The region of Auvergne in South Central France is the least populated region in all of France.  The weather is totally unpredictable and for a long time my friend Richard joked “Of course the weather is bad, Leslie is here.”, initially I believed him.

Even with unpredictable weather, I’m still a fan.  Auvergne is famous for Cantal, Saint Nectaire and blue d’Auvergne cheese…Yum!  The region probably has more cows and goats than people and is home to Les Chaines des Puys, the oldest geological mountain range in France.

The area is also part of France’s largest national park, the Parc Naturel Regional des Volcans d’Auvergne, and is a destination for outdoor enthusiasts.

At 1,465meters tall, Le Puy de Dome is the highest of the dormant volcanos in the area with extraordinary panoramic views.  With it’s large antenna the mountain is a landmark for the region and in the past could easily be viewed on the label of Volvic Water which comes from the region.

You can’t visit this region without visiting the Puy de Dome but as rain, snow, wind or fog can quickly leave you in a precarious situation you hesitate before committing to a hike.  But last year clear weather allowed Claudine and I to hike the Puy de Pariou, a massive grass filled crater with incredible views of the region and the neighboring Puy de Dome.  It is one of the most impressive landscapes in all of France.

And this year was monumental because after ten years of visits to Clermont Ferrand I finally visited the summit of the Puy de Dome.  It’s not a long hike but the ascent is a killer because the climb is steep but the views at the top are well worth the pain.

If Claudine and I are lucky and mother nature cooperates our next girls weekend will come to a close with another hike in this beautiful region.

Enjoy!

Leslie

PS:  The picture with no watermark was taken last year from the Puy de Pariou.

Visiting my French boyfriend and my new love (la boulanger) are not the only reasons I visit Clermont Ferrand each year.

I love Claudine’s French kitchen and the weekly deliveries of freshly prepared food from her mother-in-law Mamie Nicole (Grandma Nicole).

Mamie Nicole is a rock star!  She will be turning 80 this year and she still prepares home cooked meals daily with fresh ingredients from her garden.

Her carrots, peas, and baby potatoes are amazing. They are sweet yet savory and are probably prepared in best quality lard and butter Auvergne has to offer.  Julia Child would be proud.

I like to think Mamie Nicole likes me too because when Claud and I return from the girls weekend I verify with Richard the size of the weeks delivery.  Extra-large!

For le petit déjeuner et le goûter (breakfast and afternoon snacks) Mamie Nicole sends delicious buttery Madeleines from her local boulanger but Mamie Morissette (Grandma Morissette), who is also a rock star, has these meals covered with fresh baked cookies that Claudine stores by the truckload in her freezer.

I don’t know what’s in those cookies (possibly something from the local pharmacy) but there is no stopping at one.  And although I couldn’t tell you how many I eat, I will admit that the tin is usually empty the day Claudine brings me back to the airport.

I’ve been lobby for overnight delivery to NY for a while.  Mamie Nicole and Mamie Morissette would make a killing (who wouldn’t want Grandma Direct?!?!).   But even with overnight delivery of the Grandma’s’ goodies I can’t imagine a year that I don’t visit Clermont.

It’s not the place or the food it’s the people.  See you next year Claud!

Leslie

My French boyfriend now has some serious competition but it’s okay he likes the boulanger too, especially for his chocolate cookies.

Our long distance relationship can be challenging but we still have a lot in common. We both like the goodies at the boulanger, we really like le goûter (an afternoon snack of preferably Mamie Morissette’s homemade cookies) and sitting at outdoor cafes enjoying a coffee – usually his idea because he gets the cookie not the bad coffee.

My French boyfriend also likes verifying how his picture looks on my camera’s LCD screen, “Ouaiss, c’est bien.” (Yeah, it’s nice) and asking questions like “Est-ce que c’est l’appareil de ton marie?” (Is that your husband’s camera?)… sometimes it’s better to just respond “Oui”.

