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In May we spent 8 days taking a dream vacation to Italy, visiting the Tuscany region and Venice.  While in Tuscany, we stayed in a villa outside of Florence where some of the other expats here have stayed before and it was a great experience having our own little apartment with a kitchen versus staying in a hotel.  The first night that we arrived we had a home cooked Italian meal made for us by the family that owns the villa, with some wine that was made with grapes that they grow in their vineyard (they also grow olives and make their own olive oil).

The day after we arrived, we went to Florence.  We started at the basilica Santa Maria Novella, and then went to the Officina Profumo Farmaceutica which is one of the oldest pharmacies in the world, founded by Dominican Friards who created herbal remedies for the monastery.  It was so beautiful!  We also walked through the leather market and explored around the Duomo and Ponte Vecchio.  While in that area, we saw a movie being filmed with Tom Hanks called Headache.  We ended the day with getting Makenna her first gelato.

The next day we went to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa and then headed to the city of Lucca.  We climbed the Guinigi Tower which was interesting because it had a tree growing from the top, and of course it had amazing views of the city.  Lucca is an old medieval village that still has part of the fortress walls standing, and we were able to walk along the top of part of the wall.  While up there we saw a man riding a bicycle with a gelato fridge on the front.

We spent the following day in San Gimignano which was our favorite city that was saw in Tuscany.  On the drive there we saw breathtaking views of the Tuscan countryside.  We climbed the Torre Grossa which overlooked the city and is one of 13 towers that are still standing from the original 72.  These towers were erected as a symbol of power.  We had the BEST lunch at Cum Quibas where our first course was pasta with a pistachio cream sauce, roasted goose breast and fresh truffle.  I don’t think I’ll ever forget that meal!  That evening we took a wine tour of the building where the villa owner sells his grapes along with many other local farmers to make wine.

Our next city was Siena.  The day that we were there, there was a race called the Mille Miglia going through the city; the race was 375 sports cars that drove throughout Italy for 4 days and these were some amazing cars!  We visited Piazza del Campo and then climbed Torre del Mangia which was 400 steps up!  For lunch we ate at Zest where we had pasta with wild boar ragu and a dessert of ricotta cheesecake.  We also went to the Siena Duomo which is one of the most beautiful cathedrals we have seen.  That night we went to a pizza place in the small town that we were staying in and I was admiring the ceramic pitchers they had on the tables that were locally made.  The owner said she would sell me one and she even gift wrapped it for me.

For our last day in Tuscany we went back to Florence and went to the Accademia Gallery to see the statue of David.  After seeing the statue and looking around a little, Makenna decided she had enough and started screaming at the top of her lungs so we bolted out of there as we got dirty looks from the security guard haha.  We also visited Piazzale Michelangelo and the church of San Minialto Al Monte which had amazing views overlooking the city.  We wanted to see the Duomo but the line was too long, so we decided to have a street artist draw a caricature of Makenna.  That night we went to dinner at I’licchio in Montespertoli where we were staying and the food was all locally sourced and made.

Our last couple days were spent in Venice and we just loved seeing all of the canals and small alleys/streets.  We ate some great food, including a lot of gelato, and spent a lot of time just walking around taking in the views.  Of course, we had to take a gondola ride while we were there and we loved it!  We also visited Doge’s Palace and walked over the Bridge of Sighs.

There’s just too much to write about our vacation but we loved Italy and were sad to go!

I think it goes without saying that the French have style.  I mean really, they can make anything look chic.  I’m always trying to check out what women are wearing without looking creepy, and then I go to the store and feel like there’s no way I can piece together an outfit like a French girl.

Not only do I adore their fashion sense, I love that I even see “women of a certain age” (what the French call older women) wearing heels, panty hose, a dress and a nice handbag…and this is their normal dress, not because they are going out to dinner.  When I tell my mom about this she tells me that’s how it was when she was young.  I think it’s really nice to see people taking pride in how they present themselves and enjoying dressing nicely (although I refuse to change my American way of walking to and from the gym in sneakers and gym clothes…and believe me I have definitely gotten some looks because of that!)

