Finally, spring break is here!
Junior, Le Husband and I are off to California for a week. We have had enough rain and wind in Seattle this winter to last us a lifetime. Something tells me there will be a lot more waiting for us when we return… Time to go and look for some sun. Ah, la Californie, as Julien Clerc used to sing back in 1969…

Many years ago, Le Husband and I decided to celebrate our engagement and drove down Highway 1 between San Francisco and Los Angeles. It was January, but the warm California sun showed up for us everyday. This week, we will be following in our (much younger) footsteps and showing the sights to Junior, with stops planned in San Francisco, Carmel, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Pismo Beach, Santa Barbara, and finally, Los Angeles.
We had the perfect excuse to plan the trip: We need to renew our French passports. Problem is, the new biometric passports are not as easy to come by as the old ones. Paperwork has to be delivered in person at the French Consulate in San Francisco. About three weeks later, the brand-new passports have to be signed and picked up, once again in person. Wait… so this means all three of us will have to fly to San Francisco AGAIN this spring?! Ah bon, tant pis. S’ils insistent (if they insist).

“10 (easy?) steps to obtain your new biometric passports”– hmmmmm…

The trip starts in San Francisco. The City by the Bay. A mythical place, an instant hit with most French people when they visit. Is it the big city vibe? The unique layout? The cable cars? The water? Is it because of movie classics like “Bullitt” or “Vertigo”? French people a.d.o.r.e. San Francisco. I will not pretend to be any different. This reminds me of a song I used to hum when I was younger, back in old Europe.
très exciting, except for the part where we get to sit around the French Consulate for a couple of hours. I should have known French citizens can’t escape the French Administration for long, even after they get an American passport, even after 15 years. I am a bit rusty at dealing with French civil servants. This could prove quite entertaining. Stay tuned, chers lecteurs
A bientôt,
San Francisco, Maxime Le Forestier. Click here for lyrics.
La Californie, Julien Clerc. Click here for lyrics.

 

Véronique - France with Véro
Véronique of France with Véro

Véronique of France with Véro

Vero shares her homeland weekly on social media with virtual tours, photo essays, live events and other publications at France with Vero. Learn more.

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1 Comment

  1. French Heart on December 21, 2011 at 11:59 am

    I’ve LOVED your posts on California!! EXCELLENT job!. I’ve been a Californian my entire life…and have lived in San Francisco, Santa Barbara/Montecito, and Carmel…so much FUN seeing them from your POV. And a friend lives in Shell Beach near San Luis Obispo….love that too!

    Thank you!!

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