Brushing the Donkey

The second week of winter break is almost halfway over and I don’t know where the time has gone!  We’ve stuck closer to home this past week.  On Monday, we had an afternoon out with donkeys.  France, like many other  countries worldwide, is pushing agricultural tourism as a way to help farmers earn extra income and show off their knowledge. Any working farm or ranch can participate.  Sometimes agriculture tourism means a gîte or a farm bed-and-breakfast, sometimes it means a “petting zoo”-type experience with farm animals, other times you can even help out on the farm–the possibilities depend on the farmer and his/her domain.  L’Âne de Gouttière, located between Dol-de-Bretagne and Combourg, is one example in the greater Saint Malo area.

Baa, Baa White Sheep

Frédéric and his family raise their sheep for both meat and wool.  While the sheep provide their principal livelihood, they also have chickens, rabbits and donkeys.  In 2005, they decided to branch out into agricultural tourism and started include donkey rides and themed visits.  (You can also learn about how yarn is made.  They dye and sell their own yarn.)  For 25€, we rented a donkey for the afternoon.  Frédéric and his daughter were there to greet us and teach us Donkey 101.  While he was getting our donkey, the girls went exploring around the farm.  The sheep, especially the baby lambs, immediately caught their attention.  Once our donkey was tied up and waiting for us, Laura and Elise went straight to work brushing our donkey Oliver.  I was surprised that they were both so at ease with Oliver considering that he was at least twice their size.  You can choose to take your donkey out alone for the morning or afternoon (map with suggested itinerary provided) or have Frédéric go with you (25€/2 hours).  We took the plunge and decided to go out on our own.   After our crash course in how to “pilot” a donkey–including the all important Rule No. 1 Do NOT let the donkey stop to graze or you will never go anywhere–we were off!

Snack Time by the Moulin (Mill)

Their farm is minutes from a natural reserve and an ancient mill that has been nicely maintained (perhaps restored?).   While his map provided a nice loop that older children could easily have done, we chose to go to the mill and back.  As only one child at a time can ride the donkey, we were moving at a slower pace than most people.  Most of the walk is on hiking trails.  A small portion is on back roads, however, we only met a tractor on our walk.  As much as the girls enjoyed brushing and cleaning Oliver, riding him was another matter.  I’m not sure if it was being so far off the ground or being on an animal but neither girl lasted long on his back.  We went with friends.  Their son who is the same age as Laura loved riding the donkey and spent most of the hike on Oliver’s back.  We brought backpacks to carry a snack but your donkey comes with saddle bags.  A donkey can easily carry up to 40 kilos of baggage without a problem!

While you wouldn’t plan your family vacation around a day trip here, if you are spending time in the area with your kids, this would make a nice half-day trip and a change from ocean/water-based excursions.  For the more adventurous and those looking for a short break, they will help you plan a 2-5 day hiking trip with your donkey!  If you’ve ever wanted to walk to the Mont Saint Michel with a donkey carrying your belongings this is your chance!  Each days’ hike ends with you spending the night in a local B&B or farm.  I think for now an afternoon is more than enough for the girls given their age.  One day, however, maybe we will walk to the Mont!

Mémorial de Caen on a Windy Winter Day

If you’re looking for one museum to go with your trip to the D-Day beaches, the Mémorial de Caen is it!  While the entire D-Day area is full of little museums all of which promise to add to your visit, the Mémorial de Caen surpasses them all in terms of quality and scope (and price but more on that later).  You can easily spend the entire day here and not run out of things to see.  The Mémorial’s scope isn’t limited to D-Day and WWII, but the majority of 20th century history from the ashes of WWI through the Cold War and the fall of the Berlin Wall.  Ambitious to say the least but the museum succeeds in placing the D-Day story (and WWII itself) in a larger historical context.

