Thursday, September 2 - School and Shopping

Fred learned at 8:15 am he has a meeting at school at 10, so he got up, got dressed, and walked off to school.


Have I said yet that we do not plan to have a car here, only occasionally we will rent one for a weekend trip. But here in Clermont, we will walk and take the bus or tram. There is a nice electric tram that goes generally north and south and around the center of town.


I set out for shopping, but first must have some coffee and something to eat. I head down the street toward the train station with my shopping basket (which the landlords have supplied with the apartment).


I scope out some of the shops and find just a block from our apartment a baker, a fruit and vegetable seller (the "fruitier"), a small grocery and all kinds of bars and restaurants.


I stop at a brasserie for cafe au lait and a baguette with butter - that will fortify me until lunch. Typical french breakfast is normally a roll or croissant with butter and jam and espresso.  I prefer the large coffee that is about half frothed milk - cafe au lait.


Then I am on my way to Leader Price. I haven't been in one, but am guessing it is a discount type grocery and I am correct. This is where I will buy paper and cleaning products, toothpaste, food storage bags, shampoo, bath soap, etc. I do find they have wine, so I select a bottle of Cotes du Rhone for 2.6 euro (about $3).


I find the coffee filters I need, and most of the other items on my list. I also pick up some food items I can't resist like Cantal cheese, a semi hard, white cheese from this region which is one of our favorites here.


I almost pick up more that I can carry and lots of it is heavy - so I purchase a Leader Price plastic bag with handles and then when I get outside, I move the bottles to my back pack and am ready for the walk home.


Recycling is encouraged here, so there are no "free" bags available at checkout at most stores. You bring your own bag or purchase one at checkout.

When I return home, I put away my purchases and head back down the street for vegetables, eggs, yogurt, etc.


In the small shops on my street, I get chicken for dinner, lettuce, eggplant, tomato, fresh strawberries, eggs, etc.


I also buy some instant asparagus soup for my lunch and head home. Fred has gotten free and is home as well, so we make a salad with blue cheese crumbles and a cup of soup for lunch.

Our next task is to open a bank account, so after lunch we set off for the bank where Fred had an account previously, thinking that would be a good place to start.


There is no one available for this sort of transaction, but I know there are other locations in town, so ask if it might be possible at another "branch". They say the earliest is next week and set an appointment for the following Monday. I am anxious to get this done when we are both available, so we go to another bank and ask the same question. We get the same answer - too busy today, but could make an appointment for Friday. Again I ask if someone might be available at another location in town.


They check the online calendars and find someone at the main Clermont location of Credit Agricole who can take us now AND there is an English speaker working there as well.


So we walk about 10 minutes to the other location to meet Angelique and Laurence, who speaks English. We have brought along everything we think we might need: passports, lease, work contract, etc.


They take our documents to photocopy, but on returning, tell us there is a new policy and the proof of address must be approved by another department and can't be done until tomorrow.


Good thing we didn't wait until Monday to start this!


So we ask about renters insurance (which is required by most landlords here) and get a quote on that as well, then make an appointment for Friday afternoon.  It feels like we have accomplished a lot even though we still have no account.


We walk back home, change clothes and go back to school (ESC) for a reception. When we return home, we report to the landlords that we have started the account process, but must return to finish on Friday. They have asked if there is anything we are missing or anything else we need, and I tell them we could use a can opener and a hall tree or someplace to hang our coats.


They search immediately and come up with the can opener, but will get a hall tree on the weekend.


We start dinner with an appetizer, then salad and bread, but decide we are tired and almost full, so we skip the chicken and rice and go straight for dessert. I have purchased a Chausson au Pomme at the bakery - this is like a small single serving apple pie and is delicious. We split it and are quite satisfied, but Fred thinks coffee would be good - he has had no caffiene today, so we have a small coffee and are off to bed - what a day!