Christmas in France

Pages From Jan's Travel Journal: Thursday, Dec. 20 2018

Craig and I had been looking forward to this for quite some time - Christmas in France with our son! It had been sixteen months since we had all been together. We arrived at the train station in Orléans to find Desmond waiting for us on the platform with his friend Will, and in no time at all we were checking in to our little AirBnB. We had chosen it mainly for its close proximity to Desmond’s apartment and it turned out to be so charming and cozy that we immediately felt comfortable. 

Nothing says welcome like a heart-shaped lock.

Craig and I were able to use self-check in with the door codes provided by our host. The apartment was in an old building with such thick walls that we rarely heard any outside noise. The little bedroom had lots of storage and a very comfy king-sized bed. 

Beautiful old beams in the bedroom

A little round window for a cozy vibe

A charming weather vane
overlooking the courtyard

The kitchen had everything we required, in spite of its minuscule size. The living/dining area had plenty of room for our needs. Our host had placed a little golden Christmas tree on the fireplace mantel, which was a welcoming touch. The bathroom, though small, was as sparkling clean as the rest of the apartment. 

Ready for Christmas

Desmond and Will had left us to unpack and rest for a bit. We brewed a small pot of coffee, put our feet up, and sent a few messages home to let our family know we had arrived safely. It had been about twenty hours since Craig and I left our house in Kansas but we didn’t feel tired or jet-lagged. We were ready to meet up with Des and Will. 

Within minutes, the four of us were walking across the bridge toward the Orléans Christmas market. Everywhere we looked, there were beautiful decorations. Store windows were filled with clever holiday displays that beckoned shoppers to step inside. Lampposts and flower urns were bedecked with swags of garland and twinkling lights.  We continued our stroll and could see the huge Ferris wheel up ahead, towering over the festive marketplace.

Old and new at the Christmas market

There were lots of interesting items for sale.

Wooden booths had been constructed and set up on the square, with garlands of greenery and lights strung overhead. Each booth sold products that were handmade or manufactured in France. Many of the little huts offered enticing food items such as sausages, cheese, chocolates, and other local specialties. 

We couldn’t resist for long! The aroma of rich, creamy tartiflette drew us to a booth where we made our selections. We found a place to sit and chat while we savored every delicious bite. A few feet away was another booth from which we purchased salted caramel crepes for dessert. Oh my, but they were tasty! 

The tartiflette was irresistible!

Waffles or crepes for dessert?

It was fun to wander among the cute wooden huts. I had spotted several items which I planned to purchase for Craig and Des later. I also gazed longingly at a few things which I hoped might show up beneath the Christmas tree for me! By the time we turned for home, Craig and I were beginning to feel the effects of our long flight and were ready to settle into our cozy apartment. 

Crepes for Breakfast

Pages From Jan's Travel Journal: Tuesday, June 6 2017

How good it was to awaken in one of my favorite places on earth! The night had been wonderfully cool, and after a sound sleep, I felt alert and ready to enjoy the lovely day ahead. I was able to chat for a few minutes with Desmond as I drank my morning coffee, but soon he was out the door to go to work.  Janey slept on, curled beneath the blankets and looking very cozy. 

I was reluctant to leave, even just to cross the square for pastries. Concerned that Janey might awaken and feel disoriented and frightened, I settled on a breakfast of packaged blueberry crepes that were surprisingly tasty. Janey slept late and crawled out of bed feeling groggy. It took a while for her to become awake enough to want to go out. 

Packaged crepes.
Who knew they could be so good?

We rode the tram to the university and had lunch with Desmond. We had wanted to grab a bite at a nearby restaurant, but found it was closed, so we picked up sandwiches and chips at a local supermarket and took them back to Desmond's office.  It was Janey's first time there, and she was interested in everything. We were able to talk with a couple of Desmond's coworkers while we ate.

Later, we all shopped at Carrefour to pick up ingredients for dinner. Before going in to the market, we enjoyed coffee and pastries at Paul. When we returned home and were prepping the vegetables for dinner, Jeff called. He was immediately invited to stop by for drinks and we all had an enjoyable time together while we nibbled on cheese, sausage, and chips. We had purchased some non-alcoholic beer for Janey, which made her feel a part of the fun. 

