 …And a Frenchman ;)
But, let's skip to the talk about the trip to France itself!  Bordeaux
I'd visited Paris for the first time last year (2018), and my trip was so perfect that I told myself that I'd try to visit every year. And this past Summer, we managed to squeeze in a quick trip to France after our Portugal stint. First stop- Bordeaux. I had enjoyed being in Portugal, but I was delighted to arrive in Bordeaux and get a sense of it being a little Paris!
We'd arrived at night and planned to leave for further south-west the next afternoon. Our timely schedule for the next day in Bordeaux included a quick meal and stroll around the city, the collection of our rental car, and then hit the road to our countryside destination. However, we naturally got caught up in the stroll and started veering further, staying longer in shops, nibbling on French treats, and taking lots of pictures. Which led to us arriving at the car rental office after their operating hours.  Getting lost can be beautiful sometimes
We brushed that missed appointment off, booked another night at a hotel, and continued on into the night, taking in as much as we could from this port city. The next day we eventually left Bordeaux and headed to the countryside. We stayed in the small but historically significant village of Nérac, and from there we visited cute villages in the vacinity, including the one that my boyfriend's mom lives in.  Nérac, France
 The statue of Fleurette at Garenne Park, Nérac
Our four days in the French countryside were well spent and enough time for me to get a very local experience of the southwest. Besides Nérac, we also visited Poudenas, Mézin, Condom and Fourcès. Take a look at the pictures! The towns are tiny and cute, and we even stayed in a medieval tower in Nerac, which was a memorable adventure in itself. 
 
Castles, sunflower fields, fields of hay, vineyards, cute restaurants, small shops, and village fêtes. We were once again Livin La Vida Locale!
My favorite thing about the Summer in the countryside in France was the outdoor village parties. We'd missed all in Portugal, so I felt fortunate to experience this in France- the food, live music, and lots of local small-town vibes. 
  We spent hours just relaxing at Café Galerie in Poudenas.
After our countryside tryst, we then culminated our summer adventure in…
 …Finally, Paris! Our time in Paris was short but even better than my already fantastic experience of last year! By the time we'd arrived in Paris (from Portugal and then the French countryside), we were both tanned, relaxed, a bit tired from all of the travel, but still wanting more- even in unbelievable 40-degree weather!  by SHANYA Oversized Caftan
 One hot Summer, but #praisebe, it's Paris!
   Relaxed in my T-Shirt Dress
 Our stay there was very laid back, and kept it local. We roamed the streets, visited fun restaurants, did a little shopping, dined (and got drunk) with friends, dipped in our hotel pool, and just took in Paris for what it is- the best city ever! Ha! We departed Paris on a high, looking forward to our next visit. A perfect end to our Summer vacation. #anotherdreamcometrue I hope I can keep it going in 2020!  Until Next Time, Shanya |
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