Keep looking up and dominicale habitude encore!

Sundays in France.  I think Sundays have become my favorite day.  The streets are quiet in the morning...no market vendors, no busy shoppers, no vehicles.  Then gradually more people wander out as they work their way through their dominicale habitude or Sunday habit.

Our Sunday habit now includes late breakfast, run/walk through la Torse, the beautiful city park in Aix along a stream, yesterday's fresh market produce for lunch and a leisurely afternoon.  I love walking the city streets on sunday when the stores are closed up, the crowds are gone and you can really look around, and most importantly look UP!

today was the first sunday of the month, so free museum day.  I spent a couple of hours at Aix's art museum, the Musée Granet enjoying pre-roman artifacts, 19th century sculpture and a wide range of paintings spanning from 15th century to Picasso.

And, remembering to look up as I looked out the window...

spotted this amazing gargoyle on the church next door.

The permanent collection includes many paintings by Granet and collected by Granet, including this one by a friend of his...the canvas is huge and Jupiter is immense...I loved it...

Really enjoying yesterday's market produce today...

Lunch and dinner...loads of fresh veggies so welcome after two weeks of eating out!

Tonight, I headed out to meet our landlady's partner to pay the rent for May and came across Francois Hollande's victory parade...police escort, live band on the back of a little truck, cheering crowds, flags flying, champagne popping...very loud and festive.

I love France.