Azur seems to be waiting for his share!

Jeff was unable to stay for dinner, but after he left we weren't very hungry, so we ate rillettes, spread on a fresh baguette. For dessert, we savored our own French version of strawberry shortcake, made by spooning sliced berries over some mini Tropezienne. Yum!

Paris in the Rain

Pages From Jan's Travel Journal: Saturday, May 28 2016

It was our last morning in Orléans for a while. Our suitcases were open on the floor, waiting for those last-minute items to be tucked inside. We made one last walk to our favorite bakery, where I purchased a tasty chocolate-filled beignet and said goodbye to the sweet ladies at the counter. It was warm and cozy inside as we watched the raindrops roll down the window.

After breakfast, we finished the last few details of the new cabinets for Desmond's kitchen. When everything was in place, we patted ourselves on the back as we admired the finished pieces. With the countertop secured, the kitchen looked complete. It provided much more prep space and lots of storage.

Before long, the three of us were headed for the train station. We took the tram to Les Aubrais, where we caught the 11:00 train for Paris. We found seats together and sat back for the hour-long journey to Paris. It was raining lightly when we arrived, but that failed to dampen our spirits. Paris is lovely no matter the weather. Our taxi deposited us at the Hotel de l'Avre, a very charming and delightful place. We knew it would be too early for us to check in, but we were allowed to stow our bags until we returned at 3:00.

The Hotel de l'Avre in Paris, France

We began to explore. The hotel was a short distance from the Eiffel Tower, so we walked in that direction. The streets were bustling in spite of the rain. We found a cute little crêperie called Framboise, where we enjoyed a delicious lunch at a table near the window. The gallettes were wonderful. We finished with dessert crepes that were a perfect ending to the meal.

Lunch at Framboise in Paris, France

A refreshing crepe citron

We set out again toward the Eiffel Tower and soon arrived to find many huge tour buses parked along the side streets. Several areas were blocked off because of a marathon that had just taken place. The Champ de Mars was teeming with runners, locals, and tourists. All of us were sidestepping the puddles as we gaped at our surroundings. The rain had let up and there were vendors walking around offering selfie sticks for sale. They seemed to be a hot item. We saw many people using them to set up the perfect shot with the Eiffel Tower in the background. 

When we returned to the hotel, we were charmed by the lovely rooms that had been assigned to us. They were very cozy and were decorated with what looked like antiques. Many of the pieces were old clocks. The roomy bathrooms featured large bathtubs, which are a treat to find in a French hotel. The windows overlooked a sweet little graveled courtyard. Had the weather been nicer, I'm certain we would have enjoyed sitting in the garden, savoring a hot beverage. Instead, we found a neighborhood bar and warmed up over mugs of Irish coffee.

Just part of the lobby at Hotel de l'Avre, Paris

Our charming room at Hotel de l'Avre, Paris

Hotel de l'Avre had a sweet little courtyard.

For dinner that evening, Desmond had found an Italian restaurant called Chez Thomas, just a short walk from the hotel. The waitress was very sweet and animated; she actually kidded around with us a bit. My appetizer of bruschetta was fresh and delicious. Craig's antipasto was served on a bed of lettuce, which he left on the plate. The waitress good-naturedly chided him for not finishing his vegetables. His main course was also accompanied by a lot of greens, and when he had finished his meal, he quickly swapped plates with Desmond so that the server wouldn't notice he had not eaten his vegetables! She was onto his tricks and was soon standing beside him, hand on hip, tapping her foot and waggling her finger at him. We all burst out laughing as he was busted! 

Delicious bruschetta at Chez Thomas, Paris

I devoured my plateful of chicken and mushrooms in cream sauce, served over pasta. It wasn't exactly an Alfredo dish, but was lighter and very flavorful. Dessert was crème brûlée for me, and panna cotta for Craig and Des. It was such a fun evening that it was hard to feel sad that our wonderful vacation was ending. We walked back through the rain to our hotel, where I later had a nice, long soak in that huge tub.  

