After almost five months here in the still undiscovered, secret countryside of Corréze, we are heading back home to Montlouis sur Loire. I will be exchanging my Corréze kitchen for my Montlouis kitchen!
…a barn kitchen in Puy d’Arnac…
…Montlouis kitchen…
We’re locking up Coin Perdu for the winter:
Setting aside the wheelbarrows and cement mixers. 
Emptying the pantry in the Corréze kitchen corner. Stripping the beds of linen. Storing books and magazines away from humidity. Packing my art stuff. Taking my art stuff off the walls. A last sweep.
A last grand créme at the brasserie Les voyageurs at Beaulie where the charming Cecile always brightens my day with a smile.
A last stroll to our little bench to throw a last glance across the valley.
One more photo. Packing Tokala and Aiyani in our peugeot bleu.
Shutting la porte de la grange.
Au revoir notre petit Coin Perdu!
…our corner in Corréze…
…lovely Cecile at Les voyageurs…
May the owls be kept warm once again in the barn for this winter, may les vaches roam content on our hils, may les buses continue circuling the skies, may les chevreuils graze undisturbed down by the poplars and may the wild flowers welcome us bright and jovial on our return in the spring.
…working or fiddling…
…birthdays…
We enjoyed two birthdays, many sunsets and starry skies. We had good friends visiting us, staying with us in the barn. We had a surprise visit from good friends in South Africa. We got to know our neighbors, Jean Pierre and Michéle and Yvonne, 86 years old and along with her chickens, as fit as a fiddle! We became regulars at the bar in Beaulieu, enjoyed icy cold péche melba on hot afternoons, sipped aperitif at 17:00 along with all the other regulars.
We did lots of hard work: Turned the barn into a living home. Turned the old homestead into a construction site with ladders and cement and beams and trucks. There were tears and frustration. Arguments. Difference of opinions. Anger, irritation, misunderstandings. We had blisters and bruises and still have. We rushed off to emergency with a slashed open head, got stitched up and continued working. But we also went for long strolls in the forest, nibbled on peaches and oranges.
…Liandri & Marinell…dreaming?…
We became part of the heart beat of Corréze and we are going home, replenished and with vivid memories, patiently awaiting spring to restart it all over again. Of course! Can’t wait!
…a last glance…
Myfrenchkitchen 
so long Coin Perdu…hello Montlouis…, looking forward to Ronell cooking up a storm in which ever kitchen, and sharing with us…safe journey back my friend.x
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Absolutely divine….I love your life!
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stunning. definetely agree with vicki!
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I am looking forward to everything you share with us..
Are those two jolies filles your daughters?
I think I would have loved doing what you are doing~
Safe journey home..hope you get lots of time to try new recipes and paint their bios.
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What a beautiful conclusion to your time at “the barn.” Everything you do has such style and grace. Thanks for sharing…I love traveling with you!
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Oh! Bless you, Ronell, for sharing so much. We, too, built a “home in the country (called ‘bush’ in Australia, which is not much different from African bush)” and loved all of our frustrating, terrifying,exasperating, happy times there.
Funny, but just a few glasses ago we were eating lunch on our very suburban back deck and saying how like the old place this is when the neighbours are quiet!We even had a wallaby hop through this morning!
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How sad to be leaving , ahh the seasons are a changing and yet how good to be going home again. You’ll have warm memories till next summer.
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What a joy to share this dream with you Ronelle!!! I loved reading this post!!!
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Oh boy, how beautiful everything is, definitely agree with Vick…your country is stunning. Loved the wall painting ” Si Simple Si Bon”.
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Hi Ronell
I Love your “page”. I agree with all the above. The photos are so beautiful. How nice to live in France and experience the French Countryside and culture.
I will continue in Afrikaans.
Ronell, ek geniet dit so om jou blogg te lees en te “kyk”. Dit is so mooi en ek hou van jou resepte. Gaan julle nie ‘n gastehuis in die berge maak nie? Hier op Stellenbosch in Suid Afrika, het ons nog geen teken van die lente nie, alhoewel die meeste akkerbome al groen is.
Groete
Tannie Martie
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Good luck! Thanks for sharing your lives with us.My other home is a caravan so We are on the move when ever we get the urge.There’s always next summer. Cheers Rosemary from oz.
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Such beautiful views! I hope to experience something like this for more than just a short vacation at some point.
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Oh Ronell, you are so lucky to have this beautiful place to go to! Looks like you had a divine summer, but it must be nice to get back to your Montlouis kitchen 🙂
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