A British woman who bought a 13-bedroom chateau in south-west France during the Covid pandemic is continuing to run the property single-handed after her separation – and growing two businesses in the process.
Karen Kissane, 50, originally from Newcastle in the UK, lives between Bordeaux and Château de Treuil in Charente-Maritime, an estate she and her former partner purchased in 2020.
But what began as a family relocation has since evolved into a new chapter in both her personal and professional life, with Karen now running the property and her businesses as the main income earner, and co-parenting two teenage children.
Karen trained as a molecular biologist but left the field after what she describes as a difficult return to work following maternity leave, when she experienced discrimination.
The Château de Treuil near Cognac now serves as both Karen's home and the centre of her business operationsKaren Kissane
“I just made the decision at that moment to never work for anyone else again,” she said.
She now works as a business strategist and coach, focusing on female entrepreneurs, consultants and senior professionals.
Alongside this, she runs a software and marketing platform, ExpertSpace, which supports business owners in developing and managing their online presence and systems.
Karen hosts residential retreats at the property, which she said was specifically chosen to allow her to bring clients together in person in a focused environment away from day-to-day pressures.
Karen Kissane trained as a molecular biologist but now works as a business strategist in FranceKaren Kissane
“We sold a house in the UK and bought the chateau so I could run retreats and keep that human contact in my business,” she said.
She has now hosted 12 retreats at the estate, welcoming more than 120 women from across Europe.
Alongside her career, Karen is co-parenting her two children, aged 14 and 16, between Bordeaux and the chateau.
While the transition to life in France has included significant personal change, Karen said it has also brought independence, resilience and a stronger sense of direction in both her personal and professional life.
She said managing the chateau alongside her businesses has been a steep learning curve, but also an empowering one.
“I’ve had to teach myself how to run and maintain a chateau on my own while running two businesses,” she said.
“It’s been challenging, but I’ve built a strong support network locally and learned so much through doing it.”
She added that the experience has directly influenced her coaching work: “Life and business are not separate things. When something changes in your personal life, it changes everything in your business too. You can’t ignore that.”
