After reading Chuck’s various interesting and informative recent and previous travel blogs sharing his adventures with Anne, we are inspired to try and document our 2019 family trip to France. First off, a very special and heart felt thank you to Mark D. for all his lengthy efforts in planning this incredible travel opportunity.  Anyone on this trip can add to this book so it will be updated frequently and just click read more.

August 29-30 The early BirdsTravel to Burgundy

Mark D, Mary Helen and Mark W had an easy drive to JFK, departing from Loudonville at noon on Thursday, August 29 and arrive in Paris on Friday, August 30.

Auxerre

We arrived at Charles DeGaulle airport, rented a car and drove two hours to our first stop, the very ancient town of Auxerre. We drove up along narrow stone paved streets and parked right in front of the historic Cathedral of Saint Etienne (11-16th centuries). Walking through the cathedral was a wonderful experience seeing the beautiful stonework arches, artwork, crypts, and even several monuments to Saint Joan of Arc. Afterwards, we walked down through town to the waterfront of the navigable river Yvonne, where we had lunch, walked under the pollarded Plane trees (Sycamore, Platanus), and soaked up the French atmosphere. We then walked back through town and visited the Abbey of Saint Germaine. The cloister of the abbey was very large in size, where we sat in the shade after walking through many significant rooms that now exhibit prehistoric, Gallo-Roman, and medieval finds from Auxerre.

August 30’