It Starts With Bonjour

Why does travel rejuvenate us? Can it be a vehicle to generate meaningful connection, make the world a more understandable place, and restore our faith in humanity? What goes wrong when it does not? These were not questions on Duke psychiatrist Eric Kirchmann's mind as he set out with his wife Courtney on another extraordinary adventure in France. In fact, writing another book was the furthest thing from his mind. Nonetheless, emerging from his unique take on travel, informed by a professional identity steeped in empathy, understanding and respect, and viewed through the objective lens of cultural observation, these questions came into focus. Join him in unweaving the sometimes perplexing but always enchanting fabric of France. Taste its exquisite and nuanced flavors. Travel back centuries, reveling in its incredible, layered history. And, breathe in the unparalleled variety of its breathtaking natural beauty. A veritable tour de force, the book is an armchair voyage to France, an amazing cross section of the country and its people. Crisscross Paris again enjoying genuine, authentic interactions with the help of secret, insider tips. Take in the sunset in the friendliest city in France, gorgeous and underappreciated Toulouse. Return to wonderful, bucolic Gascony and resume the pilgrimage on the Armagnac trail. And finally, laze on Mediterranean beaches amidst the glitz and the glam of the Côte d'Azur. Rub shoulders with proud mom and pop proprietors, a humble countess, two homeless guys, a down-to-earth baron, a shy Concorde pilot, and an immigrant struggling to live his dream in France. Enjoy the journey but come away with a meditation on how the unexpected, magical moments of travel can be transformative.