A rainy day in Paris is still better than a sunny day anywhere else.

Lovely Loches, a Medieval Village in France.

Pages From Jan's Travel Journal: Saturday, May 21, 2016

It was great for all of us to be together again, and preparing to go out for an adventure. We started the day with coffee and freshly-squeezed orange juice and were soon on our way to Auchan, where we would pick up a helmet for Desmond. Helmets are necessary when riding Segway, which is exactly what we were planning to do that day! Des is of small stature, and based on past experience we knew the helmets provided by the Segway company would be too loose.

The mega market, Auchan, was bustling with customers. We stopped first at Paul for pastries and coffee, where I thoroughly enjoyed my Nutella beignets and a frothy cafe creme. Our shopping didn't take much time, and soon we were on the highway heading for the medieval town of Loches. The two-hour drive was beautiful, once we had exited the toll road and were on the smaller, local roads which ran through gorgeous farmland and tiny, picturesque villages.

Cafe creme and beignets at Paul.

Loches was crowded, as the Saturday market was just about to end. Shoppers were still exploring the various booths set up in the square. There were so many that they spilled into the narrow side streets which radiated off the main square. What an array of goods met our eyes! And how I wished we had time to linger and shop. There were plants and flowers, fruits and vegetables, clothing, ceramics, leather items, candles, jewelry, shoes, purses, sweets of all kinds - and so much more! 

Wandering the market streets in Loches, France.

We found a restaurant called la Farfalla, overlooking the square. We just had time for lunch before our Segway tour was to begin. Des and I shared a wonderful pasta dish made with pesto, Parmesan, and sun-dried tomatoes. It was fantastic! Craig chose a pasta dish which featured salmon. We passed around the breadbasket which was filled with tender, crusty, chewy slices of fresh baguette.

We enjoyed a delicious lunch at la Farfalla in Loches

.

After that delightful repast, we began exploring a bit as we made our way to the area in which we were to meet our Segway guide. I can barely find words to describe how overwhelmingly beautiful the village of Loches is. Narrow cobblestone streets twist and turn, bordered by the charming old houses built of the golden tufa stone that is so popular in that area. Many homes had roses or other flowering plants climbing the limestone walls. Charm simply oozes from every molecule of that town! 

Loches, France is a beautiful, ancient village.

I'd love to spend a few days exploring!

We were soon outfitted with helmets and Segway machines. Our guide, Nik, led the way along narrow pathways, through a park, and across ancient streets as we headed for the top of the hill. We were gently showered with blossoms of pink, yellow, and mauve as we rolled along beneath flowering trees. It seemed like a fantasy. 

The ancient architecture of Loches.

A lovely view over Loches, France.

Nik was a good guide. He watched over us carefully and narrated our tour with information about the sights we were gazing at in wonder. He was patient when I wanted to stop at various spots along the way to take photos. He guided us to the top of the hill where the Donjon stands. It's a 1,000-year-old structure that was first a fortress and later a prison. The views from up there were magnificent!

1,000 years of history.

Hundreds of years ago,
 we would have been standing in the moat!

We continued to roll along, passing many amazing sights. Loches simply took my breath away, with its troglodyte caves, architectural delights, sculptures, and more. At one point, we were actually able to enter a troglodyte cave on our machines, and we marveled at the work that had been done thousands of years ago to carve out the stone needed for the fortifications and homes of the village. There were several amazing, modern sculptures inside the cave that were a wonder in themselves. As we rode out of the cold, damp air of the cave, we were struck by the heat of the day. 

Another pretty sight in Loches.

After our tour ended we found a sidewalk cafe where we could purchase cold drinks and ice cream. I never pass up an opportunity for French ice cream! I indulged in a yummy concoction of pear sorbet and dark chocolate ice cream, all topped with whipped cream and drizzled with chocolate sauce. Desmond had an usual sundae of chocolate mint and lemon ice cream. Craig seemed happy with his cold drink.