French fashion isn’t always about “dressing up”, they can dress comfortable while still looking put together.  Here are some of the key points to adopting French style:

1. Layer, Layer, Layer!  You can always make an outfit look more interesting and chic by adding layers.
   

   
2. Stick to neutral colors  The French wear a LOT of black…but their wardrobe also consists mainly of neutral colors.  You don’t see a lot of bright colors, and when you do it is often subtle.
3. Don’t over accessorize  Jewelry and accessories are usually simple and classic.
4. Keep your makeup natural  The French keep their makeup minimal and show off their natural beauty.
5. Embrace the blazer  A blazer can make a simple outfit instantly chic.
6. Scarves are a must for every season  I seriously cannot have enough scarves, which conveniently fits in with French style.  Scarves add dimension and interest to an outfit, they can be a way to add a pop of color and it doesn’t hurt that they can really keep you warm on the many cold days in France.
7. You can still look “dressy” while wearing casual shoes  I used to always feel like I needed to wear heels or dressy flats to feel like I was dressed up…but after gazing at the feet of every French woman I pass, I’ve come to realize you can still look “dressy” while wearing casual flats or even sneakers.
   

   

Now I think I have some shopping to do….

Gyms here are pretty different than the ones we’re used to in the US, especially our beloved Sportsclub that we went to in Greenville.  They are typically a lot smaller and have older equipment and have “no frills”.  Unlike many gyms in the US, the gyms here don’t have a child care center, so I wasn’t able to join a gym until Makenna recently started going to a nounou (nanny) part time.

I decided to go to the gym that was about a 2 minute walk from our apartment so I would have no excuses not to go, even if it’s cold or rainy!  The thing I am most surprised about is that there are many hours during the week that nobody is working at the gym.  BUT, if you pay an extra 15 euros for a badge, you can use the gym even if nobody is working.  Crazy!  One Sunday afternoon I was literally the only person in there…nobody was working and nobody else was working out.  It was great!  They are very smart about it though…in order to get in you have to swipe your badge for the door to unlock and then you have to scan your fingerprint to get a turnstile to unlock.  So not only do they know exactly who entered the gym, you can’t just show up with 10 of your friends and let them in.

The other interesting thing is they don’t usually have personal trainers, but usually have “coaches”.  The coaches will basically give you a workout plan but they don’t work out with you and motivate you like a trainer would.  For me, I love this because I don’t have to pay anything for a world champion bodybuilder (yes you heard me right) to write out a full workout plan for me.  The gym I go to is owned by this guy (and no he’s not quite this huge now but he’s still probably the most muscular guy in France):

And in true French style one of the fitness posters features a naked couple, so you can have a lovely image to work out to when you want to get your cardio on:

Another thing that is different at the gym here is people say hello and goodbye to everyone.  This is probably partly because the gym is small, but in the US nobody really greets anyone else that’s working out unless they know them.

They do have a lot of the Les Mills classes that we’re used to seeing in the US, so that makes it feel a little more like home 🙂

Thankfully we are living the city lifestyle here and rarely have to drive.  We walk almost everywhere and sometimes take the tram.  But of course we have to leave our little bubble sometimes and take our little Citroën C4.

Driving really isn’t too horrible, as we don’t have to worry about driving on the opposite side of the road or have the steering wheel on the other side of the car.  And South Carolina has reciprocity here which means we don’t have to take a driving test.  But there are definitely some things to get used to and times where we have no idea how an intersection works, what a street sign/signal means, or if we should even be driving where we are driving.

The first thing to get used to is the stop lights are on the side of the road instead of hanging above you.  You really have to pay attention in some areas otherwise you can blow through a red light and not even know it!

The second major difference here is there are a TON of roundabouts.  This makes traffic flow smoother since you don’t have to sit at a red light.  But there are times that you don’t know which lane you should be in, people are entering the roundabout when they shouldn’t, or you’re not sure which exit your GPS is telling you to take.

