How a €1 cave became a £57-a-night b&b

The troglodyte home in the Loire valley had been abandoned for 25 years and, it is fair to say, looked worse for wear. But while others might have seen dirt and rubble, Alexis Lamoureux and Lotte van Riel saw an investment opportunity.

The couple snapped up the cave for just €1 and have spent the last three years renovating it from rock to rock.

Here is what it looked like before:

And here is the after:

"This room perfectly embodies the troglodyte spirit as desired by the owners," says their Airbnb listing. "The classic period furniture as well as the open bathroom take you on a unique journey through the history of France."

To price to sleep in their cave? £57 per night, giving them a 5300% return on their initial investment every single night someone stays.