Girl et Galette

After Maren and Peter returned to the states, my parents headed to Normandy for a couple of days while I stayed in Rennes to work (shocking, I know). After work I hopped on the train to meet my parents in Saint-Malo for yet another tour of the Emerald Coast. I would say I’m getting sick of that place, but how can one get sick of delicious seafood, fresh salty air and beautiful coastal landscapes? So, one year after we were originally supposed to take our road trip around Brittany, it finally happened! Sadly, the weather wasn’t as nice as it was last year during Spring. But we can’t have it all, can we?

We started in Saint-Malo, staying once again at Hotel Ambassadeurs, a really nice spot a bit off the beaten path. We explored the ramparts and took a lovely walk along Le Sillon, the massive beach which runs from the ancient walled city of Saint-Malo all the way to the boardwalk.

Me and Dad in front of the Walled City (Intra-Muros).

A woman walking her cat with a leash on the beach.

After a day in Saint-Malo we drove the short distance up the coast to Cancale so my mom could try the best oysters in the world. My dad, who has come along way from his Mid-Western roots, is still not the biggest fan of seafood, so sadly for him, he missed out. My mom said it was by far the best oyster she had ever tasted…

Shucking our oysters

I took them to all the usual spots…to the oyster vendors by the pier, for a walk along the coast to see the oyster beds stretching out into the bay from a distance, and of course to Grain de Vanille to warm up with coffee and mille feuille.

The oyster trucks driving along the beach

From Cancale, we took a quick drive through the charming, albeit very crowded, streets of Dinan. Then, tired and ready for some downtime in the country we drove into the heart of Brittany where my boyfriend and my parents would finally meet. Usually this is a meeting that might bring some sort of angst, but I had absolutely no anxiety about it. As predicted, they all got along famously. And of course, they loved the pups too.

Reunited and it feels so good

We spent the next few days just hanging out, enjoying the country air, taking some walks when the weather wasn’t too horrible. My dad bonded with Toby and his friends and soaked up the atmosphere of a small French town. My mom caught up on some work and helped me in the garden. It was the perfect break to take before our busy tour of Provence.

Dad and his new best friend Keni

My nephew Rowan hanging out on the bed in my tiny apartment where my sister and brother-in-law stayed all cramped in together like French sardines.

After our lovely weekend in the countryside we went to Rennes so I could go back to work and Maren, Peter and Ro could get to know my city. The weather was still terrible so during the odd break from work I played hostess and showed them around the streets of Rennes, but mostly we took refuge in crêperies and bars. Maybe the weather is why Bretons are notorious for having a drinking problem?

Maren and Peter quickly began to understand the offbeat and hippy-dippy nature of Rennes. We saw a man riding a unicycle while carrying a second unicycle on his back. There was a troupe of gypsy circus performers camped out in front of Parlement for the week. We also played that fun game called “Count the white dudes with dreads”…We quickly lost count.

The gypsies’ circus tent. We see a lot of juggling action in Rennes…The unicycler carrying the unicycle.

We ate galettes of course, and now Maren and Peter have joined the ranks of souls spoiled by the insane quality of Breton crêpes. Speaking of delicious food,  we visited the famous Rennes market on Saturday.

We met my friends at varying times throughout the week for coffee, drinks and dinner so they could get to know Maren and Peter and see firsthand that I wasn’t exagertating about how cute my nephew Rowan is. He has some new fans…

At the end of the week, my parents arrived in Rennes. Finally, after their cancelled trip of last year, they had made it to Brittany. Better late than never! So, at long last, I found myself surrounded by family in Brittany. We were just missing my brother…

Peter showing off his clean fils (son).

During their stay, we had only one sunny day, and we took advantage by hitting all the main sites of Rennes.

The Palais Saint-George.

The Parc Thabor.

I even broke the Thabor rules and braved the pelouse interdite. The gardeners are very serious about their “keep off the lawn” rule!

We took some time to sit down and soak up the sun and enjoy the beautiful Breton sky.

One place we didn’t visit…one of Rennes’ several Mexican restaurants. As Californians, we’re too picky about Mexican food to imagine the stuff they would serve up here…

Towards the end of our jaunt through the Thabor, we realized we were all quite hungry. Being an Italian, and therefore very food-forward family, this can be a dangerous thing. I quickly led my family down Rue Saint Melaine to L’Epicerie, one of the few restaurants open in Rennes on Sundays.

