Les Landes.

We visited Les Landes - a region of France that Xavier cited the first time we went to Cape Cod - the wide, white sanded beaches bringing him back to that region. It is a hushed region - even in the first week of July. It was cold and the clouds portended squall, but they brought beauty and complexity to the beach we stood on (almost companionless). Bizarre pine trees were penciled onto every horizon - their trunks totally bare - their branches all accumulated at the top. Marguerite was blithesome - running everywhere, crowing with the rhythm of the waves. Colette was very serious - the wind must have stunned (or inspired) her.

Petite Coco.

I like the pearl of spit bubbles lining her lower lip best.

Toulouse.

Xavier spent a lot of his growing up years in Toulouse. He went to high school here and also university and business school. The best schools in France are all public schools and Xavier was lucky enough to go to a great high school of France - Le Lycée Pierre-de-Fermat (high schools, like many other things, are very clearly ranked). We visited the high school, where Emmanuel (a great friend from that time) and Xavier personated their earlier selves.



The high school is also the site of the Les palmiers des Jacobins à Toulouse - history spurts from these walls.