Puy de Dome

One of the girls I used to work with moved to Clermont-Ferrand a couple of years ago because her husband also works for Michelin.  Tessa and I took the chance to meet up with Leigh and she proved to be a great tour guide.  One day she took us up the nearby volcano, Puy de Dome.  We drove to the base and took the train up to the top.  We had gorgeous weather and were able to see for miles around from the top of the mountain.  Leigh is a fantastic photographer and she captured some great shots of Tessa. 

Isn't Leigh cute in her French red scarf?  While exploring, Tessa picked wildflowers and then insisted we all wear them in our hair. 

I absolutely love this shot.  This is how we look most of the time, Tessa posing and me taking a picture. 

Behind us you can see how the chain of volcanoes extends, with us standing on the tallest one.  Leigh has hiked much of this area and pointed out interesting landmarks.  This is one of the few fences on the top of the mountain.  It's pretty much a free for all which is a little nerve wracking with a very mobile child and a mom who has a healthy fear of heights.  But at some moments, it felt like that scene from "The Sound of Music" where Julie Andrews is twirling and singing and just enjoying the mountains.   

We watched people parachute right off the side of the mountain which was pretty incredible.  They laid out their chutes and arranged all the strings just so before strapping in.  Then they would just run and leap into thin air.  Sometimes the wind currents carried them up and away and other times they would float down to the valley below.  It was great to watch but this is not on my bucket list to do. 

That evening, we met up with Leigh and Bruce for dinner at the only Mexican restaurant in town.  Just in case you are wondering, French-Mexican food is really good.  Ryan and Bruce talked about work and Leigh and I laughed over Tessa's antics.  We were able to spend another afternoon with Leigh at her apartment.  We talked about people back at the hospital and how it really was to live in France.  It's great to have an insider's view of how life is as an ex-pat just in case I ever find myself in that position.