I had a fantastic time in Besançon with Emilie and her family. On the Monday I arrived and had a French dish called ‘tartiflette’ for the first time (made of potatoes, cheese and lardons). We went out to the cinema to see a film called ‘Le Petit Nicholas’ in the evening too. The next day, Emilie showed me around Besançon which is a very pretty town and we briefly saw her University campus. Afterwards we went by car to her parents’ house, which takes about an hour and they live in a small town called Maîche. Emilie spends Monday-Friday in Besançon, where she lives in a flat with her two brothers and sister, and then they all travel home for the weekend on a Friday afternoon/evening. This is normal for French students, living near their place of study during the week and travelling back home to be with their family at the weekend (they normally go to the University or college nearest their home though).
The family home
is a good size but still feels very homely. I was given a warm welcome by all the family and loved staying there. On the Tuesday evening we ate a meal called a ‘raclette’, Emilie had requested it especially because I had never tried it. There is a special raclette cooker and you melt portions of cheese underneath the heat but can also cook meat on top of the heat. You pour your melted cheese (which you can cook with onion and/or lardons at the same time) over potatoes and eat cold meats with it too. It was very good!
On Wednesday, I had the treat of going to Switzerland for the first time! The Gigons’ house is very close to the Swiss border, so Emilie drove for around an hour up and down windy hilly roads and we found ourselves in a Swiss town. We had a look around a shopping centre and a supermarket, then a church which was painted red. After this we went for lunch with a family friend of the Gigons and had a very authentic Swiss cheese fondue! I had such a good time there. After that we went for a walk part way round a lake and came away in time to have dinner back at the family home. So a short-but-sweet visit to Switzerland. That evening there was a music practise for church at the family home with amps and mics and everything – good job it’s detached! I enjoyed hearing the French praise and joined in a bit while surfing the Internet.
On the following day, Thursday, I tried honey from the comb for the first time for breakfast - nice! Emilie showed me around the family’s farm which I very much enjoyed and t
hen in the afternoon we went with a couple of her cousins and took a walk to a good viewpoint up in the hills. I learnt that Emilie has around 90 family members (she has LOADS of cousins!) and they all live within two hours of each other, and obviously some much closer. It’s amazing! We would be driving by somewhere and she’d say ‘that’s my Aunty’s house’ and then a few minutes later ‘another Aunty lives there’, etc!
On Thursday evening we travelled back to the flat in Besançon, ate dinner, and I helped Emilie translate her CV into English because she’s looking for work experience for two months in the UK for May and June. We played a few board games with her sister and cousin, who had also travelled with us, and went to bed. The next morning we had a final chat and I left, we were very sad to part.
Unfortunately I was ill with a sore throat/cold/headache most of the week which was frustrating, but we didn’t let it stop us enjoying ourselves. Thanks Emilie for a great week!
Fiona x
P.S. Sorry I’m a bit behind with my news. This was 26th – 30th Oct.
The family home
is a good size but still feels very homely. I was given a warm welcome by all the family and loved staying there. On the Tuesday evening we ate a meal called a ‘raclette’, Emilie had requested it especially because I had never tried it. There is a special raclette cooker and you melt portions of cheese underneath the heat but can also cook meat on top of the heat. You pour your melted cheese (which you can cook with onion and/or lardons at the same time) over potatoes and eat cold meats with it too. It was very good!On Wednesday, I had the treat of going to Switzerland for the first time! The Gigons’ house is very close to the Swiss border, so Emilie drove for around an hour up and down windy hilly roads and we found ourselves in a Swiss town. We had a look around a shopping centre and a supermarket, then a church which was painted red. After this we went for lunch with a family friend of the Gigons and had a very authentic Swiss cheese fondue! I had such a good time there. After that we went for a walk part way round a lake and came away in time to have dinner back at the family home. So a short-but-sweet visit to Switzerland. That evening there was a music practise for church at the family home with amps and mics and everything – good job it’s detached! I enjoyed hearing the French praise and joined in a bit while surfing the Internet.
On the following day, Thursday, I tried honey from the comb for the first time for breakfast - nice! Emilie showed me around the family’s farm which I very much enjoyed and t
hen in the afternoon we went with a couple of her cousins and took a walk to a good viewpoint up in the hills. I learnt that Emilie has around 90 family members (she has LOADS of cousins!) and they all live within two hours of each other, and obviously some much closer. It’s amazing! We would be driving by somewhere and she’d say ‘that’s my Aunty’s house’ and then a few minutes later ‘another Aunty lives there’, etc!On Thursday evening we travelled back to the flat in Besançon, ate dinner, and I helped Emilie translate her CV into English because she’s looking for work experience for two months in the UK for May and June. We played a few board games with her sister and cousin, who had also travelled with us, and went to bed. The next morning we had a final chat and I left, we were very sad to part.
Unfortunately I was ill with a sore throat/cold/headache most of the week which was frustrating, but we didn’t let it stop us enjoying ourselves. Thanks Emilie for a great week!
Fiona x
P.S. Sorry I’m a bit behind with my news. This was 26th – 30th Oct.
That's so awesome Fi. Glad you had such a great time with Emilie. Prayers continue for you.x
ReplyDeleteYes, it was a great week! It was so great to have you staying with us!! Come back soon: you are very welcome! :D x
ReplyDelete