Living in France, le blog

What pops into foreigners' minds when the subject of French seaside bliss comes up? Why the French Riviera, of course. The southern portion of the Atlantic coast (i.e. Basque Country) is, however, a worthy candidate for those in search of an ocean muse: gorgeous weather, vast beaches, friendly locals, good restaurants, and fabulous architecture all combined to make my first visit one to remember.

Although the gravel-voiced singer/songwriter has little do do with the road trip in question, I've got to give credit where credit is due: it never would've happened without L. Cohen and the undisclosed "sports injury" he suffered last spring. Read on for details.

For this adopted Lyonnais, France's other second city was a pleasant surprise.

Fort St. Jean (under renovation) in the Vieux Port, with the Cathédrale de la Major in the background

Everyone knows Gaelic culture calls Ireland home, as well as certain parts of the British Isles. Thanks to a high school history lesson that somehow stuck I even knew of the Gaelic influence on Galicia, a region in the northwest corner of Spain. But France? France?? Who knew? OK so a lot of people knew, but I wasn't one of them. As it turns out, the Gaelic heart beats a forceful rhythm in the French region of Bretagne: even the street signs are often doubled in the Breton language.
La Côte d'Émeraude, near Cap Fréhel

This is the first of many posts about the dazzling array of vacation options that France has to offer. Before getting into the specific places and spaces you absolutely need to see before you die, this introduction is designed to introduce relative newcomers to vacationing in la République, as well as to the country's quixotic relationship with vacationing and tourism.