Zafer Achi is comfortably seated in his peacock blue armchair when we meet him. This charismatic entrepreneur born in Damascus, who studied at HEC Paris and MIT – among other prestigious programs – is the instigator of an extraordinary project « Made in Occitanie ». Already well-versed in the workings of entrepreneurship, Zafer Achi has been working for the past ten years as the head of a coaching company specialising in leadership. An adventure shared by many of his friends and collaborators, whom he is now rediscovering in a new stage with accents of the South.
During a dinner shared with his companions, the idea of creating fertile ground, a hybrid place to live and work, to allow himself a step aside, germinated from the outpouring of discussions. A collegial desire, which would become concrete a few months later in the joint purchase of a building nestled in the Gascon hinterland.
Let’s shed light on this magnificent initiative, against the backdrop of the fierce desire to undertake, the desire to innovate and the desire to take a rich and sensitive look at our world. A beautiful life lesson, and a message that resonated deeply as the pandemic raged and revived in each of us the need to reconnect with conviviality and sharing.
Zafer Achi and his collaborators warmly thank Greg, the « guardian agent » of this project, who was able to identify their expectations, satisfy their desires and make their ideal life possible.
CYRANO DE PEYLOUBÈRE
« To make this dream a reality, we wanted to buy a property in France, in the South, not far from an airport. We very quickly refocused our search on the South-West, an hour from Toulouse at most, to allow our employees who do not live in France full-time to be able to reach other countries with easy international connections, » explains Zafer Achi. « For two months, my co-workers and I were in contact with Greg, our real estate agent from Agence Hamilton. After only a few virtual visits – confinement obliged – he found us an incredible house in Peyloubère. We knew it was THE one! » he continues.
Not without admiration, Zafer Achi testifies to his agent’s involvement in the purchase process: « Greg is a champion. He was able to help us, transcending his role as an agent. Always listening, offering us answers that balanced the interests of everyone. » Proof of this is that Thérèsa Martin, the owner and seller, wanted to sell this property to people who would appreciate its soul and make it last over time. Greg played with reassurance, with a lot of compassion and humanity. Their caring relationship led me to nickname them Cyrano and Roxane! (Laughs) »
(RE) FINDING THE RARE PEARL
If the long-distance crush on Peyloubère’s house was very real, it had to be confirmed by an actual, palpable visit of the place. Zafer Achi says: « On the birthday, of my colleague Jennifer, we received a call from Greg. He told us that if we wanted, we could make an offer on this property. »
Exceptional conditions call for exceptional measures: « Faced with the emergency, we bypassed the lockdown and took the first London-Paris train, and the first Paris-Toulouse plane! Thérèsa Martin, then owner of the place for 23 years, warmly welcomed us. We chose to spend our quarantine there, to immerse ourselves in the place and its environment. Thanks to this, we were able to discover the wonders of the Gers and its many facets. Our evidence was confirmed! »
FROM LA DOLCE VITA TO IDLENESS (OF THE ADMINISTRATION)
Zafer Achi has understood this many times during his life, achieving one’s dreams does not happen without giving of oneself. The acquisition of their residence with its French charm was no exception.
« Accustomed to the fervour of large cities such as New York, our protagonists had to rub shoulders with the slowness of French administration (lawyers, notaries, etc.). But there was a form of poetry in the waiting, it was finally pleasant to try the rhythm of the South! » The real difficulty was the reluctance of French banks to deal with American investors: « We had been refused by French banks, but we were hopeful that we would be able to open an account with an international structure. This step was crucial to facilitate the installation and the implementation of our beautiful project. »
A BUILDING, THE SCENE OF A LIFE AGAINST THE TIDE
« The pandemic deprived us of the opportunity to live the life we wanted to lead. It was the starting point of our desire to do things differently, » recalls Zafer Achi, who is joined by one of his co-buyers Jennifer, of American, Irish and New Zealand origin, and Aria, her little dog. His collaborator agrees: « We wanted to create a spontaneous place, a soil that can bloom serenely according to the seeds that are to be planted there. As in nature, we will see what emerges from it. Currently, we don’t know if we will welcome clients, but we are sure that our families will come to visit us! »
Zafer Achi adds: « We have been here for three weeks, and we inherited a property that lived off its gîte activity (even if all this was stopped a year ago). The property has 21 rooms, and the installation is simpler thanks to the furniture already present. But not everything is to our liking, and probably will only be in place for 2 to 3 years. » The field of possibilities remains rich and promising: « We are currently 10 investors, and we plan to increase to 15 co-buyers. We open this opportunity to our loved ones, especially those in the social and work circle. In addition, we would like to see how we can contribute to the local community and forge links with the cities of Pavia and Auch. Over the past 3 weeks, we have had a lot of interesting conversations with shopkeepers, second-hand dealers and restaurants… »
But to continue, it will be necessary to perfect the practice of the language of Molière « Some of us speak no or little French, and the inhabitants of the area understand very little English. Our exchanges become, inevitably, sometimes hilarious (Laughs)! »
A NICE MORAL TO THIS STORY ABOUT SHARING
Zafer Achi concludes: « Covid allowed us to really discover and appreciate what mattered in our lives. This was a major moment in our history at the level of a society, where we had the opportunity to question and rethink our habits. Social bubbles became more and more important, work was done differently. We believed that time would allow these types of projects to appear more conventional and less extraordinary. »
Sleeping peacefully on her mistress, Aria, Jennifer’s dog seems to have quickly become accustomed to the rhythm of life of this Spanish Auberge with a Gers sauce.