I visit Clermont in July to celebrate his birthday but this past Sunday he celebrated without me.  He had requested a camera for his birthday and Papa came through with a low-cost digital camera.  His Mom reported the camera hasn’t left him since and Sunday night he told his parents “Je fais comme Leslie” (I’m like Leslie) and he started snapping pictures of all the plates of food on the dinner table.

I miss my French boyfriend (and the boulagner).  If business doesn’t pick up soon I have threatened to hire myself as his personal English teacher and his Mom has just advised photography classes will also be needed.   Not a bad combination knowing I will have unlimited access to the boulanger and Mamie Morissette’s homemade cookies.

Enjoy!

Leslie

My French friends may be far away but we often think the same things at the same time.

Taking pictures of children these past two weeks has made me think about my French boyfriend Edgar.  If you followed my original blog you may already be familiar with Edgar.

This week I sent Edgar a picture of a New York train and his Mom a picture of the Chrysler building to remind them of New York.

Edgar often asks about me before he goes to sleep, “Et Leslie…elle fait quoi Maman?” (And Mom…what is Leslie doing?).  He is convinced I never go to sleep because when it’s bedtime in France it’s daytime in New York.

But this week Edgar’s Mom shared this story,  ”Lundi dernier le 1er mars, Edgar a tourne la page du calendrier de NYC.  Et la photo de mars, c’est une photo du Chrysler.  J’explique a Edgar que tu habites tout pres, on essaie de regarder ou est ton immeuble…. et il embrasse la photo pour te faire un bisou.” (Last Monday, March 1st, Edgar turned the page of our NYC calendar.  The March photo is of the Chrysler building.  I explained to Edgar that you live very close and we tried to see where your building is….and he kissed the photo to send you a kiss.)

Edgar’s Mom will be borrowing a book from the library to explain to him in simple terms time change, the earth’s rotation and why when it’s night in France it’s daytime in the US.

But until then Edgar loves New York (notice the New York t-shirt) because it’s the city that never sleeps.

Gros bises (big kiss) to my boyfriend Edgar and a little reminder of our photo shoot last summer in the park overlooking Clermont.

Enjoy!

Leslie

I try to visit my friend Claudine every year.  We met when she was living and working in Paris.   Today Claudine lives in Clermont Ferrand, a small city in the center of France surrounded by rolling hills and dormant volcanos.

If you read my original blog www.L-List.com you may remember that Clermont is not the sexiest city in France but I like it…mainly because it’s where Claudine lives.

Apart from seeing Claudine, I love to visit with her 4 year-old son Edgar (my boyfriend).  Edgar and I are finally starting to communicate.  He often asks “Ou vas tu?” and “Pourquoi?” (“Where are you going?” and “Why?), just like a real boyfriend.

I also love to spend time in Claudine’s kitchen.  It’s always filled with French staples… bread, honey, chocolate, yogurt, and homemade food from Claudine’s mother-in-law, Mammi Nicole, who is an amazing cook.  Nearly every week Mammi Nicole sends a care package of prepared vegetables (fresh from her garden), meat and more to Claudine, Richard and Edgar – I love this!

I have put in my request several times to have Mammi Nicole overnight me care packages, but I am still waiting…

If I don’t find a job I told Claudine I will come back to Clermont to babysit Edgar in exchange for Mammi Nicole’s cooking.

The weather in Clermont can be less than agreeable as the city sits in a valley but this year the weather was perfect and Claudine was able to take me on a hike to the top of the Volvic mountain (see the front of a Volvic water bottle) for incredible views of the Puy-de-Dome (the oldest mountain range in France and part of France’s largest national park) and a picnic dinner.  Amazing!!!!!

Friends are important and having rituals help me stay connected, especially during busy or stressful times.

If you don’t already have rituals with friends, think about creating one, a morning walk, a bicycle ride, a French breakfast or even a French vacation.

Whether every month, once or twice a year, it is amazing how important these rituals quickly become.

Enjoy!

Leslie