Where it all began
A name. A family. A way of doing things.
Georges was my grandfather. A baker in Normandy’s Manche département, he was up before dawn, worked with his hands and always kept his word. He believed in doing things properly, taking pride in your work and never cutting corners.
Years later, on a building site on the other side of the world, the tradesmen began calling me “Monsieur Georges”. It was an unexpected link with my grandfather, and the name stayed with me. Over time, it came to represent something simple: a personal commitment to honest advice, careful workmanship and a job well done.
The craft
A house is more than bricks and mortar.
Over the years, I’ve designed, built and transformed all kinds of places, from entire neighbourhoods and family homes to a boutique hotel in Cameroon.
Those experiences taught me that a house is about far more than its size or market value. It’s the warmth of a fire on a winter’s evening, a tree planted by a grandfather, an old stone wall weathered by time, or a terrace where lunch turns into supper without anyone watching the clock.
Every house has its own character. Every owner has their own hopes for it. The challenge is to understand both, then find the right way forward — improving what needs to be improved, preserving what deserves to remain, and making sure the whole feels right.
That begins with listening. Properly listening, before a single decision is made.
Between Caen and Granville
Finding my way home.
For years, while living and working far from Normandy, I found myself thinking of the light over the Channel, the granite façades, the pale stone of Caen and the familiar landscapes of the Manche.
You don’t always realise how much a place means to you until you’ve been away.
Coming home to the area between Caen and Granville felt natural. Here, I found again the things I value most: materials that grow more beautiful with age, local craftspeople who understand stone and timber through years of hands-on experience, and houses whose appeal lies as much in their history as in their architecture.
For British owners with a home in Normandy, renovating from a distance can bring its own uncertainties. Finding the right people, making decisions about unfamiliar materials, keeping an eye on costs and knowing that the work is progressing as it should all matter.
My role is to bring those things together: a clear understanding of your plans, a thoughtful approach to the house itself, and a reliable presence on the ground throughout the project.
And when I’m not working, you’ll often find me out on a boat or walking the foreshore around the Chausey Islands. It’s where I find a little perspective, and where some of my best ideas come to me.
Monsieur Georges
Thoughtful renovation. Lasting character.
I now bring everything I’ve learned to the renovation and transformation of homes in Normandy.
Perhaps you’d like to restore an old stone house, rework the layout of a family home, add an extension that feels as though it has always belonged, or create a garden that sits naturally within its surroundings.
Whatever the project, the aim is the same: to make your home work better for you, while respecting what makes it special.
I take a considered approach to every project, from the first conversation and the design choices through to the selection of local tradespeople and the coordination of the work.
And I believe in being straightforward. I’ll tell you what I think can be achieved, what it is likely to cost, where compromises may be necessary and what, in my view, is genuinely worth doing.
No unnecessary work. No promises that cannot be kept. Just sound advice, careful attention to detail and a commitment to getting things right.
If you have a project in mind — or simply a house you’d like to talk about — I’d be delighted to hear from you.
We can meet at your home, walk around the property together and talk things through over a cup of tea.
I look forward to meeting you.
Christophe LebrunMonsieur Georges — Renovation & Home Improvement in Normandy