My 1500 Mile Odyssey in France

This was, perhaps, the greatest adventure of my life.

It was inspired by my grandfather's collection of photos from his time as an ambulance driver in World War I. The basic goal of the trip was to recreate his journey across France, using information I acquired during a research trip to the National Archives in Washington, DC last summer.

I began the trip in Brest, near the westernmost point of continental France, rented a bicycle there, and rode to Charleville-Mezieres, near the Belgian border, then returning to Brest, all in the course of a month. On the way, I experienced the magical, chateau-adorned Loire Valley, the rolling vineyards of the Champagne region, the forested hills of the Perche, and the rugged coastlines of Normandie and Bretagne.

It was a gastronomic and oenophilic paradise, as I sampled the regional cuisines of northern France, from humble crepes to magnificent champagnes. And the cheeses! Don't get me started on the exquisite French cheeses...

But what really made the trip were the people I met. I was able, through my research, to find many of the locations in my grandfather's pictures, and I took copies of the photos with me to give to residents of the homes in his photos. I was sheer magic to see the look of shock on homeowners' faces when a stranger from America hands them a photo of their house with a line of Model T Ford ambulances parked beside it.

I am pleased to report that the negative things I have heard about French people are a load of nonsense, not that I ever took much stock in stereotypes, anyway. They are a polite, hospitable, welcoming people, and I am now a confirmed Francophile.

I have been, up to this point in my life, an avid wilderness traveler. I had never been to Europe before. This trip changed my outlook dramatically. I am already beginning to formulate plans to spend a month in Ireland next summer.

France was an experience that I will hold close to my heart for the rest of my life.