A Quick Visit to Paris

I love traveling to Paris. It always fills me with joy — all the beauty and the history! 

Lights on the water

The sky was much darker than shows in this picture. The lights reflecting on the water looked like an impressionist painting. 

This was the last picture I took on Friday. 

What came before? 

A new perspective

From here you can’t see the ruined parts of Notre Dame. 

An archway along the river

We walked along the Seine. 

A shot of Pont du Carrousel

The views are always beautiful. 

Here we are at Place du Carrousel

I was trying to capture the light of the setting sun that shone on our faces.  

The sun behind the pyramid at the Louvre.
They didn't have water in all of the fountains by the entrance to the Louvre

A gap in the trees showed the Eiffel Tower and the Seine

Finally the lights came up on The Eiffel Tower. 

Mostly we’re feeling safe as we travel. We occasionally see someone without a mask but not often. We haven’t eaten inside any restaurants. 

We’ll scope out how big the crowd is for the Tour de France before we decide what to do. We hope to be able to see the riders on Sunday as they finish. 

Catching Up

Woohoo!
I've just finished a few intense days, returning from France and all that entails, two grocery store trips, four loads of laundry, cleaning, greeting family, paying bills, etc...
But I also needed to finish a training course for my online teaching. The training began on May 15 and lasted until today, May 24.
Of course, I was traveling in France. I didn't want to spend extra time inside doing a training course. But we had been warned that if we did not complete the training, we would not receive classes to teach in July.
So I did a few of the modules while in France.

This is a wall in the Paris airport made of actual living plants. I thought it was incredibly cool. 

Monday, I thought I would get a bunch done, but with the grocery and the laundry and the general exhaustion, I did not.
That meant that Tuesday was wholly devoted to working on the training, and this morning, just a few minutes ago, I completed the training.
Phew!
What a relief.
Now I'll have time to visit other people's blogs, read a book -- oh, wait. I still have grading to do for the class I'm currently teaching, plus I have to prepare for the in-person college course that begins next week.
Still, what a relief that I finished the training.
Thanks to everyone who visited and commented while I was traveling in France. I can't wait until I am over there full time, writing leisurely posts about my life in France.

This was the Tuleries Garden with the Eiffel Tower in the background on our last evening in France. 

Dreaming of France -- Colored LIghts

Thank you for joining this weekly meme. Grab a copy of the photo above and link back to An Accidental Blog. Share with the rest of us your passion for France. Did you read a good book set in France? See a movie? Take a photo in France? Have an adventure? Eat a fabulous meal or even just a pastry? Or if you're in France now, go ahead and lord it over the rest of us. We can take it.

I've never been in France for Christmas, but I've heard some stories, including the fact that everything is closed. In the U.S., you can usually find a gas station or grocery store open, although I try not to go to any stores on Christmas Day. And Chinese restaurants are always open on Christmas.
As we've celebrated today, with all of our children coming home to gather around the tree and open presents before a trip to Earl's sister's house for Christmas lunch, I kept imagining how different our celebration will be next year if we're living in France. I still hope our children will join us. We'll see what happens.
The closest thing I have to a Christmas picture is this colored-light reflection of stained glass.

Grace took this photo when blogging friend Linda Mathieu met her and gave her a tour of Montmartre, including Sacre Coeur. The light reflecting off the stained glass windows on these columns look like those new Christmas lights which shine on houses and rotate around in red and green. 

And here's another shot from Grace from the viewpoint of Montmartre, showing the far-away Eiffel Tower.

Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas day. Hope to see you all in the new year.

Thanks for playing along with Dreaming of France. Please leave your name and blog address in Mr. Linky below, and leave a comment letting me know what  you think about my love affair with France, or your own passion for the country and its people and cultures. Also consider visiting the blogs of others who play along so we can all share the love.

Dreaming of France -- Preteens in France

Thank you for joining this weekly meme. Grab a copy of the photo above and link back to An Accidental Blog. Share with the rest of us your passion for France. Did you read a good book set in France? See a movie? Take a photo in France? Have an adventure? Eat a fabulous meal or even just a pastry? Or if you're in France now, go ahead and lord it over the rest of us. We can take it.

