Sometimes people ask me how I ever gave up living in coastal Southern California for middle-of-nowhere southwest France.
Don’t underestimate this place just because you may not have heard of it. It’s just as beautiful in its own way.
So here are the three reasons that I love living in Dordogne and wouldn’t want to be anywhere else:
Mossy forests, ancient rivers, and flower-filled meadows are all within steps of my door. I can get outside and recharge, explore nature’s wonders with my kids, and experience the changing seasons in full without having to make a plan or get in a car.
Meanwhile, the grocery store is less than fifteen minutes away and there are bigger cities with most everything you need in under an hour radius. You get all the benefits of living close to nature while still having access to the amenities of modern life.
Humans have lived in this region for tens of thousands of years.
Some of the finest prehistoric cave paintings and engravings are just down the road, not mention the plethora of Roman churches, medieval castles, and endless array of old stone cottages like something out of a fairytale.
And of course, for as long as people have been here, they have been eating, drinking, and learning what the land has to offer. The culinary and agricultural traditions in Dordogne have deep roots and continue to evolve today, from truffle mushrooms, local wines, and walnut everything to delicacies from the river, artisan produce, and foie gras if you’re into that.
Even though we all have 5G and tv on our phones now, living in Dordogne invites you to slow down anyway. Maybe it’s the farmer’s fields along the winding roads that remind us we cannot go faster than the seasons. Maybe it’s the millenia-old cliff dwellings and castles perched on hills whose original owners have long since been lost to memory that put the urgency of daily life into perspective. Maybe it’s the unexpected abundance of prayer flags and recent yet profound arrival of the Buddha’s teachings in the region that remind us that wisdom and happiness are found within. Maybe it’s just in the air.
Who knows.
I know that as the train rolled past vineyards, fields, and forest at sunset the first evening I arrived, I felt a change.
It felt like coming home.
I’ve heard the same thing from so many people who discovered Dordogne by chance or circumstance and decided to make it our home.
There’s something special here, and it makes you want to stay.
I make art to capture this place—the incredible nature and culture here and the feeling of living right in it.
If you want art that brings the magic of Dordogne into your space, you can find available art in my shop here on the website. If you want to stay up to date on new series, sign up for my newsletter and become an Art Insider.
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