Wondering if you should take a trip to the French countryside?
I had been meaning to visit the French countryside for years, so I was thrilled when an opportunity presented itself. A friend invited me to stay with her while she house and dog-sat for a family friend. I didn't really know what to expect, but of course, I said yes.
I packed a small bag and happily fled Paris for a brief three-day countryside retreat.
Having just gotten back, I'm sharing my first impressions about what it was like to experience slow living in Normandy.
If you're wondering what it's like to stay in the quaint French countryside, this should give you an idea of what to expect!
Entrance to the Château de Villeray, just across the street from where I was staying.
Ancient buildings
As the car raced away from Paris, the power lines and shopping plazas were swapped out in favor of grassy fields and medieval villages. The classic stone buildings with red brick roofs became more prominent the further away we got from the city.
Stone houses with red roofs aplenty!
As we got closer to the house, the roads got smaller and twistier. We worked our way up the final hill, I noticed the old stone wall surrounding the village. A relic of a different time!
Old stone wall surrounding the village.
It's quiet
I stayed in Villeray, a tiny village inside the Perche Regional National Park, about 2 hours southwest of Paris. There isn't much in the way of attractions - it's just good slow living. So one of the first things I noticed as we arrived was just how peaceful it was.
Our quiet home for the week.
Living in Paris, I'm used to ambulance sirens, dogs barking, loud music, and neighbors moving furniture (why?!!!) at all hours. And when you're out and about in the city, the traffic and construction is even louder. As someone who is sensitive to noise, it can feel like you can't catch a break.
On my first day at the house, I could feel my shoulders unclench as my friend commented, "You hear that?" and I shook my head no. And they replied, "exactly".
I slept deeply and without earplugs for the first time in months! There were some John Deere tractors and trucks will apple crates that would roll past the house by 9 am. But 9 am is no hardship, and I think it added to the charm of the place.
I found myself getting up really early
Each sunrise was completely unique.
The property we were so happily babysitting is called l'Angelière Guest House. It's a 300 year-old restored country house with a 16,000 square foot (1,486 square meters) garden!
Having that much space was such a luxury, especially coming from a studio apartment in Paris! I wanted to take advantage of our gardens view of the river valley and rolling hills.
I got up early to catch the sunrises and never regretted it once.
Roses covered with morning dew.
Each sunrise was completely unique, and equally breathtaking.
I became more tuned in to nature
l'Huisne river approaching the Moulin de Villeray.
Since I was spending so much time outside, I rapidly became more in tune with nature. I wanted to get up when the sun came up. I wasn't really looking at the clock - I could tell what time it was based on the sun's position in the sky.
My glimpse into country living felt as though I'd stepped into another world that operates on less of an artificial schedule. We have imposed a 9 to 5 schedule in most places in the western world, regardless of how the seasons and daylight hours shift.
In the absence of the external, artificial signals of the beginning of a new day (traffic getting louder, my building's elevator making noise as people leave for work), I found myself much more aligned with nature's rhythm.
The property's front gate and landscaping.
Our garden oasis.
I think it contributed to my sense of peace. I grew up in nature, and feel most at home when I'm more aligned to its patterns.
I woke up to birds chirping. When I'd head outside there'd be a nip in the air. A cool wind knocked down orange leaves into the yard. I was aware of the seasons changing in a way I hadn't been in Paris.
Fresh air
Easily, one of my favorite parts of escaping the city was the fresh air.
I find it difficult to convince myself to go out for a walk in the city most days. There's so much car exhaust that I imagine it's better for my health if I just stayed inside - clean air should be a human right! But I digress.
But in Villeray? I think I heard maybe a dozen cars a DAY drive past the house. There were a few buildings clustered together. A church. A post office. Even a train station nearby. But the majority of the land is still gloriously undeveloped. That cough I always seem to have in Paris? Gone in a day.
Field and rolling hills just past the village wall.
L'Huisne river flowing towards the Moulin de Villeray.
A picturesque water wheel.
