When we announced that we were moving from the outskirts of Amsterdam, in Haarlem, to the countryside of Burgundy, on the edge of Parc du Morvan, many friends, family members, and acquaintances warned us: “Don’t do it, you’ll get bored, you’ll feel isolated, and you’ll miss city life.” But believe me when I say that there’s plenty happening here. In fact, because you have fewer people around, life feels more intense. The contacts you have might be fewer, but the connections are so much deeper. People in the countryside are always ready to help each other – at least, that’s been our experience.

This past weekend, we were heading to the farmer to pick up some straw for the chicken coop. It was a beautiful late summer day, though you could already feel the hint of autumn in the air. As we drove past the church, we saw something unexpected: cows wandering in circles around the church. Some were peacefully grazing, while others seemed a bit panicked. Three cows were in a small field nearby, with the gate wide open. It’s peaceful here, but just beyond is a busy national road where cars speed by at 90 km/h. It was a worrying situation.

My daughter called the farmer and said, “There are about 15 cows wandering around the church, that can’t be right.” The farmer, who is also the head of the local farming union, was in the middle of organizing an event, but he came as quickly as he could. Fortunately, he brought help with him, and my daughter joined in too. The cows were herded back to their pasture fairly easily, like a funneling system, gently nudging them while blocking off escape routes with bits of straw string. The process went smoothly, except for one cow. She stayed behind. But, as herd animals, cows don’t like to be left alone, so eventually, she picked up speed and jumped right over a fence.

And that just goes to show – there’s always something happening in the French countryside. It may be different from city life, but that’s exactly what makes it so wonderful and exciting!