Tag: Life in France

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

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

Cour or cœur?

A gated courtyard in Carcassonne
A gated courtyard in Carcassonne

Carcassonne is certainly not lacking in grand examples of beauty: the tree-lined Canal-du-Midi that allows the Atlantic Ocean to connect with the Mediterranean Sea, the River Aude with its source buried deep within the Pyrenees Mountains, and of course the city’s iconic medieval fortress. Sharing the spotlight with those monumental sites are tiny courtyards, safe havens from the winds of winter and the summer sun, hidden all over the city. I have long wanted to live in a home built around an interior courtyard so that each room could benefit from the sun and breezes. It looks like we just got our chance. Continue reading “Cour or cœur?”

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Life in France

Trial run

Preview of the Tour de France poster from the city's website
Preview of the Tour de France poster from the city’s website

Next month, the Tour de France will be zipping through Carcassonne. In fact, race fans, Stage 11 of this cycling extravaganza will start here the morning of July 13 as the 22 teams of nine riders each set off on that day’s goal city of Montpellier on the Mediterranean Sea, about 100 miles away. As if that event itself won’t be celebration enough, our town had a Tour Festival this Saturday in preparation. Continue reading “Trial run”

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Life in France

I’d walk a mile

Wine or sliced meat?
Wine or sliced meat?

Years ago there was an advertising campaign about walking a mile for a particular product except that today for us it was a mile and a half each way. Ah, what we do for free delivery! To do that, as you might expect, it would have to do with either food or drink. From the photo of the box it looks as if it could be both. Continue reading “I’d walk a mile”

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Life in France

Is it pork or paëlla?

Neighbor's Festival poster from their website
Neighbor’s Festival poster from their website

Last Monday the city put a sign on both ends of our rue reminding the residents that the street would be closed on Friday from 7 PM until 2 AM for the Fête des Voisins or Neighbors’ Day Festival. For one night a year at the end of May, cities, towns, and villages across the country shut down neighborhood roads to create one giant outdoor party with the official goal being to “break isolation…and give a sense of belonging”. Thanks to the friendly people who surround us, we’ve been there since our first week here. Continue reading “Is it pork or paëlla?”

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