Having spent relatively little time in France over the years - apart from our regular Simpson family skiing holidays some 30 years ago - I must confess that the experience was a delightful surprise, and if I’m honest, something of a re-education. I had forgotten just how many things the French do exceptionally well. We loved the markets with their fresh produce, wandering through villages in the mornings, enjoying café au lait and pain au chocolat, and discovering wonderful art galleries and boutique shops. We even bought a beautiful painting of Maria Callas, which has since been shipped back to our house in Crete.

I do admit to feeling slightly frustrated by restaurants closing promptly at 2pm - something we are not used to in Greece - and by menus that weren’t translated into English (my French, I’m afraid, is even worse than my Greek). I could go on… but in many ways I have to admit that the French have got it right when it comes to holidays. We enjoyed the experience so much that we are returning to Provence next July to celebrate my eightieth birthday - which rather says it all.

After the holiday we returned home to Crete, where the serious business of refurbishing our newly acquired houses in Pefki continues. Pefki is a tiny village, just 7km inland from Diaskari Beach. What began as the purchase of one old house has become a genuine labour of love. Our ambition has grown and we now own half a dozen houses in the village. Two are fully restored, while the remaining four are very much works in progress.

Restoration, as anyone who has embarked on such a project will know, requires vision, energy - and deeper pockets than you ever expect. Builders have a habit of discovering problems we were blissfully unaware of, until suddenly we are very aware of them. It’s also essential to maintain good relations with the archaeology department, as there are strict rules governing all such projects.

There are also practical considerations. Major reconstruction work can only take place during the winter months, as summer belongs to visitors who understandably expect peace and quiet. And then there are the local politics - something every small community enjoys - with divided opinions about what is best for the village. Pleasing everyone, as it turns out, is impossible.

Recently, we agreed with local community leaders to contribute some €15,000 towards improving what we fondly call “Pefki High Street” - the narrow pedestrian entrance to the village used only by walkers and cyclists. Some members of the local committee helped organise the rebuilding of several crumbling walls, while we funded the re-cementing of the main street. We also purchased suitable plants and placed old pots along the way to enhance the journey into the heart of the village, where the delightful taverna Piperia is located. The result? Some residents were delighted, others less so - roughly a 50/50 split.

Inevitably, this kind of mixed reaction makes you question whether you have the right to ‘interfere’, albeit with the very best intentions. I look at it this way. Between 1960 and 1970, Pefki had over 800 residents. There was a thriving primary school with more than 30 children. Today, there are probably fewer than 40 permanent residents, most aged between 75 and 100. The school has long since closed and is now a museum. The younger generation moved away decades ago, drawn to towns and cities in search of work. Life in Pefki during the 1950s and 60s was basic. Many houses had no toilets, running water or electricity. There was no road - just a donkey track winding up from the sea. Water came from mountain springs, and the village wash house still stands as a reminder of where women gathered to wash clothes and exchange gossip. A solitary kafeneion provided a place for men to play tavli (backgammon) or cards.

Yet Pefki had life and soul. Goats and chickens supplied milk and eggs. Olive trees produced excellent oil. Grapes provided essential liquid sustenance - usually retsina. There were beehives for honey and a wealth of herbs growing on the mountainside, valued for both medicinal use and the enhancement of Cretan cooking. This is a place that deserves to thrive.

I’m delighted to say that the village is slowly coming back to life. Several houses have been restored this year, including ours. Infrastructure is improving, and with the help of the local folklore committee, there are now regular cultural celebrations throughout the year. These culminate in a colourful festival of Cretan music and dancing July, which has proved very popular. Cretan Easter is another deeply significant event, marked by candlelit processions around the village chapel, followed by the burning of Judas and a dramatic display of fireworks.

Fanis, the owner of Piperia, has now opened a small grocery shop next door, selling local produce - honey, wine, olive oil, seasonal fruit - as well as essentials for breakfast or a light lunch. Dinner, of course, remains firmly the domain of the taverna. Further along Pefki High Street, an art shop called Meraklina has opened, run by the talented Jenny, and we hope it marks the beginning of more artisan businesses to come.

Our own vision continues to evolve. We aim to create a small Simpson hotel incorporating the six village houses we are restoring, and suites that we’ll build on land we have purchased near the edge of the village. We’ll take all the learning and inspiration built up over more than a decade of creating Simpson hotels, with a view to offering a place where visitors can truly immerse themselves in the timeless charm of Pefki, while still enjoying 21st-century comfort and service.

Plans include a walled garden, a natural rock swimming pool, a small spa and a programme of tours and experiences, from walking and cooking to painting and music. It is, as one recent visitor remarked, an ambitious plan, not least because of our relatively advanced age and planned opening date of 2027 (2028 for the garden and pool). But such projects keep us young, and neither of us has ever been fond of standing still. In the meantime, we will continue to offer our two cottages - Pepper Tree (formerly Elysia) and Pomegranate to Simpson guests for the coming season.

Yianna and I wish everyone a happy, healthy and peaceful new year.

With best wishes,

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