OohLaLa the fun.........

It’s time to be thinking about signing up for a fun filed week at Oh So Much Fun OohLaLaFrance. Remember anyone putting together a group of friends will receive a framed and shipped Tom Vieth watercolor-a wonderful souvenir of the memories gathered during your group’s time in the lovely Dordogne region of France. But be forewarned, because once you have been here and fallen in love with this place, choosing the right watercolor is harder than it seems.

This year OohLaLaFrance has availability in June, just in time to relax a little before the crush of summer activities, or in August/September, a time to catch your breath after a busy summer of taking care of others. After all the planning, shopping, entertaining and managing you do on the home front, come here and relax. Leave everything behind except friends, enthusiasm and curiosity. 

I’d like to give you a peek into our beautiful venue, Les Stables. This will be your home for the week.

The chateaux and stables have a uniquely French story. The properties were constructed in the mid 1800’s.  During Napoleonic times the chateau was used as a hospital for recuperating cavalry officers (while their mounts enjoyed some down time in the spacious fields and barns.)  The chateau was also home to a very important and extensive vineyard in Bourdeilles until a deadly disease at the end of the 19th century wiped out the vineyard. Instead of replanting the grape vines the focus was changed to horses. Twice in Les Stables history it has been an important center for training trotting horses. Races were held throughout the region, sometimes at local farms and in the nearby cities - sort of like modern day Le Mans, but for fleet footed horses not tornado-pitched super cars.

In 2002 triathlon trainers Mark and Sybil bought the stables. They have lovingly rehabilitated the immense barns into 4 well-appointed apartments. Today training triathletes use the trotting track during the summer months. OohLaLaFrance has the opportunity to be here while they are off competing in England. The lovely apartments are appointed with French country antiques, fresh country colors and, just in case you want to think about energetic exercise, fun paraphernalia from the Tour de France.  

Your group will be housed in two apartments. Each guest has a private room and shower.  Here is where you unpack for the week, a homey space to return to after the day’s adventures, and a place to linger in one of the comfortable living rooms at the end of the day. Breakfast is at your leisure right across the hall from your apartment or out on the sun filled patio. When we eat at ‘home’ meals will be prepared in the third apartment where I will stay during the week. I’m yours from sunup till........ Your living space is reserved for the carefree side of life. 

Each day we will head out from this Napoleonic time period into the wonders of prehistoric cave art, the ingenuity of medieval times, and the brilliance of the Renaissance. You will quickly notice that you have fallen back to your own “back when” period, time when life was slower, less instantaneously connected, here you are able to focus on your shared experiences and restorative laughter.

So gather up a group of 6 good friends. A group of women, or several couples, mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, whatever the mix, there will be a great time had by all. No planning, no daily run to the grocery store, no need to get directions in a foreign language, just action-packed days in farmer’s markets, strolls in renaissance and medieval streets, hikes in the surrounding countryside, meals rich of local products and plenty of time to fall into the wonder of another time and place.  Oh, OohLaLaFrance!

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