Post #41: Voyage de Famille en France, la premiere semaine (first week)

You probably read in blog post #40 all about the multiplicity of details that Nana and her daughter Stacy coordinated to arrange our European family vacation in conjunction with Stacy’s November, 2022, marine think tank meeting in France. So here’s how the trip actually turned out. I wrote most of this post during our two-week March trip to our family in Fiji, which will likely be the subject of a future blog. But for now, back to November.

We were all going to travel far to meet in Paris, but the Fiji family had the bigger challenge. With 6 year-old Cooper in tow, Stacy and Jason would be taking two 10-11 hour international flights, connecting through Los Angeles airport for several hours in between them. Yet Nana had her own unexpected challenge, having tripped the week before departure, braking a bone and tearing ligaments in her left foot, necessitating a mid-calf walking boot. However, when Jesse and I began our travels at familiar West Palm Beach airport, I declined my first wheelchair assistance, knowing that I could manage with my booted foot through the relatively short PBI concourse distances. Yet having requested assistance online for all our Delta flights, I was still met with a wheelchair as we deplaned for our connection in Atlanta. Recognizing the enormity of the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, I gladly accepted the disability assistance, and found myself being imperiously whisked, with Jesse’s ambulatory accompaniment, throughout airport concourses, trains and elevators, curiously observing the parting crowds from a rapidly moving, seated vantage point. My broken foot thanked me. After 9 hours on our trans-Atlantic plane, I was similarly greeted “Bonjour” at Charles de Gaulle Airport by an experienced wheelchair handler who wended us forcefully through extensive corridors and the flowing river of airport travelers, expediting us through passport control to baggage retrieval. I could get used to this.

We excitedly met our not-surprisingly weary family in the arrivals hall, in time to meet our scheduled car and driver. A pre-arranged SUV/limo comfortably accommodated the five of us and our many valises, despite all promised attempts to travel light. We confirmed with our English-speaking guide that we would leisurely drive-by sightsee throughout Paris for a couple hours on our way to our train departure from Gare de Lyon. This would be a special treat for Jason and Cooper who were first time Paris visitors.

Our first stop was for the most iconic structure of Paris, where we scrambled out of the vehicle at a busy Eiffel Tower viewing plaza for an obligatory photo op.

While Cooper caught up on sleep through most of the continuing tour, our driver/guide skillfully drove us past many of Paris’ most famous sights, providing knowledgeable annotation: Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysees, Tuilleries Gardens, Place de la Concorde, the Louvre, the Left Bank, Musee D’Orsay, Rodin Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, Pantheon, and more. We were finally deposited at the train station to take our TGV (Train de Grand Vitesse or high speed train) to Montpellier.

We checked in at the disability office for my pre-arranged wheelchair assistance, which turned out to be an especially good idea, and not just for my broken foot. The designated tracks in this very large station are announced fairly close to departure, so it was particularly helpful for all of us and our luggage to be directed to the correct track and our first class coach by the assistance guide. We all breathed a sigh of relief when we stored our luggage and found our upper level seats for our 5:15 pm departure. We later located the cafe car for wine, beer, and snacks, and settled down for our 3 and 1/2 hour high speed train ride to Montpellier.

We were met at Gare Saint Roch station by another waiting wheelchair and attendant. Again this was helpful, especially to expeditiously exit closest to our nearby hotel. And the Odalys Apart’hotel Les Occitaines was fortunately in very short nighttime walking distance for the traveler weary. When Stacy checked in at the desk, however, there was a discrepancy in our reservation. She had anticipated an accommodation with two bedrooms and common area, but the booking had us in a one bedroom with a sleeping couch in the living area. And had my original concern, only one bathroom. It was Saturday night and there were no other options for the weekend. We would have to make do, what choice did we have?

The desk manager led us to our room, curiously located through an almost hidden doorway on the side of a staircase. “It’s like Harry Potter,” Stacy remarked particularly to Cooper, as if we had been transported to Hogwarts by way of track 9 & 3/4. The accommodation, as pictured on their website, was plain but functional. Stacy and Jason insisted that Jesse and I take the bedroom, although we were willing to give it up to them. We did little unpacking, uncertain of our ultimate accommodations. But I was happy to reveal some contents of a small duffle bag which was crammed with clothes and toys for Cooper.

