We took an “early” (8h20) train for a day trip to Rouen, France because I’ve had the desire to see the cathedral, which starred in Monet’s series of paintings on a study of light. To think we stood in the same square as a genius! I can only hope that the photos Cecil and I […]

We marched along, gravel crunching under our shoes, flip-flops; ballet flats; hiking sandals; les baskets rounding out the mix. The lilliputian chateau diminished into the trees as we found a quiet spot for our pique-nique in view of a fountain. Wildflowers swayed violently in the breeze, a seeming haphazard arrangement of nature, but, in fact, very well thought […]

There we sat, in the pleasant afternoon summer sun, under the sign that read “Baladobus.” Supposedly, it would take us to the Abbaye des Vaux de Cernay. It was 45 minutes past two, the hour at which this supposed bus was to arrive. One of our travel companions had stretched himself out on one of […]

When I was in university, I was obliged to read Chateaubriand. While it would be very nice to wax about all the lovely things I learned and how marvellous he is, the truth is that I remember very little. Even that is a generous statement. I remember nothing. My level of French at the time […]

Humid sunshine and ominous clouds greeted us as we tumbled off the train in front of the minuscule train station. We had arrived in Auvers-sur-Oise, a small village where the public transport comes only once an hour. We were already slightly sticky, and the sun high in the sky, as we followed the only road, […]

If you love France or are planning a trip, download one of my FREE travel guides! The forecast promised thunderstorms. It was the middle of June, and clouds were on the horizon. Ironically, we had postponed our day trip to Monet’s garden in Giverny because it was set to rain on our original date. Clouds […]