I must say that I'm sort of gutted to be away for a whole month before I get to really entrench myself in the town. Some of my future classmates where actually nice enough to come and meet me at the Gare (train station). They showed me around the town and also took me out for a few drinks at their local HQ. They laboured through my French even though their English is ten times better and even tried to teach me how to dance properly.
While they had class I sorted out a few things with the exchange coordinator, checked out their lesson and took a look around Blois. It really is exactly what I was looking for in coming to France, its seems like a sort of mix between a big village and a small city. The photo above was taken from one of the three bridges across the Loire river from the older town to the newer one.
The flat in which I'll be living is in the old town and is only about 4 minutes walk from the école. There is a slight climb up the hill between the house and the école that many of the frogs to perceive as a mountain... I get the feeling that the girl heading to Wellington will be in for a bit of a surprise when she first climbs Durham Cres.
The Flat itself is fantastic. It has a great view of one of the older churches in Blois, with the river in the background, and is almost right above the best boulangerie in the town too. Best of all, it has its own library! The bibliotheque at the école is also very good, but the collection of books in the lounge (pictured above) makes for an excellent supplement.
I'm really looking forward to returning and getting settled into the French lifestyle as best as I can.
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