The Mémorial is open from 9-19:00 for most of the year.  If you’re not coming by bus or as part of a tour group, the easiest way to get to the museum is by car.  Take Exit 7 off of the Caen beltway/ring road and follow the well-marked signs.  Parking is free.  You can also take the n°2 bus from the city center to “Mémorial.”  As a side note, for those using public transportation, the Mémorial also offers packages combining a visit to the Mémorial with a guided tours of the British and American D-Day beaches.  While a bit pricey, I would recommend them based on the simple fact that visiting the D-Day beaches without a car is an uphill battle due both the size and scope of the battlefield as well as the dearth of public transportation.

Non-Violence Statue outside of the Mémorial

The Mémorial is not cheap!  Adults tickets cost 18.80€ during the tourist season (and are only slightly reduced the rest of the year).  Children, defined as those 10-25 years old, cost 16.30€.  Younger children are free.  Once you’ve gotten over the sticker shock, the museum is worth the money.  Families, with at least one child over the age of 10, should buy the Family Pass ticket which allows museum access for the entire family for 48€.   Audio guides cost an additional 4€, however, I wouldn’t spend money on one here.  Due to the graphic nature of some of the exhibits, children under 10 are not encouraged to visit the museum.  Instead, the museum offers free on-site daycare with the purchase of a ticket.  Babies must be at least 3 months old to be accepted by the daycare.  We dropped the girls off and received a pager to carry with us during our visit.  Staff can contact you in case of any problems by buzzing you.  Laura had no issues, we received a “buzz” to come and pick up Elise who refused to be left and wouldn’t stop crying.  While strollers are not allowed in the museum, the museum loans baby carriers to parents who want to bring their infant with them.  We ended up toting Elise around the museum with us.  For older visitors, the Mémorial also loans wheel chairs and we passed several people being pushed through the museum.

WWII Bomber and Ticketing Area

There are three main exhibit areas at the Mémorial which can roughly be broken down into 1918-1945, the Cold War and finally, “Opinion Spots” which deals with issues in today’s changing world. A half day is enough to see the main exhibit which takes you from the aftermath of WWI all the way through the bombed out ashes of WWII as well as the more locally focused D-Day/Normandy Campaign one.  As you are following a chronological path through the museum, it is not easy to leave the “official path” easily–make sure you take advantage of the toilet facilities near the ticketing area before you start your visit.  The main exhibit starts with you literally spiraling downward into the museum and through the 1920s and 1930s into fascism and war.  Displays combine artifacts, pictures, sound and video to bring events to life in front of you.  Texts/Commentaries are written in French, English and German.  (Members of the staff are also bi- or trilingual.)  You will do a lot of reading as you go through the museum so make sure to bring your classes.  There are ample spots to sit down.  Several mini-theaters integrated into the visit show actual footage of events and mini-documentaries (the one on the Rape of Nanking was particularly moving).  You continue to move forward in time as you make your way through the museum.  Two short films are also regularly shown throughout the day–D-Day, a 15-minute film, plays every half hour from 10-17:30 while Hope, 20 minutes long, is shown ever hour on the hour from 11-17.

To get an idea of the pace/time it takes to get through the museum, walking through the WWI-WWII and D-Day exhibits took us all morning.  We ate lunch in the Mémorial café (simple sandwiches), watched the D-Day film and then power-walked the Cold War.  We could easily have spent more time on the Cold War.  The reality though was that the morning was already a rather intense experience and we were all ready for something a little lighter (and Elise’s patience was wearing thin).  We did not even get to the Mémorial’s exhibit area devoted to current events (human rights, climate change, censorship, etc.) or Nobel Peace Prize winners.  Even if we didn’t visit the Peace Gallery, I do appreciate the fact that a museum which deals with such bloody history has dedicated part of its space to the search for peace and a better world.

As it was freezing cold, we did not take advantage of the Mémorial’s gardens either.  For those visiting in warmer weather, I think they would make a nice break in the middle of your visit.  There are three gardens–the American Garden, the British Garden and the Canadian Garden–dedicated to France’s main liberators.  The gift shop, however, did attract my attention.  There are a multitude of books, DVDs, souvenirs and, most importantly, postcards available for sale.  Prices are reasonable and the selection is good.   Whether at the end or beginning of your D-Day trip, the Mémorial de Caen deserves a spot on your agenda.  You won’t regret your time within its walls!