We were refreshed and ready for more exploring, so we walked up the hill to tour the Donjon. We trudged up and down many staircases; some of which were spirals cut into the stone, and had deeply worn places on the treads, created by countless feet climbing up and down those endless steps. One thousand years of history. It was all worth it, though, to view the interesting displays and learn the stories of this little corner of France. 

Looking down at the courtyard.

An interesting display inside the Donjon.

Before heading back to Orléans, we had dinner at the creperie, Cote Tour, in Loches. We didn't have reservations and were lucky to get a table. I ordered a gallette made with ham, red onions, potato, and creme fraiche. Craig had one stuffed with ham, egg, and Reblochon cheese. Desmond chose a mushroom and ham gallette. 

The terrace of the creperie in Loches.

A satisfying French meal in Loches.

On the way home, we drove the scenic route. I saw many tidy little farms, with cattle grazing in nearby fields through which sparkling streams meandered. There were trails crisscrossing the meadows and forest, and we saw people on horseback, out for an evening ride. It was such a charming, peaceful area and I could have lingered there for days.

  

A Mother - Son Day

Pages From Jan's Travel Journal: April 17, 2015

Finally, Desmond had a day off! He was finished with work and school except for a couple of times when he would need to be present for makeup tests with certain students. We slept late and after Des finished work on a paper he was writing, we headed out the door to go shopping. I was looking for baby clothes to take home to some of my nieces and nephews. There seems to a baby boom going on in our extended family. It was so nice to wander the shops with my son, talking and laughing, savoring every moment together.

A friendly neighborhood kitty.

Desmond had some business to attend to at the prefecture which would take a while, so I walked over to a cafe across from the cathedral, where I enjoyed a cafe creme while doing a bit of people-watching. I was quite content. After Des returned, we strolled over to a wonderful bakery on Rue de Bourgogne where we picked up some sandwiches for lunch. Desmond chose the duck breast with herbed cheese and fig jam. My sandwich was pate and onion jam. Both were on crusty baguettes and were quite good.

We shopped a bit longer and then headed home to prepare crepes for our evening meal. We made buckwheat crepes for the savory gallettes and some wheat flour crepes to be filled for dessert. It was fun taking turns swirling the thin batter around on the pan and watching the stack of finished pancakes grow higher. 

It was fun to make crepes with Desmond.

We lingered over drinks and chips before dinner. Our savory ham and cheese gallettes were wonderful! We enjoyed dessert crepes of strawberries and whipped cream, drizzled with chocolate. My, they were tasty! Desmond also made one of chestnut paste and chocolate which looked good. That was a fun meal.

 A mouth-watering dessert crepe.

Crepe-making Lessons

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal:  April 13, 2014

That Sunday, we awoke to another beautiful spring morning. We didn't have big plans for the day, but were content to just linger over our coffee before we set out to find pastries. I don't expect to be constantly entertained by Desmond. I have never been one to cram my vacation days full of activities. I prefer a more relaxed pace. I enjoy exploring and becoming familiar with the area in which I find myself. We wandered around in the sunshine after breakfast, eventually climbing a staircase to the small park atop the movie theater near the Loire. It's a sweet little place, with a tiny playground and lots of shade. Blooming plants brightened the space and surrounded us with their fragrance.

Looking toward the Loire from the park.

Home again, we spent some time on chores, straightening the apartment and washing dishes. I checked my email and sent off a couple of greetings to family back home. As lunchtime drew near, we decided to walk over to the new restaurant, Oh, Terroir. Des had eaten there on several occasions and knew it would be something I'd enjoy. Oh, Terroir specializes in healthy dishes which are made from locally sourced products. Since the Loire valley is such a fertile and abundant place, I knew I was in for a treat. After you step inside the restaurant, you select your meal using the computerized screens. You first choose a base of half-grain pasta, quinoa, lentils, or spelt. Your next step is to choose a topping and any other added ingredients from the many choices on offer. You can also select a beverage and dessert at this time. 

Lunch at "Oh, Terroir" was wonderful!

