The boys took their first oversees trip to see “Aunt Sissy” (Erin’s sister) in France. For the most part, the boys did well on the 10 hour flight to Paris. It was a full flight and Nye was a champ sleeping on the floor at our feet. Callahan, who has never been a stellar sleeper, spent much of the flight in mommy’s arms pacing up and down the aisle, trying not to wake the other passengers.
Thankfully, when we landed in Paris, Aunt Sissy and Alex whisked us away to Constance (Alex’s sister) and Dimitri’s beautiful home where we all napped and tried to adjust to the seven-hour time difference.
The next day, we took a three and one-half hour ride on the TGV down to Bordeaux. We expected the boys to be ecstatic about their first train ride (they are big Thomas the Tank Engine fans), but it didn’t seem to resonate with them. They were most concerned about who was sitting next to daddy, who sat closest to the DVD player, etc.
From there, Alex’s parents drove us another three hours to the beautiful hamlet of Paleyrac, near Sarlat in the Dordogne River Valley. Dordogne is called the Tuscany of France and is known for its outdoor activities, foie gras and castles (there are more than 1,000).
After a half-day on the train, still coping with jet lag, and without a proper lunch, the drive to the house was tough. While Paleyrac is about 75 miles from Bordeaux, there is no direct route. Instead, you must travel a network of narrow, winding, hilly roads (not all of them clearly marked) that connect dozens of tiny towns. And it’s impossible to sustain a 60 mph speed.
It was no surprise when the boys had meltdowns on this final leg. Nye was carsick, Cal was screaming for mommy to hold him. And did I mention the three of us were in a minivan with two people whose English is about as good as my French?
The silver lining was arriving at 10:30 p.m. at a beautiful manor with an outdoor dinner table covered with candles and a multi-course feast of baked clams, oysters, fish, incredible cheeses and Champagne and wine.
Thankfully, when we landed in Paris, Aunt Sissy and Alex whisked us away to Constance (Alex’s sister) and Dimitri’s beautiful home where we all napped and tried to adjust to the seven-hour time difference.
The next day, we took a three and one-half hour ride on the TGV down to Bordeaux. We expected the boys to be ecstatic about their first train ride (they are big Thomas the Tank Engine fans), but it didn’t seem to resonate with them. They were most concerned about who was sitting next to daddy, who sat closest to the DVD player, etc.
From there, Alex’s parents drove us another three hours to the beautiful hamlet of Paleyrac, near Sarlat in the Dordogne River Valley. Dordogne is called the Tuscany of France and is known for its outdoor activities, foie gras and castles (there are more than 1,000).
After a half-day on the train, still coping with jet lag, and without a proper lunch, the drive to the house was tough. While Paleyrac is about 75 miles from Bordeaux, there is no direct route. Instead, you must travel a network of narrow, winding, hilly roads (not all of them clearly marked) that connect dozens of tiny towns. And it’s impossible to sustain a 60 mph speed.
It was no surprise when the boys had meltdowns on this final leg. Nye was carsick, Cal was screaming for mommy to hold him. And did I mention the three of us were in a minivan with two people whose English is about as good as my French?
The silver lining was arriving at 10:30 p.m. at a beautiful manor with an outdoor dinner table covered with candles and a multi-course feast of baked clams, oysters, fish, incredible cheeses and Champagne and wine.
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