Our French Adventure - Paris Part Three

 After our visit to Sainte-Trinité, we headed out and had a wander around the local area. While we didn't buy anything for ourselves, we did pop into a supermarket and brought everyone boxes of French biscuits as a treat for when we returned home. We then grabbed ourselves some dinner in a little restaurant in the basement of the supermarket. James had a burger, I had some veal cutlets, which were very nice!

We then headed back to the hotel, where I had planned something different for us to do. A few nights prior in the hotel, I discovered that there was a painting class going on, and when I spoke to the lady running it as she was cleaning up afterwards, she directed me to their website to book a session. The company is called Happy Paint, and you can find out more on their website here @www.happypaint.fr. They basically book to come into public spaces, like hotels, restaurants and social clubs, they bring all the things you need to paint, and everyone sits and paints along with the teacher, doing a step by step guide. As far as I'm aware they only operate in France, but if you're there and they've got a session scheduled, then try and get yourself booked on! 

Our teacher for the evening was wonderful, although she didn't speak much English, she managed to help explain the process while making us feel included with the rest of the group, who were all French and aside from one lady, didn't speak much English. The whole process was easy & fun, and what I enjoyed the most was the fact that we could have cocktails from the hotel bar as we were painting, although there was nearly an incident where I mistook the cup of paint water and almost took a sip instead of my Margherita!

Here's mine and James's side by side. I think we did well! 

And here's all of us that took the class, credit to Happy Paint for the picture! We all had a great time, and enviously spied on each others painting skills! I think the lady in the yellow dress had the best one of all! 

Here's James on our balcony proudly displaying his picture, which still sits on the wall in the bedroom! 

And here's mine, leant against the metal railing on the balcony. It was such a good experience, and one that I would love to do again! It also inspired me to do some more arty things, I used to love to paint, but gradually seemed to fall out of love with it for some reason. Maybe this is the moment I needed to get myself being creative again. I'll never be a Monet, Picasso or a Van Gough, but why does that matter as long as you enjoy it?

Paris always holds a special place for me, I came as a child and loved it, and I've been three times as an adult, and I continue to love it. I think James has had enough of Paris now, but I don't think I'll ever get bored of it!

We had an early start, we needed to get everything packed up and ready for the journey home. Then it was on the train back to Caen, before then the bus back to Ouistreham to board the ferry home. I didn't want to, I almost refused flat out to get on the ferry to come home! But he told me there was food in the freezer at home that needed eating, and that was enough encouragement to get me on the ferry. 

But as I watched the shores of Ouistreham slowly disappear, I made a promise to myself that I would return to France. It hasn't happened yet, but watch this space, I'm always never quite sure where I will visit next!