Our story

From London to Saint Léonard des Bois

Hello - we’re Isabelle and Minh. For several years we’d talked about making a big life change, creating a space where we could slow down, breathe and grow in beautiful surroundings - and enable others to do the same.

So in 2023 when we visited this old dairy farm nestled in the hillside of Saint Léonard des Bois, between river and woods, with its walled vegetable garden, beautiful stone buildings, fruit trees and stunning views across the Alpes Mancelles, we knew it was for us.

A few months later, we left our home, friends and jobs in London, where we’d spent most of the last 20 years, and took the leap to make our lives here.

From four stone walls to a hillside hideaway

When we arrived, the little barn was just four very solid stone walls, a dirt floor and a crumbling roof. But the view outside was breathtaking.

Over the course of a year and a half, we worked with a local architect and talented craftspeople to transform the old barn into a quietly luxurious hillside hideaway.

We made deliberate choices to preserve or reuse as much as we could of the original materials - the old stone walls, the original lintels and the oak roof truss are all central to the ‘new’ building, while the 100-year-old roof slates from the main house have found new purpose as a footpath around the front of the little barn. We’ve opted for natural materials like lime render and lime wash paint to help the building breathe with the different seasons.

The result is a beautiful and intimate space - at once calm, cosy and spacious, one that lends itself perfectly to relaxation and reconnection.

What does l'Écrin de Saint Léo mean?

The word écrin literally means jewellery box, but can take on a more abstract sense of a place that protects something precious. For us, the name l’Écrin de Saint Léo is inspired by its surroundings: a place to disconnect from the rush of everyday life and immerse yourself in nature. But we also wanted to reflect what this treasure in the hillside has come to mean to us personally.

When we first visited we were shown around by the owner whose family had cared for it since the early 1980s. It was clear that this place had been so much more than just buildings and fields for them; it felt truly loved. We want to create that same sense of care: a place where guests can feel cocooned in comfort, protected in the wild hillside.

Surrounded by wildlife

What makes l’Écrin de Saint Léo so distinctive is its beautiful natural setting; living within the UNESCO Normandie-Maine geopark means there’s life all around us - from buzzards and kestrels to badgers, hares and deer. 

Our mission is to create a space here where nature can thrive - adding to hedgerows, planting trees and encouraging biodiversity on almost three hectares of land that was once cultivated - and where our guests can feel truly immersed in it. We can’t wait to welcome you.

Warm wishes, 

Isabelle & Minh