There is an innate charm in hand built stone walls. The exquisite masonry and beautiful textures afforded by the material transport us to times gone by. Stone properties have a character that new builds could never emulate and this is the reason why they are sought after today. In fact, for those who can afford it, it is in fashion to build stone houses that resemble old stone properties!
In France stone property, especially old French stone built property is highly sought after as they are unique and not exactly growing in numbers. Today we have a number of new construction techniques that are less labour intensive and therefore more cost effective, but for many years in the history of civilisation, stone was the one hardy and reliable material of choice for construction.
Ever since the stone-age, human beings have developed and honed their ability to deal with stone. Tools that can cut and chisel stone have existed for thousands of years, and there is archaeological evidence that man has lived in stone dwellings for centuries.
In fact, the ingenious dry walling technique that is still used today in the countryside all over the continent and in Britain has been used for thousands of years to build elaborate dwellings and structures; remains of which can still be found today.
Stone is naturally occurring, extremely hardy, and weather resistant and heat retaining material and it is a natural choice of material for our early as well as modern ancestors. Today, stone is an expensive material to be used everywhere, but to live in an old stone property is an idea that is very much coveted today.