Since Grace is in Europe this week, I thought I'd revisit a time when my boys were in France.
Here is Spencer, age 12, on the Eiffel Tower with Paris at his back.

A fashionable 12-year-old in 2007. Note the soccer jacket and the puka shell necklace, plus the still wet hair.  

That was the first time he'd gone up the Eiffel Tower. When we took the kids 

over at ages 2, 4, and 6, only Tucker went to the top of the tower with me. 

And here's Tucker as a 10-year-old wearing a beret that we bought at a souvenir shop. We still have that beret!

Hope you're thinking about good memories of France today, too. 

Thanks so much for playing along with Dreaming of France today. Please leave your name and blog address in Mr. Linky below, and leave a comment letting me know what  you think about my love affair with France, or your own passion for the country and its people and cultures. Also consider visiting the blogs of others who play along so we can all share the love.

Dreaming of France -- First Time

Thank you for joining this weekly meme. Grab a copy of the photo above and link back to An Accidental Blog. Share with the rest of us your passion for France. Did you read a good book set in France? See a movie? Take a photo in France? Have an adventure? Eat a fabulous meal or even just a pastry? Or if you're in France now, go ahead and lord it over the rest of us. We can take it.

Although I can't always be in France, it's a joy for me when someone I love discovers France.
My niece Caroline just finished her sophomore year in college. She took an internship in Germany this summer and has been there for nearly a month. She'd never traveled overseas before and this weekend she visited Paris.

I've never visited the catacombs, but that is exactly where Caroline headed. She's studying forensics in college, so it makes sense that she would want to see all the bones. 

She sent her mother a detailed itinerary of all the things they had seen and visited in Paris, but I didn't need to know the details, I only needed to see the expression on her face to know that she'd fallen in love.
Here's her departing picture from on top of the Arc de Triomphe.

And she wrote, "Merci, Paris, merci." 

I think she'll be back. 

Thanks so much for playing along with Dreaming of France. I really appreciate your participation and I hope you'll leave a comment plus visit each other's blogs.

Dreaming of France -- Twilight in Paris

Thank you for joining this weekly meme. Grab a copy of the photo above and link back to An Accidental Blog. Share with the rest of us your passion for France. Did you read a good book set in France? See a movie? Take a photo in France? Have an adventure? Eat a fabulous meal or even just a pastry? Or if you're in France now, go ahead and lord it over the rest of us. We can take it.

Something strangely peculiar happens to the light in Paris as the sun begins to set. The light turns an amazing shade of blue and bathes everything in soothing tones. 

This is the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel just across the street from the pyramid at the Louvre.

Here's the pyramid as the clouds add to the drama of the sky. 

The Eiffel Tower is lit up already and a sliver of the moon hovers above.

And here's a closeup of the Eiffel Tower. I love how warm the golden light is. 

Thanks so much for playing along with Dreaming of France. I'd appreciate if you'd leave a comment and visit the blogs of others who decide to play along too. That way, we can all experience the joy and beauty of France.

Dreaming of France -- Ile aux Cygnes with Friends

Thank you for joining this weekly meme. Grab a copy of the photo above and link back to An Accidental Blog. Share with the rest of us your passion for France. Did you read a good book set in France? See a movie? Take a photo in France? Have an adventure? Eat a fabulous meal or even just a pastry? Or if you're in France now, go ahead and lord it over the rest of us. We can take it.

Make sure you scroll down to Sunday's post for a chance to win a copy of a book set in France. I plan to give away a number of books set in France over the next few weeks, or months.

Before we went to France last spring, I saw an article about Ile aux Cygnes, which means Isle of the Swans. It's a mandmade island in the middle of the Seine. Apparently, it was created so people could watch the boat races in the Seine.
It's very long and narrow with some lovely views of the city.

