And snow it did! All night long, well into the day. Clouds all around us blanketed the mountains, but still -- it's lovely!
My daughter was already on her way home by the time Snowdrop and I got up. Breakfast -- our last one here, was different -- just the two of us.
But the girl loves the foods here so much and I settled in to my more gentle morning meal, so we got a good start to the day.
We have a ride to the train station at 11:30. I packed most of our stuff last night -- a delicate balance of putting at the bottom used clothing, keeping near the top Paris necessities. I needed to finish it up, but that took no time at all. Snowdrop was engrossed in a made up story on the computer and so I left her to it and headed out for a short, snowy walk down the hill.
I wanted to get that last view of a snow covered Alpine village -- it's so perfect right now, so dreamy and delicate, without a wind to mess with the canvas all around us.
At the same time, I want to be mindful of keeping my shoes dry for the trip. So no hiking along forest trails! (Though I did look on with mild envy at this small group who headed out on snowshoes...)
I pop into the souvenir shop -- for a surprise little huskie stuffie for the girl, but really just to have a last glance at this shop, just because it's the only one in town and there's something special about there being just one, this one, with Madame attentively asking, pointing, helping with selections (also throwing in some earring backs for free, because Snowdrop lost hers and raided mine to make up for it!).
(I love these old-styled cards -- I dont have any need for them, but still, they are as evocative as ours back home that depict New England winters -- the snowy ones I now only dream about back in Wisconsin.)
It's snowing again and for a moment I wish we would have one more day here, but of course, our wheels are spinning now away from the mountains. With my daughter already in Geneva and our own train waiting to take us from Chambery to Paris, we are no longer in a Savoie mindset.
But I think about these five days and I try to pick them apart, in an attempt to figure out why we loved this place so much (an quite a bit more than Chamonix, or Morzine). Certainly the quietness of the village. The absence of skiers at every corner. The old Savoyard streets, the beautiful forest trails right out the door. The smaller chalet style hotel.
The success Snowdrop had skiing (Matthieu sent us this photo and many clips of her barreling down the hill..)..
The trip here did have its challenging moments: the ride up to Saint Martin on that foggy evening was terrifying. And the air here is thin enough to make hiking even moderate trails a big challenge. But none of this detracted from our feelings about this place. Snowdrop is dying to come back! And indeed, as I return to the hotel to get us out of the room, she says -- can't I have one more walk? Maybe to the bakery with the lollipops and ice cream? That's a short walk and I want one last look at the village.
Snowdrop!! That should have happened earlier! We have a ride in 15 minutes!
It wont take more than 15 minutes!
It always takes longer than you think and especially when there is slushy snow on all the streets and sidewalks. Nevertheless, I can't say no. I want her to have a chance to say good bye, to feel the pleasure of that hilly walk one last time, so that she can take with her that same sweet love for her stay in Saint Martin de Belleville.
And then we're off to Chambery (1 hour and 15 minutes from here). We linger at the news stand for a few minutes (and of course I get sucked into picking up some chocolate covered marshmallow bears because Snowdrop firmly believes that these are the quintessential French candy) and then the train rolls in and we make our way to the track...
("dont pause to take a picture now!!")
And three hours later, after speeding north at 300 km/hr, we are in Paris.
Paris. Each time I come here, I have a mindset, a focus. When I'm here with the grandkids, nearly everything I do here is with them in mind. This short stay, a January one, which can be very dicey and wet, is no different.
We cab over to the Baume Hotel. My safe haven. A place that does not know how to disappoint! And in the one room, the same one each time, a room that always feels so much like home.
Yes, there's supposed to be rain tonight, and there'll be rain tomorrow. I went over museum choices with the girl -- she picked one, we'll go there when it rains. Most certainly we'll go to the park the next day. But honestly, we're here because Paris offers that needed balance to the trip. It can't just be about Saint Martin de Belleville. Much of France would often like to ignore Paris, but it needs it as much as my morning croissant needs its milky coffee. Perhaps then this is a reminder: we are in a different country and at its center, there is Paris to reckon with.
Tonight though we do very little "reckoning." It's rather late. She's tired. I let her stay with her tablet as I unpack.
Just before the dinner hour, I push for a short walk. Here's an easy one that always gets her excited -- to Muji -- a Japanese chain store that has the best supply of tiny little notebooks, coveted by little ones who like to draw/write while waiting for dinner.
And to a neighborhood pastry store to stack up on macarons -- a much better dessert idea than going for a restaurant sweet dish.
(walking our neighborhood's streets...)
Dinner tonight is at Agata -- my most recent favorite nearby pizza place. She devours the fried calamari...
And we both do great justice to our pizzas.
She is in a far better mood afterwards.
I have grown to expect good moods from Snowdrop when we travel. She is always so enthusiastic and grateful that I forget that some things may be taxing for her. She lost her water bottle en route today and she was disproportionately devastated by it. Later, she told me that she was so mad at herself for being careless. And by the way, she tells me -- she misses our mountain days. I never assume that she needs to adjust to anything, because she always just goes along with the next adventure and the one that follows. This girl loves Paris with a passion and I have no doubt she'll transition quickly, but there is in Snowdrop this momentary pause, where she doesn't want to let go just yet. One enthusiastic foot in Paris...
... the other? Still stuck in the snows of Saint Martin de Belleville.
With love...
