Bonjour! A fireside video chat with Kate Hill

When

Kate Hill

invited me to visit and to stay in her 18th century stone farmhouse, situated 30 meters from the Canal de la Garonne in Southwest France, there was only one answer… mais oui!

I’ve gotten to know Kate through her marvelous Substack,

The Camont Journals with Kate Hill

. She’s an American expat who has lived in this region of France for over 30 years. You can read the Q&A I did with her about her writing and her life here; and another Q&A about her kitchen here.

Kate Hill’s Relais de Camont really is a slice of paradise.

Kate Hill’s Relais de Camont

Kate runs a self-directed residency for creatives, including writers, painters, and photographers, at her Relais de Camont. Come for a week or two, and work however many hours a day you want. She describes the residency as “a haven of quiet productivity in the rural French landscape, Camont (near Agen) is just three hours from Paris by fast train.” All the info to learn more and apply here.

After three days, I can attest that Camont is a taste of paradise: peaceful, beautiful, and inspiring. My husband and I have walked along the canal, cooked for ourselves in Kate’s stone kitchen, driven to nearby picturesque villages, and slept deeply every night.

I was inspired by Kate’s perfectly-stocked kitchen to bake a chocolate soufflé. It always rises: my only party trick! You can find the recipe on page 619 of Julia Child’s famous “Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. 1.” (Kate has a copy, of course.) My mother showed me how to modify the recipe so it’s quicker and uses fewer pots and pans.

My husband Sam Harrington in front of Camont, Kate’s 300-year-old stone farmhouse. It’s late October so the azaleas are just past their prime.

Coming next, a “Postcard from Paris”

…including more photos and reflections on our trip. Yes, we’re back in France; I travel here as often as I can, pour parler le français et pour apprécier la culture de ce pays si beau. I’m turning 73 and still have so much to learn!