Bonjour Alsace

Paris, Adieu.

We left Paris early yesterday morning.  We caught the Metro out to Charles de Gaulle to pick up the Peugeot. Judith hasn’t quite mastered the turnstiles to enter the Metro system yet. Coming into Paris she got through, but her suitcase didn’t, and she needed French gallantry to rescue her.  Leaving Paris neither she nor her suitcase made it, and again a French Gallant helped by prying open the exit doors, and like a modern Hercules holding them open for her to scurry through.

Ted realised one of his ambitions in Paris.  He finally found a genuine French Poodle being walked by an elegant Parisienne.  We are now on the lookout for a genuine Alsation.

The Peugeot is a dream to drive.  LouAnne, being the most experienced driver with left hand driving, took us out of Paris, and for the first 250 km to Alsace.  We had almost 500 km of easy driving on tollways and freeways, and then about 40 km of narrow winding roads, often though tiny villages.  Speed limits through the villages is usually 30 km/hr, but there seem to be no derestriction signs, so I figure that I can speed up again when the line of cars close behind me passes ten.  I have only bumped up onto the curb twice, which I think is OK for the moment. The other three seem to go quiet when I drive into a roundabout.

We have a beautiful cottage for a week in Ribeauville.  It is an old two-floor building in a valley with the hillsides covered in vines, and a derelict castle still standing guard.  We have the top floor, with exposed beams holding up a very modern interior. Judith can so easily see Kevin McLeod standing in the corner talking to the owners about their Grand Design. We are about a kilometre from the centre of the old town of narrow winding roads and and buildings.

Off exploring tomorrow,

Chris