Une semaine tranquille à Dijon
It’s been a wonderfully quiet week here in Dijon. To paraphrase an expat who sold me an incredible bottle of wine the other day, this really is the Goldilocks city of France: big enough to have everything you need but small enough for a quieter pace and a small-town feel. There’s just something about walking the cobblestone streets and seeing the centuries-old architecture that calms me in a way that I didn’t know I needed. I love it here.
Tuesday was one of the outdoor market days, so I took my camera out for a closer look. I couldn’t help buying some delicious comte from a cheesemonger who joked around with me (en français!) and then threw in double the cheese for the same price. I then bought some eggs so fresh that they were laid just two days before, and in a shocking twist they are the most delicious eggs I’ve ever tasted. I wanted to get some fresh veggies too, but the stands were closing up so I decided to wait for another day and finish my weekly shopping at Intermarché instead.
I had grand plans to eat out for lunch, but there was a massive national protest happening which made that a bit less relaxing than I wanted. It’s nice to know that I’m here for another several weeks, so there’s plenty of time to try more restaurants yet.
Wednesday, the rain started. I tried to slip out for a walk between storms but got caught in a light shower anyway, though not before stumbling upon yet another cool old cathedral (Église Saint-Michel, only about 300 years younger than Notre Dame de Dijon). When I got home from the boulangerie, I got an email from SNCF that my trains to Saint-Malo on Friday were canceled due to more planned labor strikes. Didn’t have time to panic too much because I had to get back to work, but by night’s end I had made my disappointed peace with missing a trip that I was very much looking forward to.
Thursday morning, I woke up with a new plan and immediately booked a rental car for the weekend. It’ll cost more than the train, thanks mostly to gas prices and toll roads, but it will be so worth it considering the weather forecast (rain) and other specific details about Saint-Malo (how spread out everything is and how far my bed & breakfast is from town.) I might even make it back to Mont Saint-Michel after all! So my weekend trip is back on, and I’m determined for this one to be more successful than the last (read: no vending machine waffles for dinner this time). Now I just have to pack and mentally prepare myself for an unexpected 6.5 hour road trip tomorrow.