I had heard of spelt, which is an ancient ancestor of wheat, but had never tried it. That was my selection. I had it topped with a light creamy Dijon and ham sauce. It was sprinkled liberally with chives and freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and it was so good that I later attempted to recreate this dish at home. (You'll find the recipe below.) Desmond chose a chicken curry over spelt. We were very pleased. It was a delightful lunch in a lovely setting. The restaurant is decorated in colors of lime, chocolate, and pewter in a very modern style. We sat at a table in the loft, which gave us a nice view both inside and out. If you are ever in the area, you must stop for a meal there. It's quick, reasonably priced, and delicious.

On our way home, we shopped in Halles Chatelet for a few ingredients that we would need to prepare supper that evening. I enjoy shopping there, or just looking around. The grocery market takes up a large space within the mall, with a variety of shops selling everything from fresh fish to macarons. Halles Chatelet was begun in 1882 and was then an open market. The mall was built over the original market site in 1977, with a more recent renovation being done in 2005. 

That night, Desmond's friend Mathieu came over.  We were to receive crepe-making lessons from Desmond, which resulted in a hilarious time and a delightful meal! Mathieu caught on to the process very quickly, but my arthritic wrist made it difficult for me to make a smooth, flat swipe around the pan. Still, they were delicious, even if the crepes weren't shaped exactly right. We had ham, two kinds of cheese, and some caramelized onions to put inside the crepes. We laughed so hard when Mathieu decided to take a shortcut by cracking an egg atop his crepe before folding it over. The egg slowly slid off of the crepe, off of the pan, and then onto the table where it slithered beneath the microwave. We were helpless to stop it; we were laughing too hard! We ended that fun meal with dessert crepes. My favorite was a simple lemon juice and sugar crepe. What a fun evening! 

A savory crepe is actually called a gallette. 

Whatever the name, they were yummy!

RECIPE: Dijon-ham sauce. To recreate the meal I enjoyed at Oh, Terroir, I started by making a simple white sauce, but substituted some chicken broth and white wine for about half the milk. I whisked in some Dijon mustard, about two to three teaspoons per cup of white sauce. I also seasoned it with a bit of salt and pepper, but remember to go easy on the salt if you will be using ham  After the sauce had thickened, I stirred in diced ham and heated the mixture through. I the poured this over half-grain pasta (as I hadn't found spelt berries at that time) and sprinkled the dish liberally with Parmesan cheese and fresh chives. It's a keeper!

It's Better With Butter.

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: Sunday, March 5, 2011

We had gone to bed early on Saturday night, worn out from all the traveling. But after a good nights sleep, we were ready to explore. We were very glad that Desmond had brought along his electric kettle. It enabled us to wake up with a cup of coffee before going out to find some breakfast. After our pastries and more coffee, we began to walk in the direction of the beach. I enjoyed looking at the old stone houses along the way, many of them with the traditional bright blue shutters of Brittany. The boulder-strewn beach was beautiful with the morning sun glinting on the water. I would never have imagined that my first contact with the Atlantic ocean would be from "across the pond". 

Desmond and Craig on the beach at Carnac.

We began to meander back toward the center of Carnac, and found a cute little place in which to have lunch. It was decorated inside with a nautical theme, and as it was a bit early for lunch, it was uncrowded. We chose grillettes, which are tasty open-faced grilled sandwiches made with hearty, rustic bread. Craig ordered one with egg, cheese, and jambon cru, which is a bit like proscuitto. Des and I each selected a sandwich made with lardons, tomato, cheese, oregano, and olive oil. They were quite tasty. My lunch was accompanied by a Breton cola, which I really liked, while Craig and Desmond had a dry cider. 

The delightful grillette.

After lunch, we decided to walk down toward the site of the Alignments of Carnac. It was a long walk, but very pretty, with lots of old houses and beautiful gardens. Soon, we began to see some of the mysterious, standing stones. We also discovered a charming pathway through the woods that was walled on either side with rough, mossy stones. We followed the little lane until it became too muddy and we were forced to turn back. There was a brisk breeze blowing in, and the evening was drawing near, so we turned back toward the hotel once again.

A lovely, old stone wall on a pathway in Carnac.

