France 2009

The following is the introduction to the photos I have posted to Flickr on our trip to France in June. For the pictures and comments on our trip click here http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomwheaton/sets/72157620734856737/

We made the grand tour to France in June to visit the family starting in Chatou (Yves and Mado), next to Paris (Erwan), then to Nantes (Marie-Francoise and Jean-Charles, and Yves and Marie-Bernadette, and Daniel and Chantal), then Aix-en-Provence (Michel and Simone), then Nice (Jacques and Michelle) and back up to Valence (Bernard and Evelyne) and Chatou with a side trip to Gif-sur-Yvette to visit old friends (Jeanne-Marie, Jeanne-Marie, and Daniel), and finally to Fountainebleau (Eric and Sophie) before taking the plane again at Orly. Christiane has a big family.

These photos pretty much follow that itinerary.

The first week in Chatou we had sun for two days, the second week in Nantes we had two days of sun, and finally we had sun for two weeks in Provence, although there was a mistral held in our honor. Queretaro weather looked better and better.

I was able to walk out of the house in Chatou (when it wasn't raining) and in 10 minutes paint where Renoir and his Impressionist friends used to hangout. In Nantes, the Erdre is a block away, and I could paint river scenes within five minutes of the house, and in Ventabren, next to Aix, and in Nice, I could just paint from the bedroom window and catch the same light with the same greens that Cezanne did. Very nice.

Back in Queretaro, C has now implemented my new diet of no more French bread and Breton butter; aperitif time is now over, along with pate de foie gras time. Back to enchiladas and Marques del Valle, which I must say I did miss, but . . .

We had a great time and a lot of laughs and visits to places only locals know. An exceptional vacation and an exceptional family.