Reset search
On Foot in FranceOn Foot in France
SatelliteEdit route

On Foot in France

August - September 2017
A 21-day adventure by Lulu Read more
  • 33footprints
  • 2countries
  • 21days
  • 65photos
  • 0videos
  • 7.0kkilometers
  • 5.6kkilometers
Follow Calendar Share Bucket list
Date ascending
  • TravelerOn Foot in France
    Day 15

    Vincent

    September 11, 2017 ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Vincent is our bus driver and everything else helper. He and Annie have worked together for a long time. She requests his help for her tours.

    He's a nice young man from the south of France, fluent in Spanish as well as French. We enjoy his company and he is gracious to each of us.

    This morning, once we are all aboard after breakfast, Vincent does something surprising. He blows into a device that measures the alcohol in his system. Annie tells us that it is a requirement for commercial drivers to do this before every trip. Wow, I suddenly feel safer than ever.

    Who knew?    Read more

  • TravelerOn Foot in France
    Day 16

    Carnac

    September 12, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Today's hotel is lovely, overlooking a gorgeous beach. This is quite a beautiful summer resort but it is utterly empty due to the rainy weather. Rumor has it that the hiking trips in the French Pyrenees have had so much snow that the passes are closed. They are adapting by building snowmen and snowshoeing.

    At the beach here it's mild enough (in the low sixties) to keep on moving if you don't mind being damp.

    As it turns out our itinerary has taken us to locations where there are few, if any, American tourists. We could never have done this on our that's certain. And it's wonderful. We credit our guide Annie Hawkins with these delightful and unusual sites. She is also a foodie who has booked extraordinary restaurants for us, fresh, fresh, local, everything you would want to experience in France.    Read more

  • TravelerOn Foot in France
    Day 16

    La Météo en Bretagne

    September 12, 2017 ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    I have to admit that the sun has been a rare companion. Most days have been cloudy or grey or misty or outright raining.

    But today we head to the southern- most part of the coast. We are going canoeing which should be a nice change of pace.

    We depart from Chateau de Val in clear skies and sunshine. The group is very upbeat as we pull out of the driveway. Once again we pass through small and mid-size villages with agricultural fields lining the sides of the road outside if the residential villages.

    The head of the canoe operation is named Phillipe. He's a sturdy fellow wearing a wetsuit that ends at his knees. We are soon afloat, six canoes paddling down the xxx river. It's flat water, quiet and serene. The canoe launch is not far from the canal lock that carries our canoes around the dam to the river below. The locks are hand operated by a woman standing nearby. She makes sure we are all properly lined up and then opens the gates so that we slowly descend to the lower river level. We paddle downriver for a while. Everyone is enjoying the silence and sun. We spot two fairly large grey herons on the river banks. It's nice to have companions who are interested in birds and the natural aspects of this area.

    Eventually we reverse course and paddle back toward the lock. As we approach, the mistress of the lock operation reverses the water flow and we are all magically raised to the upper level of the river.

    There are some amusing moments as we try to exit the canoes gracefully. Some canoe partners have better results than others! Quite a nice morning we all agree. A check of the sky reveals incoming clouds. Before we leave the driveway, rain is starting on the windshield. No matter, its time for lunch.    Read more

  • TravelerOn Foot in France
    Day 17

    The Alignment

    September 13, 2017 ⋅ 🌧 14 °C

    Following our canoe trip, we stop briefly at a restored Breton village circa 1906. It's a small village of farm families that was abandoned long ago because of the poverty of the residents.

    The restoration is sweet, low buildings of the Breton countryside with stone walls and thatched roofs. Lunch is also early 20th century featuring cabbage soup, sausages, lots of potatoes and grains. We encounter really extraordinary Breton beurre de sel and country bread. It disappears from the table quickly. Then we are off to the dolmens and menheirs for which Carnac is famous.

    We arrive in Carnac late in the afternoon and are taken to a rock field by our guide. The wind has picked up and blowing hard. The clouds whisk rapidly and menacingly across the sky. It's cold and damp and we are freezing. The guide soldiers on outdoors for about an hour. In spite of the difficult conditions, our guide manages to deliver a remarkably concise and coherent summary of the archeological aspects of these huge stones which may have been erected about the 5th century b.c.

    We have not seen the entirety of the three separate paleolithic sites but no matter, it is getting late and dark. We are all hungry.

    Luggage it's quickly unloaded at Hotel Diana. Everyone disperses and we meet up for dinner together at 7:30.

    This hotel is family owned and provides not only the best views (directly overlooking the beach) but the best combination of food, service and elegant dining.

    Dinner is truly extraordinary. I meet my first oeuf mollet in a first course. It's accompanied by smoked duck breast and an unidentifiable but rich sauce. Bill has tempura style fried sardines. A brave choice since sardines are not the usual fare in our house. They are pronounced 'délicieux.'

    The main course is beef for both of us. Dessert is beautifully presented and also ' délicieux.' I have stopped photographing the plates. They are so beautiful that I fear the big pages are getting tedious. We are living in a dream world here with these meals.    Read more

  • TravelerOn Foot in France
    Day 17

    Carnac Plage

    September 13, 2017 ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    We wake up this morning to wind, rain and an angry ocean. Oh dear, the planned morning outside is a two and a half hour hike. We meet the group at the breakfast tables and watch the outside weather. There is much discussion about rain gear. In the end, only three people elect to skip the hike and hope for better conditions in the afternoon. Two of those people are Bill and me. We are fatiguee...