2012 French Heart Stamps

I seem to be perpetually late with my holidays–or at least with posting about them!  Valentine’s Day is not as big a holiday here as in other countries.  You will not find little kids exchanging Valentine’s cards at school for example or colorful pink and red themed candy at the supermarket.  There isn’t a specific food or desert associated with it as is the case with so many other holidays here either.  Valentine’s definitely more of an understated, adult romantic, chocolate and jewelry affair here.  It is also an occasion to send a little bit of love in the mail!

Who doesn’t like getting a love letter?  And why not with a themed Valentine’s stamp to go with it?  The USA has been issuing “Love” stamps since 1973 and last year’s floral heart block is a favorite of mine.  While “love” themed stamps have been around for years, France was the first country to issue heart-shaped stamps in 1999.  The first stamp was simply heart-shaped; when it turned out to be an instant success, La Poste started the tradition of having fashion designers create the annual heart stamp(s).  Yves Saint Laurent, Christian LaCroix and, now, Adeline André have all designed stamps for the annual series.  This year’s stamp, the “Patch d’Amour” is designed a bit like a tattoo.  The stamp is a clear sticker and the background depends on the surface on which it is applied.  Since the first French heart-shaped stamp, other countries have also issued their own versions.  I have heart-shaped stamps from Japan and Slovenia as well.

If you would like a postcard with some “love,” send me a note or leave a comment with your email in it so that I can get your address.  I have five lonely hearts here looking for some love!

EDIT: All stamps have been accounted for

Guardian Deity of Children (Hourinji, Kyoto)

After this weekend’s naif sculptures in Saint Malo, I found myself drawn to this postcard today.  I love the beauty in this sculpture nestled among the hydrangea but I confess I know nothing about it.  Is it part of a shrine?  A garden?  Is it even meant to be Art?  What does it represent?  What does it represent to me?  Sometimes I like to go to an exhibit and just look at the art–no audio guide, no commentary, no background reading, just me and the art.  I go back and forth on whether I have a more profound experience when I’ve read up on the artist (or choose to listen to the official exhibit commentary) or when I just let myself be surprised.  I think the answer depends on my mood–well-structured commentary can bring a painting or sculpture alive in ways that you might miss on your own.  Symbolism has grown and changed over the centuries and what might have been obvious to a 16th century viewer, for example, might be less clear to today’s amateur art lover.  For centuries European art and Christianity went hand-in-hand.  A basic knowledge of the Bible and Catholic saints can give many a painting a little more weight and background story.  But then again, does it really matter that you know that the man dying in agony covered in arrows is Saint Sebastian to make the painting more poignant? I’m not sure.  (Can you tell that A. and I made a game out of “name that Saint” on our last visit to the Louvre?)   I deal with this question even more so when looking at non-Western art where my background knowledge is either lacking or simply non-existent.  I don’t have an answer and I was never meant to be a philosopher!

(As for this card, as soon as I read the caption and looked at the message, it did mean more to me!  I was pregnant with Elise when I received it and the message sent wishes for a healthy baby.)

Angry Husband and Cheating Wife

France is freezing right now but that’s no reason not to get out for a quick trip if you’re nicely bundled up!  If you’re visiting Saint Malo and want to see some original artwork head over to Rothéneuf.  Rothéneuf is only 5km from Intra-Muros (Saint-Malo’s walled city) and makes a quick side trip.  Come and admire Abbé Fouré’s rock sculptures!

