Because my father is a perfectionist, he did not leave anything to chance.
He wanted to monitor the building process very closely which of course in the end paid off enormously.
Although we had a very good architect, my parents drove down many times to check on the progress.
Once the house was built, we finally were able to enjoy our holidays there, sitting on the terrace in the sunshine and dipping into the pool for the occasional cool off.
It was paradise.
Over the years we got to know many people and we became part of the community.
Grimaud became our second home.
On many occasions, my brother and I invited our friends to spend the holidays with us.
We had just wonderful times together and memories that we will never forget.
When we had our own children, they were able to enjoy the house too.
A second home is a great asset to have.
It is so easy, because you always know what to expect.
It is important to remember that it is a home and needs a lot of maintaining.
We employed a gardener.
We had somebody look after the swimming pool.
We had somebody prepare the house before we arrived etc.
And of course things would get damaged and would break.
You have to deal with problems remotely and hope for the best that they are managed to your standards.
Another important aspect to consider is the security of the house, especially in the South of France where there are many break-ins.
Although our house was like a fortress, burglars still managed to get in.
Some only want shelter and live there for a while.
People figure out very quickly which houses are holiday homes and which are not.
Because the journey to our house was a twelve-hour drive from our home in Germany, my parents found the drive more and more difficult and decided to sell.
It broke my heart.
But, as it was not my house, I have given them my full support.
A second home is a wonderful idea, but it is a second home with all the responsibilities.
It is costly and therefore you tend to spend all your holidays there and that limits you from seeing other interesting places.
Maybe one day, when the time is right, I will buy my own.