Life in France

It’s a celebration!

Walking around the castle
Walking around the castle

It was 30 years ago today that Bill and I met for the first time. I had flown down from Chicago to Dallas to help a friend staff his booth at a street fair. Bill, who lived in Dallas, had walked over to check out all of the festivities and to see someone who had a booth there. No surprises here; we had a mutual friend without knowing it and, if you’ve been reading this blog, you can probably guess what product he was selling—travel. Our world adventures started from day one. Continue reading “It’s a celebration!”

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Life in France

No pain from pain

Bread festival poster from the city's website
Bread festival poster from the city’s website

If you read the blog yesterday you’ll know that we got sidetracked on our way to visit a bunch of boulangeries just outside of town. While the ink was still drying, so to speak, on that article, we spent a good part of the day at the park in front of Carcassonne’s train station totally surrounded by boulangers (bakers) and all of their work. It was time for the annual Fête du Pain that we might otherwise call the Bread Festival. Continue reading “No pain from pain”

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Life in France

Temptations

Baguette in a backpack
Baguette in a backpack

Last Wednesday we rode the bus for 15 minutes to one of the zones commerciales on the outskirts of Carcassonne. These are the shopping areas with lots of big box stores and parking lots that just won’t fit on the narrow streets in town laid out almost 900 years ago. But what we were in search of would fit (sort of, as you see in the photo) inside our backpacks: bread. Continue reading “Temptations”

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Life in France

Starry, starry nights…and days

La Barbacane Restaurant inside the hotel
La Barbacane Restaurant inside the hotel

June has always been a festive month for us because it’s when Bill’s birthday happens as well as our anniversary. This year is especially significant as someone reaches that certain age to start collecting Social Security benefits and I’ll post later about our plans of how we’ll mark 30 years together. Carcassonne boasts 3 restaurants that have earned Michelin stars for their quality of food and service, 2 of them within easy walking distance, so what better way to enjoy this month’s special events than by visiting those two? Continue reading “Starry, starry nights…and days”

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Life in France

Water for water

Water engine building
Water engine building

Here’s a picture of a building that we pass by at least twice a day but only recently discovered its real purpose. We figured that it was a mill since it sits just downstream from what used to be the King’s mills and it has an opening at the bottom that lets the water flow through the building. Since a tree is now growing out of that opening, it’s obviously not in operation, but its original sign is still in place and readable: Moteurs des Fontaines de la Cité, 1893. It’s a giant water pump! Continue reading “Water for water”

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Life in France

Fresh attitude

Fountain of fruits and vegetables
Fountain of fruits and vegetables

For three days every week, the main square in Carcassonne is filled with vendors of fresh fruits and vegetables. There are farmers who grow the produce in fields just outside the city alongside business people who buy whatever is in season a few miles away or even further south into Spain and bring it to sell on Place Carnot. It was only appropriate, therefore, that this was the location for last Saturday’s Fraîch’ Attitude Fruits and Vegetables Festival.

 

Continue reading “Fresh attitude”

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Life in France

What’s down there?

Hidden steps down to the basement
Hidden steps down to the basement

Bill’s a curious guy and I mean that nicely. You do have to be careful here in French with some descriptors because your “inquisitive” friend might just be “odd” depending on where you place the noun and adjective. The house we’ve rented has plentiful and almost instant hot water and no apparent place to hide a huge tank or even a compact on-demand gas heater. Bill had been wondering about it since our arrival and finally asked the landlord where it was and her response was to simply point downwards. Ah ha, we have a basement and some place new to explore! Continue reading “What’s down there?”

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