We met our French friends who put off their trip to Poland for a day so we could rendez-vous in Paris. They had never walked along Ile aux Cygnes before either.

The Eiffel Tower is visible from so many points in the city. 

The island is lined with trees, and in March they had only a slight green fuzz, but I'm sure it's a wonderful leafy walk in the summer. Our friend Michel led the way with his map. 

My friend Danuta and I posed at the end of the island for a picture. Danuta and I have been friends since 1985 when I traveled to France as an au pair for two American girls. Her own daughters were around the same sage and we spent the summer exploring the countryside around the family house. Her husband Michel and my charges' father were cousins. 

Every time we visit France, we see Danuta and Michel, either at their home in Nantes or in Paris.

 I can't wait until we can host them in our home in France. 

Dreaming of France -- Twilight in Paris

Please join this weekly meme. Grab a copy of the photo above and link back to An Accidental Blog. Share with the rest of us your passion for France. Did you read a good book set in France? See a movie? Take a photo in France? Have an adventure? Eat a fabulous meal or even just a pastry? Or if you're in France now, go ahead and lord it over the rest of us. We can take it

I know that Woody Allen convinced everyone that Midnight in Paris is a magical time, but I think the most beautiful time is at twilight.
We went for a walk on the last evening before we flew home this spring.
The lights and the buildings are so golden and warm.

Here we are walking along the Tuileries

This sliver of moon and venus above the straight cut trees.

And here I am posing in front of the Seine with Musee d'Orsay behind me and the Eiffel Tower in the far background. But look at the warm golden color, the beautiful sky and the reflections in the river. 

Definitely magical.  

Thanks for playing along with Dreaming of France. Please leave a comment and visit each other's blogs, too, so you can get your fix of France dreams.

Dreaming of France -- Saying Goodbye

Please join this weekly meme. Grab a copy of the photo above and link back to An Accidental Blog. Share with the rest of us your passion for France. Did you read a good book set in France? See a movie? Take a photo in France? Have an adventure? Eat a fabulous meal or even just a pastry? Or if you're in France now, go ahead and lord it over the rest of us. We can take it
Tonight, we watched the sunset on our vacation. We fly home in the morning.
We've had a lovely visit soaking up the culture along with eating and drinking our way through cities.
I lucked onto a lovely photo as the evening fell near the Louvre.

The clouds look dramatic and the pyramid at the Louvre is lovely lit up.

And then, while we waited for the Eiffel Tower to sparkle, I knelt down and took a shot through the pillars of the bridge. Which bridge, you may ask? I never could keep them straight. The one near the Obelisk.

You can see a sliver of the moon at the top of the photo. Venus was shining just above it too.

Thanks for playing along with Dreaming of France. I have cameras full of more photos I can use for Dreaming of France and some interesting stories to tell too. I hope you'll come back and join me.

Please visit each other's blogs and leave a comment below.

Paris with Friends

We are so fortunate to have friends who live in France. Nearly every trip, we manage to connect with them. Often, we visit them in Nantes. This time, I asked if they'd meet us in Paris.
They had to rearrange their schedules, because they were on their way to visit family in Nancy, France, but they stayed in Paris on Friday to meet us.
Michel (the husband) met us at the train station, where we hung out for half an hour because one of his daughters was catching a train to Switzerland. We got to spend a bit of time with Isabelle who had stayed with us in Ohio before.
With Michel and Danuta, we went for a walk on Isle aux Cynges. I'd read about it on Facebook and it looked lovely, but you can probably just look at the pictures and skip the actual walk. It was just a stroll on a  manmade island, but it was a lovely view of the Eiffel Tower.
The island, in the middle of the Seine, begins at the French version of the Statue of Liberty.

I thought this was kind of a cool shot. It looks like she is just standing at the end of the bridge along with the other people. Truthfully, she's in the river. 

Here's Earl and me with Michel and Danuta, our friends who live in Nantes. As you can see, the walk ends with a lovely backdrop of the Eiffel Tower. It was cold here in Paris, so Danuta wrapped me in her wool scarf to help me stay warm. 

