Days 3 - 5

Day 3

Sunday morning we gathered our bags after a full breakfast and headed for the Gare SNCF Nice-Ville. We waited out front while Jeremy checked on our train because the weather was beautiful. Rob entered into a long discussion about health and freedom with a homeless man. He punctuated the end of the discussion with a request for a cigarette. Meanwhile, monsieur was yelling at a drunken homeless man who was accosting all the females in the area. The man finally departed when the military security personnel passed through.

Although the train was not high speed, it was much faster than taking a coach. We arrived in Montpellier at about 4 pm. We first took taxis to the Hotel Mercure Polygone, then we walked to the Hotel Mercure Antigone a few blocks away. After a group photo, Jeremy handed us off to John and left for London.

John led our small group on a tour of the Antigone quarter before dinner at the hotel where we met the group from Maryland. We had chicken with melon and ham. After dinner, the students returned to their rooms while the adults stayed for discussion and fellowship.

Day 4

Monday morning, both groups mingled as we explored Place de la Comédie and the market street, ending at les Halles, the market building. Several people purchased chesses, breads and fruits for a picnic lunch. From there, we released to go full-on shopping.

We found a small women’s clothing store with clothes that were perfect for our tiny females. Raven, Taylor and Tina all found clothes that fit them perfectly. And Monsieur actually enjoyed shopping for the first time in his life. We then went to the Centre Polygone, the three-story shopping center for more shopping.

Monsieur purchased three Astérix books at FNAC. Sarah bought a new handbag at Monoprix. Raven found boots and some perfume. And we all had an adventure finding the toilettes.

We had a late lunch at a café (la Tomate Verte), while Rob and Tina picnicked at a fountain. We explored Place de la Comédie for a while longer while John met the group from Nevada which had finally arrived a day late. John led us on a walking tour of Montpellier. We saw the Arc de Triomphe, jardin de Peyrou, École Médecin, Cathédrale St. Roch et l’Ancien Courier.

It was a beautiful walk as the sun went from a bright late afternoon to a sharp angular light of near twilight. We returned to the hotel for a bit of a rest before another delightful dinner.

Just before dinner, Monsieur, Sarah, Deanne and Raven walked to the river for a casual drink and a sundown rest before we returned to meet the others.

Day 5

Another great breakfast segued into a coach ride across the foothills of the Pyrénées mountains. We rode for a couple of hours before stopping in the mediaeval city of Carcasonne. We only had half an hour to explore a bit of the walled enclave. We saw the cathedral and the keep of the home of the Count of Carcasonne. We had only a few minutes to shop for souvenirs, but a few of us managed it.

In midafternoon, we left the autoroute and meandered through the Bordelais countryside enroute to the village of Saint Émillion. It is the home of some of the finest Bordeaux wine produced. We toured an amazing cave which housed some grand cru classé wines. Those of us of the age of majority had a wine tasting which of course lead to wine purchasing.

We arrived in Bordeaux in time for an amazing dinner of duck confi which everyone seemed to enjoy. We stayed at another hotel Mercure which provided yet another level of comfort.