France
France was the first foreign country Shirley and I visited. It was love at first sight. We’ve been back four times and consider a small hotel on the Left Bank of Paris as almost our home away from home. Food, wine and beauty everywhere, from the boulevards of Paris to small ancient villages, from the lush forests of the Loire Valley to the sere landscapes of Provence and the lovely Mediterranean coast. It’s all wonderful.
Paris at dawn, the Seine, Pont Royal, the Musee d’Orsay, with the Eiffel Tower peeking over the roofs.
La Cite
Lovely buildings face the Luxembourg Gardens.
The streets of Paris are quiet at dawn. Not so by mid morning.
Restaurants abound.
As do churches—Sacre-Couer in Montmarte.
A mass in progress, sparsely attended.
Notre Dame window.
Can’t leave Paris without this one.
The French know how to enjoy their food, even at breakfast.
Daily trips to the market provide the freshest fruits and vegetables.
As much as they love their food, the French also love gardens and flowers. They are known for their formal gardens, such as this one at a chateau in northern France.
Giverny—Monet’s garden is much less formal.
Giverny Tulips
Giverny—flowers by the lily pond.
A private home in southern France
Floral beauty, profuse in beds and pots.
Well trained Bouganvillas.
After a long, cold winter, university students in Toulouse enjoy the spring sunshine.
Meanwhile, in Paris…. Lying on the grass must be a French thing, too.
Yacht harbor on Cap d’Antibes, between Nice and Cannes. Maritime Alps in the background.
Living the good life in the south of France.
Wooden boats, bright colors and beautiful water somehow lift spirits and bring smiles.
An artist at work in Saint Tropez.
The medieval walled city of Carcassonne.
The Dordogne River at flood stage.
Rocamadour—cliff dwellers in the Dordogne Valley.
Rocamadour
Honfleur, a picturesque coastal village in Normandy.
Honfleur
In Normandy heavy rains can be expected at any time of the year.
The Normandy beaches still bear instruments of D Day.
An American cemetery in Normandy.
Inside the walled city of Carcassonne.
Carcassonne
Chenonceaux, a spectacular chateau built over the Cher River.
Saumur, dominated by its medieval castle.
Across the Loire River from the Saumur castle is a lovely residential area.
France’s many ancient villages have much beauty and charm.
A village in Normandy.
Beautiful late afternoon light.
A rustic French Venice.
Back to Paris. How do they ever find their own bike?
Walking and talking on the Rue Soufflot.
Notre Dame’s towers above the trees.
Locks of love on the Pont des Arts, a pedestrian bridge over the Seine.
The Champs Elysees, always crowded.
The Luxembourg Palace in Luxembourg Gardens.