France smells a certain way in the morning. Every now and then I think I get a hint of the scent at home, but the fact is that it is totally and beautifully French. I had almost forgotten about it until our first morning after 24 hours of traveling to get to Clermont Ferrand. I woke up early that morning to go to the grocery store and the second I stepped outside, it all came surging back. I inhaled, and I was instantly transported back to the summer before when my mother and I had taken part of our vacation there. It even reminded me of my year in Belgium (granted, that's not France, but it's close). I think it is amazing how powerful our senses are, that they can, in a second, take us back in time through our memories.
The way France smells in the morning is difficult to describe if you have never experienced it. It's fresh and crisp. Especially when you're near the country side, it is clear that you are breathing clean air. It is a little bit flowery, almost like that wonderful after-the-storm smell, but lighter. It's beautiful and puts you in the best kind of mood to start your day in France. Have you experienced that French morning beauty before?
