Le Puy En Velay, part 3

More pics from Le Puy En Velay.

Le Puy, part 2

More pics from Le Puy En Velay.

Grenoble to Le Puy En Velay

We traveled to Le Puy En Velay Wednesday and spent two nights roaming this formerly medieval town rife with cathedrals, chapels, priests, and French tourists. It's a lovely place and we enjoyed long walks around and in the town and had a few good meals. Thursday evenings was particularly good. [note the train stop called Ricamarie, a town named for us?]

On Thursday, after walking eight miles throughout the day, we dined at Carpe Diem where we enjoyed galette (savory, not sweet, crepes) to die for. I had a three cheese galette and Marie had galette Auvergnate (crepe with potatoes in creme fraiche, jambon (thinly sliced ham), and a gruyere-type cheese. We brought two menus back with us, one for Martin and Isabelle and one for us to take back to Seattle. We finished with coffee and a caramel dessert crepe. Yummy!

Our lunches have been store bought-a bagette, some cheese, cashews, and water. Later in the afternoon, we stopped at a cafe in the heart of the old town for a Leffe beer, followed by a nap. Ya, it's not easy being us.

By the way, the guy playing the guitar sang "Oh Suzanna" and "Blowin in the Wind". Cracked us up!

Grenoble Walk, day one

We took a walk

this morning. We found a post office behind a church across the street, and we headed there to mail something, but Marie was a little unsure about which place to put the letter to ensure my Visa payment would get to the US. A woman offered her help, speaking in English. Everywhere we go people are quite helpful; for example, the train at Lyon changed to a different voie and a young man asked us where we were headed and told us we had to change platforms. We love French people-so helpful and friendly.

Anyway, this morning we walked to the train station (about three blocks north) to get oriented, and then uptown to the tourist information office. We stopped at a hotel first and got a map of Grenoble from the clerk. Again, another helpful French person. We then walked around the old town and along the river before making our way back "home". We stopped at a grocery store behind the church and purchased some coffee, milk, cheese, bread, beer, wine, and some good salami. We are relaxing now taking our mid-day siesta and watching Sky News on a big TV.

The road workers woke us up this morning at 7AM. They are now grinding the road away after their lunch break. Now I know why Marie was happy to give up her apartment for the next three weeks. ;-)

From Quiberon to Grenoble

We left Quiberon Monday, July 26th, and headed across the country via train, of course. Some final pictures from Quiberon of Marie playing pick up sticks with Delphine, Thomas reading to Delphine and Adele, Martin relaxing with his guitar, another house we might like, Delphine and Adele helping Claire prepare lunch, and Thomas and Delphine playing patty cake. Yep, the last eight days at the Heusse family summer place has been really rough.  

 

This morning we were awakened at 7:00AM by the trucks you see. Martin's sister has loaned us her apartment in Grenoble, and on our first morning, we discovered they are repaving the 

street. Oh well, we do have high speed internet and a lovely apartment three blocks from the train station. Since we're up, I guess we'll explore the area and get the lay of the land.

Quiberon

Since leaving Paris we took the TGV to Quiberon to the Heusse family summer house. I have included a picture of this very comfortable home the boys and their spouses share. We've taken several 6-7 mile walks along the Savage Coast and the countryside. Included in this entry are some pictures from the walks, the Heusse summer home (grey and white house with deck), and potential ¨retirement¨ villas; ya right! The one with ivy on it is right on the beach and about as affordable as the larger castle, which is a private residence as well. The picture of the stones is in Carnac. They are called megaliths and were erected about 6000 years ago. The last picture is of Marie, Gabrielle, Isabelle, & Martin at lunch.

Amboise & Chenonceau

Thursday was a busy day. Off to the Metro by 8AM to catch a train to the Loire Valley where we would have picnic lunch by the river in Amboise. You'll see Amboise Chateau behind Marie along with pictures of our lunch. We picked up our bikes at 2PM and made the 17 mile ride (round trip) to Chateau Chenonceau. It was a beautiful day but we had a head wind on the ride out and there were more hills than Rick Steves' France guidebook mentioned, but we managed as you can see we made it. Doesn't the chateau look better with us standing in front of it? The little girl is Delphine, Thomas and Claire's oldest; both Delphine and Adele are sweet and really verbal: Marie can converse some with them in French, but I smile and nod a lot or shrug my shoulders.

This afternoon, Marie and I are visiting with a friend we used to work with in Bangkok; Rob is in Paris a few of the same days as us and we couldn't miss an opportunity to catch up. Saturday we have a long train ride to the Heusse family summer house in Queberon, Brittany where we'll spend eight days or so reading, napping, eating, swimming and so on. It's not easy being us.