After we found the house in the Loire Valley where we've lived since 2003, we went to stay in Paris again for two or three nights before flying back to San Francisco. This was in December 2002. About the last thing we did while we were in Montrichard was to sign what is called la promesse de vente for the house. We committed to buying it, in other words. When Bourdais asked us if we were ready to sign on the dotted line, my first reaction was NON! Then he said we should consider that we were going back to America in a couple of days, so if we didn't sign now, when would we ever? He also said we had a week to change our minds. All we'd need to do in California was call him and say we'd reconsidered. Or we could send him a down payment to seal the deal. So we didn't feel we were risking much.
La pyramide du Louvre
In Paris, we stayed in a room at the Hôtel du Muguet, near the rue Cler shopping street and the Ecole Militaire. We just wandered around the city for a couple of days, trying to figure out what we'd done and what would happen next. Walt had either bad allergies or a bad cold and he hadn't slept much since our arrival in France a week earlier. We went to a pharmacy and got him some medicine that made him feel a little better. Here are some Paris in December photos that I took at the time.
These photos are ones I took on a walk up the Seine, around the Louvre, and through the Tuileries garden. I believe I was thinking about how we'd be able to go to Paris a lot more often if we moved to the house in the Loire Valley instead of staying in California.
You.... "I was thinking about how we'd be able to go to Paris a lot more often if we moved to the house in the Loire Valley instead of staying in California."
ReplyDeleteMe.... "And... have you?"
Not really. We went to Paris often in the "early years" — 2003 until 2007 or so, often driving the car up there. For the past 10 years or so, we haven't been going to Paris that often except when the reason was spending the night there before flying off to America. Anyway, Paris is less essential because we are. after all, in France.
DeleteIf I'm not mistaken, the statue in the last photo is by Mayol.
ReplyDeleteIl s'agit en effet d'Aristide Maillol (1861-1944).. Sorry for the misspelling of the name of the sculptor.
DeleteIt looks like the statue on the third photo might also be by Maillol.
DeleteWhat a big thing that was!
ReplyDeleteWow! You got a photo of me - but i don't know if it is the fourth photo or the sixth one.
ReplyDeleteIt has to be the fourth one as the sixth one is definitely me!
DeleteLOL, you two.
DeleteHee-hee - you gals!!!
DeleteMary in Oregon
I bet your heart was pounding as you signed la promesse de vente.
ReplyDeleteLa promesse...there's something about that paperwork that always makes me feel trapped. Even though I'm doing the shopping. December's a great time to go to Paris.
ReplyDeleteWe were in a good position as far as signing the promesse went. We knew we would need to sell our SF house at a good price, and that was likely to happen. It was just a question of when. I went ahead and sent the 10% down-payment to France, and we worked on finding a real estate agent in SF. I figured if we lost the down-payment money, it wouldn't fundamentally change our lives. The French realtor set the closing for April 15, and we sold in SF in February. It all worked out. To tell you the truth, I never thought I'd be able to pay "cash" for a house in my life.
DeleteI really, REALLY miss traveling.
ReplyDeleteMary in Oregon
I know what you mean. There are so many places in France I still haven't seen. I have a list of town and département names from A to Z, starting with Angoulême, Aveyron, and Autun at the top of it. And Paris, of course.
DeleteOK. I guess it's time for me to get serious. I like your idea of alphabetizing my list. I'll get on it and keep you informed (I hope!).
ReplyDelete