In a recent conversation with Rémi Louf, the 39-year-old co-founder and CEO of the AI startup .txt, he shared insights about his life and work in the picturesque setting of Bourron-Marlotte, a village located an hour south of Paris.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, Louf and his family confined themselves to a small apartment in Paris, juggling life with a five-year-old and a newborn. Daily, they would browse for houses outside the city, leading them to ultimately relocate to their current village, which also hosts an international school, accommodating Louf's American wife.
At .txt, the team consists of 15 members, primarily engineers, and operates in a fully distributed manner, with half the team based in the U.S. and the other half scattered across Europe. Interestingly, despite being thought of as a French company, .txt is fundamentally an American enterprise with Louf at its helm.
Once settled in Bourron-Marlotte, Louf initially worked from home but grew weary of his domestic office setup. In search of a more conducive work environment, he discovered a local castle that operates as a hotel but also offers office rentals. This castle, with its unique charm, became an ideal choice since there are no shared workspaces like WeWork in the vicinity.
The journey to his office-castle is a pleasant 20-minute walk. Louf prefers to stroll through the scenic fields rather than the village, often engaging in phone calls during his morning walks. He notes that if someone tries to reach him between 8:30 AM and 10 AM, he’s likely wandering in the fields.
The castle features a large iron gate and a moat inhabited by fish, adding to its whimsical nature. In comparison to his frequent travels to San Francisco—where he visits every six weeks—Bourron-Marlotte offers a serene environment, allowing Louf plenty of space for contemplation. He appreciates the tranquility, saying, “I can hear my own thoughts,” emphasizing the contrast with the bustling atmosphere of Silicon Valley.
While the castle presents a stunning exterior, the interior feels reminiscent of a 1960s French office setting, complete with carpeted floors, which Louf admits isn't his preference. He enjoys the tranquility of his daily commute, allowing him to transition from the serene surroundings to focused work.
Interestingly, the office boasts fiber-optic internet access, a rarity in the village, although the reasons behind this remain unclear. Additionally, Louf benefits from free electricity—an advantage for someone utilizing GPU technology.
Spacious enough to accommodate a larger team, Louf finds the office quite ample for his needs, and he pays a minimal rent of approximately €600 per month. He recognizes the significance of his environment, noting that despite life's stresses, starting each day in a castle is a wonderful perk that never grows old.
