Wedged between my 40-pound bag and the window, I force my hand to hold a pen instead of my drooping head, heavy from three well-lived nights in Paris. As I write, our train speeds away not a minute soon or late, and the city of love disappears in a hurry, without saying goodbye. I prop my feet up and try to find a … Continue reading Little by Little: Farming in Le Mans, France
In Paris, John-Scott says, "We are all here, just waiting for you," like he knows I need that little bit of reassurance, and I do. I'm on the plane now, waiting for takeoff and, though I've been flying by myself since I was 12 years old, the miracle of flight still shakes me. Fierce, solo … Continue reading Vive la Fête!
If you go to Paris, go by bike. The overwhelming mystique of the mostly flat city (with more than 260 bike paths and an excellent bike share program) will unfold before you in a more manageable way. If you're on a budget, as I was, there is no better way to save money while experiencing the Parisian culture and … Continue reading The City of Lights by Bike
There is nothing that compares to the quality of life in the French countryside. My seven days here passed easily. Too quickly. I got lucky, was invited to spend a week with wonderful people and squawking chickens, among vineyards and olive trees, into a home of full bellies and fuller hearts. I slipped into a pattern of living only … Continue reading Feeling Like Family in Montpellier
Marseille is a place of magnetism, made for salty skin and picnics. But I don't know it yet. I'm on a train from Paris to Marseille and I know nothing of the city that awaits me, or the people I will meet. I am drawn here and I don't know why. I know only of my intuition, … Continue reading To See the Sea: The Joys of Marseille
One day in Paris, I decided to go for a walk. It was my second day in Paris, but my first one doesn't count, as the jet lag had me asleep in the top bunk of my hostel until 11pm, when I woke up confused and disheveled. I hadn't slept in 60 hours, a product of … Continue reading One Day in Paris
Joc Cousteau 