The Return - The new Apartment

OK, so I find that I can often experience two different emotions prior to travel.


Apprehension/anxiety at the thought of the unknown. More to the point, the fear that all will not be up to expectations. Alternatively, elation. The joy of anticipation. “Just can’t wait to be there”!

Last year was the former. This year , most definitely, the later.


The Return

First of all, the journey and the arrival.

I don’t know why, but, in all of the years that I have made this journey, I have never taken advantage of the TGV train station in Terminal 2 at Charles de Gaulle Airport. Actually , until a couple of years ago, I’m not sure I was even aware of it. Shame on me!

So...... direct nonstop flight from Charlotte to Paris CDG. Less is best. I mean, let’s face it, flying “steerage” for 8 hours in the cramped cabin of a “flying bus” is hardly my favorite aspect of travel. Oh for the travel romance of a bygonne era. Oh well, I probably couldn’t have afforded it anyway.

So....hop off the “flying bus”, breeze through customs (actually a wave and a yawn) and, hop onto the TGV at CDG-2. And... voila! At 200 mph, Marseille in 3.5 hours. “Milk-run connection to the village , and that was all so easy.

Why have I not done this before?

My Landlord who is the embodiment of “tres-sympa” was at the station to meet us. The whole journey couldn’t have been simpler.


The New Apartment

Now.... on to the really good part. This is our sixth year here in this grand old maison. We have known of this other apartment next to ours for several years, but it has not been available.

Our new landlords purchased the maison in late 2010 and renovated this apartment. Last year, the old landlords were living in this apartment while their new maison was being built.

In July of this year they moved to their new maison and, voila, we were able to move into the new apartment the 1st of September.

With very little time between the departure of the old landlords and our arrival, our new landlords sprang into action.

And, wow! What an amazing job they have done.

A new covered table on the terrace offers quite possibly the finest dining spot in the entire village.

The apartment echos much of the elegance of the 1930's vintage maison. Ten foot ceilings, terrazo floors, six foot windows in each of our grand rooms, each with an unbelievable view of the village and it’s harbor below.

The kitchen would easily satisfy any aspiring amateur (me) chef. Much attention has been given to it’s design and stock age. Madame, herself an accomplished “practitioner of the cusine”, has truly outdone herself . I mean, there’s even a little fresh herb garden by our front porch. I love it!!!

The whole place has been furnished in that “light”, elegant “IKEA” style that the Europeans do so well. I could not have done it better myself.

Well done! Well done indeed!

And.... they have even graciously agreed to allow us to store our recently acquired velos (bicycles) and a couple of boxes of personal possessions in the garage beneath our terrace.

Wow!!

This all so exceeds our expectations.

This is our home.

It.. feels.. like .. home!

Wow!!