France is littered with numerous beautiful villages, and I visited one such village where my friend's family lives. I was immediately struck by a moving sight I had never witnessed before—rows of houses along streets that resemble something from the medieval times and look as if they are part of a movie set.

Between touring the different spots in that village, I stayed at a rustic youth hotel. I remember my shock when I first entered my hotel room. The entire room was dark, illuminated only by light filtering in from the outside that was so faint it wasn't even possible to read. There was no TV, radio, refrigerator, or telephone either. Needless to say, my mobile phone had no connection. And the last thing I noticed was that my room didn't even have a curtain...

What I didn't expect was to realize 2 days later that there was no need for any curtains whatsoever. When the sun rises and light suffuses the room, it's time to wake up. And when the sun sets and night falls, candles are lit. That's precisely the way of life of medieval people.

The time I spent in this empty room, where nothing besides the sound of nature can be heard, was surprisingly relaxing. And it was this life-changing experience that gave birth to the concept of maison blanche.