My startup has a literal moat, thanks to the French castle I run it from

In the picturesque village of Bourron-Marlotte, located just an hour south of Paris, Rémi Louf, the 39-year-old cofounder and CEO of the AI company .txt, has carved out a unique work-life balance. After enduring the Covid lockdown in a cramped Parisian apartment with his young family, Louf seized the opportunity to relocate to a more serene environment where he could foster his innovative ideas. With a team of 15 engineers, split evenly between the United States and Europe, .txt operates as a fully distributed company. Despite its French CEO, Louf emphasizes that the startup is fundamentally American in nature. Seeking a suitable workspace after growing weary of his home office, Louf discovered an unexpected gem: a castle that not only serves as a hotel but also rents out office spaces. "This is exactly what I need," Louf recalls realizing, as the castle was the closest option available in his village without the modern conveniences of coworking spaces like WeWork. Now, every day, he enjoys a 20-minute walk through the fields to his office, often on the phone, engaging with colleagues while surrounded by nature. The castle, complete with a moat teeming with fish, offers a stark contrast to his frequent trips to San Francisco, where the pace is much quicker and the atmosphere charged with the latest tech buzz. "I can hear my own thoughts here," Louf reflects, appreciating the tranquility and open space that allows for deep contemplation. While the castle office may appear charming on the outside, Louf describes its interiors as reminiscent of a bland 1960s French office. However, the benefits of the environment far outweigh any aesthetic shortcomings. The office boasts high-speed fiber-optic internet and a surprisingly low rent of around €600 per month, alongside complimentary electricity for GPU usage. For Louf, the blend of a historic setting and the freedom to think creatively encapsulates the essence of his startup journey. Despite the challenges of running a tech company, he finds solace in the daily ritual of walking into a castle, a constant reminder of the unique path he has charted in the world of AI.