Why we spend February on the Côte d'Azur

Coveside Before Today's Blizzard (another two-feet of snow expected!)

6-foot drifts from the last storms

Lunch on the Terrace - Villefranche-sur-Mer

The "Salon du Vin"

So the pic above looks like a crowded train station? No , it's the "Salon du Vin" where , believe it or not , 6 euros buys you an empty
glass and there are hundreds of independent vinteners from all over France just waiting to fill it up. Talk about locked in the candy store !
All the wine is for sale at vintner direct prices, and we saw people with huge carts carrying away 10 or 15 cases. We bought six bottles because that was all we wanted to carry back on the bus.
The weather continues beautiful--plenty warm enough for lunch on our little balcony. We watch with concern that a second ice age appears to have set in to Maine. French classes going well.

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Nice, France

Villefranche-sur-Mer

We moved from our dark and chilly apartment in Nice (great location but not a great apartment) to this incredible apartment in Villefranche. Incredible view, beautifully furnished ; we don't want to leave! Language school starts Monday. Sacre bleu!


Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Rue du Baron de Brès,Villefranche-sur-Mer,France

No blizzard in Nice

A warm, sunny day on the Riviera. We're enjoying a lunch at a market cafe. Note: no coat! We're spending a week here in Nice before heading to Villefranche for the beginning of our travails in French. Not too sad to have missed the blizzard.

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Why we love Paris markets

Our final days in France were spent in Paris, where the weather was spectacular.  We discovered a new Paris market --  the Marche President Wilson, not far from the Arc de Triomphe on the Right Bank.  It runs for 6 or 8 city blocks and has *everything!*  Click here to see a slide show of its many wonders!

Finally, sunshine

Here's the view from our apartment this morning. We've had rain every day but 2 since we arrived. January was the wettest January since they started records in Nice and so far february is starting out as wet or worse. Huge storms on the Atlantic coast of France. But a one-day break today -- sunshine and warm temps.



School is fine. Carolyn doing well with her tutor. And I'm in the most advanced class at the Institut, for some reason.
It's supposed to be beautiful on Sunday (before a huge storm on Monday). We're planning a hike to a hilltop restaurant. More later.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Quai de l'Amiral Ponchardier,Nice,France

Saturday morning market in Nice

Saturday morning. Not great weather, but at least it wasn't raining (much). So we took the bus into Nice, stopped at a wonderful patisserie/salon de thé for le petit dejeuner (Carolyn had a hankering for a cafe au lait and an almond croissant -- a pastry extravaganza with so much butter and almond paste that we were full until well into the afternoon). After breakfast we strolled down into the old city -- stopping at our favorite pasta shop to buy ravioli for the party we're having on Sunday for a bunch of friends returning to "L'Institut", as well as a great wine shop, a boulangerie (to get bread for lunch -- see below) and then to the famous outdoor market at Cours Salaya.  Then to a legendary confiserie -- a fancy candy shop -- called Auer.  Right out of the 19th century, they specialize in candied fruit, and amazing candy.  We forced ourselves to get some goodies and then went on home to enjoy the fruits of our labors for lunch.  Pics below.

First berries of the season -- from Spain

Candied fruits are a specialty in southern France

Sundried tomatoes, etc.

The flower market

Confiserie Auer

Remember the dream about getting locked in a candy store?

Dejeuner back at home