Congés Annuel

A few months ago, very good friends of ours had suggested that we should all profit from the 5 day weekend in May and head out and explore another department of France. "Why not?" We thought. Might be the only real chance we'll have to escape all together this summer.

So on Thursday, with much chaotic running around, packing, and for some strange reason reorganizing the kids' bedrooms before heading out, The Birth Control Bed & Breakfast closed it's doors and the staff headed out on vacation for the weekend.

We said an early morning goodbye to our last guests (my parents) then loaded the car with every possible item one, aged between 2 and 39, might need and headed southwest to the Lot.

France continues to amaze me and everytime I think I've found the most beautiful part of the country, we turn left and find something even more beautiful around the corner. The Lot is no exception. This warm, cozy region is rich in colour and flowers, full Cahor wines, and more rock and stone than you can imagine.


It only took two minutes while visiting the town of St-Cirq-Lapopie to fall completely in love.

We saw so many beautiful places, ate such good food, met such nice people. I could have stayed forever.

Yet, yesterday morning, as we got in the car, Hubster asked me where'd I'd like to go.

I looked at all the incredible places we had visited: Rocamadour, Cahors, the Grotte du Pech Merle, Figeac, the Vallée du Célé...

"I wanna go home," I replied.

It's true. I was homesick for the dark stone of the Auvernge, the high meadows, the drowsy cows in every field, old slate rooves, volcanic mountains, Cantal cheese, my boulangerie, our stinking septic system, our bed, our house.

This is the wonderful thing about France. You can be done with the vacation, filled to the brim with gorgeousness and happy memories as you stuff your dirty socks into your suitcase, just ready to get home.

And when you finally do, you still get to have all that beauty around you. Just in different colours.