After lunch, we continued our tour of Rennes. We saw the ancient Porte Mordelaise.

And wandered down the crooked streets of the oldest part of Rennes.

We stepped into the Cathedral.

And Augustin, one of my favorite bakeries.

The selection of petit pain at Augustin

We also spent a lot of time hanging out at the cool apartment my parent’s had rented, playing with Rowan, sipping wine and just enjoying each other’s company.

Sweet, sleepy Ro

But before we knew it, it was time for Maren and Pater to pack up their bags (and Rowan, sniff) and catch the train to Charles de Gaulle. What is it about getting older that make goodbyes increasingly unbearable?

Saying goodbye through the train window. A sad occasion…

After Maren and Peter left my parents and I had a couple more days in Rennes. We had my friends over for dinner so they could all get to know each other a bit.

The girls and I pose after dinner. Miss you ladies!

Pretty soon, it was time to leave for the weekend to visit the boyfriend in the countryside. Finally, my parents and Toby would find the faces to match the voices on the phone…

Dad exploring the streets of Rennes.

A couple of years ago, right around the time before I moved to Brittany and started this blog, I was living at home with my parents in Leucadia, our small little Southern California surf town. It was an awkward time as I was home for just 6 months in between having done my TEFL certification in France and the start of my teaching assistant position. Instead of putting the effort into getting another restaurant job I would just have to quit a few months later, I decided to try my hand at making and selling lotion. Thus, Leucadia Lotion was born. The result was an all natural lotion made of local and organic ingredients without any preservatives of artificial ingredients whatsoever. I’m just as big a snob about bath products as I am about food! Our skin absorbs 60% of what we slather onto it, so we had better be using good stuff!

Now I’m going to toot my own horn…Leucadia Lotion is the good stuff. It has a yummy lavender scent thanks to the organic lavender in our backyard. It is chock-full of antioxidants: green tea, lavender oil, rosemary extract and Vitamin E. These antioxidants not only repair damaged skin, they actively protect it! Leucadia Lotion is made with sweet almond and grape seed oils as well as shea butter, meaning it is great for even the most sensitive skin and absorbs quickly and is highly moisturizing without leaving a greasy residue.

I’m telling you all this because while Leucadia Lotion has always just been just a side project for me, and a way to make a bit of cash every time I come home to California, we are now going “legit”, so to speak. My dad is coming on as my partner to continue the business while I am back in France, and I will be creating a different lotion in France to sell there. We will be working on reaching a wider audience and greatly increasing our production. If you love your skin, please consider buying some of my Lavender Lotion. You can order online through our website. Even if you’re not interested in buying lotion at this time, please spread the word! Tell your friends and Like our page on Facebook!

Lavender loves your skin!

*Thanks to Louie Jones for the gorgeous photos!

On the road from the Emerald Coast to the innards of Brittany

Toby and Nanook getting to know Rowan

A few hours later, and after some poor navigation on my part, we arrived at my boyfriend’s house in Central Brittany, tired and ready for bed. Looking back, I feel sorry for Maren and Peter that they had to meet my boyfriend after such a long day and in such a cracked-out state: still jet-lagged and severely sleep-deprived. But if there’s anyone who can make you feel comfortable and at-home it’s my wonderful Toby. He welcomed us warmly and it was surreal to see my two world’s come together: my family from the United States and my boyfriend from Europe. The gap was finally bridged.

Toby’s “Real Proper Manor House”

We spent a lazy weekend around the house; Maren and Peter needed to catch up on some serious sleep. On the few occasions when the rain let up, we went on some walks around the countryside and took a drive to explore the nearby sites.

My two main guys…the heart melts

My most beautiful sister

We also visited our friend Claude who has a cider cave so my brother-in-law could sample the local cider and eau-de-vie.

And we stopped by my dream house…a beautiful manor which sits unoccupied on acres and acres of beautiful land. It is owned by some local nuns. Sorry sisters, but I am guilty of the cardinal sin of envy…I covet my neighbors’ goods: I want that atrium!

But, as it was freezing cold and a sorry excuse for a spring, especially compared to last year’s gorgeous summer-like spring, we spent most of our time indoors chatting and staying warm by the fire. We also warmed up with my go-to favorite for cold weather, boeuf bourgignon.

It was a wonderful weekend which went all too quickly. Before we knew it, Maren, Peter and I were heading back to Rennes so they could get to know my city, and I could go back to work. Yes, sometimes, I do work. I know it doesn’t seem like it with all this wonderful travelling and hostessing I’ve been doing.

