Category: Travel without a car

For the past two months, we have been living the expat life in Carcassonne, France with two folding bikes, three small panniers and two backpacks full of clothes. We had been feeling pretty proud of ourselves for living and traveling without a car in France–shopping, doing errands, and traveling around the area on foot, by bike and by train. Until we got to know our 94 year old neighbor, Yvette. Like us, Yvette does not have a car. She walks everywhere. Perhaps that explains her active lifestyle explains the longevity of the French

We are currently living as expats in the south of France, in the medieval hilltop city of Carcassonne. Without a car. We decided to try the French lifestyle and are getting around on foot and by bikes and trains instead of driving everywhere. More accurately, we are trying out a life of picking up our fresh baguettes and croissants in the morning by walking to the local épicierie. Biking to the local open air marché to fill up our panniers with farm fresh lettuce and homemade cheese every Saturday. It is surprisingly easy. Not surprisingly, we are getting a lot of daily exercise—which is quite necessary, given that French food is so fresh and delicious.