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On The Road In France

Hi all. We’re just back from a four week 50th wedding anniversary trip, jet lagged and beat up, that some family and friends know about. I tried to send photos to this list but the ipad apps I had wouldn’t do the job, so I’ll take you on the trip after the fact if you’re interested. If you would rather not be subjected to my vacation photos, let me know and I’ll happily take you off the list.

Hi all. We’re just back from a four week 50th wedding anniversary trip, jet lagged and beat up, that some family and friends know about. I tried to send photos to this list but the ipad apps I had wouldn’t do the job, so I’ll take you on the trip after the fact if you’re interested. If you would rather not be subjected to my vacation photos, let me know and I’ll happily take you off the list.

Big sacrifice—I took only a tiny point and shoot camera, which I get teary eyed thinking of because it almost never let me down (COSTCO: Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS19).

Flew SFO to Paris, 4 hour layover, on to Marseille, luggage missing in action, picked up a new Peugot Magane coupe with a one minute lesson in Marseillese French, and headed off to find a converted windmill (moulin) in the boondocks, but the GPS led us to a dead end unpaved road driving through weeds, and it was getting dark. This is a carbon copy of last year’s experience in Sicily, including the lost airline luggage.

Later—four big reasons why this was not the right car for us, as much as I liked it
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People in front of houses (éxcusez-moi de vous déranger, mais nous cherchons……) were very friendly and helpful and sent us on more wild goose chases. Finally, near despair and near dark, we found Le moulin de Sonaille and a fairy tale B&B run by a beautiful French woman, the most charming lodging we were to have in our trip.

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The first of only 2 bathtubs in the 4 weeks. I spare you the one of me in it

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Not what you imagine when you think of Marseille. Granted, this is a few miles out of town. Air France found the luggage and found Le Moulin at 10 PM, just after we found the place ourselves.

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Sylvie, our charming hostess:

Driving in Marseille, to the ferry, was not so bucolic, but the GPS got us there and eventually to the right ferry dock.

Parking in Marseille

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Night two: our cabin on the (12 hour) ferry to the Mediterranean’s second largest island. Who thought a ferry could be this nice?

And the restaurant was excellent. We had a great meal with a French couple and a bottle of wine.

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Our first view of Corsica, from the ferry. This is Bastia (stress on the final syllable), morning of our second full day in France.

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