Family self-portrait

Some of my favorite little critters

Humphrey, le chef

Ro boy with his favorite French amie Sophie

So, sadly Maren and Peter said “À bientôt” to Toby and the French countryside, “À l’année prochaine.”

Au revoir, à bientôt.

From Paris, my sister and I headed back to Brittany. We spent one night in Rennes before renting a car to drive to the Emerald Coast. Our first stop was Dinard, a small town across the inlet from Saint-Malo. We picked up Maren’s husband Peter at the tiny airport and then went to explore the picturesque little town. It’s definitely worth a visit if you’re in the Saint-Malo area. The views of Saint-Malo across the jade-colored bay are remarkable, and the sprawling beaches aren’t too shabby either. It’s also pas mal entertaining to gawk at the giant manor houses that dot the shores and bluffs of Dinard.

       In the pictures above you can see how fickle the weather was, swinging back and forth between sunny and rainy. Mais ca c’est la vie en Bretagne. 

Le Sillon, the beach which stretches away from Intramuros (The Walled City).

From Dinard we drove the short distance to Saint-Malo. We checked into our adorable hotel, Hotel Ambassadeurs, located right on the beach a short walk away from Intramuros,  the main city center of Saint-Malo. Intramuros is also known as the walled city. It is a quaint and ancient little hub surrounded by sweeping ramparts, perched on the edge of the land and the wild Atlantic. Walking around the ramparts you have a 360 degree view and ocean on 3 sides. It is easy to see why Saint-Malo is the biggest tourist destination in Brittany, and why the Malouins are so proud of their city.

Enjoying the beautiful view

We had an amazing dinner in Saint-Malo. The restaurant, Les Embruns, was right across the street from our hotel and came highly recommended.

Entrée: Smoked Salmon and Foie Gras

Entrée: Oysters (Mais, bien sur!)

Plat Principal: 3 Types of Fish Swimming in a Butter Sauce

After leaving Saint-Malo we drove along the breathtakingly beautiful coast to Cancale. Now, for the last 2 years that I’ve lived in Brittany, my poor family has had to listen to me go on and on about how delicious the seafood is here. My love for seafood was not born in a vacuum…it’s a passion which runs deep in my family. My brother-in-law especially…he is obsessed with oysters. So they were eagerly anticipating our trip to Cancale where I had promised them they could taste the best oysters in the world. Cancale, where they knew I had enjoyed several epic seafood towers. They were not disappointed.

Look familiar? The beautiful bay at Cancale. This was my 5th visit since I moved to Brittany. Can’t keep away from those oysters…

We started off the seafood orgy that was to ensue with a couple dozen oysters from the oyster stalls near the pier. As we sat slurping oysters and sucking down muscadet, we watched the oyster farmers busying about the oyster beds below us. We tossed our empty  shells onto the beach below, where they were lost in the heap of bone white oyster carcasses.

Au Pied d’Cheval, where it all went down

After our delightful oyster appetizer, we sat down at  Au Pied d’Cheval, my favorite spot in Cancale for the Seafood Tower and tucked in. A whole crab, hoards of miniature shrimp, langoustine, boulots (whelks), clams, more oysters…all topped of with yet more muscadet and endless bread and Breton butter. The food was so fresh it was literally still alive…clams that wiggle when you poke them with your fork, little crabs that crawl out of the mound of seafood treasure. This is why I live in Brittany! After all my time in Brittany, it felt so special to share some of my favorite things about its’ wonderful culture with my family. It was really a magical meal.

Two hours later, stuffed to the brim and slightly tipsy, we braved the rain to hike along the coast and explore the little town of Cancale.

Through the mist of the bay, we could just barely make out the hazy outline of the Mont-Saint-Michel off in the distance. Though my sister and I had already visited this awe-inspiring (and tourist packed) monument, Peter had never laid eyes on it and we felt it would be a waste for him to be so close and not experience it. So, we strapped Rowan into the car once more and took off north. We arrived well after the museum had closed, and most of the tourists had left. The place felt desserted…it was magical. If you’re not fussed about seeing the inside of the abbey and its museum, I would highly recommend going to the Mont Saint Michel at the end of the day once everyone has already come and gone. We practically had the place to ourselves.

The view of the bay at the end of the day…not too shabby

Tired from our full day of exploring (and eating) we hopped in the car and headed to the countryside of central Brittany to enjoy a nice relaxing weekend at my boyfriend’s house.

