PLACE PLUMEREAU

This is called Place Plumereau; there are cafés and bistros that form a square in the center, and the center is full of tables and chairs, which are almost always full of people. At night, it’s packed with young people, which may be hard to believe based on this photo that I took. I realized when I looked at it closely later that I somehow managed to get all the older people in town (or a group of tourists)! Auriane, my host family’s daughter who is my age, told me that Place Plumereau is “the spot.” She said “zee spuht” with her cute French accent.

Place Plumereau is the center of a large pedestrian-only area in Tours, and there are lots of tiny streets off of the center (which is Place Plumereau) that are lined with cafés and shops. This is a picture of one of the streets.

Here’s a picture of another one of the streets. This one is residential.

More pics of "Place Plume"


















































Today is June 21, the first day of summer, and it's also La Fête de la musique in France. La Fête de la musique is celebrated throughout the entire country today. In every town in France today, there will be music everywhere.

My host family tells me that the streets of Tours will be full of people late into the night tonight, playing and listening to music. There will be all types of music: classical ensembles near the Loire river, choral ensembles in the cathedral and in the garden at the Musée des Beaux-Arts, rock music in Place Plumereau and at Place Jean Jaurès, etc.

I've also been told that anyone is allowed to pull out an instrument and play, anywhere, anytime. Mme Bel said that bands set up on street corners all over town and play. In fact, I can hear music playing right now - someone is playing a recorder (!), and someone else is playing a guitar in the courtyard downstairs. As I was eating lunch, I heard a loud music coming from the high school down the street (lots of American songs being sung by the students!)

Not only is it June 21, the first day of summer, and La Fête de la musique, but it's the day Jacob arrives too! He should be in the country by now, and I'm leaving in about an hour to go meet him at the train station.

We'll go to la Fête de la musique tonight, and tomorrow I'll show him around Tours. We leave for Paris Saturday morning at 8am. I won't be posting anymore until we get back home, but check back for our pictures from Paris!

I have loved the time I've spent here in France, but I'm looking forward to getting back to my "normal" life -- it's a good "normal" life that I have with Jacob and Christian, and I've definitely missed it!

























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