Since leaving my home city of Fort Wayne in April to begin my hike, I’ve spent the last five months on the move. The longest I've stayed in one location is four days. So, it felt odd then to arrive at the yoga training retreat knowing I'd be in one place for a month straight. However, the countryside of the Dordogne region of France made the transition from transient to stationary easy. Parts of the area remind me of the last five months — the absolute quietness of nature/rural areas and beautiful sunrises — and also the other nice parts of settling down, which can be best summarized as the amazing ability to take a shower every day.

My Place, the Pig Sty

My home this month is a building aptly named 'pig-sty' (or at least that would be what my mom would call the state of my room growing up). It is a renovated farm building built a few hundred years ago. In fact, the original farm house on the grounds where the rest of the students are staying dates back to at least 400 years ago when the grounds were used as a vineyard. The Pig Sty is a three room narrow stone building with lush green vines handing off the side. My bed is set against a stone wall and a sky light in the room exposes the Milky Way through my window at night.

The fact the house is called the pig-sty gives me a little extra motivation to not let it become one… although the fact I traveled here with only a backpack means there is a lot less stuff to keep clean. Either way, Mom.. you’d be proud.

The Grounds

Approximately 5 acres, the location is a little slice of heaven located in the French country side. The buildings sit on a flat perch against a small valley hill. Looking out of the studio window across the valley, I can see sheep grazing in the opposite hill or see the farm dog chase the flock of roosters around their pen. The roosters, in fact, are the loudest thing I hear during the day, which also revealed the myth of roosters only calling in the morning. At night, it is dead quiet except the occasional sing-song call of the frogs.

In total, there is the original farmhouse, the Pig Sty, the main house converted from a barn, a yoga studio renovated from an old tobacco barn, another house that provides additional rooms, and a large barn built recently that holds a full studio for aerial shows (keep reading below). Outside, there is small below ground swimming pool, which is an amazing way to finish a long day in the studio.

Near the property, there is a walking trail that takes me over the hill on the other side of the valley that exposes long views towards Le Buisson, the nearest town, and the beautiful bridges that cross over the Dordogne River.

All in all, not so bad a place to spend a month. :)