Okay, I’m finally catching up on my posts here. I recently posted a very belated blurb about my trip to Toulouse in April…just a few months behind here. As I mentioned earlier I’ve been a bit preoccupied trying to organize my life for next year…more to come on that fun subject later.

After our lovely albeit cold jaunt to the South, Janese and I headed to Paris for her first visit to the City of Lights. We boarded a slow and shaky overnight train and settled in for a terrible night of sleep. Below my bunk was a smelly old man who snored. Happily for me, I found the ear plugs the train company supplied. Sadly for Janese, she never found these. She spent a much more restless night than I…Therefore her first sight of Paris was not so much romantic as it was sleepy. But she came to Europe for the European experience, and she got it. Rickety old staircases, minimal hot water, creaky overnight trains, deadly wafts of righteous B.O. and of course to balance all that out, insanely picturesque landscapes and epically delicious food.

The window of the tiny studio we rented in the heart of the Marais

The view. I love the Parisian buildings.

We climbed up 6 flights of narrow stairs hauling Janese’s rather sizable suitcase between us to reach the tiny Marais studio we had rented. After a quick snooze, we set out to hit all the main sights. We only had 1 day before Janese’s return to the States, so we had to make it count. First we had some crazy good and much-needed coffee at Terres de Café, the coffee bar down the street before we headed out to explore the Marais and its’ many splendors…Rue des Rosiers, Place des Vosges, etc. From there we walked to the Notre Dame and explored the Saint-Michel and Saint-Germain des Prés neighborhoods.  Next, we hopped on a metro to the Eiffel tower and then finally went to the Sacre Coeur and wandered down the crooked streets of Montmartre. Of course, there were so many other things I wanted to show Janese in my old city, but I think we did pretty good for 1 day.

That night, we headed to a Provençale restaurant in the Marais called Chez Janou. Oh my gosh. If you go to Paris, go to this restaurant. It is delicious, has an atmosphere which is simultaneously upbeat and casual and by Paris standards, is moderately priced. The baked clams that we had as a starter blew my socks off…they were so buttery and tangy. Thank you Emma for the recommendation!

The next day brought Janese’s departure and a few sniffles on my part. After I saw Janese off I had a day to explore Paris on my own before my sister and nephew arrived. I had my perfect Paris day…I took a nice long stroll along the Seine from the Marais up to the Louvre, ambled though the Jardin des Tuileries and then spent a whole afternoon in Musée L’Orangerie. On the walk back, I moseyed on through Saint-Germain-des-Prés and Ile de la Cité. Despite the cold, I was determined to get a cone of Berthillon Gelato, the God of all Gelato shops in France…but they were closed for remodeling. Sniff sniff. I cheered up with the thought that soon my lovely sister and adorable nephew would be rolling into town from New York.

The next day saw me impatiently awaiting at the Gare de Nord the arrival of my sister’s train from London. What a brave woman to travel across the Atlantic with her then 4-month-old son. They arrived exhausted and jet-lagged so we headed directly to the apartment to freshen up and then went to dinner at Chez Janou (again…I really like that place.) Once again, the meal was magnificent. While we worked on the mussels, prawns and the duck, Rowan worked on being so adorable that everyone in the restaurant had to stop and stare.

Sadly, we only had 1 day in Paris before we headed to Brittany. Well, I say sad for my sister who would’ve preferred to stay in Paris longer of course, but I was anxious to get back to Brittany and to continue showing people I love around the place I love most in France.

   Rowan posing on his petit canapé

So, after a day exploring the Marais and its many shops, we packed our bags and hopped on a train to Rennes. I couldn’t wait for Maren to see my new home, to eat her first galette, to have her first real kouign amann (the one I made at Christmas a couple of years ago didn’t count…)

Couldn’t resist taking my sister for a café at Terres de Café before we started our day of Parisian exploration.

Janese gazing out the window of our TGV headed to Toulouse, dreaming of the “sun” we would never find.

After our too quick weekend en Bretagne, we headed South to what we assumed would be a hotter, sunnier week in Toulouse.  After the cold and rainy weather Janese had experienced since her arrival, I wanted her to see how beautiful France is in the sunshine. Whoops…Who knew that it rains so much in Toulouse? Not us. We found this out when I asked a local if it always rained this much at this time of year? “Mais, oui” he laughed and shrugged his shoulders in that typical French way. A shrug that seems to say “What can we do?”. So, we didn’t head to the beach or the pool as we had previously envisaged, we didn’t spend hours sunning ourselves and sipping rosé on south-facing terraces, but we still enjoyed the beautiful charms of Toulouse.

