FIRST WEEK

Bonjour,
After a rush to make the plane at home, we had a very long flight from Melbourne to London.
London had a real buzz to it!! We enjoyed a quick shop at Harrods! What a store, you could get lost in it for hours. That night we had a great japanese dinner a NOBU in Berkley St. The blackened Cod was a favourlte.

The next morning before our flight,we took a lovely stroll from Knightsbridge down through Hyde Park to Buckingham Palace.
Soon enough, we touched down in Marseille France albeit $80 lighter due to BA's excess baggage charges.
The steep learning curve started as soon as we passed through customs, when english was not spoken and we could not find the Eurodrive desk to get our car!!
Eventually we managed to pick up our car (Great Thanks to Jacob who came to help us!!) and were on our way through the rustic mediterrean countryside toward our new home in Saint Remy de Provence.
Our villa and the town itself are full of French charm.
The small cobbled stone streets(rues) in the centre of the pretty village (jolie ville), are filled with cafes, patisseries, boulangeries, chocolatiers and a few stray dogs!
Before starting school, we had a lovely Saturday in Monaco, living the lifestyle of the Rich and Famous.
In Monaco we visited Prince Rainier III's Palace and had a look at the Musee Oceanographique. It was a fascinating museum with exhibits by the famous underwater explorer Jacques Cousteau. Throughout the palace there are reminders of Princess Grace, the film actress Grace Kelly whose fairytale marriage to Prince Rainier delighted the world.
We also visited the Monte Carlo Casino and the picturesque Hotel De Paris over looking the harbour with its tens of millions of pounds worth of yachts.
The next day we took a short drive from Saint Remy to Les Beaux de Provence(7kms).Les Beaux was a medieval stronghold set atop of a ridge overlooking the southern plains. It has truly breathtaking views.
The Castle is now partly in ruin and has been converted into a museum. The children enjoyed a treasure hunt through the castle and learned about medieval weaponry.
First day at Ecole Saint Martin (little catholic school) was very daunting! But the girls managed with flying colours and were keen to go again the next day. School in France is very different to Australia. The children go to school Monday,Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. They attend from 8.30am to 11.45, then come home for lunch, and go back from 1.30pm to 4.30pm! Homework in French has been a challenge, but with our french tutor it has been getting done. Yesterday we took a drive to historic Avignon (20kms) which is a 14th Century Palace complex. Built by Popes Benedict XII and Clement VI. Beside this walled city is the famous bridge of Saint Benezet which stretches its remaining arches across the Rhone river. The stroll through the cobblestoned streets was amazing, and so were the shops!!!
Au revoir, till next week!