France, pt. deux

No lie. Check out the license plate. And we didn't even specially request it, although I would have if I could.

This trip to France was primarily a driving trip. And I hate driving trips. Each day, we set out for towns about two hours away from Carcasonne, our home base, and while I had planned the destinations, I was dreading all the driving.

I can say now, with all confidence, I do not dread ALL driving trips. This was some of the most beautiful driving country in all creation. It also helps to have an excellent driver along. Shaw, not only fluent at road signs, is a masterful manual transmission interpreter. I will brag on his european driving skills till death do us part and beyond. We went on some pretty snakey, twisty, narrow roads that were interpretively two-way. And many of them were up mountain cliffs! But they were well worth it, as I will post pictorally below.

Some of my favorite moments of the trip were just driving on roads through towns of 10-15 buildings so picturesque you had to examine them all, and then 100 yds later the town was over and another small town began. They were all so inviting and charming, and you just had to pass through them as it was the only road from here to there.