CHASTEAUX, France (Reuters) - In a forested area in central France, a young couple lives off-grid in a wood-and-straw cabin. Their aim is not to hide from the law, but to change it.
French couple living 'off-grid' say they want to leave a mark In a forest area in central France, a young couple lives off-grid in a wood-and-straw cabin, but unlike the father and daughter in the movie "Leave No Trace" they do not want to hide from the law. They want to change it.
Jonathan Attias, 33, and Caroline Perez, 34, are the driving force behind the “Desobeissance fertile” (Fertile Disobedience) movement that links up back-to-nature enthusiasts with landowners willing to let them build dwellings on their land.
Attias and Perez built a cabin on a three-hectare plot shared with them by an older friend. Two other people also live on the site.
“We want to show that it is possible for people to live with and in nature,” said Attias, who gives legal and practical advice to people who want to live off-grid in cabins, yurts, tiny houses or other impermanent dwellings.
A year ago, the couple built their “compostable” house with wood, stone, bales of straw and recycled materials like tarpaulins and old doors. When they leave, the house will biodegrade naturally.
But in France, like most of Europe, people are not allowed to build housing in forests or on agricultural land, only in designated housing areas and where they must respect building codes.
Attias wants to change that.
“We will bring our case to the media and we want public debate, we want the law to change,” he told Reuters.
His mayor disagrees.
“Everybody wants to change the law when it suits them. What they are doing is forbidden,” said Jean-Paul Fronty, mayor of the village of Chasteaux, with 744 inhabitants.
Attias and Perez live in the woods by choice. Two years ago they were urban professionals in Paris. Attias still teaches at a Paris university two days a month and works as a freelance journalist. Perez is a doula who assists with childbirth.
A view shows the landscape near the wood-and-straw hut, a "compostable" house made out of natural and recycled materials, built by Jonathan Attias and Caroline Perez in a forest area near Chasteaux, central France, January 24, 2020. The young couple are the driving force of the "Desobeissance fertile" (Fertile Disobediance) movement that brings together back-to-nature enthusiasts with landowners willing to let them build ecological dwellings on their land. REUTERS/Regis DuvignauJonathan Attias makes wooden spoons in their the wood-and-straw hut, a "compostable" house made out of natural and recycled materials, in a forest area near Chasteaux, central France, January 23, 2020. The young couple are the driving force of the "Desobeissance fertile" (Fertile Disobediance) movement that brings together back-to-nature enthusiasts with landowners willing to let them build ecological dwellings on their land. REUTERS/Regis DuvignauFrancois, landowner who shares his land with Jonathan Attias and Caroline Perez, reads a book in his hut in a forest area near Chasteaux, central France, January 24, 2020. The young couple are the driving force of the "Desobeissance fertile" (Fertile Disobediance) movement that brings together back-to-nature enthusiasts with landowners willing to let them build ecological dwellings on their land. REUTERS/Regis DuvignauJonathan Attias cycles to power the washing machine near their wood-and-straw hut, a "compostable" house made out of natural and recycled materials, in a forest area near Chasteaux, central France, January 23, 2020. The young couple are the driving force of the "Desobeissance fertile" (Fertile Disobediance) movement that brings together back-to-nature enthusiasts with landowners willing to let them build ecological dwellings on their land. REUTERS/Regis DuvignauJonathan Attias works in their wood-and-straw hut, a "compostable" house made out of natural and recycled materials, in a forest area near Chasteaux, central France, January 23, 2020. The young couple are the driving force of the "Desobeissance fertile" (Fertile Disobediance) movement that brings together back-to-nature enthusiasts with landowners willing to let them build ecological dwellings on their land. REUTERS/Regis DuvignauCaroline Perez works near the wood-and-straw hut, a "compostable" house made out of natural and recycled materials, in a forest area near Chasteaux, central France, January 23, 2020. The young couple are the driving force of the "Desobeissance fertile" (Fertile Disobediance) movement that brings together back-to-nature enthusiasts with landowners willing to let them build ecological dwellings on their land. REUTERS/Regis DuvignauCaroline Perez prepares stinging nettles for meal in their wood-and-straw hut, a "compostable" house made out of natural and recycled materials, in a forest area near Chasteaux, central France, January 23, 2020. The young couple are the driving force of the "Desobeissance fertile" (Fertile Disobediance) movement that brings together back-to-nature enthusiasts with landowners willing to let them build ecological dwellings on their land. REUTERS/Regis DuvignauJonathan Attias plays the flute with his daughter Mani inside their wood-and-straw hut, a "compostable" house made out of natural and recycled materials, in a forest area near Chasteaux, central France, January 23, 2020. The young couple are the driving force of the "Desobeissance fertile" (Fertile Disobediance) movement that brings together back-to-nature enthusiasts with landowners willing to let them build ecological dwellings on their