Speaking of GPS, sometimes I will come to a weird intersection and the GPS will say “take the 2nd left” and I’m looking at all the streets around me to figure out which one is the 2nd left….or the GPS will say “bare right” and there are 2 streets very close to each other and you’re not sure where you’re supposed to bare right.

In other cases, there are just some things I don’t understand…like a blinking light or an intersection where there’s no stop sign or stop light and I have no idea when I’m supposed to go or how the traffic flow works.

So, with all this said, my motto for driving here is:

JUST GO BUT BE PREPARED TO STOP

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Before we even got to Clermont we heard about the canned duck that can be found in the grocery stores.  Of course we had to try this infamous dish, and the fact that it’s so easy to make made it a no-brainer as one of our first meals here.

The “confit de canard” comes in a few different size cans, with the largest having enough to feed about 4-5 people.  There is a LOT of duck fat in the can which is awesome to use for other things like roasting potatoes!

Usually I just throw it in a baking dish with some chopped onions for about 15 minutes and Viola! C’est bon!  I think we’ll be stocking up on some canned duck before we move back!

Last week I had my first hair appointment and I decided to go to a hair stylist that another expat recommended.  The salon was nice and the stylist, Nicolas, is the owner of the salon so I knew I was in good hands.  Of course, he doesn’t speak any English so I had my French friend Claire tell me how to say what I wanted and I also showed him some pictures.

Getting highlights was a little different than in the US.  Instead of using foils, he basically painted some of my hair and put a few sponge-like things throughout my hair.  When he was done, he piled some plastic wrap on top of my head.  Of course I had an espresso while I waited.  After the highlights were done, a woman proceeded to give me a soin (deep conditioning treatment) and a head massage.

Next, it was time for my cut.  Nicolas and I discussed what he would do and I thought we agreed we would just cut a little this time which would be around my collar bone.  The chairs in the salon do not raise, so he had me stand at first.  As he started cutting, I realized my cut was going to be shorter than I expected.  I didn’t freak out though….he was doing a great job and I actually kind of liked my new length, I even felt a little “French”.  He had me sit down to finish my cut and style my hair and then the next thing I knew he put me in another chair and some lady started doing my makeup.  For the price I paid, it should include a makeover!

I’m so glad I received a good recommendation and my first experience went well!

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Can I just say I LOVE the markets in France?  To the point where we go every Sunday. We’ve only been to 2 different markets so far, but I’m itching to get to some of the others in nearby towns here.

There is a market literally a minute down the street from us and it has everything from  fruits and veggies, cheeses and meats, food, baked goods, clothing, furniture and of course some junk.  There’s even a food truck selling roasted chickens!  I love that you never know what you’ll find and there’s so many items with character.  So far we bought an old pair of wooden skis that we plan on hanging on the wall and a cute little wooden stand with a chalk board.  We have our eyes on an old wooden ladder that we keep seeing there which we would like to put on our balcony and hang small potted plants/herbs from it.

We also love the fact that there’s a cafe across from the market down the street that is always bustling with people sitting outside enjoying un café (espresso) or even a glass of wine!  It’ll be even more enjoyable when the weather is warmer 🙂

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We recently had some really nice weather around 60 degrees so Ryan and I decided to take advantage of it and visit Brioude which is about an hour away.  I heard they have a Saturday market so we decided to check that out.  The drive itself was beautiful and was a sweet reminder that we live in FRANCE!

When we got to the market, we noticed a lot of people lining up and later found out it was a march through the town for the recent shootings in Paris.  This market was a little different than the one in Clermont as it was mostly produce and food and they didn’t have any “yard sale” type items.

After the market we visited La Basilique Saint Julien.  This is the first cathedral we’ve seen in France; we haven’t even seen the inside of the one in Clermont yet!  It was really beautiful and had a very tiny spiral staircase to the top where you could overlook the entire church.  The ceiling had some really pretty paintings as well.

For lunch we stopped at a small crêperie.  Then we stopped at a patisserie to get a pastry and ate it outside while enjoying the sun and a cappuccino.

