Back in France!

Yes, we’re back in France, and in fact back in Montpellier, the town where we started our European travels three years ago. We’ve settled into a large pleasant apartment in the old town, just a block from a park. It’s quiet on this street, since our neighbors are a monastery, a church, and a museum (the Musée Fabre, to be precise). We are thrilled to be here, and looking forward to upcoming adventures.

 

Place de la Comedie, the main square of Montpellier, with the opera building at the far lift.

But first, the Big News. We will be coming back to our home on the Central Coast at the end of June, June 25. Then, we’ll be returning to Europe in early October. After months—years?—of discussion and hesitation we have decided to get a long-stay (one-year) visa in France. So during our three months home in California we will go through the application process. (While there are countries were the paperwork is worse than in France, don’t forget that bureaucracy is a French word!) Part of our time here will be spent laying the groundwork for the application that must be made from the States.

The Three Graces, centerpiece of the Place de la Comedie, with the opera in the background.

Montpellier's Arc du Triomphe, a 17th Century landmark

So what happens between now and June, besides improving our knowledge of French language, culture, and cuisine? Well, Paula’s brother Mark and his wife, Brenda, will be joining us early in June for a week on a canal boat on the Canal du Midi. We’ve got our boat reserved, and will finally scratch (or further irritate) an itch we got 15 or 20 years ago. Then the four of us will spend six days touring the villages of Languedoc and Provence. After Mark and Brenda leave we will continue our car tour for two more weeks to travel to some of our favorite parts of France, including the Dordogne. Along the way we plan on visiting with other American expats from SLO to get their view of life in France.

Our large and comfortable living room, overlooking the neighbor's garden. Sweet!

We haven’t yet talked about our four days in Paris and the Loreena McKennett concert, nor the two weeks we spent in Rovinj, Croatia. We will be catching up, though! Watch this space….

The Water Temple, termination of the aqueduct bringing water to Montpellier in the 18th Century, in the city park at Peyrou.

Gotta go now, we're planning a trip to the tulip fields and windmills of Holland next week! (One of the reasons we're keen on living here: lots of interesting places near by...)

By the way, while you're here check out this blog by our good blogging friends Frank and Lissette (aka Barbeque Boy and Spankie). This one's got an interesting interview, and you just might recognize some of the responders!