Stacy and Jesse ran out to seek take-out food at nearby fast food joints, a far cry from the promise of delectable French cuisine. So began our French journey, expediently filling our bellies, rather than tantalizing our taste buds. Sleep overtook jet lagged Cooper even before the food arrived, but got re-warmed by microwave in the middle of the night when he awoke with a big appetite. It’s not easy to adjust to a 10 hour time differential, especially for a 6 year-old.

By morning Cooper had found himself a cozy niche on an interior window ledge where he was already wearing his new Nana-purchased, Jurassic World raptor jacket while working on craft projects and viewing his kid tablet.

The hotel “petit dejeuner” was self-serve in attractive vintage common rooms of the old building, offering obligatory coffee and a reasonably good breakfast selection. A good start to our first day in Montpellier.

Next activity, a Sunday walking tour of Montpellier historical center, among traditional French architecture, fountains, plazas, cafes and monuments.

Cooper gravitated toward the playgrounds and carousels, no surprise. One large playground seemed rather Dr. Seuss-inspired with its imaginative climbing structures.

Cooper and I even came across La Maison de Pigeons, also known as a “pigeonnier,” a pigeon house, which I had just learned about from my friend Linda from her Facebook posts on a recent European trip.

As we wended our way through the town, I managed to walk along on my booted broken foot, but was often bringing up the rear. So began Cooper’s oft-repeated question throughout our trip, “Where’s Nana?” So sweet that he was looking out for me. At least while he was playing at length on playgrounds, I got to sit and rest my foot.

An even more common trip question from all of us was “Where’s Oo-oo?” Because we all knew that our complicated itinerary would deteriorate rather quickly if Oo-oo, Cooper’s indispensable soother monkey, went missing. Nana couldn’t resist re-naming him a Frenchy Oo Lala for the primarily France trip. We often tried convincing Cooper to stow Oo Lala in his adult-carried back-pack for safe-keeping. Yet you will still notice Oo Lala in many photos as Cooper was often reluctant to relinquish his soothing sidekick.

Nana reminisced how young Stacy and brother Benji were distraught when losing their favorite soft toys during our three-month Switzerland stay. Four year-old Stacy’s “Old Yeller” dog, renamed Vieille Jaune by Cousin Claudia, disappeared in a Coop market parking lot in Geneva, but fortunately Geneva-residing Claudia was able to explain “en francais” the problem to Coop personnel who the located the beloved “vieille jaune” doggy.

Sadly, we lost 1 & 1/2 year-old Benji’s soft Ernie doll (of Sesame Street fame) on a bus in Lugano, never to be repatriated with our family (except for buying a replacement Ernie when we returned to the United States.) So we were well aware of the potential emotional trauma of lost favorite comfort toys.

By mid-day we all went back to the hotel to rest and catch up on our jet lag. Stacy was smart to have planned the trip with this unscheduled day before her meeting was to start. Back at the room seemed a good time to present the premier gift to Cooper, the Jurassic World trainable pyroraptor, especially with Jason available for instruction consultation. The toy was a big hit with Cooper, and fortunately, I didn’t get any complaint from Stacy about its large size creating a possible transport problem.

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Stacy went off to her meeting Monday morning with intentions to discuss our accommodation situation with the meeting coordinator who had booked the rooms. But I thought I would test my “Franglish” with the reception personnel. I found out that there was no availability for the expected two-bedroom suite which would have had only have one bathroom for all of us anyway. But there was availability for a separate one bedroom/one bath efficiency for the rest of the week, which we could move into later that day. There was no view from the room’s ground floor location but it was reasonably priced, spacious and functional. We took it.

The remaining four of us went out to explore Montpellier and locate a kid-friendly activity. After more playground time and a discussion at the central tourist office, the rain began. The closest place to take shelter was an enclosed modern shopping mall, which gave us an unanticipated “shoppertunity.”

