It's raining the day I arrive in Toulouse- a wet May spring rain that drenches Peter and I as we race to the car. Yes, a spontaneous email in the middle of the night in April as I ponder my life ahead, finds me just a week or two later managing an upmarket boutique hotel in a beautiful, 19th century farmhouse in the Tarn for the summer. The house, built in the early 1800's, sits in the cradle of hills, on a hamlet, sheltered from wind, surrounded by 13 acres of gorgeous countryside - lake, meadowlands, and woodland. The tall grasses surrounding the farmhouse flow gently in the breeze, and the wild orchids in the meadow have just finished blooming. The wildflowers are sporadic now, but beautiful blues, yellows and purples are still standing tall in patches. The Tarn is a poor rural region of South-West France, famed for its long views, and over the terrace looking south you can see the Pyrenees, and Montagne Noir to the left. The lifestyle here is relaxed, gentle and calm. It is famous for its picturesque countryside, hilltop Bastide medieval fortified villages (taking you back more than a 1000 years), old bridges, Gaillac wine, and architectural gems from the 13th, 15th and 16th centuries. The local village, Raynaudes (nicknamed "The Hamlet Time Forgot"), just around the lake out front, has just ten residents. Le Manoir's guests love to meander through the small village, admiring the vegetable and flower gardens of each home. Friendly to the core, the local small village residents of Raynaudes welcome you with spirit, bright smiles, and enthusiasm. I hear the neighboring tractor now, as Mr. Regourde fires up his tractor and begins cutting his grass to be baled into hay. In a month's time, the local farmers will be here at Le Manior de Raynaudes to harvest our grass. It's beautiful today, and one of the first afternoons I've had in two weeks to just enjoy the surroundings.
No comments:
Post a Comment