“Chez Cocabane”

The Origin

A place where people can meet, regardless of their ideas or backgrounds. In connection with nature. Where peace and quiet reign, but where people can also think and play freely. An acupuncture place for Mother Earth.

This is a beautiful description of 'Chez Cocabane' as I see it and how it has slowly grown.

The Beginning
My name is Jeroen Hofstee and I was born in 1965. I grew up on the edge of the Sallandse Heuvelrug in the Netherlands and played and romped in the surrounding woods. After finishing high school, I eventually chose the program now called 'Facilities Services'. I also found work in that field, but after a few years, something started to gnaw at me. After much deliberation, I decided to stop and resigned. I was then in my early 30s.

A Different Path
I met people who live in a "different" way, constructively and close to nature. This inspired me and I decided to travel. In Mongolia, I saw how a centuries-old tradition of nomadic living has created incredibly warm and hospitable people. In New Zealand, I met second- and third-generation Europeans who cultivated the land, built houses, and lived self-sufficiently. Then I visited communities in France and Italy. My conclusion: it is possible to live your dream on your own little piece of earth!

Standing Still
Somewhat uprooted, I decided to return to my old roots in the eastern Netherlands to dedicate myself to a career in social work. Now in my late 30s, I became a group leader at an Anthroposophical institution for people with intellectual disabilities. In the almost 20 years I've been working there, however, my dream slowly fades from view...

New Perspective
Until 2014. I took three months off and walked from coast to coast through the Pyrenees. Halfway through, I decided to rest for a week in a village in the Ariège. I felt strong and full of energy and met people again who lived a simple, partially self-sufficient life, close to nature. My old dream of creating my own place was rekindled.

I decided to visit the local real estate agent. He took me to a few places in the surrounding mountains. We stopped at an old cowshed. It was a beautiful spot, and the view was phenomenal. Unfortunately, the "Vendu" sign made it clear that someone had already been there before me.

Back in the Netherlands, the real estate agent calls. Am I still interested in the old cowshed?! I decide to go and see it in the fall. The trees have lost their leaves, and the first snow has fallen. I cook a meal in front of the shed and sleep on the ground. The silence, the view, the whispering wind, the babbling sound of a distant river… and a voice inside me says: Why not, go for it!

And so it happens. In 2015, I became the owner of the place, and in the years that followed, with the help of many friends, the old cowshed grew into a true mountain hut called "Chez Cocabane." The name is a combination of "Co," which means "together," and the French word for mountain hut, Cabane. This perfectly captures the intention of the place: of, by, and for us together. I am now truly living my dream!

Contact me

Do you have a question, would you like more information about prices and accommodation options, or would you like to get in touch for another reason?
Email jeroenhofstee@hotmail.com or use the contact information below.