We've gone and done it. We've made the first step towards our next trip to France.This time, we will return to our little village in the Lot Valley, from which we can explore St. Cirq LaPopie, Figeac, Cahors and perhaps Toulouse.
Will the owl in the tree outside the front window still be there? Will the wild pigs come up from the vineyard to frighten us at night? Will the friendly dog from down the road pay a visit to our front door? Will the lights of Mercués still shine across the valley? Will the pizza oven at Douelle be warm and welcoming?
I hope so.
Now we have a year to wait. The countdown will begin.
It was cold and rainy here today, but around 6 p.m. the clouds broke open and the sun came through at last. So it was on a spring day more than two years ago in our little hilltop village.
There's soup for supper and a lightness in my heart.
20 comments:
Mimi, I'm so happy for you :)
Maryann, it is always fun to make a decision about a trip (we'd been wavering on the hows and the wheres) and pick a date.
Now we can look forward to it. There have been some enhancements since last time, and we are excited about that - some new amenities to look forward to!
How exciting! You won't be that far from us...maybe we'll be able to get together for lunch or something...that would be a thrill! When are you coming? Keep in touch..
I hope we will be there from about Sept. 23 to early October - 13-14 days. There may be some adjustments at either end, with a day or two in Paris before we fly back.
Lunch would be great!
Beautiful! Great to enjoy the anticipation. And then lunch with Betty! That will be special. Well, so will the whole thing.
Oh! So it really is one, whole year! I guess we'll have time to talk it over...
OH Mimi! How lovely for you.
I too received news today that I will be making a trip to Paris for a project. I am going to try and squeeze two or three days of pleasure into the trip as well.
I think the anticipation of a trip to France is almost as exciting as the actual trip.
Oh, wonderful! Isn't it fun, planning a trip? It's a chance to savor it even more.
Good for you Mimi! Now the wait. What fun.
Tanna, I love the planning for these trips.
Betty, we've got time to fiure it all out. I wish I could do it this year, but with the new job...
Breadchick, how cool is that? How wonderful for you!
Laura, it is especially fun planning to go back to a place we know and love after three years.
Ladyjicky, I hvae becoming very good at waiting. I love the runup to those trips, the home stretch, the last 3 months or so before the trip.
Oh Mimi, how perfect! What a wonderful way to spend those weeks - to live deeply in a place rather than to keep moving around. And the anticipation of the trip is ALMOST as good in the meantime!
I agree, Toni. I love slow travel! Since the place is owned by a local person, many people I know have rented it. One couple took it for a month last fall, in part because I told them how much I loved it.
On my last visit, I hid a secret message for a friend who would stay there five weeks after our visit.
Such fun!
Lucky you. Is there room for me? I haven't had a vacation since the Atlanta Olympics.
Oh, Violette, that is a long time! We have learned to take vacations every 18 months, at least. In 2006, because of my husband's work projects, we could only do a weekend here and there. It was tough!
Oh, Mimi, I'm so jealous!
We had some good meals in Cahors, the best being at La Balandre. Can you get to Sarlat? Oh, there's so much fois gras to be had. Take me with you!
CL
Sure, Chris, you can come along as a chaperone!
Seriously, we will rent a car and drive up to Sarlat, also LaRocque Gageac (I hope) and Figeac, and St, Cirq and Montcuq, and maybe Montauban. Anyway, those are the plans. With two weeks we can make a good number of side trips and also spend more time in Cahors, which you can drive around for hours, confused. It's like a maze!
Aside from Paris, the Lot was my favorite place in all of France. I'm so happy for you that you will be able to spend so much time there! I'm looking forward to reading about your preparations for this trip.
And what a perfect time of year to be there!
If I recall, that is the time you were there, or close to it, Christine. I am so happy we settled on two weeks this time! We will still have a couple of days in Paris, which now seems like home turf to me!
I hope the same owl and the same dog will be there again this time next year to greet you. They will remember you :) It will be a wonderful holiday to look forward to and the waiting time will pass very quickly !
Oh, I'm so glad to hear you're returning to France.
So I take it it'll be next Sept? Sounds wonderful and the year will pass before you know it!
Post a Comment