A Week in the French Countryside

It's day seven of our stay out in the Normandy countryside. Despite mostly gray skies and steady rainfall, this is a magical part of the country that I wanted to share with you. If you've ever spent time outside the bigger cities in France, you know the countryside is nothing like Paris. "L'hexagone" (as the French call their beloved country) is dotted with tiny, ancient towns that feel as though you've traveled back in time.

This is the restored 17th century farmhouse we've rented, l'Orgerie, located just outside the small town of Pont Farcy. The closest neighbors we've seen have been the sheep who graze behind the house several times a day.

The home is owned by a British couple who lovingly renovated it in the early 1990's. It's hard not to fantasize about buying and fixing up a little stone house of our own. Maybe someday? We found the house on this website which features holiday properties in France mostly owned by Brits. We've also used this French site that has thousands of listings all over France.

Here is a look at the house and some of its pretty details. The owners managed to keep much of what makes a house like this special: the old wide plank floors, huge chimneys, funky little windows and exposed beams everywhere.

The focus of our week has been on shopping at the marches and cooking delicious meals from goods from local, mostly organic farms. I'm not a nut when it comes it eating organic but prefer it when we can. (Of course, I have yet to find an organic croissant or pain au chocolat so I could never go all organic...). It's hard to beat the just-picked spinach, potatoes and asparagus we bought at this organic farm cooperative earlier this week. Just a handful of sellers in an old barn selling their wares once a week.

 I also bought some homemade jam and delicious, creamy goat cheese with just enough bite to perfectly complement the bread baked with love (as evidenced by his impassioned description of the process!) by this man down the road.

It's been a memorable, relaxing week but I'm excited to get back to Paris tomorrow. Can't wait to see all the new spring blooms since we've been away. Hope you've had a great weekend. A bientot!