In Figeac, Arnaud Luissier creates Quercy Tiny. This craftsman builds ecological and economic houses that offer a wealth of advice for living in a space of 13m2.
On the plateau of Metge, the landscape is buconic with these bocages and the breathtaking view of Figeac. Taking the Chemin du Travers, a small wooden house catches the eye. It is discreet, located very close to a beautiful meadow where cows graze sheltered by trees.
A few meters away, in a shed of the family cattle farm, Arnaud Luissier is working to finalize two houses. “They will soon leave for Estal for a lease,” explains the craftsman. For two years, Arnaud has been building environmentally friendly, energy efficient and affordable mobile homes. This new type of housing attracts more and more people in France. With more than 150 manufacturers in France, these houses on trailers have become more popular. Arnaud created it Quercy Tiny just two years ago. “I discovered this form of accommodation on TV and I was immediately convinced by this form of light accommodation, without impact on the earth while having the comfort of a classic house. It is not caravaning, although the advantage of the Tiny allows its owner to move throughout his life. There are all the standards of a house that can be connected to the water and electricity networks. We also build autonomous Tinys with solar panels, dry toilets with separator. urinal and a small wood stove. It depends on what the customers want.”
Small houses designed with biosourced materials
In the workshop, Arnaud finalizes the interior design of his next order. “My little ones are specially designed on a trailer with a wooden frame. Depending on the client’s budget, I can offer the version without water or the turnkey version. For this version that integrates the furniture, sanitary ware, the equipped kitchen, prices start from 60,000 euros. A small living space that also leads to a limitation of energy consumption. “After that, it depends on everyone’s expectations the versions. I insulate the tiny with a panel made of hemp, cotton and linen.
“The interior layout is designed according to everyone’s needs. For example, a client who had a lot of clothes asked me as many wardrobes as possible, but everything must be optimized, the space with the mezzanine does not exceed 20m2 . We must learn to live without surplus.”
From green tourism to the mobile office, each has its own use
To build a Tiny turnkey it takes four months of work. “I am a craftsman, I can do four a year. Then, I have more and more requests for offices designed as an annex to the house, since teleworking is developing. With my son, we are working on the creation of a greenhouse. It will give me the necessary wood for the construction of the Tinys, but also to develop new forms of resistant housing based on used containers.
Clémentine, Arnaud’s wife, is in charge of renting out a small house that is currently on Airbnb. “Clients are happy to be able to experience this form of accommodation that allows them to get closer to nature.”
In France, local authorities adopt this form of housing to accommodate students, employees or even precarious workers. Arnaud’s know-how and passion for these new and more resistant forms of housing open up all the possibilities.