Christmas in Paris

Paris is all decked out for Christmas, from Place Vendome to Place de la Concorde. One of the pictures below is the "buche de noel," the traditional French dessert, and below it, Village de Levis, the market street just by my house.

I won't be here for Christmas, though, I'm going to Italy on Tuesday! Florence, Rome, and San Gimignano for New Year's Eve with Bruna and her family. Stay tuned for photos...
and in the meantime,

Joyeux Noël et bonne année!

Fetes de Noel!

Last party with the Sweet Briar crew before all the semester girls leave :(
Axel= Pere Noel
Impromptu concert
Salle des fetes
My friend's super cute hamster. Not really holiday fete related, but just so cute!
Champagne, un sapin, and friends--the perfect holiday

Decorating the sapin

Parentals...encore

It's been a while since I posted, but the parentals are still in town, so it's been crazy trying to do anything. Last week, while Dougie and Kathie were still here, we rented a car and went on a road trip, essentially tracing my steps over the last two months--from the Loire Valley and then up to Normandy. It sure looked different in November, but there were less tourists and we had a great time.
Looking up from Omaha beach
Mont St. Michel was windy, but it was pretty cool to be in the abbey with the rain pelting against the centuries old cloisters and hear the wind howling through the monastery.
Tours! It felt good to be back
Cheers at Agnes Sorel, one of two restaurants in Genille
Chateau d'Amboise
Chateau de Chenonceau
Loches
Loches
La Cadoise--The adorable B&B in the middle of nowhere, a farm in Genille
This was along the side of the road on the way
Road Trip!

La Famille: Premiere Partie

Mom and Dad getting their wine and cheese on in our apartment. Figuring out the Metro...
And making friends with "Pierre" at our neighborhood fruit stand. Actually, his name isn't Pierre, that's just what my family has decided to call every French person they meet. Either that or "Julio." Not sure why.
Outside the apartment in the 5th. We added the little French local for ambiance.

We checked out the Louvre on a beautiful clear night with a full moon.


The Tour Eiffel all lit up for night, with the Seine just in front and the golden dome of Les Invalides on the left in the background.



We went all around Montmatre and saw the Sacre Coeur. My dad sat and read his paper while my mom and I did some touristy shopping.

Host Family

So I realized I haven't posted a picture of my host mom and me yet, so here we are! We had a dinner party at our house tonight with some of her American friends, so I got to hear her speak English for the first time, which was great. Good thing she speaks some English, cause my parents are coming to Paris tomorrow, and lord knows they won't be communicating in French. Keep posted for the adventures of my mom, dad, aunt and uncle on their first trip outside the good ole U.S. of A.

A Very French Experience

I spent this Sunday out in the town of Versailles having lunch with my host mom's 87 year old aunt. She's lived in this huge house since 1952, and she was so great! Totally sharp and classically French. Aunt Madeline made us a sweet French lunch with a great cheese course, then we had coffee in her "salon," which was full of photos and portraits of her ancestors dating back almost two centuries. Her own father was born in 1886 and lived until 1988! I was studying my history textbook for my 19th century Europe class, and she wanted me to "see how the map has changed." So I bust out the atlas, and the thing is from 1894. It was awesome!

France Miniature: Talk about the highlights!

Aww, French lovers in front of the Tour
L'arc de Triomphe
John: AKA Quasimodo
Les Invalides
La Stade de France
The American Cemetery in Normandie
Chenonceaux
French kid going Godzilla on this town's ass
Chatres
Lourdes

Pont de Gaurd
St. Tropez
Les Arenes de Nimes