Some stories begin with an encounter. Others inspire a new project. Valérie Sottiaux’s did both.

A family home, 1,700 kilometres away

When we met Valérie two years ago, she had just inherited her father’s villa in Spain. It was much more than a property: it was a family home, full of memories, that she wanted to keep and bring back to life.

But Valérie lived in Wallonia, Belgium, almost 1,700 kilometres away. The villa was not in poor condition, yet it needed attention. The decoration was dated, the planting had been neglected and the garden had become dry and barren.

She did not speak Spanish or know how to navigate the administrative requirements, obtain a tourist licence, organise holiday rentals or deal with the property’s tax obligations. Every question brought another uncertainty. Who could she trust locally? Was a quotation justified? Had the work been done properly?

That was when we became part of her story. We are Noémie and Hugo.

Souvenir de Voyage did not yet exist. We were supporting Valérie personally, guided by a simple conviction:

Someone who hands over the keys to their home should be able to rely on a person who genuinely looks after their interests.

Over the following months, we helped refresh the decoration, revive the garden, organise and supervise work, maintain equipment and follow up administrative matters. The villa gradually changed. But three incidents, more than the visible improvements, showed us what dependable local support could mean.

1. Cloudy pool water and a filter that did not need replacing

One day, Valérie was told that her pool water was becoming increasingly cloudy. The professional responsible for its maintenance recommended replacing the filter — an expensive intervention.

From Belgium, how could she check that diagnosis? She was not a technician and could not examine the installation. She simply wanted the pool to work properly.

During one of our regular visits, we noticed the problem too. Before accepting that a replacement was necessary, we checked what was happening. The filter was not the cause: the pool’s circuit breaker had tripped, interrupting the power supply to the filtration system.

After the breaker was reset, filtration restarted and the water could gradually return to normal. No filter replacement was needed.

We do not know why replacement had been recommended. It may have been a diagnostic error. We are not suggesting dishonesty. What mattered was that checking the situation avoided an unnecessary expense — and the uncomfortable feeling of paying without being able to verify anything.

For us, property care means more than reporting a problem or calling a technician. It means taking time to understand and safeguard the owner’s interests as we would our own.

This describes one particular incident, not a troubleshooting procedure. Electrical faults or a breaker that trips again require a qualified professional.

2. Cockroaches on Wednesday, guests arriving on Saturday

The next incident could have disrupted the start of the holiday season.

It was Wednesday. The first guests were due on Saturday. During a visit, we discovered cockroaches — not an isolated insect, but an infestation that had developed rapidly over two days.

If guests had arrived to find that situation, complaints, cancellations, refund requests or a poor review could have followed. Valérie was still in Belgium, 1,700 kilometres away. Finding help, explaining the problem in another language and checking the result before Saturday would have been difficult.

Because we were there, we could organise the response immediately:

  • Wednesday: the infestation was discovered.
  • Thursday: the necessary interventions were organised.
  • Friday: the situation was under control and the villa was ready.
  • Saturday: the first guests arrived as planned.

No reservation was cancelled and no rental income was lost because of this incident. Valérie was informed, without having to coordinate the emergency herself from Belgium.

Local support does not make problems disappear. It can, however, allow a problem to be identified and addressed before it becomes a much bigger disruption.

3. Five years of tax arrears and 24 rental days

Valérie had also discovered that her property’s administrative and tax affairs were not fully up to date. Five years of tax needed to be regularised.

For someone already facing unfamiliar obligations, this was understandably worrying. What was due? Which steps were necessary? Who could help, and how could the situation be prevented from recurring?

We supported her through the administrative process of regularising those obligations. That support is not a substitute for professional tax advice.

At the same time, work on the villa was moving forward. The decoration had been refreshed, the garden revived and the property was better suited to guests. Administrative matters, including her NIE and tourist licence, had also been put in order.

The villa could now be offered for seasonal letting within a regularised framework. The rental receipts from just 24 high-season days matched the amount of the five years of tax arrears.

This compares rental receipts with a tax amount. It is not a calculation of net profit after all costs and taxes, nor a promise of similar returns for another property.

For Valérie, it changed how she saw the villa. The aim was not simply to let it more often, but to preserve her family home, care for it and help fund some of its running costs through organised holiday rentals.

Two years later: a different villa, a calmer owner

The house now has welcoming, updated interiors. The once dry garden is lush again. Equipment and air conditioning are followed up, necessary work has been organised and administrative and tax matters have been regularised.

The villa generates meaningful annual rental income, particularly in high season. But the most valuable change is not a figure.

Valérie no longer has to face the practical difficulties of owning a home abroad alone. She knows someone local can check the property, notice problems and organise a response when needed.

Her villa can be a family asset to preserve and a place to enjoy, rather than a constant source of worry.

The beginning of our own story

When we started helping Valérie, we were simply Noémie and Hugo, looking after a property entrusted to us. Over time, the problems encountered and solutions found made us think about other owners in Jávea, Dénia and across the Costa Blanca.

How many accept quotations they cannot check? How many learn too late about a leak, failed air conditioning or an overlooked obligation? How many see their second home becoming a burden?

We saw a need for something beyond handing over keys and arranging cleaning: a dependable local partner who takes the owner’s interests seriously.

Personal attention. Practical judgement. Care for each home as though it were our own.

That experience inspired Souvenir de Voyage, launching in January 2027, with our service initially focused on Jávea, on the Costa Blanca.

Your home in Spain deserves more than someone checking on it. It deserves someone who cares for it as you would.

That is our conviction, as Noémie and Hugo. If this story feels familiar, let’s talk about your home.