France, At Long Last

Paris is was one of the first trips Larry and I took together, three days there before heading off to Turkey. In 1980 or so?  Eight years later we spent a three week honeymoon aimlessly driving around France armed with a Michelin red guide and a paper map. We’ve been to Paris 7-8 times; and had lovely stays in Alsace and Burgundy. But Italy distracted us for the past several years, and I realized it had been five years since we’d been in France.

We’re remedying that this month. I grabbed ff tickets to Paris a few months ago (roundtrip 60k, not bad at all), and we’ll spend our first night in Paris, hopefully starting the time change transition. A morning train to Avignon, where we’ll pick up a car and drive to our apartment rental in Vaison-la-Romaine, in the Vaucluse. I’ve booked an historical walking tour of the town, which boasts extensive Roman ruins, a medieval quarter on a hill, and several handsome churches. We’ll also be having a day doing some guided winetasting in the Cotes du Rhone; and in between, visiting towns, hopefully some walking, eating long lunches, and cooking from the markets.Here’s our apartment.

Then the train back to Paris, and a few days in the Marais, staying in this apartment. Museums, wandering around, wine and cheese.