French Architects Recreate 1960s Cabin on Cap Ferret Amid Wildfires

Touton Architectes meticulously renovated and expanded a vacation home on Cap Ferret, France, drawing inspiration from a classic, wood-clad Girolle design popular in the mid-20th century.

A Response to Recent Devastation

The project emerged following wildfires that impacted the “Hamptons of France,” Cap Ferret. Fortunately, this particular property survived and was subsequently restored by the Bordeaux-based firm.

The Girolle Legacy

“In Cap Ferret, it’s always more interesting to start with what’s already there and then expand on it,” explains Florence Lazime, the architect leading the restoration. The existing cottage, previously plagued by structural issues including exterior wall cracks, was transformed into an authentic “Girolle” – a type of affordable, prefabricated vacation home developed in the mid-1960s by a quartet of Bordeaux architects.

Design Elements & Expansion

The Girolle combines traditional timber frames and tiled roofs with modular structures and expansive glass windows, offering a stylish and accessible alternative to conventional holiday homes. Hundreds of these homes were built, many overlooking the Bassin d’Arcachon, a scenic destination near Bordeaux. The renovated home incorporates local elements like grid-pattern windows framed by solid wooden windowsills and cladding with planks of Douglas fir.

Interior Focus on Entertainment

The Parisian owners, who fell in love with the region, sought a renovation that would accommodate entertaining and overnight guests. Touton Architectes designed large, open living areas, several small bedrooms with en suite bathrooms, and a principal suite located in a separate annex featuring an outdoor shower. “We designed it so that the owners could entertain family and friends while maintaining their own private space,” Lazime explains.