Abbé Fouré (1839-1910) was a French priest and “naif” artist.  After a stroke left him partially paralyzed, mute and deaf at 55, Fouré ceased active parish work and retreated to Rothéneuf.  There he devoted his life to prayer and carving.  Living as a quasi-hermit, Fouré turned to sculpture and carved the granite cliffs of Rothéneuf into over 300 different statues.  Working for over 25 years, Fouré created his own testament.  Today the rochers sculptés de Rothéneuf as they are known in French let you can see the entire world through his eyes.  Angry husbands and cheating wives (see above–I can’t help but laugh), sea dragons, angels, animals and even Lucifer himself emerge from the granite.   You reach the sculptures via steps carved into the cliff.  The sculptures are “rough” like the sea and have been battered by the elements since their creation.  (Do not expect to see a Michelangelo here!)  Erosion has already claimed several of Abbé Fouré’s creations.  Fouré also carved a number of wood sculptures, however, the majority were lost in a fire.

Sea Monster with the Last of the Rothéneuf Family

The Abbé also took care to carve the story of the Rothéneuf family into stone.  The Rothéneuf family, for whom the area is named,  were a prominent local buccaneer family from the 15th-18th century.  Not all of the family came to a happy ending–Fouré carved the last of the family being devoured by a sea monster.  Laura and Elise loved climbing among the sculptures and pointing out the ones that caught their attention.  You don’t need to spend a lot of time here to appreciate Fouré’s oeuvre.  If you’re looking for a nice way to end your afternoon or a short visit to start your evening, the sculptures are a good choice.  Admission is 2.50€.  Even if you come to the sculptures by hiking the free coastal paths, the person manning the admission booth will insist that you pay to continue for the stretch that includes the sculptures.  There is a small free parking lot near the sculptures for those coming by car.  The site is open from 9-20:00 during the summer and from 10-17:30 the rest of the year.    You can also buy a booklet at the entrance which gives additional information on each of the statues and what it represents.  As half the fun is trying to decide what everything is, there’s really no need to buy it unless you’re looking for a souvenir and your cameras batteries are dead!

Harajuku Snoopy Town Postcard

I let Elise pick today’s Japanese postcard.  I figure she needs a little extra attention as she is now officially a social pariah–the chicken pox has struck again!  She chose Snoopy!  While Snoopy is as American a beagle as they come, he and the rest of the Peanuts gang have found a second home in Japan.  (Snoopy is also quiet well-known here in France too!)  The country that has given Hello Kitty, Pokemon, and the word “kawaii” to the world has adopted a bit of character cuteness from the other side of the planet.

When you listen to journalists talk about ranking popularity and influence today, they tend to cite Facebook and Twitter statistics.  I don’t necessarily disagree with this approach but when judging the popularity of characters, (worldwide) merchandising power seems a more appropriate gauge for me.  My friend Evita visited Snoopy Town, the official Peanut’s store, located in Harajuko, Tokyo and sent me this postcard.  If you’re looking for Peanuts Power, Evita assures me that this is where to go!  Postcards, stuffed animals, slippers, mugs, and all sorts of limited time specials are available to tempt your wallet.  I’m not sure I would dare take the girls anywhere nearby for fear of them wanting to buy everything!  Not visiting Tokyo?  Osaka, Kagoshima and Sapporo all have stores too!  All together there are ten official Snoopy stores open in Japan.  You can indulge in enough merchandising fun to ruin your monthly budget and then some!

2009 50th Anniversary French Astérix and Obélix Stamps

What French characters do you know?  Basing my response on merchandising (i.e. what can I easily buy for the girls), Astérix and Obélix, Babar and the Barbapapa all come to my mind.  That said, I’m not sure how well-known they are outside of France/Europe.  Astérix and Obélix, for example, are household names here–the adventures of the two Gauls and their village during the Roman “occupation” of France make for fun reading.  Their comic book adventures are classics (and have been translated into over 100 languages) and have been turned into both cartoon and live-action movies.  They even have their own theme park here in France yet I have never come across a single Astérix display or toy in the USA.  Babar the King of the Elephants might be losing ground to Elmer but he remains popular.  Finally, the Barbapapa look set to remain part of France’s favorite home-grown characters.  The Barbapapa family was created in the 1970s in children’s book form.  The stories follow the adventures of the Barbapapa family (a blob-like family) as they try to fit into the human world.  The books spawned a TV series and yet more merchandising opportunities for its creators.  I think they’re also enjoying riding a wave of “nostalgia” trendiness as the children who grew up with them are now (becoming) parents too!

