Linda's Journal
March 2002

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March 6, 2002

We aren't in Paris but I am going to put this in the journal entry anyway. We have been skiing in an area called Les Arcs, as we were in January. They had some great snow before we got here, but none since and we are now skiing on slush and getting sunburned faces. It's still good skiing, though, especially in the mornings. The 3rd day we were here some friends joined us and I stayed in the apartment to read while Maurice took them out on the mountain. A heavy cloud/fog descended and I could hardly see anything out the window. In a couple of hours Maurice showed up without our friends. They had lost each other in the fog. They had never been here before and there are so many places they could have ended up in I was afraid we wouldn't see them again for hours. Maurice went out and stood on the base, one of many, and was lucky enough to find them.

View of mountain from our window

There is a great place, although a tough ski for me, on the other side of the mountain that we usually ski on, where we go to eat lunch at least once. It's a family run restaurant that has been there for years and the food is always wonderful. It's such a nice break to go there for lunch, this being France it always lasts at least one hour and usually more, and we usually sit outside in the sun and look at the view. Afterwards, we walk through the little village where it is located and on to the nearest ski lift.

Church in the village.

March 9th, 2002

Two friends came and joined us at Les Arcs for skiing. The weather was beautiful with a lot of sunshine and all of us ended up with sunburned faces. We went to the top of Les Arcs where a glacier is located. There were wonderful views in every direction.

This is Mt. Blanc, the highest mountain. in Europe

Then we had to ski down but it wasn't too bad. The whole ski are is red runs which are a little above my level. I love it when we get to a blue run where I can ski like I know what I'm doing. We took our friends back to the little village we like so much for lunch. It is a long way to ski and you really feel like you have earned your meal when you finally arrive.

Here we are after lunch walking back to a ski lift through the village.

March12th, 2002

Maurice and I went to Provence after skiing to look for a place to live in the area. We've started in a neat little town by the ocean called Le Lavendou. It's a cute little city and I really like it but it isn't near any large cities and it is very overpriced so this probably won't be where we will buy.

A church in Le Lavandou

We've decided to stop looking at houses here and have been doing the tourist thing driving around the countryside looking at the little villages here and there. We pass many vineyards not yet bearing leaves, but mimosa trees cover the hills with yellow blooms and fruit trees are also blooming with pink and white flowers.

One of the many mimosa trees

We went up to a little village called Bormes-les-Mimosas which is full of old ruins and narrow streets and lots of shops trying to lure tourists in. It's only March here and the traffic is already heavy. It must be really awful in the summer.

a door I liked there

Afterwards we drove to St Tropez. It's out of the way requiring a drive out onto a little peninsula. I can see why it's so popular with its beautiful harbor and interesting streets, not to mention all of the shopping. It's hard to believe the money that is seen here in the huge boats sitting in the harbor. I didn't see anyone famous, that I know of, which I often do in places like this.

March 22, 2002

It's Spring in Paris now. Maurice says it can get really cold and miserable but, so far, it's just been rainy and windy with the temperatures in the 50's.

I just had my sister, Dianne, here for 4 days. I really enjoyed showing her around what I know of Paris and shopping. She especially enjoyed Galleries LaFayette. Her closet is now graced by some really great shoes.

Like Easter in the States, the shop windows are full of displays of chocolate and bunnies.

Some chocolate fish

Some cute stuffed rabbits