Gien, France
In April of 2024, I embarked on an adventure to France. This would be my first time traveling to France, let alone traveling to Europe. I flew on Play Airlines (RIP 2025) with a round-trip ticket that ran up $350 USD. I flew from DC to Reykjavik and then from Reykjavik to Paris.
(The Sbarro in the Reykjavik airport was the best Sbarro I have ever had)
I didn’t get the opportunity to leave the Reykjavik airport, but I did catch a glimpse of waves crashing against the shore before giving way to winter snow encompassing the landscape. My layover was only an hour long and before I knew it I was on my way to Paris. Someday I would like to return to Iceland and explore the country more.
Immediately upon landing in Paris, I started to make my way to Gare de Bercy, a train station in the 12th arrondissement of Paris. I had some time to kill before my train to Gien, so I decided to explore Parc de Bercy. The park was gorgeous and I got an opportunity to see the Seine River and the Pont de Bercy bridge. I spent those few hours reading and people-watching and I loved every minute.
After a few hours, I boarded my train to Gien. The train ride wasn’t so long and I found my experience comparable to that of Amtrak in the United States.
On the train, I got to see bits of the French countryside. I was surprised by how much of it was farmland. I also got to see some small towns and villages along the way. The train ride was very relaxing and I enjoyed the scenery.
When I arrived in Gien, I immediately began my journey to find my Airbnb. I had booked a townhome that was about a 20-minute walk from the train station and sat on the bank of the Loire River. The walk was gorgeous and I got to see a lot. I was met by my host, who was very kind and welcoming. I struggled a bit with the language barrier, but we were able to communicate well enough to get me settled in.
For context, I studied French in high school and college, but I don’t have much experience speaking it in the real world, so I was a bit rusty.
After dropping off my bags, I decided to take a walk around the town. I was absolutely captivated by the beauty. The architecture was stunning and the streets were charming. I walked along the river and took in the sights and sounds. I also got to see some of the local shops and restaurants.
The people were very friendly and welcoming. I had a few conversations with locals and they were all very kind and helpful. I felt very safe and comfortable in the town.
Also I did get to see the movie Civil War (2024) while I was there. Such a great movie.
Magic would be the best way to describe the experience. I felt like I had stepped into a fairy tale. The town was so picturesque and charming that it felt like something out of a storybook. I was in awe of the beauty around me and I felt very lucky to be there.
Painting
In an effort to capture a bit of what I felt in Gien, I decided to commission a painting of the town from a friend of mine. The painting is based on the view of the town from across the river.
I was elated at the final result and the painting is now hanging in my bedroom as one of my most prized possessions.
I took a photo of the painting to use as the background image on the homepage of this site. I wanted to have it come alive and I wanted to add a bit of animation. I pixelated it to make the animation doable as I have limited experience drawing and painting.
What you see on the homepage is the outcome of my efforts to bring the painting to life. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Original
