8 Fevrier 2012

My trip so far has been very busy!  There are so many wonderful things to see and visit.  I visited many sites and museums and went shopping  at many departments stores as well as many small stores selling handmade wares that have been made from generation to generation.  I have eaten at many cafes and learned it is more expensive to eat on the terrace (la terrasse) than it is to stand at the bar (au comptoir).  Since Paris, I have moved on to Orleans headed to my final destination for this visit of Bourges.

Shopping and city streets in Orleans.  Beautiful!  Orleans is famous for Joan of Arc.  Her house is there but was actually burned down.  The house that stands there now is actually a replica.

  Bourges is a little city off the beaten path but very nice.  Its locals are much more laid back than the regular Parisians.  In the center of Bourges is a lush, green area called the marais that is set aside for locals to cultivate their own gardens. Canals wind throughout the area so that they can move around in their small wooden boats. The garden is so large that Bourges was named one of France's "Greenest City."  It is very beautiful and peaceful.  So much different than Paris!