Life Itself

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The Life Itself Farmhouse Hub

A Living Hamlet Rooted in Nature, Community, and Transformation

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A Different Way of Building

This wasn’t about designing buildings. It was about designing life. Most projects start with architects and digital renderings. At The Farmhouse, we chose a different path.

Inspired by Christopher Alexander, whose work honors the living and the natural, we didn’t impose blueprints on the land. Instead, we walked it, listened to it, and shaped a vision through clay models, hand sketches, and conversation. This wasn’t about designing buildings. It was about designing life.

We asked: Is this spot alive? Does this pathway breathe? Does this structure belong to the land? Each answer shaped what followed.

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The Land

Set in Thenac is a small commune situated in the Dordogne department of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern rural France, our 8,000 m² site blends heritage buildings with new spaces for growth and connection. Ancient trees, surrounding fields, and the nearby Plum Village monastery create an atmosphere that is both contemplative and alive.

We let the land itself lead us: the fire circle where sunsets gather, the slope that carries energy, the still corners that invite quiet. Each became a centre of life, seeds of the village to come.

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A Living Process

The Farmhouse is more than buildings; it is a living hamlet, unfolding step by step. At its heart is a shared kitchen and dining hall where community gathers. Here, spaces serve overlapping functions: a path is also a gathering place, a grove is both retreat and workshop overflow. The village grows from life itself, from where people naturally gather, play, and reflect.

We build like nature grows: incrementally, adaptively, and with care. Each fire circle, path, and dwelling emerges from lived experience, keeping the whole alive and coherent. In a world built for speed and profit, the Farmhouse offers a return to human-scale living, rooted in the land, guided by beauty, and sustained by community.

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Field Notes From the Village

Voices, videos, and reflections from the journey of building a living village.

  • Life Itself Update

    Heavy building work was balanced with contemplation and interesting discussions. We began stripping the cement off the farmhouse’s walls to…

  • Life Itself Update

    Time for another update on some of the things we’re most excited about from our recent sprints. Last month the…

  • Life Itself Update #1

    At Life Itself we organise our time into fortnightly sprints. This means we make plans together of what we’ll achieve…

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Upcoming Events & Retreats

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Explore the Farmhouse Hub

A monastery for living, learning, and belonging

Tucked among rolling fields and ancient trees, the Farmhouse rests in a landscape of stillness and vitality. Just 5 minutes from Plum Village Monastery and 20 minutes from the winding Dordogne River, it offers both retreat and connection; a place where nature, community, and culture meet. Below you’ll find everything you need to plan your visit and journey here.

Meals at the Farmhouse

Meals at the Farmhouse are a vibrant expression of community life. We gather around a shared table, following the daily rhythm of vegetarian, organic, home-cooked food. Most dishes are plant-based, seasonal, and locally sourced, often featuring produce from our own gardens or neighboring farms. Cooking together is more than nourishment, it’s part of the Farmhouse heartbeat. And during festivals or special gatherings, we open our doors to neighbors and friends for lively potluck-style feasts, celebrating abundance, connection, and the joy of sharing.

Living Spaces

At the Farmhouse, our living spaces are designed to support both community connection and personal autonomy. From shared and private rooms to the unique Old Stone Chapel studio and the self-contained apartment studio, we offer a range of options that honor different needs, budgets, and levels of readiness to engage. For those who prefer a simple stay close to nature, camping under the stars, whether in your own tent or a furnished bell tent, keeps you immersed in the land.

Dormitory spaces, with separate accommodations for men and women, provide another way to experience collective living with ease. Common spaces such as the communal kitchen, shared showers and bathrooms, and a laundry facility are available for dormitory and camping guests, ensuring comfort while nurturing simplicity. Each choice reflects our council’s consideration for individual guests, families, and the balance between privacy and shared life, encouraging conscious coliving at a pace that feels right for you.

Shared & Private Rooms

Share a room with one other person, or your own room just for yourself.

Private Studio & The Old Stone Chapel

Your own small private apartment with own kitchenette, living room and bedroom.

How to Reach us

Location information and directions

Location

The address of the Farmhouse is: 103 Chemin BoisMartin, Thenac, 24240, France. You can view the location on the map here.

Driving

We are a 20 minute drive from Bergerac and a 1h 40 minute drive from Bordeaux. We are a 5 minute drive or 25 minute walk from the Plum Village Monastery.

Cycling

We are a 1 hour 20 minute bike ride from both Bergerac and Sainte-Foy-la-Grande Airport. Check out the Freewheeling France site for information on routes.

Nearby Airports

  • Aéroport Bergerac Dordogne Périgord (25 minute drive)
  • Sainte-Foy-la-Grande Airport (a 25 minute drive)
  • Bordeaux Airport (1h 25 minute drive)

Bordeaux Airport

If you arrive at Bordeaux Airport, you can take a bus to Bordeaux Saint-Jean Station or a nearby station. You can then take the TER train service to Bergerac. The TER takes 1h 15 minutes from Bordeaux Saint-Jean Station and runs every hour. A single ticket usually costs about €11. Once you are in Bergerac, the Hub is a 20 minute taxi ride away. Train timetable: https://www.montrain.com/fr-FR

Taxis

About Thenac: A Place of Roots and Renewal

Nestled in the heart of southwest France, Thénac is a village where nature, culture, and mindfulness meet. Surrounded by vineyards and forests, and shaped by the nearby Plum Village Monastery, the region offers both simplicity and depth; a landscape that nourishes community and life close to the land.

The Land & Town: A rural commune in the Dordogne Valley, Thénac is marked by rolling vineyards, wooded paths, and a contemplative spirit born of tradition and mindfulness.

Sustainability: Here, life follows the rhythms of the land. At the Farmhouse, we carry this forward through practices of care, soil stewardship, and harmony with nature.

Connections: Community thrives in Thénac through markets, shared meals, and mindful living. The Farmhouse builds on these roots to cultivate creativity, collaboration, and care.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s it like to live at the Farmhouse day-to-day?

Life here moves with the rhythm of nature and community. Mornings might begin with shared meditation or a walk through the vineyards, afternoons with hands-on projects or creative work, and evenings with communal meals or fireside gatherings. No two days are the same, but all are shaped by a spirit of simplicity and connection.

Do people from Plum Village visit the Farmhouse?

Yes, our closeness to Plum Village Monastery means that friends and monastics sometimes join us for meals, conversations, or events. The energy of mindfulness flows naturally between the two communities.

What kind of food do you share together?

Meals are usually plant-based, seasonal, and locally sourced, often with produce from our own gardens or nearby farms. Cooking together is part of the community heartbeat.

Is the Farmhouse open year-round?

Yes. Each season has its own beauty: spring gardens, summer evenings outdoors, autumn harvests, and the quiet stillness of winter by the fire.

Can I contribute skills instead of just staying?

Absolutely. Many visitors and residents bring their gifts, whether art, carpentry, gardening, teaching, or cooking, and weave them into village life. Sharing skills is one of the ways the Farmhouse keeps evolving.