j. marsha michler - France 2009

Gil & Marsha Visit to France 2009

We loved it so much we had to go back. This time we stayed longer and had a week in Paris, and a week in St. Mandrier near Toulon. Two very interesting places and totally different from each other.

St. Mandrier is seacoast and mountains with exceptional vistas. We visited botanical parks, drove up a mountain on narrow winding roads, saw an old fort, and ate seafood with lots of fresh veggies. A common dish in the area is moule - frite, mussels with a bowl of french fries alongside. Yum!

Paris has so much to see we picked the Louvre for the better part of one day, and did lots of walking on others. The Louvre has way more in it than anyone can see in a day, so we caught some of the highlights- the Mona, the Egyptian displays, ancient brass jewelry, among other things, and resolved to return on another trip.

Walking around Paris we happened into the Sonia Rykiel boutique -where clothng is art- on the Boulevard St. Germain where Fragonard is also, so we stopped in there too.

Since it was on our way, we went into the Notre Dame and found its architecture and stained glass to be a glad-we-did experience. It was awesome. And we had to ogle the Eiffel Tower which is pretty incredible too, and the Arc de Triomphe.

Even though the sights were awe-inspiring, France is worth going to just for the food- fresh veggies and fruits, artisanal breads, cheeses, olives, seafood, and of course french wine which is a food group all by itself.