Building Rue Galilee: A Dream Nailed to the Wall
Dreams often arrive quietly — as whispers, as what-ifs, as wild ideas that most would call unrealistic. For me, the dream of building a bed and breakfast in France wasn’t logical, timely, or even easy to explain. But it was real. And it clung to me with the kind of determination that only true dreams do.
Rue Galilee wasn’t just a house. It was an idea. A stubborn, beautiful, untamed vision of what life could look like if I dared to say yes.
From Blueprint to Broken Walls
When I first saw the building, it didn’t resemble a dream. It was tired, forgotten, nearly crumbling — a shell of a home tucked on a quiet street in a French town many hadn’t heard of. The roof sagged. The plaster flaked. The charm wasn’t obvious. But I saw something there — potential, possibility, and strangely enough… peace.
I didn’t have experience in hospitality. I didn’t speak French fluently. I wasn’t even fully sure where to begin. What I had was vision, a good dose of grit, and the willingness to try.
And so, the dream began to take shape — one nail, one beam, one scraped knuckle at a time.
Nailing Down More Than Just Wood
For ten months, life was hammers and hope. I worked like someone possessed. I scrawled notes on plasterboard, kept plans in my back pocket, and learned to appreciate the sound of power tools as much as the clinking of wine glasses I imagined for future guests.
Walls went up. Floors were laid. Ceilings restored. With every bit of progress, I was reminded that sometimes we don’t build things just to create a place — we build to become who we’re meant to be.
Opening the Doors to More Than Guests
In June 2016, we opened the doors to Rue Galilee B&B. It wasn’t perfect — but it was authentic. Cozy rooms. Warm bread. Thoughtful details. And perhaps most importantly, the quiet presence of a dream fulfilled. That energy was something guests could feel.
Word spread, and within months, our little B&B was described as “one of the best little hotels in France” by renowned travel critic Alexander Lobrano. That was our “Empire State” moment. Bookings soared. The work paid off.
Then came 2020.
When the World Paused, the Dream Didn’t Die
The pandemic hit, and with it came cancellations, quiet halls, and uncertainty. But Rue Galilee didn’t fall. We adapted. We stayed open — even when we hosted just one couple for one night. They got the best of us. And we kept going.
Because when a dream is nailed to the wall — not just in timber and tile, but in heart and memory — it doesn’t collapse easily.
Today, Rue Galilee Is More Than a Place
It’s a reminder that we can build the life we imagine — even if we’re scared, even if we’ve never done it before. It’s about choosing courage over comfort. Faith over fear. Brick over blueprint.
We built this place with our hands, but we live in it with our hearts. Rue Galilee will always be more than a B&B. It’s a testament to what happens when you dare to believe in your wildest idea… and then put in the work to bring it to life.
