Place des Vosges

For ten years, I dreamed about living in France. Then finally in 2006, the dream came true. My husband and I sold our apartment, put everything in storage (except a ton of books and too many clothes and cute shoes, which my husband was kind of pissed at me for dragging around from place to place.) We spent five months in the south of France, which was perfect because Paris can be a little dreary in the winter and the south is so magnificent. Then we spent seven months in Paris. Our apartment was four blocks from the Place des Vosges. It was a kinetic time. I didn’t make a ton of French friends. I didn’t become fluent in French. But I took walks on the river Seine. I saw a lot of movies. I read and wrote and worked and went to a French gym. It was a start, a great big running leap towards the global life I want to live and I hope and pray that we get more opportunities to live abroad.

...in my opinion. The houses lining the square are gorgeous and there are some great cafes around it as well, not to mention quite a sizeable lawn, which you’re actually allowed to sit on (very unusual for Paris).