Grenoble Sunday Stroll

I'm enjoying my new apartment here in Grenoble.  I finally unpacked and stashed my suitcase, did some shopping for bed linens and food basics, and started exploring my neighborhood.  I'm living with three French girls about a 20 minute walk from the center of Grenoble where all the action happens with bars, cafes, and winding streets.  I'm right next to two tram lines, which is convenient to get to the university, even though I'd like to get a bike to take advantage of the chance to get some fresh air.  Grenoble itself is very flat and bike-friendly; in fact, it's supposedly the flattest city in France!  So after my first payday, a bike is one of the first things on my shopping list.

Even with Grenoble being flat, the surrounding area is picturesque with mountains closing in the city on all sides.  The city is considered the capital of the French Alps region, and Stendhal, a 19th century French writer, once said of Grenoble, "At the end of every road there is a mountain."  To the north is the Chartreuse mountain range, to the south and west is the Vercours, and to the east is the Belledonne.  I'll admit that I cheated and looked that up just now, but soon I'll know it by heart.  It seems to be a right of passage to know which is which when living in Grenoble.  I get a peak of the Belledonne from my bedroom window when it's not cloudy.

Today is Sunday and I decided to have a nice afternoon stroll.  I walked up the main street (in fact the longest street in France - or it would be if it didn't change names a couple times) and past the fruit and vegetable market that I explored yesterday.  I kept going all the way to the Isere River which runs at the foot of the Bastille, a small fortified mountain that is one of the main tourist attractions of the city.  I crossed the river where I thought I would find a flea market.  Alas there was nothing (the website I saw the information on must be outdated), so I stopped by the supermarket there and picked up a couple things to add to my hoard of fruits and veggies at home.  I continued along the quay, pondering over which pizza restaurant I'd be trying first and when that would be.  There must have been 25 in a row!  I continued meandering along the river, eventually crossing a bridge back to the old city.  Being Sunday, the shops were closed.  However, people were still out and about getting lunch or walking around.  A couple outdoor markets were starting to put their unsold goods back into their vans.  After getting lost and finding myself a couple times I headed back to my apartment (hopefully soon it feels more natural to say "home"!).  At foot of my apartment, I stopped in the bakery and picked up their promotion: 3 croissants and 3 pain au chocolat for 2 euros!  Yum yum.

Now I'm in the for rest of the day, thinking about what I should make with my fresh ingredients.  I'm also trying to prepare myself a bit for the six classes I start this week.  I started my first two last Friday at the IAE business school where I am teaching English to masters IT students.  It started a little awkwardly, but then felt good once we got going.  I hope that the rest of my classes starting this week just keep getting better and better as I go along.  Besides the IT students, I'm also teaching undergraduate students at the urbanism school and a mix of both undergraduate and masters students at the language center on campus.  The language center caters to non-majors, so I'll be teaching students from all different disciplines.  Here's to the start of a good week! Wish me luck!

Bisous,
Danielle

Sleepy Sunday

Sundays in France tend to be very quiet.  Stores must remain closed, and only restaurants are legally allowed to open their doors and welcome customers.  When people go out, it's usually to the morning market.  In Perpignan, the marché at Place Cassanyes is truly a people's market, rather than for tourists.  There are many booths piled high with fresh fruits and vegetables, most for one euro per kilogram.  It's advisable to walk through the market and find the best quality before buying, because at such a low price, sometimes the quality can vary.  The vendors yell the prices of their goods, which can sometimes create a frenzy for the cheap foods.  Some other vendors sell fish, eggs, spices, or cheese.  The other half of the market consists of household wares and clothing at very cheap prices. 

This Sunday, I enjoyed a trip to the bustling market.  With only less than five euros spent, I came away with a large bag of goodies including zucchini, eggplant, apples, clementines, lemons, and an onion.  Then on my way home, I stopped in a Catalan bakery.  While I've walked past this bakery many times as it's on the route into the historic center, I've never actually been in.  After one time, I think I have a new addiction.  They have pastries (I bought a layered pastry with almonds and almond cream), a wall full of breads, and other regional specialties.  I can't wait to try the olive bread.

After my morning walk, I met up with a group a friends, and we drove to a small village called Prades.  Prades itself wasn't anything special, especially since everything was closed.  They really keep true to nobody working on Sunday.  However, what led us there was the beautiful scenery.  Prades sits at the base of the Canigou, one of the tallest mountains of the region.  Its peak juts into the blue sky, covered in snow, an unlikely contradiction to the dry and warm village just below.  I hope you'll enjoy the view just as much as I did.