France Part 3--Saint-Malo

My final adventure with Genavee on this trip to France was a day in Saint-Malo, a spectacular walled city that juts out into the English Channel.

Saint-Malo is home to a lot of history: it was once a favorite port of corsairs, privateers, and pirates; in 1944 about 80% of the city was destroyed by bombing, but the old stone buildings were reconstructed so that the city looks much as it did centuries ago.  Somehow the medieval stone ramparts survived World War II, and Genavee and I walked on these ramparts all the way around the town with beautiful sights on every side:

This town is also the setting for the recent bestselling WWII novel All the Light we Cannot See.  I was reading this book during my trip and it was so exciting to pass the Rue Vauborel where the fictional Marie-Laure resides (if you have not read this book, I highly recommend it!)

The coast of Brittany is naturally famous for its seafood, so for lunch I had my first taste of mussels (delicious!!).  I almost finished my whole pot of "moules marinieres"--Genavee managed to eat every last one!

In the afternoon, the tide receded and the sun came out.  We walked across the newly-exposed beach to one of the outlying fortresses (where the Frenchmen of the town were imprisoned during the siege of Saint-Malo in World War II).  We climbed on the rocks and explored the tide pools.

There is something about Saint-Malo that is peaceful and almost magical: the changing of the light and the tides, the cry of seagulls, the waves breaking on the beach...This was a perfect place for my last day in France.  I hope I can return one day!  As my dad likes to say: "Au revoir pour maintenant."

Final note:  This trip would not have been possible without the help of many people, especially Jonathan, Mom, and Dad, who "held down the fort" at home and took care of Benji, and Genavee, who was such a generous hostess and put tons of work into planning these fabulous experiences.  "Merci mille fois!" to you all!

France Pt. 2--Fougeres

The first day trip that Genavee and I took was to the beautiful town of Fougeres, an hour's bus ride from Rennes.  Fougeres is home to one of the best-preserved medieval fortresses in France; the first fortifications were build in the 11th century and became especially important during the violence of the Hundred Years War.

It was amazing to be able to walk all around the ramparts of this fortress, climb up its towers and wander through the ruins of the old manor house and chapel.  As a history lover, I was in heaven!

The town of Fougeres sits up on a hill overlooking the fortress. 

We climbed up the hill to look in the cathedral, then walked through town (stopping in a fascinating little museum about an impressionist painter who was born in Fougeres).  We also saw a statue of Colonel Armand, a hero of the American Revolution, who was from Fougeres as well.

Fougeres embodies the Brittany region: its history, beauty, and charm.  I am so glad that Genavee decided to take me there!

France Pt. 1--Rennes

October has been a very busy and exciting month!  First, we welcomed several special visitors: Mom, Dad, Tim, and Christine all gathered in Rehoboth and we had a great time hiking, playing games, and visiting together.  Benji was thoroughly spoiled by all of the love and attention!

These visitors were especially generous, as they stayed at home with Benji while I spent a  wonderful week in France visiting my friend Genavee, who is a doctoral student in psychology at the University of Rennes.  So many special experiences were packed into those five days, I've decided to blog about the trip in three segments.  First, here are a few words that I would use to describe the city of Rennes:

1.  Beautiful!  With winding, cobblestone streets, medieval timber-framed houses, and canals criss-crossing the city, Rennes is truly a beautiful place.

One of my favorite parts of the town was the Jardin Thabor, a public park which included a wooded English garden, a manicured French garden, an aviary full of exotic birds, and a botanical/flower garden full of gorgeous blooms.  I think I could have spent the entire week in this park and been perfectly content!

2.  Delicious!  Genavee and I enjoyed several special dinners out in Rennes.

"Assiette fermiere"--filet mignon, andouille sausage, and pork over a bed of creamy mashed potatoes and vegetables

Raclette--melty cheese with charcuterie and baked potato

My very favorite meal was galettes and crepes, a specialty of the Brittany region.  My galette (a savory crepe) included ham, egg, cheese, and mushrooms; and my dessert crepe was topped with apples, salted caramel, gingerbread crumble, and ice cream!  Add a bottle of cider and it was a meal to remember for sure!

3.  Friendly!  One of my favorite parts of this trip was getting to experience "everyday life"--meeting Genavee's friends, visiting her university, going to church with her on Sunday, practicing speaking French...I found the people of Rennes to be very friendly and overall the town felt like a place that would be easy to call home.

Genavee's beautiful apartment

Rue d'Echange--the street where Genavee lives

Genavee goes to a Protestant church that meets in a lovely 19th century building (c. 1882).  Although the church building is old and sparsely decorated, it houses an amazingly young, warm, and living body of believers.  It was so encouraging to be part of the Sunday worship there, which included the baptism of a young boy and a communion service.

 I also got to meet several of Genavee's friends from the university; we had two dinners together (the second was an "American dinner" which included chicken poppyseed casserole and banana pudding for dessert: strange dishes for the French palate, but Genavee's friends were great sports!)  These evenings were great for my French speaking and comprehension skills, but more importantly they were a wonderful opportunity to make some new friends!

In addition to exploring Rennes, Genavee and I took two day trips to spectacular locations.  I'll share more about those in blog posts to come!