I see London I see France.....I see Flea Markets I want to dance.

I just returned from a quick trip to France. I started in the North, went to the South, and ended up in Paris as a finale.
The best part is I got to go with Mr. Wonderful. It is our favorite city, and he is wanting to move there and I think with or without me.....he LOVES Paris as much as I do. We both travel for work so much that it was nice to tromp around the cities with him.

This was the view outside our hotel room. Nice eh? ahhhh, there just isnt anything like France.


I loved this arrangement......Formal hedges of tiny boxwood, but planted with wild flowers and grasses....perfect. Not too perfect and a bit shaggy but maintained in a border. I will be doing this one next spring. (if I get the time of course)....I think weeds would probably be in my boxwoods.

This little town's claim to fame is their "mussels" and believe me they sell ALOT of them. In Europe the stores used to put out shop signs, the streets are so narrow, that you could miss the storefront, so they would hang their shingle, (or sign) above the store. They are works of art, and I love them, many are still hanging. This one is not that old, but it is very ornate, with neon, iron and paint.

I told you they sell alot of mussels. This is a festival, and at night the bulldozers scoop the streets to pick up the shells.

I found this little flea tucked inside the courtyard of a building.

After 3 days of Mussels, and Flea Markets, we packed our bags, and my million carry-ons, of treasure from the fleas and landed in Nice.....(neice) The South of France....I had never been so I was anxious to see what it was like. It was looking good from the sky at sunset.

When we arrived at our hotel it was dark, it still looked beautiful, so I slept with the drapes open so I could wake up the view.

Oh my goodness....it was beautiful. Way more hills than I imagined.

Okay, okay, they have the French Riveria......But we have SANDY beaches....Yep. All the bronze people looking like an ad for tanning lotion walk like dorks down to the water because it hurts your feet so bad on all the rocks. It sounds beautiful though when the waves go in and out, It has the rocks tumbling back and forth so the waves have a great sound when they retreat. I dont do the beach thing...but I did have to go and get a rock, and just say I was in the french riviera.

I brought back two rocks, the arent tiny either, but I always grab a rock, and write where and when it was etc.....I know corny isnt it???

Why don't they cover that thing up?

Thee worst picture, the sun is blasting in my eyes and it is sooo hot. But It is gorgeous up there.

We climbed to the top of this mountain....well okay, maybe not a mountain but it felt like mount everest to me.

I wanted to find the old cemetary. It was fantastic. The views are amazing, and the master carvers and artisians that created the monuments were unbelievable . The Carving on this one depicts someone pushing out of the casket, but you notice there is an angel on top that is whispering to her, and pointing up to heaven.....such detail.

This site was probably the least ornate of them all, but my favorite. I love the simplicity of the zinc and rust grotto, covering a simple stone cross supporting a ring of carved flowers. Luv it !

The majolica flowers you see in flea markets and shows sometimes were originally on someones grave at one time. This cemetary has hundres of these beautiful flowers, that have been there for over a hundred years. That was common practice back then. They didnt have silk flowers that wouldnt die, so they made theirs out of glazed pottery. We should start that trend here in USA it would look so much nicer than the faded silks. Oh, but wait...they would all get stolen.
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These folks even died in style.....Look at this monument....WOW... stained glass windows iron gates ....I WANT IT! But not when I'm dead but when I am alive to enjoy it.

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This is so sad it the little girl who passed has a sculpture on her monument. I am sure her parents must have been heartbroken.

I love this one too.....It is made with two kinds of stone and marble. The detail of the woman writing on the wall. It is so classic.

You can just feel her pain..

This monument is sky high. It is only thanks to a zoom lens that I could actually see the details . It has a lifesize angel telling the rambunctious cherubs to keep it down and pointing to the grave as if they will wake the dead.

These are sculptures of the occupants of this monument. The detail is incredible , it is so amazing to see how people looked 100 years ago.

Back down into town thru winding little streets we found the local market.

This soap is fabulous. I have one for the next giveaway.

Have you ever seen tomatoes like this??? not me !

My favorite part of the zuccini is the blossom. Not many people know to eat it. But I can see it is popular faire in the South of France...YUM! battered and fried....

This little shop has been in this location for all those years....how many umbrellas can you sell?

amazing isnt it...

Even a candy stand looks prettier

And oh, the carousels....double decker not doubt....love love love this....I want one soooo bad. To big to even ship home.

This is another original store in its original location....Candy store, and "jellied fruits". Yep, price winning fruits that look like they are soaked in honey....super sweet.

EYE CANDY !

Monuments everywhere

The churches are wonderful....

This is my new favorite color combonation....muddy , mossy green, gold and black.

How skinny is your house?

We were just walking around the streets and I was taking shots of great doors and windows.

Okay, now the fleas.....YAY....enjoy !!!!!

Be still my heart....this one was a heartbreaker.......If It wasnt 1000 lbs. I would be hauling that in the overhead baby !!!

Not the only one who loses their head in the flea markets

It is just as pretty to look up...get a load of the scenery....Aaahhhh it is soooo beautiful. I often wonder if the people who live here, just take it for granted.?? They need to come to my town for a while, then they would appreciate this beauty.

Okay, we are now pulling into Paris....ahhhh the city of love. It is such a romantic city. Everything is beautiful.

This is just an over pass of a bridge. If you look close there is four incredible scenes in cast iron and in a huge scale.

This is the bridge of Love. You put your lock onto the bridge and throw the key into the river seine.....Never to be undone.

Why cant I write like this??? Even the menu is pretty.....

I am sworn to never put Mr. Wonderfuls picture in my blogs . I should call him Mr. Private. Anyway, I only posted his smile so he is still mysterious. He is gorgeous and patient as a saint with me as I roam stalls and look for hours for that "perfect" postcard. He is awesome.

This is our favorite resturaunt is Paris. We go everytime we are in town. It has a million dollar view of Notre Dame cathedral, and the food is great, and not a fortune either.

The infamous fleas

I had to buy this...it will be in our showrooms soon. This is the man I purchased it from...the sign is advertising a "hair dresser" we were laughing because he has NONE>

More showroom props and treasure heading our way

this is my favorite sculpture in all of the louvre.

When Napolean took over France, he moved into the Louvre. Which was the kings house at one time. He refurbished the apartments for he and Josephine for when they were in Paris. It is just a tiny little simple apartment.......yeah right !

He put an "N" on everything he could carve.

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Thanks for visiting my whirlwind French tour. I will be posting french finds as give a ways all next month on Peacock Park Design FB.