Barbapapa Family (The Pink one is the Father)

Perhaps the most globally well-known French character, however, is the Little Prince from Le Petit Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.  While not a character in the same sense as the others (the Prince comes from a more literary world), the Prince has made the same jump to merchandising success.  The online store sells just about everything you could possibly put the Prince’s name or logo on.  In addition you can find Le Petit Prince as a movie, a TV series, and even a musical!   Unlike the children’s characters I mentioned above, I know the Little Prince has a worldwide following.  A quick search on google also shows the Prince’s popularity with hits showing sculptures and exhibits about the Prince all over and not uniquely in Europe.  The Little Prince even has its own museum in Hakone, Japan!  Opened in 1999 by Mrs. Akiko Torii, the museum tells the story of both Saint-Exupéry and his most famous character.  I’ve never truly understood the appeal of the Little Prince so it’s easy for me to resist the marketing sirens but Snoopy on the other hand….let’s just say we should all be glad that I don’t live near a Snoopy Store!  Elise would probably be happy but my wallet wouldn’t!  Time to give her some more cream….

1. First and foremost, do not expect your children to give up their routines (for example nap  time(s), meals, snacks) just because you are on vacation or out for the day.  Work around their biological rhythms and you will have a happier trip!  If your child is like mine, they will be grumpy and unpleasant if they miss their nap.  I won’t even tell you how much fun mine are if they’re not fed on time!  My kids have always been early risers and eaters.  We visit our must-see sights early when the girls are at their best.  Eating early means fewer people in the restaurant, making you less of a ‘nuisance’ and increasing your chances of coming across a helpful waitress/owner.  It also means that you might be able to slip in a quick lunchtime visit to a museum or exhibit while everyone else is out eating!  Head back to the hotel for a break or plan to drive in the afternoon while your kids sleep.  A. and I have taken turns watching the girls sleep while the other gets out for an extra visit or a more adult tourist experience.
   

   Improvised Hotel Nap Time

2. If you’re breastfeeding, you’re in luck, you have one less thing to carry with you!  If not, most restaurants or cafés will heat your bottle or baby food if you ask politely.  Always have crackers or cereal or some other small snack for your child with you.  Sometimes despite your best efforts, you lose track of time when you’re out–my kid’s stomachs on the other hand are set better than a Swiss watch!  It is much easier to pass your child a cracker, than have them melt down in front of hundreds of strangers because they’re hungry.  Picnicking is also a great option when the weather is nice and you won’t have to worry about your kids not wanting to stay seated in a restaurant.
3. Diapers and baby food can be bought (almost) everywhere.  Pack the minimum that you need, you can always buy more during your trip.  When you’re out for the day, bring a day pack–your child can get by without that perfect organic cleanser for one day and you will be much happier without the extra weight!  As long as you have a diaper pad, you can change a child anywhere.  Make sure you have water and sunblock with you at all times.  Small children cannot tell you that they’re thirsty, you need to make sure that they are drinking enough.  Dehydration and/or sun burn can ruin your day out but both are easily avoided with a little effort.
4. While traveling by car you can bring your big pram or stroller but remember it will be with you everywhere and what might be nice for a simple stroll around the neighborhood is much less pleasant in a museum or on cobbled stones.  A simple folding stroller is your best ally if you want to push your child around or fly anywhere.  (I have seen more than one angry parent have their big and bulky stroller turned away at the airport or have to pay extra baggage fees due to its size.)  Even if you have a stroller, invest in a baby carrier with good back support–it will give you more options; you can carry a baby anywhere.  Think of the Paris metro with a baby carrier or with a stroller, then imagine all the stairs.  Enough said.
   

