Vacation in southern France with a historic Chateau as home base
I’m taking y’all to France with me! I’m hot off a trip of a lifetime and can’t wait to take you on a walk through the French countryside with me. I hope you have a minute because I have a load of pictures to share! I am going to roll this trip out over multiple blog posts because you would bore if I plopped all the pictures out at once!
A few years ago I saw a blogger friend go on this trip and from that moment I was hopeful to go too. I started following Heather Bullard, she is the lovely lady behind The Academy, a photo styling workshop held each year in Dordogne, France. Honestly, I thought this trip would be years down the road, if ever. My kids are still somewhat little and traveling overseas without my husband didn’t seem high on the priority list.
Then I had lunch with a dear friend, Jennifer. She is an adventurer, world traveler live life big kind of girl. When I told her about The Academy her immediate response was, “we are doing that!” So I put us on the waitlist and as soon as registration opened I talked it over with my husband.
He was so sweet and said “you have to do this, it’s a trip of a lifetime, GO!”
I called Jennifer to see if she was serious. Her response, “I’ve got my credit card ready, let’s go!” So we did.
We traveled first to Amsterdam, I will share that adventure with you guys next week. Upon our arrival to the 13th century French Chateau we would call home for a week, we were surprised to find we were given “the cottage” as our personal quarters.
Every day we received special gifts, from market baskets to French linen aprons.
Every meal was exquisitely prepared by Marisa, a delightful woman who attend the workshop last year and came back to help this year. 
I inhaled an insane about of French butter, cheese and bread. 
Every direction you looked was picture worthy.
I know Paris is on everyone’s radar for travel in France, but I highly recommend getting out into the countryside, the small towns with rural living.
We took classes on photography and photography styling. Heather is so naturally talented and makes gorgeous look so easy.
I ate more butter, cheese and bread than should be allowed, but loved every minute of it!
Then there is the French Chateau where we stayed and the lovely couple that call it home. Such gracious hosts!
The ground were breathtaking, with a ripe Cherry tree giving fruit, rustic artwork scattering the grounds and decades of charm layered over decades of charm.
The chateau sits on over 70 acres, sprawling vineyards cover the land.
A spectacular barn is the perfect stage for events and hosted us for a farewell dinner before we returned home. 
The slower pace and simplicity of the people and culture were almost hard for me to get used to. I know God was telling me to sit back and take a breather in the midst of chaos that was out life back home. I couldn’t get my computer to charge and my cell phone had horrible service. Both things I took as signs to just relax and enjoy the calm.
Over the next few weeks I will show you pictures from the small towns we visited, the styling tips I learned, our trip to Amsterdam and beautiful French scenery. I hope you take a minute to relax and enjoy the calm with me! 
Oh to live in such a beautiful place! The photos are gorgeous and the bread, butter, and cheese eaten there don’t count, so no worries!
I agree, free calories! Wouldn’t it be amazing to call this place home?
Wow!! What an amazing trip and a beautiful place. I agree that experiencing the French countryside is a must. Ten years ago my husband and I spent a week in Provence.
I can’t wait to see your pics and hear the rest of the story!
I bet that was wonderful. I’d love to go back with my family. Can’t wait to share the rest!
GORGEOUS!!! I agree about getting out of the big cities! My favorite places in Italy were always the small towns! I can’t wait to hear more!
I haven’t been to Italy yet, but on the bucket list!
Hi Kim, what an amazing trip of a lifetime you were so lucky to have gotten to go on. I can imagine living there so easily and if visiting, would not want to leave ! Can you tell me more about the Academy , sounds like so much fun, especially if you have a friend who loves all things beautiful as you do, to travel with ? Thanks for the peak into a world I hope to sometime visit myself. Look forward to next week’s trip to Amsterdam !
The Academy was wonderful, Heather Bullard puts it on and all the details are on her website. She coordinates the entire trip, food, excursions, daily gifts, teaches us classes on styling and photo tips. It is a phenomenal event and she is so so so talented at what she does! there is a link in this blog post to her site. 🙂
I truly believe this is what Heaven will look like! Thanks for sharing KIm, glad you had a great time!
you would adore it!
The pictures are beautiful & please give us all the details. Most of us will never get to do this in our lifetime but we can enjoy it throu you. Thank you so much for including us in your adventure. God bless you!
So glad to share with you guys, I have a ton more to chare so stay tuned. It really is too much for one blog post, so I have it spread out over the next few weeks!
I am French, I live in Provence. Thank you for showing to your compatriot the nice country side of France. (and to me too as I discover this part of France as well). One part of my heart is in France and the other is in the USA where I try to travel the more often I can to visit my friends and discover your beautiful country.
I am so thrilled to have you visit here! What part of France are you in? This region was so lovely, you should plan an excursion there for sure!!! I’d love to hear what part of the states you visit too!?
I live between Avignon and Saint Rémy de Provence. If one day you plan to come over, let me know… I would love to meet you and exchange and show you around. My first trip in the USA was 26 years ago doing the “classics” California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah… Since then I spent one year in Dallas as a nanny in 1996. I travelled in Oregon, Washington, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Louisiana, Texas, Massassuchets, Vermont, Washington DC, NY, Virginia, North Carolina… I think I did not forget any of the states I went through…????. Plan a new trip for 2019. I am lucky to have an husband and 2 teenagers who love the USA as much as I do.
wow – I think you’ve seen more of the US than me, lol! I would love to make it to France again, with my family this time. Let me know when you head back over!!!
So glad I got to meet you and enjoy the trip of a lifetime with you!
It was so fun to explore with you, truly an amazing trip. Hope to see you again soon friend.
I haven’t been to France yet, but i was in Ireland and i think they are all so calming, and they live very simple with beautiful old homes. Thank you so much for these wonderful pictures and glad you had a good time.
Ireland is gorgeous too! The simplicity was convicting in the best way. I can’t wait to share more! Thanks so much
SO lovely, can’t wait to travel along with you.
you are gonna love it!
Kim your pictures are gorgeous! What an amazing experience and trip! I can’t wait to see more! God is good!