough. What more do you need?”