Before we headed home, we stopped in Lavaudieu which is a small village outside of Brioude.  It was so tiny I couldn’t imagine living there, especially as a child.  It had beautiful stone architecture, quaint homes and “hotels”, and a pretty stone bridge over a small river that runs along side the village.  It was very quiet and we didn’t see many people.

It was a great way to spend the day and just a taste of what we’ll see and do during our time here!

1. The stereotype is true- they wear A LOT of black

2. Everyone smokes

3. Some men wear pointy shoes

4. It’s common to park on the curb

5. Despite the delicious bread and cheese, not many people are overweight

6. The French are not in a rush like Americans

7. Meals are meant to be enjoyed and are a time to socialize and relax

8. Most places are not baby-friendly – many restaurants and cafes don’t have enough room to bring a stroller in, nor do they have high chairs.  Bathrooms don’t have a changing table.

9. Milk and eggs are not refrigerated at the grocery store

10. The stereotype that the French don’t like Americans is not always true.  They are SO appreciative and friendly when you try to speak French, even if you butcher it like I do!

Wow we had a crazy first 2 weeks in France.  Our tiny hotel room was just the beginning.  For 3 days in our hotel, we only had hot water for a short amount of time in the morning…and of course twice the hot water ran out while I was mid-shower.  That was one of my “I hate France” moments haha.

Next, I had to try and find a hypo-allergenic formula for Makenna because of her milk protein allergy.  In the US I can just go to Walmart, but here the formula has to be ordered from the pharmacy and you can’t get it until the next day.  Of course I didn’t find this out until I was almost out of formula.

Another different thing about France is that in order to lock your front door from the inside you can’t just turn a lock.  You have to put your key in the door to lock it.  So of course one morning at the hotel while I’m rushing to get Makenna ready and head downstairs for breakfast before I have to meet the electrician at our apartment, I get locked inside the hotel room.  The phone in our room had no indication of how to call the front desk, nor did I know how to say “I’m locked in my room” in French, so I had to call Ryan and get him to call them for me.  The maintenance guy came up and got the door open and had to oil the locks.

My first driving experience was interesting as well.  The parking spaces are pretty tight here, and our car was parked too close to a wall to open the back door to put Makenna inside so I had to climb in the other side and try to strap her in that way.  Then I had to squeeze through to get our stroller in there.  The garages here have a pay station where you can pay before you get to your car…but this process of trying to get everything in the car and then figure out how to use it took me so long that by the time I went to leave the garage I owed more money.  Our rental is an automatic but has the eco transmission where it basically shuts off anytime you’re idle.  The gps is in English but can still be hard to follow sometimes so of course I got lost.  The streets and signs are a little different than the US so I’m still not quite sure what I’m doing when I drive around here.  Thankfully  I’ll be walking everywhere most of the time!

We moved into our apartment a couple days ago because anything is better than that hotel room.  We  already bought our fridge and the apartment came with a stove so we had the necessities and we just needed to order a washer and dishwasher.  We bought a cheap pot and pan from Ikea to hold us over until our stuff gets here, but of course they don’t work with our induction cook top!

Other expats have told us it takes about 3 hours to get anything done here and I’ve definitely found that to be true.  I went with our relocation agency to set up our cell phones and was there about 3 hours and they didn’t even put the new SIM cards in our phones.  Yesterday I went to Darty, a store where you can buy appliances and electronics, and was there about 3 hours trying to pick things out and then trying to pay with my Amex (since the money we tried transferring into our bank from the US still hasn’t been transferred) and of course the purchase was flagged by American Express because it was in a different country for a large amount (and yes we called them before we moved to tell them we’ll be in France).

When I got home from Darty, there was a note on our door that said something about dogs.  At first I thought it meant dogs aren’t allowed in the apartments and even when I tried translating it the words didn’t quite make sense so I started freaking out.  Thankfully it just said something about dogs can’t go to the bathroom outside the apartment.  We always pick up after Bailey but Ryan noticed an old lady watching him while he was walking Bailey out by our courtyard…so now we just walk him on the street.

We had some other hiccups along the way but we got the best news yet that our container will be delivered today and I could not be happier!  We will feel much better once we have our stuff and things are a little more normal for us.