Chef Jason was enthralled with the kitchen store. Cooper happily got to choose a selection at the toy store, appropriately a model French train. I made a few purchases, including cute decorated tops for my two grand-nieces in a kids store where Jason was getting socks for Cooper. We found some “dejeuner” (lunch) for all of us in the food court. But when we were ready to leave the mall, it was still pouring “chats y chiens” (cats & dogs, which is probably not even a French expression). Water was cascading through the main plaza but only Nana seemed perturbed, especially because her boot was getting soaked. so I had to blow dry the boot in our new room.

Stacy contacted us about going to a planned dinner for the meeting. But by the time evening came, Cooper was crashing and Jason worn out too, especially from being awake with Cooper in the middle of the night. So Stacy, Jesse and I joined the group at a charming bistro located in a scenic section of old Montpellier. With the group order of shared charcuterie boards and other delectables, we were finally getting a taste of delicious local cuisine.

Stacy informed us that Cooper would like to take a tram ride. So on Tuesday Jason purchased all-day tickets at the tram stop right in front of our hotel and we went sightseeing by tram to the end of two lines around the metropolitan area. And not surprisingly Cooper got in a tram nap.

Afterwards we still had time and energy to discover a distinctive restaurant for a late lunch, especially for chef Jason to enjoy the regional food. We soon found La Trattoria, with an ideal amalgam of French and Italian cuisine in another local bistro atmosphere. We adults all chose the “plat du jour” which was like a “boeuf bourguignon” over homemade pasta, a hearty and delicious dish perfect for hungry tourists on a chilly gray day. And of course, Cooper had his favorite, pizza.

Wednesday was our reserved pick-up day for our rental car for further exploring around Montpellier and eventually departing the area on Saturday. Hertz was conveniently located in the nearby train station, where we were led to the adjacent multi-storied parking lot to our reserved SUV. It was an unfamiliar Lynx brand, so unfamiliar that we needed the Hertz rep to explain its operational controls. With Jesse driving and my relaying the phone navigation, we cautiously departed the lot by its narrow spiral downhill exit onto circuitous Montpelier roadways and multiple round-abouts to locate the combined aquarium/planetarium. We were very impressed with its variety of attractive aquatic displays and entertaining hands-on experiences.

dad is in charge of Oo Lala

Cooper holding Oo Lala on the tortoise

visiting the moon's surface

Stacy attempted to get Cooper out to dinner with us on Wednesday evening but he ran out of steam while we were searching for a suitable restaurant in the old city. The Fiji family returned to the hotel, leaving Jesse and me to “cherchez le restaurant” on our own. We came across Le Bouchon Saint Roch, featuring traditional French cuisine. Our delicious starters were escargots for me and French onion soup for Jesse.

On sunny Thursday Stacy had a half-day meeting after which we all went to the charming seaside town of Sete. Jesse continued to drive while I turned the passenger front seat and navigation over to Jason, to minimize marital discord. After the challenge of finding parking, we walked along the boat-lined canals, where Cooper excitedly noticed many jellyfish in the water. At our outdoor lunch, Stacy and I both enjoyed ample orders of a local specialty, “moules et frites” (mussels and fries).

On our last Montpellier, Cooper-entertaining day, we went to the zoo, which had an enjoyable variety of animal exhibits as well as playgrounds with attractive climbing apparatus.

And for our last Montpellier evening, we all finally enjoyed dinner together in the historic center, choosing an Italian restaurant that was sure to have pizza for Cooper.

On our Saturday Montpellier departure day, we had to cart all our luggage a few blocks to the parking facility. But Jesse and Jason had the biggest challenge of fitting all the bags, like a three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle, into the SUV wayback. As we were about to pull out of the parking lot, Cooper worriedly asked, “Where’s Oo-oo?”

“I thought you had Oo-oo,” replied mom Stacy. “You had him when you were playing in the hotel courtyard before we left.”

“I don’t have him,” wailed Cooper.

We all knew that there was no way we were going to depart for our planned Perpignan destination to visit Stacy’s friend Janine without Oo-oo. Stacy ran several blocks back to the hotel to seach for “le doudou“ (stuffed toy) while the rest of us waited anxiously in the car with Cooper becoming exponentially more upset. So what happened? I’ll make this a cliff hanger, or monkey hanger. So stay tuned for the next blog post to find out, even if it takes me a while to create it. And you’ll also hear about the rest of our busy and fun-filled European vacation.