A New Year Begins (and Ends) in France

We only have a week left in France. How do you enjoy the New Year when you know that it is almost time to leave? The answer is – you don’t think about it. You simply enjoy every day. And that’s what we’ve been doing. Each week has brought something new.

We rang in the New Year in Paris where we met up with Linnea. Our few days together were filled with wandering the streets of Paris, attending a concert in St. Eustache, and watching the Eiffel Tower twinkle and sparkle at midnight as we exchanged hugs in the shadow of the Louvre. The New Year ’s Day concert was lovely – an ensemble of seven stringed instruments – under the dome of St. Eustache. They played seasonal music like Strauss’ Ave Maria, Mozart’s A Little Night Music, Franz Gruber’s Silent Night and a stunning version of O Holy Night. For me, the music now is richer. Only a few weeks ago we saw the statue of Strauss in Vienna, Mozart’s birthplace in Salzburg, and drove through the village where Silent Night was written. Listening to the strings play, images of these places filled my mind. The music was soft, airy and hypnotic. Wonderful – but perhaps not the best choice after a very late night celebrating New Years Eve. Of course, Paris without a stroll past Notre Dame wouldn't be Paris. There was a huge Christmas tree in front with people galore taking photos. There are hundreds of us who have photos much like the one Mike took of me, but few have arms coming out their ears! (Click on the photo if you can't make it out.) And Mike had a touchy moment with a rather angry angel with a pitch fork. He recovered and we ventured on our way for the long walk along the Seine to the Eiffel Tower. Thanks to a birthday present from my mother, we made an excursion to the Hermès store in Paris where I bought my last souvenir – an Hermès scarf. While the scarf is beautiful and a work of art, it is layered with so much more – a birthday gift from my mother, Paris with Michael, anticipation of the new year, and our last trip in France. (By the way, having learned to creatively reuse most everything, the Hermès bag was later filled with our recycling. That’s probably NOT what Mr. Hermès had in mind for his distinctive orange bags!)

Shortly after returning from Paris, the French celebrated epiphany on January 6th. The boulangeries were filled with gateau de roi (king’s cake). There are two types. In Provence, the traditional cake is brioche with decorative candied fruit on top. In Paris, their cake is a rich, flaky pastry filled with an almond paste. In both cases, there is a tiny figurine inside the cake. It is a lucky person who finds the prize – unless they bite down too hard and chip a tooth. Mrs. Poulliard warned us to be careful. We chose the Parisian type so that I could at eat the filling. Mike was the prize winner when he discovered a little, baby Jesus – with a foot kicking in the air – in his slice. Just in case you didn’t recognize Jesus, it was thoughtfully labeled on the back.

The Christmas lights have been taken down in Cotignac although they are still up in nearby Carces. Some decorations at individual homes are also still around. We had seen outdoor decorations of stuffed Papa Noels (Santa), complete with his red suit, on many houses. But there was something different. We finally figured it out. Here, Papa Noel doesn’t come down the chimney. Indeed, the chimneys are typically pipes or small openings with vented covers. It would be very difficult to get into a house that way. The small, stuffed Papa Noels are climbing ropes or ladders into windows – a much better approach.

Next was Mike’s birthday. He was very excited to collect his first Social Security check as we sat in France enjoying a perfect day. In fact, the weather has been exceptional the last week – sunny and warm. We have been sitting outside to eat lunch and hanging clothes on the line to dry. It’s as though it was spring again. With such beautiful weather we took a long walk on Mike’s birthday to soak up the landscape AND to work off the wonderful dinner that he made that evening. A few weeks ago we bought a capon which is a traditional holiday food in France. Mike roasted it stuffed with garlic and an orange, and covered with herbs de Provence. As those smells wafted through the house, we had an appetizer of foie gras. I also had a treat of an aperitif of vin d'orange. I just learned of vin d'orange from my friend, Irene. This is a wine made from oranges and rose wine that is aged for at least 40 days. Irene gave me a sample of her homemade vin d'orange and it was wonderful! Dinner was great and was finished off with a chocolate macaroon with a match on top!

With the beautiful weather, we’ve taken walks every day. Today, Sunday, everyone was out enjoying the sunshine. A group of guys were on a hilltop jamming. Sounds of drums and guitars were unexpected and happy. A mother walked down a dirt lane with her two small children dancing to the music. Others strolled past as well. A farmer on his tractor plowed between the rows of grape vines. Kids on tiny bikes rode past us calling out, “Bonjour!” And, somehow, it all seems like a fitting way to start the New Year.