    We enjoy a quiet morning in the hotel and take a walk through this charming beach town. Of course it would be more charming in better weather. Sigh.

    The little shops are vacant and some are closed for the season. Many cafes and restaurants are shuttered.

    The group returns after a wet, but not untenable hike among scattered dolmens and menhirs. Not all of these stones are enclosed within the museum's archeological grounds. Literally they are everywhere for miles around. No wonder people have used them to build their houses. In fact it was not until 1991 that these ancient stones were regarded as worthy of notice and research began.

    We are off to lunch. Annie says it's the best fish in town. It looks like a dump. But my goodness, she knows her stuff!

    There is a festive dinner scheduled for our last evening together, so most people order cautiously. The salad platters arrive and they are utterly astonishing. They are huge and fresh and beautiful.

    I've ordered moules frites. The pot is the size that seems customary in this part of France. It contains five or six dozen small mussels in a fragrant white wine sauce with garlic and fresh parsley. I sincerely doubt that I will ever have sweeter, fresher mussels. It kind of ruins your appetite for the large green New Zealand mussels often served in the US. (inset heavy sigh here). I give up about three inches from the bottom of the pot. Mmmm.    Read more

  • TravelerOn Foot in France
    Day 18

    Carnac Plage to Paris

    September 14, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Last night in Carnac Plage, rain continued through dinner and the late evening. Our last dinner with this group was held in a very small, classy, family restaurant right on the beach. Madame, the owner, orchestrated the service and selected the menu with Annie. Once again over-the top-excellence.

    We begin with a Champagne toast. Annie thanks us and we thank her profusely. Lots of hugging goes on and many kind words. Then:

    A Sancerre. A dark Burgundy. L'eau Minerale

    An amuse bouche panna cotta with a strange and strangely delicious mix: beet custard on the bottom, raspberry custard on the top. Presented in a wildly modern handmade glass.. An odd combo that was both totally delicious and totally unexpected. But of course...

    Next, poached lobster. After that turbot. Each served in a puddle of sauce that I can't describe with any phase other than luxurious. Bill says otherworldly. Either way, we are in agreement.

    Silence has fallen around the table. There is no conversation only the occasional moan. And then dessert. We eventually totter off to our hotel. It is very late.

    The morning brings breakfast and farewells. Annie is tearful as are a few others. It's been exactly the treo we had hoped for with a great your leader and good companions. No quitters, even on the worst of the bad weather days. And no whining either.

    Still, everyone is heading somewhere else now. Bill and I take the high speed train to Paris and a cab from Gare Montparnass to our b&b which is located near the Opera Garnier in the 9th arrondisement north of the Seine. It's a slow taxi ride because it's a nice day and the streets are filled with people. Traffic is terrible.    Read more

  • TravelerOn Foot in France
    Day 19

    In the 9th Arrondissement

    September 15, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    Late Thursday we finally arrive at our b&b in the 9th Arr. on Rue de Poissioniers. Our host rushes out to the street to get us just as we are searching for a doorbell to ring.

    The stores on street level are not reassuring - a hardware store and an Indian restaurant. Hmm - perhaps this was a bad idea. But then voila! Our host, Jean Etienne, bounds up the first flight of stairs with my suitcase and Bill follows.

    The host's apartment is beyond charming! It is filled with antiques but not too many. The lighting is both contemporary and generous. Our own wonderful en suite room awaits. Lovely, contemporary, brand new bath. A similar design spirit at work. Light filled, with four floor to ceiling windows looking over some gardens. It's a large corner room on the back side. Street noise is zero. Later we discover a hot pot for tea, extra water, cookies, maps, etc.

    We are amazed, happy and we feel very lucky indeed. Now to explore the neighborhood!    Read more

  • TravelerOn Foot in France
    Day 19

    Quartier Pietons

    September 15, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Jean Etienne counsels us on neighborhood dining. There are lots of choices very close by he says. What he fails to tell us is that the streets are limited to pedestrians. It's wonderful...no cars, no motorcycles.

    Within one block we turn right and there are endless rows of casual restaurants with sidewalk seating and NO cars. When did this happen in Paris?

    Needless to say we are thrilled. We take our time checking out the possibilities which are global (sushi anyone?) but predominately French. Bill is drawn to a specialty beer place. When we get there to order, it is filled wall to wall with young adults - and us.

    We get a very nice IPA (#7 on the menu) and split it. Then - on to a local cafe that is stuffed with young adults - and us.

    We think we are the only Americans. The Parisiens are happily and noisily enjoying their evening. A salade nicoise and glass of red wine for me. Bill has another beer and a plate of pasta with a terrific mushroom sauce. We are happy and tired. Although the beat goes on at the Cafe du Centre, we retire to our wonderful suite and collapse.    Read more

  • 2024© FindPenguins
  • Home
  • About us
  • Blog
  • Group Tracking
  • Press
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy & Cookies
  • Support
  • Legal notice
  • English