A new place to call home

When we decided that we were coming away for 3 months (which turned into not quite 4 months by the time we sorted out flights and a few other things), we knew we needed a base to call home.  Travelling with two young kids (aged 3 and 1), we knew they would need a bit of stability and normality in the midst of all the change.  So we looked for somewhere we could rent for the whole time we were here, knowing we'd have some trips away, but always somewhere to come back to. 

We also knew we wanted to be in the general South of France region, but were not set on where.  So we found a few places we thought would look good to stay in, and  figured out from there whether it was a village/region/ etc that we wanted to be in, and that would have enough close by to keep us busy enough (when we wanted to be busy!). 

This is where we ended up....Domaine Les Tisseyres ((here's their website), and their Facebook page that has cool photos of it too, just outside of the village of Fanjeaux; but also close to so many other villages and a few cities too. 

Snapshot of the large old school map in the house showing Fanjeaux and surrounding area.  We are slowly getting to all the places of interest!

How French is this place!!!

Close enough to head to the beach, and close enough when the seasons change to head to the ski fields if we want to.  And if you're looking for somewhere to come and stay we would thoroughly recommend it here!! 

Our hosts, Ed and Emily, with their two young girls are great.  They are originally from the UK but have lived here for the last 3 years.  The have been so welcoming and have a great knowledge of the surrounding area and what to do (especially with young kids).  The house itself is split in two - bit of  the part they live in and the part we are in.  The original part of the house was built in around 1830 (before the Treaty of Waitangi was signed to put that in a bit of historical timeline context), had a tower added onto in in the 1930s'; and the barn was converted to a residence about 20 years ago.  It's just what you imagine a big old French farm house to be....three levels, large, exposed beams (many just look like the trees they once were), tiled floors, wooden floors, window shutters, big old French furniture, chandeliers, fireplaces, walls of bookshelves filled with books, wide staircases (that aren't quite level), walls as thick as the length from my hand to my elbow, pool, old fruit trees, gardens full of herbs and old stone tables and so much more.  Have put a bunch of photos in here.  

How is that for a beam?  I stare at it all the time just fascinated by it.  

It is so amazing just walking through the house - every time noticing something new and interesting.  Every window has a scene out of a painting, although it is constantly changing with the clouds and the sun and the light and whatever else the weather is doing.  There is a little wood that Elena and I chase butterflies through, and at the end of it you peek through the trees to the hill with Fanjeaux perched atop of it.  It is at the end of a skinny, winding road that passes through fields of sunflowers and crops.  It is just like out of the books you read about where the author loves the area so much they stop and buy an old villa to do up!

I've already put some photos up on Facebook of 'Chez Nous' - and will probably add to that album over time with pictures of the things I love about the house.  Here's a link (click here) that you can use even if you don't have Facebook.

We've walked through the fields of sunflowers near the house, although the Mountain Buggy which made the trip with us hasn't been the easiest thing to push through the long grass.  Elena say 'uh oh.  long grass.  can't go under it, can't go over it, got to go through it.  swishy swashy swishy swashy'.  It puts exactly where you are on the map in perspective when you can see the villages in the distance.  My plan is to go for some runs through the fields more and explore different directions.  Alas, there have been no runs yet.  Jonathan has been in the back pack or front pack depending on his state of sleep, so not conducive to going jogging.

We have been sleeping in a lot.  In part because the kids have had interesting sleep patterns after travelling half way across the world (ie waking lots at night), in part because I have been so sleep deprived since Jonathan was born, but mainly because of the Shutters!  They are better than black out blinds, and on sunny days at 9am you'd think it was the middle of the night.     

It's exactly what we hoped for, and so much more.  Our home for three months.