   Happy Baby, Happy Mommy

5. If you’re flying transatlantic, call your airline and reserve a bassinet for your baby.  I have never been able to do this online.  I have always had to call–don’t expect to be able to reserve one the day of your flight at the airport.  Even if you pay to speak with an agent, it is worth the money.  Your child can fly on your lap until they turn two but 8 hours is a long time to hold an infant especially if there are other options available.  (The same ask-ahead philosophy is also true with hotels and bed and breakfasts.  We tend to stay at family run B&Bs when we travel in France.  With one exception, I have had owners go out of their way to find a crib for us to use by simply asking if they took babies.)
6. Take advantage of children’s discounts and ticket prices.  Babies and toddlers often ride public transport for free as long as they are on your lap.  Museums and most major sites also let little children in for free.  Don’t underestimate your children–Elise surprised all of us by being fascinated by the Bayeux Tapestry last spring!  Laura will look at paintings and see details that we have missed.  While their attention span might not be the same as an adults, with a bit of flexibility the entire family can enjoy the arts.
7. Remember that your child, no matter how small, might have their own interests.  The highlight of our trip to London for Laura, at the time 9 months old, was playing with the leaves in Hyde Park.
   

   Playing in the Park

   Parks and playgrounds might not be standard sightseeing fare but they are wonderful for little kids.  Running around, making as much noise as they want, and touching everything in sight is the perfect counterpart to museums and more formal visits.  Kids are also great ice breakers–we’ve gotten great recommendations on what to see/where to eat with small children from local people out at the park with their kids.  This last-minute local information is priceless and you will never find it in a tourist guide.  Street performers are free entertainment for kids–find a café, enjoy a drink and let them enjoy the performance!

8. Know when to call it a day!  Sometimes you might feel like going to one more sight, spending 5 more minutes at the museum, etc but your child is tired and beginning to lose patience.  You will not enjoy whatever it is you still want to do with a tired, cranky child in tow.  Have your partner take the kids back to the hotel while you keep going, return home together, take a break–you can always come back again another time.  Don’t push a baby or a toddler over their limits, everyone loses.  Remember you’re on vacation!  Happy travels, happy memories!

While we were busy being stuck at home, both Laura’s class and Elise’s playgroup were doing crêpe-based activities on Thursday.  Laura has learned a couple of traditional sayings for the Chandeleur at school.  For example, “Chandeleur à ta porte, c’est la fin des feuilles morte” and “Si la chandelle est belle et claire, nous avons l’hiver derrière.”  Without translating them word for word both phrases set up the Chandeleur as a turning point–make it to the Chandeleur and you know that the worst of winter is over.  Another tradition says that if you can successfully flip a crêpe with your right hand while holding a coin in the left, you will have a prosperous year.   Unfortunately for me, my crêpe-flipping skills are non-existant!

Crêpes de blé noir alias la Galette (Recipe Postcard)

Crêpes, at least here in Brittany, are a desert and made with wheat flour (or what I grew up referring to as simply flour).  Savoury crêpes, on the other hand, are known as galettes and are made with buckwheat flour.  You can immediately identify a buckwheat galette by its dark brown color.  If you’re coming to Brittany a visit to a crêperie is a must.  You can usually order a set menu for around 9-12€ consisting of a a glass of hard cider, a “complète,” a galette filled with an egg, cheese and ham, and a basic crêpe for dessert.  While both galettes and crêpes come with a multitude of fillings, sometimes the best ones are the most simple.  My favorite crêpe is a beurre-sucre, a crêpe with butter and sugar.

Chäteau d'Oh Business card

If you’re visiting Saint Malo/Dinard and looking for something a bit special, try Le Château d’Oh Crêperie (50 route Dinard, 22650 Ploubalay, tel. 02.96.27.36.98).  Château d’eau means water tower in French and the crêperie sits perched 54 meters off the ground at the top of the Ploubalay water tower.  Diners enjoy a panoramic view of Dinard, Saint Malo and the surrounding countryside.  We’ve eaten there twice, once with friends from Korea and once for a romantic evening.  You do pay for the view (don’t expect a 10€ menu here) but the food is good, the waiters are friendly and the view, of course, is breathtaking.  It’s wise to reserve your table in the summer high season.

