Job Opening Could Be 'Glorious Folly' for One Lucky Couple

It's the perfect job for someone who prefers the minimum amount of human interaction. The French government is looking for a couple to take care of the deserted Brittany island of Quemenes. The mile-long island in the Molene archipelago off the Breton coast was occupied by humans for thousands of years, but the last owners left 25 years ago. The Conservatoire du Littoral (French Coastal Protection Agency, per the Mirror) bought the island, which includes a farm, and selected David and Soizic Cuisnier to run it and take care of the flock of sheep living on it. That was in 2007, and the couple and their two children, ages 7 and 5, are ready to move on, leaving a job opening, the BBC reports.

Unfortunately for would-be island caretakers, the deadline for applications is over and the Conservatoire has narrowed it down to a shortlist of applicants. "We received around 60 inquiries and 40 applications, but only 15 or so of those were serious," a manager tells the Local. A decision is expected by October or November. "Coming here was an act of glorious folly," David Cuisnier tells the BBC. "But it turned into the most wonderful adventure. We developed the farm into a successful business. We raised a family. It has been unforgettable." The Cuisniers' lease required them to earn a livelihood, which they did by growing and selling potatoes, gathering edible seaweed, and running a B&B for half the year, among other things. They could also use only the resources provided by the island, meaning they get electricity from a wind turbine and solar panels, and water from a well. (More France stories.)