Bonjour de la France. It moves me to be able to type those words. We had planned to visit France as a family in 2020, but 2020 dashed a lot of plans and taught us to appreciate what matters, didn’t it? I shifted course and decided to begin a medical assistant program this summer since I did not foresee that we would be able to go abroad. And yet in early June 2021, despite only recently easing some rigid lockdowns, the government of France announced that American visitors would be allowed in again. After discussing this with my husband, we decided that returning to France was a priority. I don’t know if I will re-enroll in the medical assistant program next year, but I do know that this timing is right. So here we are, having arrived this week, grateful and amazed that amid this global context we have been allowed to come.

*Hot air balloons over Eastern France seen from our window this evening*

Strangely, the required PCR test results (to prove ourselves Covid-negative) were not checked by anyone--not at our departure airport, nor when we passed passport control in Iceland, nor on arrival in Paris. No matter; we had other transitions to manage after our two flights, taking the metro, two trains, and a rental car finally to arrive in le Grand Est, as the French call Eastern France. I think we’d been awake for a full 24 hours by the time we collapsed at our current home.

*Enjoying a classic toy at our French homestay*

Waking up in the comfort of a home, even a foreign one, is such a blessing. We’ll be staying in French homes for the next month, mostly free of charge thanks to HomeExchange.com. I cannot recommend HomeExchange highly enough (especially for families). While French travelers are still not allowed into the US due to Covid restrictions, we are able to stay in these French homes for the next month thanks to the HomeExchange points we had accumulated. I’m going to write a separate post soon on HomeExchange because it is such a fantastic option for families who have a home or apartment to offer, no matter how humble, and even for those without a home to exchange, it can be a great alternative to Airbnb. (if you’re interested in signing up now, my link here will give you up to 250 points—enough for a free night!).

In any case, we’ve started our travels here in Eastern France because my husband wanted to see some of the historic sites at Verdun. Our children will be studying modern history as part of their homeschool curriculum this year, so it’s wonderful timing for them to visit Verdun as well. In addition, we’ve planned a visit to a former fort on the Maginot Line. In between we’ll be visiting friends and parks and boulangeries and cathedrals and enjoying some of the best aspects of France for families.

I’m separating these experiences into upcoming blog posts for easier reading. In the meantime, I so appreciate your following along. In fact, I’ve received such kind and personable emails from some of you over the past few months and I am so grateful for your kindness and support. I’ve also felt quite guilty because I haven’t responded to these kind emails amid the whirlwind of preparations for our trip and with the shrinking amounts of time available to write with a baby in our household. (Our youngest of five children is now eight months old, with fewer naps to take and more mobility for getting into mischief!).

*Fields and afternoon sun in le Grand Est, France*

It’s good to be back on the blog, and I hope you’ll delight in another series of French travel posts over the next few months.

A bientôt,

Michele

This post contains affiliate links. When you sign up for HomeExchange with the link provided, I receive GuestPoints and you receive an equal amount of GuestPoints. Merci for supporting Intentional Mama!