Author: Thomasina Shealey

Publisher:

Published: 2019-11-20

Total Pages: 458

ISBN-13: 9781706932154

I fell in love with France over 28 years ago. It has been an unrelenting love affair ever since. Daydreaming about a field of lavender walked through near Avignon; savoring rich, vanilla, rum soaked canelé in Bordeaux; lingering in cafés by the Charente River. Traveling to my destinations of choice, predictably, I purchased extra luggage, filling it with the usual suspects; French linens, luxurious soaps, coffee, art, and antique treasures; with the sole intent of prolonging my experience. Making the decision to spend my "semi-retirement" years in France, exquisitely blends to satisfy my hunger for a more full, balanced and simpler life.I have been planning my escape for years (smile). Attempting to time the merger perfectly. So now... I'm off to the South of France. More specifically...the Languedoc- Roussillon. Having visited almost every corner of this life-changing country, it is here, that I hope to spend the remainder of my days. I have found my sliver of joy in a small French village in the Languedoc-Roussillon, or often simply referred to as "the Languedoc". Romantic, quaint villages hug the Mediterranean coastline with vistas competing simultaneously; mountains and sea. The vineyards of the Languedoc stretch as far as the eye can capture; around each and every corner leaves of cabernet, chardonnay, syrah and their regional cousins are elegantly draped in tranquil repose. The small villages of the Languedoc offer a visual of true rural France. It is as if time visited, knocked, then decided not to stay. The ancient French villages of Uzès, Pézenas, Saint-Guilhem-le- Désert, Roquebrun, Collioure, Mirepoix, Olargues, Sommières....all hold a charm one can only frame in the distant crevices of your imagination. The larger villages of the Languedoc serves as a moving feast of history, architecture and more. Montpellier, Nîmes, Narbonne, Béziers and Perpignan, heave with the weight of its lineage, countless universities and regional dining; all mere moments from the Mediterrean Sea. Diverse landscape dot the scenery...hilltops, vineyards, rivers, mountains, valleys, and the sea....always the wonderful scent of the sea languishing in the air. The charm of French country life remains untouched in some villages and barely touched in others. Off-the-beaten-path inns and chambres d'hotes, leaning beside rustic restaurants frequented by locals, seduce the fortunate traveller who stumbles across this swath of blissfulness. It is here in the Languedoc, each day is filled with peace, tranquility and calm: a soulful quality of life that I treasure. On my first adventure to France my son was 6, my daughter was 3. I crossed the Atlantic dozens of times with my children in tow, utterly and completely smitten with the simplicity of life in the small hilltop and coastal French villages. Fast forward... My son is now 34; my daughter is 31. Two decades plus in real estate. MBA. 20+ years Relocating Spouse. Daughter. Wife. Mother. Empty-nester. A small village house in France near the coast...Transition time...Join me. Take a moment. Meander through the postcards; my personal photos I want to share in the hopes they will inspire you or someone you know, to continue your dream, your goal and soon your reality, of living your best years in one of the charming French villages of the Languedoc. Pause and absorb the pictorials. Not only will you wish you were...here... You will feel like you are...there... And, if there is one or two photos that truly move you, please do not hesitate to drop me a line. I will send you the original large color .jpg, complimentary of course. For you... to print, frame and draw inspiration. It's how I started 28 years ago... Surrounding myself with photos and picture books of this beautiful place. Waiting for the window to open. Never releasing my dream of one day living here. The South of France...Postcards from the Languedoc-Roussillon. Here's to a lovely journey... À bientôt !