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After years of life in San Francisco, the Aboriginal people of California Malana Moberg, 59, and Roland Salvato, 64, were ready to change.
Salvato had spent about 30 years working as a project manager, while Muberg worked as a marketing consultant. After a passage that runs its own business, the Roma group, they decided the campaign to start a bed and breakfast.
“We had lived in San Francisco and experienced everything the wonderful city has to offer and we wanted to change,” Muberg told CNBC. “We like to travel and have fun, so we thought it could be a second interesting career for us.”
The castle foundation dates back to the 12th century, and other parts of the property were built in the 14th and 15th centuries.
Sylvain Elfassy
The idea of starting a bed and a breakfast did not come from a desire to make money. Instead, Salvato and Muberg were looking for a challenge to take up in their next chapter.
“We obviously made a lot of money, but that was not the goal of our lives,” said Salvato. “Experience is much more important than material wealth. Any investment in our curiosity for life is worth it.”
The couple began their search for a new house, looking for a property that not only would have space for many guests, but also for animals.
“I always knew that I wanted to move to the country. I just didn’t know which country,” said Salvato.
They watched in Spain, Portugal and North Africa, but France and its rich history continued to call them. It also helped that Salvato already spoke French.
Before the couple moved, the castle had not been improved for 50 years.
Roland saved
They traveled the country in search of the perfect place, finally finding themselves in a city called Druelle Balsac. Here they found a castle that seemed perfect. The property of 6,458 square feet was listed for 736,000 euros (around 835,000 USD) and included a main castle with three bedrooms and three bathrooms, and a two -bedroom two -bedroom guest house.
The castle foundation dates back to the 12th century, and other parts of the property were built in the 14th and 15th centuries.
In 2017, Muberg and Salvato sold their apartment in San Francisco for 1.45 million dollars and used this money to buy the castle in cash. They put the rest of the money to renovations and subsistence costs. The castle had not been renovated or had not upgraded for 50 years.
“We decided that we wanted to make it great for us first, because we have to live here, we must be comfortable,” explains Salvato.
Stay at the castle starts at $ 187 per night.
Sylvain ELFASSY for CNBC do it
The renovations started in 2018 and are still in progress. The two estimates that they have spent about $ 332,000 for work so far – including the dining room, the living room and the kitchen.
But the property generates income for them. They were able to open the guest house to visitors for $ 238 per night and have three rooms in the castle available for $ 187 per night.
“A very expensive French lesson”
HAS Balsac castle,, The couple offer all -week -old workshops on a week on yoga, cooking, book arts, drawing and painting for around $ 4,500 per person.
The couple renovated the kitchen in 2020.
Roland saved
The workshops help the stay in bed and at breakfast reserved outside the summer, which is generally their busiest season. Last year, the castle hosted 60 guests and generated $ 22,000 in income, according to documents examined by CNBC. The estimated monthly expenses of the couple are about $ 2,212 for public services, insurance and Wi-Fi. Last year, they paid about $ 2,000 in property taxes.
The company is not yet profitable, but income helps them get out of it.
“This small sum of money does not look much like it, but it really helps us to cover a large part of the costs of the castle, which we were looking for,” said Muberg.
The couple began renovations in 2018 and spent more than $ 300,000 so far.
Sylvain ELFASSY for CNBC do it
Until the bed and breakfast made a profit, the couple uses their savings to cover subsistence costs.
“I guess you could say that it was a very expensive French lesson,” said Salvato.
And although the couple likes to live and welcome guests at the castle, they are very proud that they were able to inspire a new life in the property.
“We are only guards of this piece of history and this inheritance for the next generation,” explains Salvato.
The main castle has three bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms and a four -bedroom guest house with two bathrooms.
Sylvain ELFASSY for CNBC do it
Conversions to USD was carried out on June 2, 2025, using OANDA conversion rates from 1 euro to USD 1.13. All amounts are rounded to the nearest dollar.
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