Our first glimpse of the standing stones.

We rested in the hotel room for a while, watching a sitcom on the laptop. When we finally went out to look for a place to have  dinner, we found only a few restaurants open. We chose Chez Marie again, and did not regret our decision. Craig ordered the gallette Tartiflette, which was what I had enjoyed so much the night before. Des chose a gallette made with spinach, ham, egg, and cheese. My selection was ham, cheese, egg, and tomato. Yummy! This time, we ordered dessert crepes as well, or at least Desmond and I did. We both selected a delicious chocolate-orange crepe which turned out to be so good we almost licked the plate! As we were waiting for our crepes, we were having a discussion about Breton crepes and wondered just why they were so much better than the crepes in other parts of France. Is it the fresh, local ingredients? The buckwheat? The famed Brittany butter? Des was seated in such a way that he had a slight view into the kitchen. As we were talking, he said, "I think they are making our dessert now. No, wait, they just put down a block of cheese, so that can't be it." Then he got an incredulous look on his face and said, "That wasn't cheese. That was BUTTER! That IS our dessert!" So now at least part of the mystery was solved. Butter, and loads of it. The key to a true Breton crepe.

Paris, Pere Lachaise, and Pizza

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: Tuesday, July 21, 2009 

We all slept late today; I guess we must have needed the extra rest. Tramping around in the heat can take a lot out of you! During the night, a little rain shower had passed through, and our room became cooler, which made for better sleep. 

We left the hotel and rode the Metro to the stop nearest the Eiffel Tower. It was a beautiful, sunny morning. Everything was so fresh and green after the midnight rain. Since none of us had yet eaten breakfast, we bought crepes at a little stand near the Seine. I had a wonderful sucre citron crepe which was sprinkled with sugar and spread with a tangy lemon filling. It was neatly folded into a triangular shape and handed to me in a colorful paper cone. Very tasty! We perched on a bench near the carousel, where we were treated to a lovely view of the Eiffel Tower. We sat there for almost an hour, enjoying our surroundings. 

Not a bad place to have breakfast.

Soon, we were back on the Metro for a long, hot ride across Paris to visit the Pere Lachaise Cemetery. This cemetery, which was opened in 1804, consists of 110 undulating acres of cobblestones, simple headstones, monuments, and miniature chapels. The landscape is lush with many varieties of trees and it is an interesting and attractive place. We had wanted to locate the grave of Oscar Wilde, so I took a photo of the map and Megan zoomed in on it and used it to navigate our trek around the graveyard. We did a lot of walking and found the resting-place of Oscar Wilde, which was covered in lipstick kisses and surrounded by flowers. We had also considered visiting the graves of Jim Morrison and Jules Verne, but the day was growing hotter, so we took our leave. 

The final resting place of Oscar Wilde.

Pere Lachaise is a beautiful, old cemetery.

Another long, hot, Metro ride landed us back at the hotel, where we rested for a while over cold drinks and snacks. The evening was a warm one and we chose to order pizza instead of going out for dinner. The pizza was from Domino's, of all places! But it wasn't like any Domino's I had ever tasted. After all, this was France. One was called "The Australian" and had toppings of barbecued chicken, onions, and jalapeno peppers. The other was called "the Foresteiria" and consisted of a creme base topped with lardons, ham, onions, mushrooms, and plenty of cheese. It was amazing!

After dinner we began a card game in the room that Megan and I were sharing. At one point, Mathieu excused himself to use the "facilities" and as he closed the bathroom door, Megan and I exchanged glances and began a countdown, "Three... two...one" and then we heard a thump, a curse, and the sound of the blow dryer roaring. It was hilarious! Desmond was puzzled by our actions and after I explained the significance, he had to see our tiny bathroom for himself. He informed us that in the room he and Matt were sharing, the bathroom was much roomier. Later, I went up to their room to watch a movie with them while Megan was on a call to her boyfriend back home. It was a French film with English subtitles and I enjoyed it. It was a relaxing way to end the day.

Megan and Mathieu, playing cards in the hotel room in Paris.