Part One, How I Plan Rural Getaways in France
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Why I Left Paris (And How I Chose This Trip to Burgundy)
I broke my foot in mid-November.
For six weeks I was in a cast, immobilized straight through the Christmas period. After that came six weeks in a walking boot. And then the slow, painful beginning of learning to walk normally again.
At the same time, France experienced one of the wettest winter seasons in recent history. December, January, early February… think rain layered on top of recovery, layered on top of being confined to the city.
As my foot slowly began to feel stronger, the forecast changed. I saw an entire stretch of mid-60s to upper-60s degree weather for almost a full week, and I knew immediately I could not stay in Paris.
The crowds on Ile Saint Louis arrive when the sun comes out. Music, drinking and picnics, parties, and joy. But when you are searching for quiet sunshine, this isn’t the place for that.
You see, when the first real sunshine of the year hits the city, everyone emerges. Parisians fill the riverbanks. Tourists flood Île Saint-Louis. The energy becomes summer-level crowded almost overnight. And while I love Paris, that was not what I needed.
And this might sound a little sad but… I also knew I did not want to return to my house in Brittany. I left that house just hours after coming home from the hospital in November, hours after I fell down the stairs and broke my foot in two places. The responsibilities, the social obligations, the property maintenance, I just wasn’t ready to step back into that role yet.
What I needed was something else entirely:
No city
No social expectations
No traffic
No familiar roles
No responsibilities beyond myself and the dogs
A true break.
The girls, Rose (left) and Pearl (right) with Ile Saint Louis and Notre Dame in the background.
This trip to Burgundy was not about a destination. It was about the property.
How I Choose Where to Stay in France
Over the years, my approach to travel here has changed. At this point, having lived and explored in France for many years, I no longer begin with a region, a tourist destination, or a famous town. I begin with the house. Because my space, environment, the ambiance, and, honestly, a great night’s sleep are what set the tone for my days, regardless of where I am. My health and happiness are the priority, not the itinerary.
Especially when traveling with dogs, the property becomes the anchor. And in this case, I did not want:
A hotel
An apartment in another city
A tourist-heavy area
A short-term overnight stay
Photo courtesy of the property owners, Bill & Jenny
I wanted a house in the countryside. Isolated. Quiet. Enclosed garden. Authentic character. Cottage aesthetic. But still comfortable. And comfort matters more to me now than it did twenty years ago.
What I look for:
A genuinely good mattress and quality bedding (You can tell in the photos if the quality is poor by how the bed is made - super sharp lines around the edge of the mattress, super flat pillows, also read the reviews for quality of sleep by English speakers - the French tolerate a firmer and less comfortable bed environment than foreigners)
Comfortable living room furniture (not stiff IKEA sofas)
A bathtub (after months of only having a shower in Paris, part of the time with a cast!)
A proper kitchen I can cook and bake in - I wanted to try a new cookie recipe
An enclosed SAFE outdoor space for the dogs - you have to be careful because some rentals have property dogs on site that are free range. This was an entirely enclosed, private garden, and not shared with anyone.
Rural setting with no major traffic in the village - I wanted to hear the birds and be away from all the noise of Paris.
The home featured in this mini series is located in the quaint, quiet Burgundian village called Corsaint. I absolutely loved this sleepy village!
What is considered traditional or charming in some French gîtes can be very different from what I personally want. I’m not looking for inherited mattresses or flat pillows that have seen decades of use. Sleep matters to me. At this stage of life, it really matters.
And because 90% of this trip is about being in the house, not constantly out exploring, the interior environment is critical.
I did not move halfway around the world to sit in ultra-modern decor. I want authentic French rural character. But I want it done well.
Jenny has a keen eye for combining quality new furniture and appliances with the rustic, authentic French antiques and decor to make this space immediately feel like home.
Where I Search for Properties
Recently, I’ve had the most success on:
Booking.com – Not just hotels; they list entire homes and cottages as well.
Abritel – Especially good for rural and week-long stays.
I rarely use Airbnb in France anymore. The fees are high, pricing can be inflated, and my experience has been inconsistent. I’ll check it to cross-reference, but it’s a last resort. But here’s a hack! Write this tip down…
“Use AirBnB to search for interesting, unique countryside or small town rentals and note the property’s unique name, location, and download the images. You can reverse image search or find the listing online using the property name! Most property owners cross-list rentals, and the platform fees are much cheaper elsewhere, especially if you can book direct. NOTE: This tip doesn’t work well for large cities like Paris.”
Pearl relaxing in the garden at the house. The Spring flowers were just starting to bloom while we were there!
Abritel, in particular, can be excellent for weekly stays in less obvious markets. It’s not ideal for overnight stays, but for rural properties and longer bookings, it’s worth searching.
That’s how I found this cottage, owned by Bill and Jenny. I’ll share more about the property and how to book it in the next post.