There are as many recipes for crêpes in France as there are potential fillings, which is to say a lot!  While the basic ingredients remain the same (flour and milk), everyone seems to want to add their own personal touch to the batter be it rum, vanilla, rose water, fleur d’oranger, etc!  The only other common point I can think of between all the recipes I’ve come across–a very hot skillet or crêpe pan for your batter.  If you feel like trying your own hand at making crêpes, you don’t need to buy an expensive mix, simply open your kitchen cupboards.  Here’s a basic recipe for you to try–

Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour/128 grams
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk/1/4 liter
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• pinch of salt
• optional: dash of rum or vanilla extract

Steps:

1. Mix all ingredients together in a blender until very smooth.  (You can also whisk them together by hand if you don’t have a blender available.)
2. Pour into a bowl and let it sit for an hour in the refrigerator.
3. Grease your skillet with butter and heat until hot.
4. Using a ladle, pour a small quantity of batter into the skillet and immediately tilt the pan so that the batter covers the entire surface and forms a thin crêpe.
5. Let the crêpe cook until the edges turn brown, flip, continue cooking and add any desired toppings (chocolate, butter/sugar, etc.)
6. Serve immediately and enjoy.
7. Note: You can also make all the crêpes at once and then reheat them with the topping of your choice.

Snow Festival Postcard

We’re finally having cold weather–the temperature has been below freezing for the past few days and it finally feels like winter.  All of France is having a cold spell thanks to some nice Siberian wind!  There’s even a possibility of flurries for this weekend–nothing like the snow they have up in Sapporo, Japan though!  Sapporo is located in Hokkaido, the northernmost of Japan’s main islands.   It gets 630 cm (248 inches) of snow on average per year.  The city hosted Japan’s (and Asia’s)  first Winter Olympics in 1972!

I love this postcard of the Sapporo Snow Festival!   The festival runs from 6-12 February this year and is expected to attract almost two million visitors.  As I write, artists are busy turning blocks of snow and ice into miniature works of art for Monday’s Grand Opening.  The festival started in 1950 with a few sculptures designed by local students.  The idea took off and it’s grown in popularity and size ever since.  There is even an ice sculpture festival that is now celebrating its 32nd year!  I can just imagine what it must be like to walk among the sculptures.  I’ve never seen snow sculptures in person but seeing the ones they make here out of sand is always an amazing summer moment!

For those of you who can’t afford to go to Japan, Valloire here in the French Alps hosts its own annual Snow and Ice Sculpture Festival.  The snow festival is 29 years old–young in comparison to Sapporo but the oldest one here in France.  This year’s competition was from 17-27 January with the first half of the festival being devoted to ice sculptures and the second half to snow sculptures.  While it’s too late to go this year, you can already start planning to go to next year’s event.  Valloire offers plenty of downhill skiing opportunities for those looking for a more hands-on snow experience.  Here’s hoping that the girls get a chance to see some snow this weekend.  I’ve got my fingers crossed for their own Breton snow moment…or should I say second!

To begin with France has universal health care so all children are immediately covered as soon as they are born.  Universal health care does not mean that health care is free.  Ignoring the hefty payroll deductions that attempt (and fail) to fully fund health care here, most medical acts and prescription drugs are only covered up to a certain percentage of the government set rate.  Taking Laura to our family doctor for the chicken pox cost me 26€ (government tariff for children 2-6 years old visiting a family doctor)– 70% is covered by the SECU (French Health insurance), the remaining 30% is covered by our supplementary gap health insurance.  If you choose to visit a doctor who does not adhere to the official fee guidelines, the difference between his or her fee and the government price comes out of your pocket.  Gap insurance known here as a “mutuelle” covers all (or some of the difference depending on your plan) between what the SECU reimburses you and what you actually must pay your doctor.  We pay each month for gap insurance.  Gap insurance is also necessary for eye and dental care which are very poorly reimbursed by the SECU.  Laura doesn’t have any vision problems for now but her genes indicate that she might need glasses at some point.  Gap insurance doesn’t seem like a big deal if you’re healthy, however, it will save our budget if any of us needs to be hospitalized or undergo more serious treatment one day.