We also got to catch up with Henri, a boy who stayed with us in Ohio when he was 15. He's a lawyer now for the minister of defense in France and had about 15 minutes to meet us before rushing off to spend time with a friend. Nice to see him again.

We had dinner with our friends and two of their children at a "typical" brasserie near Gare St. Lazare. 

I'll just show you a picture of the ceiling and you can picture the rest. I feel safe in guessing this was a Belle Epoque-style brasserie.

Off to buy some gifts today and to explore more of Paris

Dreaming of France -- Finally Going Back

Please join this weekly meme. Grab a copy of the photo above and link back to An Accidental Blog. Share with the rest of us your passion for France. Did you read a good book set in France? See a movie? Take a photo in France? Have an adventure? Eat a fabulous meal or even just a pastry? Or if you're in France now, go ahead and lord it over the rest of us. We can take it.
After nearly five years away from France, I'm finally returning. It's only for 10 days, but I'm ecstatic at the idea of once again immersing myself in French culture. Every picture someone posts from France, I think, I can see that myself very soon.

We'll be traveling to the South of France, so for only three days we'll be in Paris. We've seen most of the main tourist attractions. What should we see or do in Paris?

Earl says he wants to visit a jazz club. 

I think I'd like to do a tour or class with a chocolatier. 

Now I'm counting on you all to direct us to the best off-the-path places to visit or take a tour or to sit and drink in the wonderful ambiance that is Paris.

I look forward to your suggestions. 

Thanks for playing along with Dreaming of France. Please leave a comment and visit each other's blogs too. You never know when you'll find something new to fall in love with.

Dreaming of France -- Christmas Cards

Please join this weekly meme. Grab a copy of the photo above and link back to An Accidental Blog. Share with the rest of us your passion for France. Did you read a good book set in France? See a movie? Take a photo in France? Have an adventure? Eat a fabulous meal or even just a pastry? Or if you're in France now, go ahead and lord it over the rest of us. We can take it.

We stopped by the World Market store today to get Christmas cards. Along with the traditional ones of Santa or Christmas scenes, we found one that made my heart thrill.

The inside was pretty sweet too.

Some day, maybe I'll be in Paris for Christmas or New Year's Eve, and I'll be able to see the Eiffel Tower sparkle in person.
Hope you all are having a peaceful December as we roll toward the Christmas season.

Dreaming of France -- Cats and Postcards

Please join this weekly meme. Grab a copy of the photo above and link back to An Accidental Blog. Share with the rest of us your passion for France. Did you read a good book set in France? See a movie? Take a photo in France? Have an adventure? Eat a fabulous meal or even just a pastry? Or if you're in France now, go ahead and lord it over the rest of us. We can take it.

Inspired by a couple of blogs that I read today, I'm posting pictures of postcards from France with cats. It's kind of a tradition for us, since about 1998 to send home postcards with pictures of cats that look like our cats.
I was reminded of that tradition today when Corey from Tongue in Cheek first talked about pictures on her refrigerator. Then I visited Virginia at Paris Through My Lens and she had a picture of cat lounging on the walk in front of a building with gorgeous green shutters. At Paris and Beyond, Genie had an fluffy orange cat sauntering along the sidewalk.  And then Anne in Oxfordshire writes frequently about her postcard collection. They all came together and I decided to write about some postcards from France with cats, and those postcards are currently stuck on my refrigerator.

Our last cat, the one we got when Grace was a 1-year-old, was totally black like this cat. When traveling in Paris with my friend Michelle, I sent this postcard home to Earl and the kids. I joked that they had left the door open so Buddy had escaped and traveled to Paris.

The next time Earl and I traveled to France, we went to Provence and sent this postcard home to the kids. Again, a black cat that was anxious to get from Ohio to France. 

We never seem to have any trouble finding postcards of cats in different French locations.

 
When Grace traveled to France, she sent home a postcard with cats too.
Does your family have a France tradition?