Author: Andy Smallman

So part of the overall plan for this vacation to France this year involves multiple phases, including bookend phases in London (we flew to London nearly two weeks ago and we fly back to London in just over a week). The first phase in France was our first AirBnB in Nantes which wrapped up last Friday. Our second phase was with the Boudeaus from Friday until Tuesday, and involved some wonderful day trips. We are in our third phase in France which is being in Normandy at the incredible home of Bernard’s parents. I uploaded several pictures about this home two years ago. Take a peak.

Part of this third phase includes a day trip to Paris with Bernard and Christine. Celeste was also with us for most of the day, too. It’s about a two hour drive each way from the Bertail home in Normandy to Paris. Bernard did all the driving, including through the streets of Paris, something that deserves multiple blog entries all by itself. Included below are a series of photos I took in Paris yesterday. I’ve captioned them to add some detail.

By the way, the fourth and final phase of this year’s trip to France begins tomorrow with our return to Nantes and checking in to our second AirBnB home. I’m sure I’ll have a lot of information in the upcoming days about phase four. For now, enjoy these selected highlights from many options from our day in Paris.

Hey Mom, This is the place from where I had that brief text exchange with you yesterday, Honfleur. Learn more about it at its Wikipedia page. What a great place to toast in your birthday!

Yesterday, the Boudeaus took us to Île-aux-Moines, an island that is a 90 minute drive plus an hour boat ride from Nantes. Translated, Île-aux-Moines means island of monks. Learn about its history via Wikipedia.

It was an absolutely fantastic day. Although we had to get up at 6:30 and move out of our first AirBnB in Nantes, the early rise only provided us more hours to enjoy the day. The weather was perfect, as was the company, which included Laurent and Sandrine Porcher, the Boudeaus good friends and rapidly becoming ours (savvy blog readers will recall that Melinda and I provided English “lessons” to a girl named Alice, the Porcher’s oldest daughter).

On the island, we rented bikes and rode every trail on it. We stopped several times, once to eat lunch and enjoy a beach, another time to go into the water (Melinda got up to her knees), and other times to just enjoy the spectacular views. For context, the islands in this area of France are very similar in look to the San Juans.

Returning to the mainland at about 7pm, we spent an hour looking for a place for dinner that could seat the 6 of us. Once located, we sat on a balcony overlooking a marina filled with sailboats as the sun slowly set. Dinner was moules frites (look it up), complemented with cold Muscadet.

We then drove back to Nantes, arriving home at about midnight to shower and sleep.

Yes, that was a pretty good day.

It almost feels unfair to be enjoying such a wonderful vacation in France with the tragedy that unfolded in Nice last night. At the same time people were being harmed in Nice, we were standing in a closed road in Nantes watching the fireworks celebration with thousands of others. Families with small children and just people out celebrating their country’s Independence Day. No words give justice to what happened last night, and to what is happening today and forever to the people directly affected.

Earlier yesterday, the Boudeaus took Melinda and me to the beach, a place we’d never been called Batz Sur Mer. We found a cozy sandy place to lay down some towels and soak up the sun. On the walk back to the car I snapped this picture of some children walking with an adult. French kids are so darn cute to Melinda and me, the way the hold hands and talk. They speak French, go figure. I refer to them as puppies.

As we walked from the car, we found a place that was renting paddle boards.

Understandably, it was necessary for me to take a picture of Melinda next to the sign. The person renting the boards was across the street, dozing in a chair. I’m not sure what that says about business but Melinda is trying to point out the person on a board out on the water. That water, by the way, is the Atlantic Ocean.

We’re having dinner tonight at Joel’s new apartment in Nantes. Michele, I’ll be sure to get you several pictures. For those who do not know, Joel is Frederique’s father and a close friend of Dwight and Michele, Melinda’s parents. In fact, the reason we know the Boudeaus is because of the connection between Frederique’s and Melinda’s parents.

Speaking of family, go hug someone close to you today, okay? A little more love and kindness is just what the humanity doctor is prescribing.

For context, check out Awkward Family Photos.

In other news of the day, Christine said she wanted to take Melinda to what I can best describe to American readers as a flea market. Called, Emmaus, it’s about a 30 minute drive from Nantes. Bernard, who is on vacation, did the driving and I tagged along for good measure (I even found a vintage deck of French playing cards for 1 Euro! Snatched those babies up…).

After the flea market, Bernard suggested we drive to nearby Vertou for lunch. The restaurant we found was on the water and the meals we all had were delicious. And by that, I mean really good. After lunch, we went for a walk and Bernard took this picture of Melinda and me. There is another like it, one in which Christine decided she wanted in. Its result elicited a tremendous amount of laughter and then a photo of Bernard and Christine that included Melinda in the background. More laughter, even to the point of tears.

So why am I not including those photos? I need permission…

Happy birthday, Al!