land. REUTERS/Regis DuvignauA view shows the kitchen inside the wood-and-straw hut, a "compostable" house made out of natural and recycled materials, built by Jonathan Attias and Caroline Perez in a forest area near Chasteaux, central France, January 23, 2020. The young couple are the driving force of the "Desobeissance fertile" (Fertile Disobediance) movement that brings together back-to-nature enthusiasts with landowners willing to let them build ecological dwellings on their land. REUTERS/Regis DuvignauView of the hut of Francois, landowner who shares his land with Jonathan Attias and Caroline Perez, in a forest area near Chasteaux, central France, January 23, 2020. The young couple are the driving force of the "Desobeissance fertile" (Fertile Disobediance) movement that brings together back-to-nature enthusiasts with landowners willing to let them build ecological dwellings on their land. REUTERS/Regis DuvignauFrancois, landowner who shares his land with Jonathan Attias and Caroline Perez, cooks in his hut in a forest area near Chasteaux, central France, January 24, 2020. The young couple are the driving force of the "Desobeissance fertile" (Fertile Disobediance) movement that brings together back-to-nature enthusiasts with landowners willing to let them build ecological dwellings on their land. REUTERS/Regis DuvignauGarden tools are seen in front of the hut of Francois, landowner who shares his land with Jonathan Attias and Caroline Perez, in a forest area near Chasteaux, central France, January 23, 2020. The young couple are the driving force of the "Desobeissance fertile" (Fertile Disobediance) movement that brings together back-to-nature enthusiasts with landowners willing to let them build ecological dwellings on their land. REUTERS/Regis DuvignauJonathan Attias and Caroline Perez, their daughters Lia and Mani pose in their wood-and-straw hut, a "compostable" house made out of natural and recycled materials, in a forest area near Chasteaux, central France, January 23, 2020. The young couple are the driving force of the "Desobeissance fertile" (Fertile Disobediance) movement that brings together back-to-nature enthusiasts with landowners willing to let them build ecological dwellings on their land. REUTERS/Regis DuvignauBooks are pictured on a table inside the wood-and-straw hut, a "compostable" house made out of natural and recycled materials, built by Jonathan Attias and Caroline Perez in a forest area near Chasteaux, central France, January 23, 2020. The young couple are the driving force of the "Desobeissance fertile" (Fertile Disobediance) movement that brings together back-to-nature enthusiasts with landowners willing to let them build ecological dwellings on their land. REUTERS/Regis DuvignauJonathan Attias and Caroline Perez with their daughter Mani pose near their wood-and-straw hut, a "compostable" house made out of natural and recycled materials, in a forest area near Chasteaux, central France, January 23, 2020. The young couple are the driving force of the "Desobeissance fertile" (Fertile Disobediance) movement that brings together back-to-nature enthusiasts with landowners willing to let them build ecological dwellings on their land. REUTERS/Regis DuvignauJonathan Attias works in the vegetable garden near their wood-and-straw hut, a "compostable" house made out of natural and recycled materials, in a forest area near Chasteaux, central France, January 23, 2020. The young couple are the driving force of the "Desobeissance fertile" (Fertile Disobediance) movement that brings together back-to-nature enthusiasts with landowners willing to let them build ecological dwellings on their land. REUTERS/Regis DuvignauCaroline Perez works in front of their wood-and-straw hut, a "compostable" house made out of natural and recycled materials, in a forest area near Chasteaux, central France, January 23, 2020. The young couple are the driving force of the "Desobeissance fertile" (Fertile Disobediance) movement that brings together back-to-nature enthusiasts with landowners willing to let them build ecological dwellings on their land. REUTERS/Regis DuvignauA view shows the wood-and-straw hut, a "compostable" house made out of natural and recycled materials, built by Jonathan Attias and Caroline Perez in a forest area near Chasteaux, central France, January 24, 2020. The young couple are the driving force of the "Desobeissance fertile" (Fertile Disobediance) movement that brings together back-to-nature enthusiasts with landowners willing to let them build ecological dwellings on their land. REUTERS/Regis DuvignauJonathan Attias and Caroline Perez, their daughters Lia and Mani, are pictured inside their wood-and-straw hut, a "compostable" house made out of natural and recycled materials, in a forest area near Chasteaux, central France, January 23, 2020. The young couple are the driving force of the "Desobeissance fertile" (Fertile Disobediance) movement that brings together back-to-nature enthusiasts with landowners willing to let them build ecological dwellings on their land. REUTERS/Regis DuvignauSlideshow (19 Images)
They own a car, they have medical insurance and their four-year-old daughter goes to school in the village, a three kilometre walk from their cabin, which is heated with a cast-iron wood stove and powered by a solar panel.
Both vegetarians, they tend a big vegetable garden, but also get free unsold produce from a bio-store in the village. Water comes from a spring and is made safe with carbon filters.
“We are the guardians of the forest. We don’t degrade our environment, we upgrade it,” he said.