France - The Landing

Our trip to France started with a bit of a bump. A few hours before our flight was set to depart, we received a call from Air Canada informing us that the (direct to CDG) flight had been cancelled and that we could either fly via Montreal that day or fly the next day direct from Toronto. As the Montreal option also included a credit and got us there at the right arrival time for our connection to Toulouse we jumped at it! The flight was a bit discombobulating with the three hour layover in Montreal and a late meal service which meant not a lot of sleep. 

In any case, we arrived at CDG the next morning slightly rumpled but otherwise fine. A two hour wait and then on to the next flight, arriving in Toulouse around 4ish. 

We took a cab to our modest downtown hotel and after dropping off our bags opted for a stroll about town with a visit to the Cathedral and the University district as well as the river side. After a break back at the hotel, Lisa opted for an early night in bed and a skipped supper as the flight had weakened her while Christos went out for a quick dinner of cassoulet at a local restaurant.

The next day, after croissants and coffee, was a wander through Toulouse complete with small purchases such as socks for the upcoming ride, cards and stickers for the craft pack and a stop at the Barbour shop where Christos procured an excellent summer travel hat. A wander through the lovely Jardin des Plantes was also accomplished. We tried in vain to sell some gold at a local dealer, he wanted a 15% discount as it was not a coin/ingot he usually dealt in! I suppose Bitcoin truly is the future! Dinner that evening was at a restaurant on the crowded Place St. Georges. So far neither of our dinners had been what we were hoping for. After dinner we wandered around a bit before having a few drinks at Place St. Georges which provided excellent people watching opportunities.

The next day we wandered the city, watched a parade and visited the wonderful Capitole. For our third and final night in Toulouse we stumbled upon the restaurant Terra Tolosa, just around the corner from our hotel but missed for the last two nights, in the afternoon and came back in the evening for a lovely dinner. Finally a decent French meal!

While we enjoyed seeing a new city and being in France, the heat (around 30 degrees Celsius at the end of May) was a bit much and we were anxious to start the less urban part of our adventure. On Saturday morning it was on the train to Carcassonne and the next leg of our French adventure!