GIF-ing our time away - Our home for the last 1 year

Gif-sur-Yvette is the nearest town to Supélec on foot. I love the walks down to the centre-ville of Gif in fine weather. The downhill walk is beautiful since we have a great view of the valley and the plateau opposite us, of course, the uphill walk later is going to be tedious on a 30% gradient. In any season, the flora along the path is amazing! I find pink, blue and yellow flowers lining the walkway in Spring, wild raspberries and cherries in Summer, chestnuts in autumn and the snow in winter. Coming from sunny Singapore, 1 year could just breeze pass with all these varied landscape every 3 months. I appreciate mother nature now, from within to save Gaia and not from pure media.

It is a crime to be seen without a baguette or a croquise here. The bakery in Gif makes them so good, that I could have them everyday if I can survive the slope on a daily basis. Indeed, I see cyclists holding baguettes in 1 hand and controlling the bike in another. Somebody else will see the Student running with a baguette in each hand like a baton (he likes jogging with them). There are only 2 bakeries here, the one opposite the mairie is the better one that makes delicious pastries as well (I think the shop name is Pineau).

The town has 1 or 2 shops of basic stuffs that people need, no luxury goods. The shops are generally closed for 1 day in the week, and from 1pm to 3pm on weekdays. I haven't really registered this in my mind, since our necessities are available round the clock in Singapore. Dream on about 24/7 convenience shops!

The shortest way to Gif is to take the road - Chemin Du Moulon down to Rue Gustave Vatonne. Time taken for a 1.55m on foot is 20 min one way.

This path is a mysterious one. I've always imagined 3 headed dragons at the end of the path. To Gif, pass by this entrance and take the steep path after the barricade.

We are at mid-hill now, this is a view of the plateau on the opposite side. So when I say we are staying on the "mountain", I really wasn't joking folks.

Our poor neighbours need to walk 200m to access their mail everyday. So what is a 20 mins walk to centre-ville right?

Turn right at the sight of this sign. Continue straight ahead, and  pictures along the way coming soon.....

This is a typical driveway into houses on the mid-hill in Gif. They do have lots more privacy, but it also means that the owners have to walk a long way to dispose off their garbage and get the mail everyday.

The traditional type of housing in this region. Such stones are in the terrain here, so it makes sense for people to build houses using materials that are readily available. Stone houses have thick walls that works well as insulation against heat and cold, plus the look is really fairy-tale like.

There are a couple of stone houses along the road that looks exactly like the ginger-bread house in hansel and gretel. In summer and spring, parties in the garden are common scenes here. What else with such nice weather and atmosphere.

Walk along this road instead of following the sign to centre-ville which brings you to the bassin and a longer way to the shops in Gif.

This is the final landmark, a stone house with a mistletoe tree, with pillars in carved wood. Centre-ville in 2.8 mins time.

We Love GIF!!!!