Building the Trip in Less Than 24 Hours
At first, I planned to stay only two nights. But, then everytime I opened the Weather Channel app (the best one to monitor the weather in France IMO!), the forecast kept improving!
So I extended the car rental. Then extended it again. 🫣 Eventually, I reached what felt like the maximum realistic window I had available: five nights, six days.
Two of those days would be logistics-heavy and also… hahaha, I actually do not enjoy driving or going on road trips. Three hours is probably my max comfort tolerance for a drive. Five or six if absolutely necessary… but I don’t enjoy road trips. And leaving Paris takes time.
I don’t suggest renting a car and leaving from Paris unless you’re familiar with the city from a street-driving perspective. But what I do suggest is that you train part of the way and then grab a car from those smaller nearby cities. For example, if you were to recreate this trip, I would suggest taking a train to Auxerre (it’s only about an hour and a half direct from Paris!), check out the city for one day/night, and then grab a car to continue the rest of the way. Super easy. More on that below…
Renting a Car from Paris
The Alamo (Gare Lyon location) representative going through the checkout process with me at the end of my trip…
If my car isn’t here (I usually keep it at my house in Brittany), I rent from Gare de Lyon because:
All major rental agencies are in one building
The cars are parked directly underneath in the garage
It’s easy to access the freeway from there
This time I chose Alamo Rent A Car based on price. Other agencies I regularly use:
In France, these are franchise locations. Always read the reviews for the individual agency branch, not just the brand. And to save money, try to make your trip RT and bring the car back to the original destination, otherwise you’ll incur high one-way fees… the franchise has to get the car back to their agency another way if you leave it at a different location. At Gare de Lyon, they tend to have similar ratings, so I choose based on price.
Don’t forget to document the mileage and gas levels before AND after your trip.
One important tip:
Always document everything. Before leaving the garage:
Take slow, detailed video of the entire exterior and interior
Photograph mileage and fuel level
Do the same when returning the car. It protects you if there’s ever a dispute. And hang onto the files for a bit. The agency can be delayed in sending you charges after the return, maybe even a couple weeks after! So, don’t delete the files right away.
The Logistics Reality
My departure day looked like this:
Get the girls ready for the day
Finish gathering supplies
Rent the car
Drive it back to my apartment
Load groceries for a full week
Load baking ingredients
Load everything else - including sunscreen and dog toys!
Navigate out of Paris
Because this is a fully self-catered cottage with no services in the village, I purchased all groceries in advance. You could coordinate with hosts if arriving by train, but realistically, you need a car in this location.
Another option, if you prefer less city driving:
Rent from the airport
Take a train to a larger nearby city and rent from there
For me, pre-buying everything and leaving directly from Paris made the most sense as I knew I wasn’t going to any of the regional marchés and didn’t want to waste time going to the grocery store.
Another view of this tiny French village with it’s stunning church steeple. The church rings every hour from during the day, it’s so comforting and idyllic.
But coming and going consumes a full day each way. That’s something many people underestimate.
How I Build My Itinerary (Plan B)
Once the house is secured, I open Google Maps. I search within a 30–45 minute radius and look for:
Historical sites
National monuments
Gardens
Villages of character
“Most beautiful markets”
Local marchés and their schedule
Bakeries, épiceries, traiteurs
Essentially, I am searching for my hobbies and interests. You can do the same! I am a strong supporter of France’s national monuments program and have never been disappointed by one. I also check regional tourism websites for events I might otherwise miss.
I also identify and save:
Nearby veterinarians
Hospitals
Supermarkets (with fuel stations)
Then I build what I call Plan B. Plan A is always to listen to my body and mind. Plan B exists so that if I wake up wanting to go somewhere, I’m not starting from scratch.
I do not build itineraries to force myself into activity. I build them to create options.
I also build around weather. On the warmest day of the week, I avoided afternoon exposure because French bulldogs are vulnerable to heat. Seventy degrees is already close to their upper comfort range. Yes, it got to 70 f in February!
And I always build in a buffer day. After a heavy logistics day, I believe in allowing space to settle. My first day here was intentionally quiet. I’ll share that in the next post.
Why This Method Matters
People often ask how I find these places. The honest answer is: time and Google Maps. Many people just aren’t willing to spend the time it takes to research and find these gems.
But the deeper answer is self-awareness.
In our current culture, we often want:
Quick lists
Copy-and-paste itineraries
Instagram checklists
We rarely pause to ask what actually interests us. The things that fascinate me now would have bored me at twenty-five. My curiosity has changed. My pace has changed. My priorities have changed.
I’ll share this amazing Unesco destination in a separate post in this mini series.
This itinerary reflects who I am now:
Independent
Curious
More interested in depth than volume
Focused on environment as much as destination
You may not want to do exactly what I did this week. But perhaps this method will help you build something that is fully your own — whether in Burgundy, Paris, or anywhere else.
Next, I’ll share what my first day at the cottage actually looked like, more about the house itself, and how to book it.