Toulouse at night, lit up by the reflections on the Garonne river

Like most cities in France, Toulouse is a wonderful city to just walk around in. The narrow streets are bordered by tall, pink stone buildings (hence the endearing nick name for the city) with faded blue doors and shutters. As with each time I return to the South of France, I couldn’t quite believe how old and picturesque everything is.

The narrow streets of the center give way to large boulevards which run along the Garonne river, a wide and commanding presence which divides the city in two. The Pont Neuf is the famous bridge which crosses the river, it is a truly spectacular site all lit up at night. The pink stone juxtaposed with the blue water and sky will threaten to make you never want to leave.

A little bit outside the city center is the Jardin des Plantes, a large park with a rich diversity of botanical treasures, fountains and pathways . We took advantage of a break in the rain to lounge around the park drinking wine for a couple of hours…When a police man came to talk to us it wasn’t to reprimand us for drinking in a public place but rather to flirt with Janese, via me, in what he thought was English but was actually rapid-fire French. 

Our wine in the park, a Rinsotte by Bois Noisett

When we weren’t so lucky to have a spot of clear skies, we ducked into endless bars and cafés to fill our quota of espresso and wine. The Southwest has so many delicious wines such as Tariquet, Corbiéres, Saint Chinian, the list goes on…We also escaped the rain by exploring the Cathedral and its’ crypts as well as some of the other churches dotting Toulouse’s streets.

Janese having fun in the mirror that was on the floor of one of the churches we stumbled into

And of course, we spent most of our time eating…

What to eat in Toulouse:

1. Duck, duck, goose Succulent poultry products, particularly duck, are the most famous specialty of this region, and they are not in short supply. At any restaurant, traiteur or market stall you go to you will find duck and goose in various forms: magret de canard (duck breast), rillette, pâté, foie gras, etc…Try them all. On se regale!

2. Cassoulet I love slow-cooked casserole dishes, and cassoulet is a wonderful example of how homey and filling they can be. It is a stew of white beans, pork sausage and what else? Duck. This is not a meal for dieters or finicky eaters. You may want to schedule time for a nap afterwards…

3. Saucisse de Toulouse (Toulouse sausage) A simple sausage made with pork, salt and pepper, it is surprisingly good. And this is coming from someone living in Brittany, the home of delicious pork sausages. Maybe my favorite thing about this sausage is that it is presented in one long piece which resembles a sort of coiled snake. I simply told the vendeur how many people I needed the sausage for, and he cut me the appropriate amount.

4. Fromage Cheese from this region can be excellent. In particular, try any goat cheese ( I love goat cheese from Southern France!), tomme of Couserans, tomme of Barousse, tomme of the Pyrenees mountains and black tomme of the Pyrenees mountains.

5. L’Entrecôte Maybe you remember the restaurant I visited in Bordeaux which serves nothing but Entrecôte steak with mind-blowing sauce, fries and salad as its’ main plate? The original location is in Toulouse. Entrecôte is a specialty in Toulouse. Enough said…

Janese enjoying her meal at L’Entrecôte

Crème caramel for dessert at L’Entrecôte

We also saved a lot of money by eating in at the little studio apartment we were renting. Our “cooking” consisted of cutting ingredients and arranging them on a plate, but the results were always delightful…

But seeing as we had 6 days in Toulouse, we grew restless after about 4 days of wandering around, shopping, eating, drinking, drinking, drinking…So we decided to do a day trip. After reading up on some of the nearby destinations, it wasn’t hard to choose Albi, a small city built of red brick which recently became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One short train ride later we arrived in the charming little village.  The main draw to this petit ville is the massive 13th century Cathedral, built entirely of brick.

The beautiful ceiling of the Cathedral. All of the walls were painstakingly hand-painted.

But almost more impressive than the Cathedral are the views from the nearby river which runs underneath the hilltop city.

The adorable ambiance at Ambroisie

We had a lovely lunch at Ambroisie, one of the first places we found in the brochure from the tourist office. We wanted to try as much regional cuisine as possible, so we picked the first place which described its cuisine as maison régionale. We weren’t dissaponited. The restaurant was  hidden on a quaint side street and a bit off the beaten path. The atmosphere was incredibly warm and cute, and the husband-wife owners were fabulously passionate, adorable and kind. We had an amazing meal.

