Wonder and Wander

As we adjusted to normal life, we learned some new French habits.

Le pain quotidien is a real thing here–baguette is really only fresh for about 6 hours, so we got in the French habit of running down to the local bakery before just about every meal. I thought I would be swooning over croissants and pastries here–and we’ve had some incredible ones–but it’s really baguette and the excellent salted French butter that has stolen our hearts more than anything. And at 1€ a loaf, it feels like a relatively affordable luxury.

I also stocked up on skincare items at the pharmacie when we got here. After 3 months of travel and very minimal care, my skin was feeling dry. There French are famous for their effective and streamlined products, and I think I’ve noticed a difference in my skin as a result.

One of our primary goals for this sabbatical has of course been family time. I periodically take my kids out for little dates at home, but I don’t get as many as I would like. Our slower schedule, along with a new city to explore, makes this time ideal for special experiences. And it’s been great fun. We’ve done little things like make madeleines together (so delicate and yummy!), take picnic dinners in the Jardin Publique–anything that helps us take little moments of time together.

Eve was first. We went out for breakfast at our neighborhood boulangerie. While we were enjoying our croissants and coffee (the French are notorious for their 3C’s breakfast, but we left the cigarettes out this time), we saw a mother with her young son come in. It was a real time demonstration of the French parenting ethos. The mother gave her son, who looked to be about 6, some money, along with instructions for what to do. She then stood outside the open doorway and observed as her little boy got in line, waited patiently, and then walked up to the counter, gave his order, and paid. He wasn’t nervous at all, and was even chatting with the boulanger while he was being served. American parents don’t tend to force their children into independence in that way, and it was inspiring. My kids frequently run errands by themselves around our neighborhood here, and we all love it.

Eve and I also explored the Cathedral together. It’s not as fancy as some, but I love it more every time I go. A building that is a nearly 1,000 years old has new things to share every time you go.

Isaac had been eyeing the public bike rentals since we’d arrived, so he chose a bike ride for his date. It took done doing to figure out the system, but we finally hauled a pair of bikes off the locks and set off. Bordeaux has a wide and lovely quais, perfect for biking. We ride up to the Cité du Vin museum near Chartrons, and then back down to the city center and over the city’s oldest bridge, the Pont St. Pierre. It was good for us both to feel the wind in it faces and do something active together. We finished up at the ice cream shop on our street, and we were both well satisfied.

Claire was interested in the art museum, so we spent our afternoon together at the Musée des Beaux Arts. It had been hot for a few days, and I was looking forward to strolling through some long, cool art galleries. I had forgotten how free things are actually air conditioned here. Apparently museums don’t make the cut! We saw some really lovely art, and it was nice to have the place to ourselves after all the crowded Parisian museums. But it was stuffy. Claire pulled out her art materials and spent some time sketching while I journaled. I took her out for ice cream too–do you see a pattern? It seems that all dates must include food.

Vance and I had not been able to get away for our anniversary. We are lucky that the kids are old enough to be alone for an hour or two while we get a quick date, but travel scheduled and health often get in the way. We decided to go for our first Michelin-starred restaurant to celebrate our 15th anniversary. It was a really fun experience–each of the 4 courses were so thoughtfully and beautifully prepared. Nothing felt heavy or dense, yet we were quite full by the end. It was nothing like going to the steakhouse for a prime cut of beef, but it was just as celebratory.

I also took a little date by myself. I found a cooking class that focused on tarts and signed myself up. I wasn’t sure what language the class would be in, and it did turn out to be in French. Fortunately, the class was very kind to me, and coming is pretty universal. I learned a lot about French tart making, which is pretty different than American pastries. Most notably, they take more time in the presentation and arrangement. We made a strawberry tart, a lemon meringue tart, and a caramelized apple tart with a spiced-wine glaze. It felt inspiring to have a few hours to myself, just practicing my French and my baking skills.

After a month of constant travel, arriving in a new place and realizing that we would be in one place for 3 months was exciting. Then the homesickness kicked in, and it seemed like the weeks were stretching out endlessly before us. Getting back to my priorities of family time helped ease the transition a good bit, and we have all benefited from our more regular times for little dates.