Dear Rita and Luc,

A Workshop and a Surprise Party

How time flies—Saturday evening already, the night before our departure home… but before we celebrate together, I’d like to reflect on the past week with you.

The origin of our stay at Domaine Barreaux this week undoubtedly goes back to an OFYR workshop in 2020 and a surprise party for Ingrid in November 2022, both organized by STOKE. Perhaps not entirely coincidentally, earlier this year the offer for ‘The OFYR Experience’ at Domaine Barreaux appeared on Facebook. Facebook’s search engine had done its job.

Such an ‘OFYR Experience Week’… that sounded just right… so I decided to inquire. I still remember that first phone call with Rita well—I called from a French number, and you seemed surprised at how I got it! A lovely chat over the phone… you shared your story openly, and immediately there was a nice connection. Common interests came up: B&Bs (you in France, we soon in Turnhout), OFYR, and Harley-Davidson. During that conversation, it also became clear that ‘De Guy and Fabie’ would be present for the entire OFYR week… we couldn’t get closer to the OFYR master himself and his “Bieke”… so we booked that week!

Barreaux 2.0, christened with wine

A two-day journey with the motorhome, via the Champagne region, brought us here on Monday. Welcome from 4 PM… which eventually became 7 PM, but in true French style: “No problem, we’re still having aperitifs!”

Host Luc greeted us at the front door and welcomed us with the news that no rooms were available, but we could sleep in the motorhome… the tone was set. It was the opening line of a fantastic week full of fun, food, drinks, warmth, and wonderful people.

You and your friends had worked incredibly hard to prepare and refresh Domaine Barreaux for the arrival of the first guests.

We were privileged witnesses to the kickoff of a new adventure, a dream in your lives. Together with everyone present, we christened this week ‘Barreaux 2.0’… not with champagne, but with wine—lots of wine… 10 to 15 liters per day, if I remember correctly.

Cheers to life

The weather wasn’t ideal… it wasn’t a warm, sunny week. Instead, clouds arrived with a cold northern wind, but by the end of the week we had sunny mornings and warmer afternoons. During a visit to the bar “Le Coupon,” the owner Dennis even put a log in his stove. He told us that in all the years he’s lived in France, he had never used his wood stove in May. But as the saying goes, “you have to make your own good weather,” and that’s exactly what we did together with the host family. And how!

Rita, the charming hostess, who had been so eager to restart Domaine Barreaux. You are the embodiment of the kind, helpful lady who spoke with me on the phone back in January. You radiate warmth, love, and understanding.

Luc, always ready to help… literally bringing warmth on Tuesday evening by lighting the fire pit. However, as a BMW rider, he struggled to light the ‘Harley-Davidson fire pit’ and had to call on a Harley rider for help. And that afternoon, he showed his kind heart again by helping me clean the front of the motorhome… with ‘Savon Noir’… which, according to Luc, is French for ‘green soap.’

Toon and Nicky, what tireless workers… They spent the entire week making guests feel at home: breakfast, coffees, wines, even a sandwich for Ingrid when she was sick… nothing was too much.

And of course, the ever-present dogs Loupie and Linga, calmly in the background… except when the drone takes off, the pétanque court is in use, or you step on their paws.

And the thought of Carlo is subtly present too… ‘No present without a past,’ a watchful bird of prey on the massive tree trunk, and on the outdoor counter, Carlo’s life motto: ‘Cheers to life.’

Too small for my weight

The main reason for our stay, of course, was the OFYR Experience… and did we get it!

The OFYR master taught us that we need to stoke the fire for about 30 minutes before cooking, and that we should use small pieces of well-dried wood to avoid smoke. Building windshields with wood blocks, food bumpers, smoke and flame management, hot and very hot zones… all were explained.

Over the week, we climbed the hierarchical ladder in the kitchen: Tuesday we helped clean the OFYR after use; Wednesday we chopped wood; and from Thursday, we were even helping the chef prepare dishes:

• Asparagus soup with smoked eel, crispy asparagus tips cooked on the OFYR

• Chicken liver with an oriental salad

• Caesar salad with OFYR-cooked chicken

• Côte à l’os to die for

• Fish, shellfish, and seafood

The OFYR master taught us that an OFYR is not a BBQ, but a cooking device. We got tips on using lots of oil, moistening hard vegetables twice, and most importantly: “dare to experiment!”

Based on my BMI, I was already too small for my weight, and that probably hasn’t improved this week. I think next week I should remove the batteries from my talking scale.

Bibs and potty-talkers

During more philosophical moments, we discussed that it’s not what’s under the Christmas tree that matters, but who sits around it. The same goes for an OFYR. This week, alongside the host family and OFYR master, there were also wonderful guests around the fire.

Peggy, who gifted an OFYR week to Filip. In daily life, she deals with finances and medication for cardiologists… but on weekends, she’s devoted to her OFYR in her brand-new mancave.

The Dutch guests Gerry, Annelies, and Bas… with whom we debated language usage: the difference between “morning” and “forenoon,” “noon” and “afternoon,” “bench” and “sofa.” We learned what a bib and a potty-talker are. We also discovered that, unlike Belgians, the Dutch do talk to lampposts.

On Wednesday, Big Koen and Little Koen with his family joined the group. By today, the two K2s had become full-fledged paella chefs, claiming they are also available for parties.

Live your dream

Rita and Luc, and all other tireless workers of the past week…
Thank you for letting us be part of this. You filled not only our stomachs but also our hearts.

Domaine Barreaux is in our hearts, but also in our GPS. If we may leave you with one piece of advice:

Be confident in yourselves, in your concept… live your dream… we wish you a wonderful journey through life, with all the happiness it can bring.

Cheers to Barreaux 2.0
Cheers to life

Dirk Broeckx & Ingrid Michielsen
May 20, 2023