The real planning for the trip got down and dirty at O'Hare airport while we waited for our flight (which was delayed due to a leak in the plane's kitchen). My dad had a huge map of the whole country of France spread out and Harry was reading the driving directions. We had plans to head straight to Confolens to pick up Nora as soon as we landed in Paris and rented the cars.
Once we landed, it took us about two hours to rent our cars and get our luggage. We passed right through customs without any questions because we were told there was "no staff". I think it was lunchtime so there was no one working the customs desk. In any case, it took a really long time to rent our cars (they were "big" by European standards...about the size of a Toyota Camry), both Harry and my dad got Renault Laguna cars that were brand new. We lost Harry on the Peripherique (the road that goes around Paris) and my dad, mom and I decided to take the toll roads (which was the quickest way) to get to Nora. The scenery got prettier and prettier as we headed away from Paris. Nora's town was about 6ish hours. We stopped at an "oasis" along the toll road for some food and gas. The oasis' in France are really nice. You can get fresh cafe and glasses of wine and most had bakeries. I could've spent a long time checking out all the goodies. They also had any kind of ham sandwich you could imagine (the French love their jambon).
We arrived in Confolens before dark and Harry arrived about 45 minutes later and Nora had ideas for dinner. There was a restaurant in town that is owned by a British couple that just opened. Nora befriended the couple and spent a lot of time there with them so we headed there for dinner. They were delightful and it was a great first dinner in France (I had mushroom risotto). The restaurant is below and a picture of Confolens is above.
Mom and Dad and Harry spent the night in town in a small hotel and I stayed with Nora in her apartment (which was on the grounds of the high school). A picture of Mom and Nora along the river in Confolens before we headed out to our next town Tours (with a stop in Poitiers...where Nora lived with Ben in the fall). Mom stepped in caca de chein (dog poo) along the banks...which Nora and I thought very humorous....
A stop along the way at an idyllic French village. The French countryside really looks like everything you've imagined-the buildings are amazing.
Next up....Tours and the castles...
