“Flexibility is the key to any successful road trip,” Nora concurred.
Just an hour and a half after entering the pastoral countryside, they reached the town of Auxerre. They agreed they didn’t want to stop but detoured through the town to drive past the sixteenth century Abbaye Saint-Germain and follow along the Yonne River.
“This town is known as the City of Speech and Sound,” Pierre said.
“That’s kind of odd,” Nora commented. “Why?”
“It goes back to the early centuries of the Abbaye and its history of monastic chants.” Pierre looked at a tour book he’d brought and told her what he had read.“The town has a deep-rooted emphasis on vocal and acoustic cultural expression. Apparently, many artists of all kinds come here to study spoken word, vocal performance, and sonic art.”
“Who knew? You are the perfect tour guide,” Nora said, sincerity in her compliment.
“Merci!” Pierre said with a chuckle. “And now onward to Dijon, where we will spend the night. I’ll drive now, if that’s okay. I know exactly where to stop for lunch.”
Of course you do.Nora smiled in anticipation.
Lunch was delicious; Nora expected nothing less from Pierre’s choice. They’d stopped in a tiny hamlet of stone buildings covered with trailing vines growing around weathered shutters. The local Bar du Place was unassuming, the air thick with the scents of garlic, wine, and roasting meats. They each chose a local specialty from the chalkboard menu, forgoing dessert so they wouldn’t feel sluggish during the afternoon drive.
Chloe’s cookies, an apple, and cheese might be the best dessert anyway, they agreed.
The day went by quickly as they drove through the countryside. The roads were not busy, and the countryside was unfailingly beautiful—a rolling tapestry of crops, livestock, and vineyards. All along the route they passed serious cyclists, often in groups.
Atticus probably hadn’t ever enjoyed such picturesque pit stops. Nora chuckled to herself each time they took him for a short walk. At Pierre’s suggestion, she’d gone to see Atticus’s vet, who gave her some medication which settled his car sickness. He was a happy pup and enjoyed the drive as he sat contentedly between them when he wasn’t snoozing.
They arrived in Dijon midafternoon and checked into a quaint hotel. For a few hours they followed little owl symbols embedded in the cobbled streets, which led them on a tour of the charming old town and even the cathedral.
Pierre had made reservations for dinner. Nora was amazed again at how he knew just where to stop, where to eat, and what to see. Their appetizer was a rustic terrine of the region, accompanied—not surprisingly—by a sizeable dollop of Dijon mustard.
Despite all the hours in the van, there was never a problem with conversation. It flowed freely and was always enjoyable. As she’d begun to see on their drive back to Paris after Christmas, she continued to discover Pierre was quick-witted and laughed easily. His humor was warm, and he could find the absurd in the ordinary. He showed a different personality than he had displayed when they’d first met. Including crooning French songs in a seductive tenor, making her both amused and quite unsettled, in a good but surprising way.
More than once he referred to their time at Christmas as being so important to him. He thanked Nora for helping him to acknowledge his flaws and show his love for his family rather than keeping it buried under years of bitterness.
They also talked about Nora’s life in Canada and how she had dealt with her grief when Jeremy died. Pierre was interested in her writing, and they spoke a lot about art. She asked why he had given up painting. He told her the story and confessed he hadn’t talked about it in such detail for many years. He said he appreciated her interest.
The next morning, they met at the front desk at eight for coffee and pastries and set off once again.
The morning drive toward Beaune went along the Route des Grand Crus, and Nora recognized one famous Burgundy winery after another. They stopped in at a couple and took turns doing light tastings on their way to their lunch destination. Experiencing the Burgundy wines in their actual vineyards thrilled Nora.
She discovered Pierre was a light drinker like her, and they saved their indulgences for a good meal in the evening. They happily declared themselves to be compatible traveling companions.
After lunch, they decided to carry on to Lyon and checked into their hotel just in time to head out for their dinner reservation. Pierre explained the city was known as the Gastronomic Capital of the World, and they had to decide whether to dine in a bouchon that served the old-style grandmothers’ recipes of the region, or a Michelin-star restaurant. They opted for a bouchon, with its red and white curtains and simple décor that matched the authentic meals.
The next morning, they took an early bus tour around the city. Nora said she’d like to return to Lyon, and Pierre heartily agreed it was worth doing. “You could spend a week here, easily.”
But they were happy to get back underway after lunch. They’d need to drive more kilometres today, but Pierre promised Nora a surprise for their dinner and overnight accommodations.
When they crossed into the Provence area in late afternoon, Nora recognized familiar road signs she’d seen on their visit for the holidays. Avignon was their destination.
However, just before they reached Avignon, Pierre turned onto a side road that looked vaguely familiar to Nora, until he turned into the driveway to his family farm. She looked at him in disbelief.
“Pierre, what a surprise! This is incredible!” she exclaimed. She was certain she felt tingling from her toes all the way to her heart.
He beamed with delight at her reaction, and wrinkles crinkled around his eyes. Nora was beginning to think of them as adorable.
He grinned. “I hope it is a good surprise.”
“The best,” Nora said through her smile. She ran her fingers through her hair and hoped she looked presentable after their days on the road.
They got out of the van, and Mami and Papi rushed outside with joyful greetings and affectionate bises. “Bienvenue! We are so happy to see you both,” said Mami.
