Nobody needed to visit an emergency room this year. We got to Charles de Gaulle Airport in plenty of time to catch our flight home. We had congenial companionship with our friend Bruce and Julian’s cousin Kitty. With the exception of the train ride back from Chartres, it was a very pleasant vacation. As usual, we learned new things on this trip.
- Medieval churches don’t have central heating. It can be mighty cold in them. Keep your scarves and gloves handy.
- Just before the trip, Julian turned me loose in REI as an early Christmas present. The black trail-running shoes were ideal on the cobblestones of Paris and Chartres. They also didn’t scream, “I’m an American!”
- From Julian: Andouillette sausage is a little too much information for him. Remember the old adage that it’s best not to know how sausage and politics are made.
- Be prepared to walk to more distant Metro stations during strikes and Yellow Vest protest days.
- The Paris region handles ice storms about as well as Seattle does – not very. On those evenings, staying close to home with a hot meal and a mug of vin chaud is a good idea.
- Finally, forget the French Freeze stereotype. We met many helpful folks throughout our vacation. They were lifesavers on the icebound train from Chartres. Merci beaucoup!
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