There’s something about garden benches. Just looking at one rests the mind. Knowing that a seat awaits. A perfect perch to find a moment of respite, no matter what’s going on in life.

Lescure has many secluded spots that give off a feeling of retreat, that provide a sense of being protected, and we’ve started collecting items to furnish these areas for contemplation. I quite like humble garden furniture that looks like it’s been left out for decades, so when we came across an antique, but badly damaged fireplace mantel, I knew we had found our first banc de parc for under the cedars. Ever-resourceful Ulysse turned our tractor into a small fork-lift truck and we raised the rock to follow Thomas up the incline in the slowest of processions, hoping that 200 kilos of natural stone would not break into pieces. We made it up safely and selected a romantic spot underneath a cedar, a welcome refuge from the hot rays of the sun.

The weathered stone blends in smoothly with the natural surroundings; stone masquerading as tree bark. I love how both the stone’s hardened skin and the bark are indelibly etched with more than 300 years of bounty and hardship. Together they add texture, colour and pattern to this part of the park, capturing its sense of timelessness. We now have a wonderful spot to bench ourselves from the renovations, for just a quick break or for our hours of dreaming, for a lighthearted chat with the sun or deep late night conversations with the moon.