HEADED TO FRANCE!
After 11 months of planning, we are finally about to embark on our trip to France.
Our main reason for traveling is to celebrate my brother's birthday. However, peppered on either side of a fabulous barge trip along the Canal du Midi, we have a fun and ambitious travel schedule. See for yourself!
Itinerary is as follows:
TUESDAY - fly to Paris
WEDNESDAY - arrive in Paris by 8am, drop our bags at our hotel (Hotel Relais Saint-Honore) and head out!
Plan is to tour the Louvre, shop along the Champs Elysees and see the Arc de Triomphe up close
We'll then regroup, change clothes and have
Drinks at the Hemingway Bar at the Paris Ritz, and then we'll head to dinner at our beloved Frenchie 
After dinner we'll crash!
THURSDAY - 9am drive to Normandy
Stop at Claude Monet's house along the way,
and then we'll have lunch at La Coronne in Rouen where Julia Child and her husband dined when she arrived in France for the first time. The meal changed her life! They offer the exact meal she ordered if you are interested. I think it was Dover Sole which is one of my favorite dishes.
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Staying in Bayeux at Villa Lara
and having dinner there at L'Alcove
FRIDAY - touring/hiking Normandy with a guide all day. Should be exhilarating and moving and daunting all at once.
Dinner in Bayeux at La Rapiere
SATURDAY - driving back to Paris
Having lunch at our hotel (the St James) after greeting Brock and Sarah as they arrive from the US
We'll check in and regroup a bit before having an early ish dinner
Dinner in Paris at Monsieur Bleu
SUNDAY - Fast train to Beziers then boarding our barge (Alouette, a Belmond cruise) to begin our 6 night journey along the Canal du Midi to celebrate my brother turning 60! FINALLY!
MONDAY - boat - tour Fontfroide Abbey and then winery/wine tasting - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner aboard the boat
TUESDAY - boat - See Olive Mill in Le Somail and do a tasting
WEDNESDAY - boat - Narbonne Market to pick out food for our dinner
THURSDAY - boat - explore the town of Minerve
FRIDAY - boat - tour Carcassonne and grande finale "gala" dinner
SATURDAY - bid au revoir to Brock and Sarah and disembark and rent a car and head to Avignon.
Check into Hotel La Mirande
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Explore Avignon including Les Halles market:
and dinner at La Salle a Manger:
SUNDAY - Drive all over Provence seeking LAVENDAR!
Dinner in Avignon at Restaurant L'Epicerie
MONDAY - Spend more time walking and seeing more of Avignon.
Mid day - - - Fast train back to Paris for the night. Yet another fabulous dinner in Paris.
TUESDAY - EARLY flight home
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UPDATE
AND....
We're at the airport!
It was a breeze getting through security and we are now posted up at a Skyclub in International Gate E.
Dogs were not happy when we left, but our petsitter Susan will be there in 30 minutes, and she's a doll. They're in good hands.
So it is official: We. Are. On. Vacation.
BON VOYAGE!!!