The Protection maternelle et infantile or PMI, as it is more commonly known, is in charge of assisting pregnant women, mothers and children from birth to 6 years old.  The PMI includes midwives, early childhood specialists, pediatric nurses, pediatricians and psychologists as well as social workers and representative of the other agencies as needed.  Their services are free of charge.  My own experience with the PMI has been extremely limited. One week after Laura’s birth, we received a letter announcing that (unless we called to cancel it) a PMI pediatric nurse would be coming to our house in another week’s time.  The PMI is automatically informed of all births.  I didn’t see the harm in having her come.  She weighed Laura, asked us if we had any questions, and talked about childcare opportunities.  I can’t say her visit taught us anything we didn’t already know from our midwife and family doctor but I appreciated another chance to weigh Laura.

We also received a letter from the SECU with a check-up schedule for Laura during her first year.  Each child has 9 medical visits which are covered at 100% rate by the SECU.  The normal tariff for a child under 2 visiting a general practioner is 28€.  Pediatricians are rare and overbooked where we live.  As a result, since we like our family doctor, we have always used him.  He can always fit us in and knows Laura well.  Laura has only seen a pediatrician at the hospital.  Free check-ups are offered:

• during the first week** (normally done at the hospital’s maternity unit)
• during the first month
• during the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th months
• during the 9th month**
• during the 12th month

The starred check-ups involve a “Medical Certificate.”  When your child is born, you receive three medical questionnaires that must be completed by a doctor.  To make sure that all parents take their child to these check-ups, not only are the check-ups free but if you don’t complete them, you lose your child support money.  Any other doctor’s visits are covered at 70% of the SECU fee.  Laura managed to get whooping-cough in spite of being vaccinated against it so we visited the doctor a lot during her first year.

During her second year, Laura had three more fully paid doctor’s visits:

• during the 16th month
• during the 20th month
• during the 24th month**

These check-ups are useful and help to fit in a few more vaccinations without paying to see the doctor.  We’ve never had to show Laura’s vaccinations to anyone other than our family doctor and medical personal, however, when Laura started her play group and then later school, we had to sign a form saying that everything was up to date.

Once your child is three, they have two fully funded check-ups per year until they turn six.  In addition, the PMI also carries out medical exams in all French schools (both public and private).  Most French children start la Maternelle/pre-school when they turn 3 years old. Shortly before Christmas break, Laura had to take her “medical book” to school for her 4-year check-up.  (At the time she was only three but due to her January birthday, she was added to the group.)  Prior to the visit, we got to complete a questionnaire about Laura’s environment and habits.  Some of the questions made sense (What time does your child go to bed?  Who takes care of your child outside of school hours? etc) but others had me shocked–Does you child have a television in their room?  Remember this was a questionnaire for parents of 4-year old kids!  A PMI nurse weighed and measured Laura before testing her vision and hearing.  Since we take Laura to see our family doctor regularly, there were no surprises here.  She also checked to make sure Laura’s vaccinations were up-to-date.  An entire section of the check-up also dealt with vocabulary and phonetics in order to make sure her language development was on track.  Children with language issues are offered additional tutoring and/or speech therapy to immediately try to correct any problems that might hurt them as they start school.  (I’m happy to say Laura’s doing fine.)

I think the school visits in particular show that France is very pro-active in making sure all children receive decent medical care.  Obviously some children do fall through the cracks, the occasional scandal proves that, but I do think the system is designed to look after small children.  Sure it would be great if they could add the chicken pox vaccine to the vaccination calendar but at this point, it’s too late to complain! LOL