Voila! or how to walk like a Frenchman

For years I've walked airport terminals looking at the departure board with longing  and wishing my ticket said Paris, instead of someplace like Bismarck (sorry Bismarck, you are a lovely place in your own right, but you're not Paris.)

Several weeks ago Prince Charming whisked me off for two and a half weeks of seeing

This!

We'd studied French for months online using Duolingo in preparation for our trip. But I had to go to France to learn the most charming phrases.  With every meal and without fail we were presented our dishes with a flourish and "Voila!"

When something went wrong, as inevitably happens on any trip, the French would shrug and say "C'est la vie." Such is life.  After several weeks of living with a more c'est la vie and voila! attitude, I've decided that's my one souvenir from France that creates the change that I hoped travel to a foreign land would work in my life.

Realizing that there is so much I can't control and yet remaining enthusiastic and optimistic about the unfolding of each day is worth so much more than any trinket I could have purchased.

Ah Paris, it was everything I hoped it would be and more.  Such charming men.

I know most people who travel to France rave about how beautifully dressed and thin the women are, and they are.  But my heart was captured by the French men.

So stylish and elegant, no?

Notre Dame was lovely and a long climb to the top.

The Louvre, the D'Orsay, the gardens all captivated me.  But I fell hard for the French men.

If you go to Paris before July 17th don't miss the Rousseau exhibit at the D'Orsay.

Such rich exotic paintings from a man who, like me, never got very far from home.

I'm ready to move to France, especially if I can live in the French countryside.  We also spent a week in Alsace in the walled village of Bergheim.

After the glitz, noise and activity of Paris, Bergheim was sweet relief.  I'm ready to move to this sweet little village of 1,800 souls.  They have a lovely  boulangerie, (bakery)

A sweet charcuterie with a most helpful butcher.  Hint the sausages are wonderful.  Sorry I got so caught up in trying to speak French and paying for our meat that I forgot to take a picture. They even have a small market.

They have nine, yes nine, restaurants in a village of 1800! We highly recommend Wistub du Sommelier.  And they have several wine tasting houses.  This area specializes in Riesling which I have to admit is not my favorite varietal, but that was before Bergheim.  The riesling they served is not so treacly. It is refreshing.

They have a lovely little library. Unfortunately it was closed for holiday while we were there.  Winding wine roads

Let you discover the country side on foot or by bike.

Want to join me in moving to Bergheim where they have wonderful food, great wine, books and oh did I mention French men!?

In Alsace I started to notice the French way to walk.

The one-handed arm grip.

The two handed grip.

This grip comes and in handy in all kinds of circumstances such as supervising the work of the repairman fixing your flat tire.

Prince Charming adopted the Frenchman's walk.

Is it any wonder I love him so? Here's the man who delivered me to France, took me to the top of the Eiffel Tower, walks like a Frenchman and whispers "ooh la la" in my ear?

Au revoir, dear readers, until next week! Wishing you bonne chance.