A Handbuilt Life: How One Couple Turned a Shack into a Forest Home
Lucy Truscott, now 49, first fell for the Hérault region of France at just 19. Over half her life later, she still calls it home—living in a house she and her husband built by hand. Their unique property sits hidden in the woods above Saint-Privat, a far cry from the makeshift shack it once was.
The couple’s story began in a village bar, where Lucy met Caradoc at 24. Years later, they bought land from his parents, who still live just 100 metres away. The plot included a basic shack nicknamed 'the Cabane', which became the foundation for their future home.
The house now stands as a testament to the family’s hard work and deep connection to the land. Its off-grid design, from spring-fed water to handmade materials, ensures a self-sufficient life in the forest. For Lucy, who first arrived as a teenager, it’s more than a home—it’s the result of decades spent embracing a simpler way of living.