Entrée: A mind-blowing salmon tare tare

Plat principal: A selection of tartes salées with veggies and grains

Dessert: Pear and Almond Tart

After our return from Albi, Toulouse seemed fresh again in our eyes, and though we had previously been trying to kill time in the bad weather, all too soon it was time to pack our bags and it was off to Janese’s first séjour à Paris!

One last snapshot from Toulouse. It seems appropriate due to the recent defeat of Nicolas Sarkozy.

Well, hello there. It’s been awhile…after my wonderful string of back to back visitors came to an end, I went into a bit of a funk. I suppose this is mostly because I was very tired. Hey, it’s hard work to eat and drink your way through France for 2 solid months, laughing with family as you go along! And of course I was sad to say goodbye to everyone, visitors and friends from Rennes alike. But mostly, I’ve been stressed about, what else? French bureaucracy. Let us just say, to make a long and frustrating story short, that my future in France is now unclear due to an unfortunate turn of events regarding my visa.

So, as a result I have been oscillating between two states of existence. The first: being hyper-productive, running around trying to organize my life and squeeze the smallest glimmer of hope out of any French bureaucrat who will talk to me. The second: running away to the countryside, away from my responsibilities and concerns and away from Rennes, the city where my life is changing as friends move away and my work is winding down. I’m not sure what’s next, but in the meantime, check out the beginnings of what is soon-to-be an epic sink herb garden. I may not be able to control my fate, which is in the hands of various French bureaucrats, mais au moins, I can work out the frustration in the garden with the pick-axe.

My boyfriend had the brilliant idea to reuse some old sinks he had lying around. I’m obsessed with herbs so I designed this humble kitchen sick herb garden. Not much in the way of herbs yet, but at least the heavy lifting and digging part of the operation is finished. Can’t wait for all my yummy herbs to come up!

In this shot, you can see the tomatoes to the right. We have 5 kinds of various colors and shapes. Counting the days until harvest time…

Wild strawberries I’ve managed to tame. Hope those little boogers turn red soon.

Keep tuned for the posts about my travels the last 2 months. The will be very belated but hopefully beautiful!

The beginning of April ushered in, simultaneously, an abrupt end to our summer-like weather and a string of visitors from the United States. Throughout most of my life in France, a collective 3 years spread over 7 years, I’ve had hardly any visitors. The last month has made up for that. First, my best friend Janese arrived for her premier séjour en Europe.

We had but one quick weekend to spend in Brittany before heading South to travel.  The first order of business was to explore the charming and crooked streets of Rennes. Keep in mind this was Janese’s first time in Europe, so Rennes must have seemed even more impossibly quaint through her eyes, even in spite of the constant rain. Showing her around my little ville gave me a new sense of pride and wonderment for my home.

On Friday, Janese accompanied me to my last day of work with my CM2 kids at the Elementary school. We went on a trip to a nearby park, where they surprised me with a picnic and showered me with homemade gifts and cards. Good thing I was wearing big sunglasses that day as there were a lot of tears welling up behind those dark lenses.

I said goodbye to my students and looked forward to yet another 2 week holiday. With nothing left to do but relax and travel, I began the difficult task of introducing Janese to some of Brittany’s finer culinary treasures…

Cider.

Pastries.

Janese enjoying a religieuse pastry

Tarts and tartines.

The spread at L’Epicerie

And last but not least, an assortment of galettes and crêpes, mais bien sur...

Janese and I after one of our wonderful galette dinners. On the menu that night was salmon and scallop galettes for dinner with caramel and almond paste crêpes for dessert.

Then, we had time for a quick visit to the famous marché.

And a picnic in Parc Thabor.

Then we hopped on a bus to the countryside of Central Brittany so Janese could meet my boyfriend. But I suspect she was more interested in meeting these little guys…

Nanook and Shilah, taking a little sieste on their canapé.

We had a quick 24 hours in the country, just enough time to relax in front of the fire and go for a few walks in the nearby woods.

Toby, Janese and I by the canal.

Then it was back to civilization and to Toulouse. More to come soon on our adventures in Toulouse, my time in Paris and my travels with my sister and brother-in-law and nephew. I’m currently with my parents, so I don’t have too much downtime as we’re heading to Provence shortly. In know, I live a difficult, tedious life…

A bientôt.