Weak euro = more fun for the money

Vineyard workers statue, Puligny-Montrachet, Burgundy

What a difference a year makes, or two. When we took a family trip to Spain and Italy almost exactly two years ago, the euro was at a near peak of almost 1.60 dollars. That December it was down to about 1.27 when we visited Paris. Then last fall it was somewhere in between - about 1.46 I think - when we made a Barcelona to Paris trek.

Not only will we reverse direction this year, the euro has, too, trading today at about 1.24. That will make those euro32 prix fixe dinners in Paris go down easier and may inspire us to spring for something more elegant at least once. Euro32 for three courses at these rates is a bargain, the equivalent of $30 because the prices in France include tax and tip.

I'm not sure how much the exchange rate had to do with it, but a five-day car rental booking last night sure seemed reasonable. We'll pick up a Peugeot 308 in Dijon, a compact that should be fine for four of us on jaunts of 2-4 hours. Returning it five days later in Perpignan, way down in southern France where we get a train, with stops in Geneva and Provence in between, the price is $355. That's USD, not euros.

The statue above celebrates the workers who toil in the vineyards of Burgundy. We'll get to see some of them in action because the owner of the vines behind our lodging uses the biodynamic growing method. That means the harvest is determined by the phases of the moon.