In the evenings, my friend and I would walk the nature path behind the house. There were rotting apples on the ground, as if they had fallen off the back of a truck. A lush canopy of trees shielded us from the sun. It was our own little nature paradise. And as we walked, all I could think about was how clear my lungs felt.
If you're sensitive to environmental pollutants like me, the occasional nature getaway is a must!
A "simple" life is a LOT of work
Our child for the week, a Belgian Malinois named Marie.
We had our own garden for the weekend with fresh tomatoes, peppers, and herbs.
I think I have a tendency to associate country living with an easier lifestyle. At first glance it appears unhurried, relaxed, and care free. Having a property away from the rest of the world means you're free to do as you please. The pressures of city living are quite literally far, far way.
Now though, I've come to appreciate the immense amount of work involved in maintaining this "care free" lifestyle. We weren't staying at a farm house with animals or fields to tend to. Just a Belgian Malinois to babysit!
But growing your own food and herbs, tending to the garden, maintaining the property, preparing home cooked meals every night, and keeping it all clean is a momentous job - though incredibly rewarding I imagine.
Meals were an event
A welcoming rainbow on my first evening in the countryside.
Don't you love friends that cook for you?
For whatever reason, after all these years I haven't absorbed the French lifestyle when it comes to dinners. Maybe it's because I live alone, or when I do eat out, 2 or 3 hours for the sake of one meal seems to take up my whole evening. For the last 4 years I'd be running around in the evenings trying to get my errands done after class. I felt like I could never find the time. Well... that and I'm usually hungry well before 8 pm!
But with no responsibilities for a few days, meals were long and savored. Dinner became a communal event. We'd gather to set the table in the garden, watch the sun set, and chat by candle light in the dark.
They're some of my best memories from the trip. Our long meals created a sense of togetherness. I went to bed each day thinking my time was well spent.
I could see the Milky Way
The Milky Way overhead, taken from the house's garden.
Have I mentioned I'm a total space nerd? I'm an official member of the Dark-Sky International (darksky.org - go check them out, they do amazing work!), a non-profit working to fight light pollution and bring back the night.
Unfortunately, my home in Paris isn't exactly the place to find dark, starry night skies. I'm grateful for my top floor apartment which allows me to see bright stars fighting through the skyglow (that orangey glow in the sky from artificial lights at night), but the view isn't anything to write home about.
When I realized I'd be venturing well outside the city, I had high hopes for night sky viewing. I had my fingers crossed I'd get a clear night.
It takes patience to get a good photo of the night sky. You've got to find a gap between all the satellites and airplanes!
On my last night away, I was blessed with a cloudless night and a moon not set to rise for hours. Perfect conditions for a dark sky.
We turned off all the lights in the house, and I did my best to shield my night vision from the few obtrusive neighboring night lights. I also did my best to ignore whatever was rustling in the bushes behind me... so long as it couldn't eat me, I didn't need to know.
I was rewarded with reasonably clear view of the Milky Way - shining proudly overhead. I stayed out for hours (in the cold) photographing the sky.
I've hunted down a few dark sky places over the years, yet I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen the Milky Way. To top it all off, I saw a shooting star. It was a wonderful surprise and the perfect send off.
I was a bit surprised just how quickly I fell into the lifestyle of French country living. It felt like the only place I needed to be was right where I already was. I felt so at peace with being in a more natural environment. Meals were topped with fresh spices from the garden. I could watch the stars twinkle overhead. It was the perfect retreat for a few days.
Much as I would love to continue living out my French countryside fantasy, I could see it being incredibly isolating. If you're going to rent a countryside home for a long weekend - which you absolutely should - invite your friends! You too can bond over candle-lit dinners as you stare at the stars. It's such a unique experience unlike anything else in France.
Have you taken a trip to the rural village in France? Let me know in the comments what your experience was like!
Special thanks to Clementine, our generous host. Want to stay here too? Book your French countryside escape at l'Angeliere Guest House.
