We wake in this unexpected place. Our room is basic, with no refrigerator, so we quickly go out in search of breakfast. This town is actually quite beautiful. The streets are almost all pedestrian, there are many cute shops and there’s a gushing stream running past a square next to a gondola up the mountain.

We pick up a lot of treats from a  bakery. We are still having trouble deciding between all the options, so we end up with too much. The kids are finally happy after being grumpy hungry thus far. We sit in the square next to a fountain, and it’s perfect.

We notice mountain bikers coming going down the stairs near the gondola, so we go watch. We sit there for almost an hour as bikers finish their trip down the mountain. Lillian is super pumped to take the gondola up, so Stefan takes Oliver back to our room. While we wait, we paint our nails! I love these little moments when all is calm and the kids are happy.

As we walk to the gondola, Oly tells me that he doesn’t want to bike the mountain. So cute. I explain we’ll just go up and look around; he doesn’t have to bike. He clutches to me as we ascend. Lilian and Stefan sit on one side laughing at me and Oly, nervous on the other.

There’s a ski village at the top with apartments that look mostly boarded up for summer and a couple restaurants. We sit and eat at one, with a beautiful view of the mountain before us. The food isn’t great, but the atmosphere is super relaxing. We walk around a bit and find the chair lift that takes skiers up to the top of the mountain. Apparently we could take this, but there no way I’d go, especially with the kids. Insane.

We buy a couple popsicles and hop back on the gondola for the return trip to lower ground. Oly and I aren’t too nervous this time. Our little town of Ax is beautiful from up here.

Across the street from the gondola is what looks like a fountain, but is actually a very hot spring with benches along the side for visitors to soak their feet. It smells a bit like sulfur but not too much to make it unappealing. Cold water sprays out of the ground nearby, and the kids run back and forth through the fog it creates. Everything about this day is relaxing, simple and slightly magical.

On our way back home, Oly is being silly with Stefan and falls. As an egg starts swelling up on his forehead, we buy a popsicle ice at a store and place it on his forehead. At first he doesn’t like it, but then he sees the humor in it, especially when the popsicle melts enough to start falling over.

We go home and relax a bit. I want to get caught up some on the blog, and the kids need s break from the heat. I have to go sit in the bar downstairs for wifi, and we realize we left the chargers for the computer in the car. Not the best, but it works to get a couple posts up and let me type this up.

The kids are so patient, but then we all get very hungry. We walk down to the square where we had breakfast and sit under an umbrella. It’s starting to rain, but we figure it’ll be nice anyway. We get an amazing charcuterie and cheese plate along with the plat du jour that is full of food the kids love like quiche, melon and steak. It’s all very good. The rain never gets crazy, and we enjoy a wonderful evening on the square.

On our way home, we stop to soak our feet in the hot spring outside out hotel. Lillian has been waiting all day. This time it doesn’t take long before both kids are completely in the spring, completely clothed and soaking wet. They have so much fun.  

Back home we shower the kids off and get them ready for bed. Instead of being responsible parents and putting the kids to bed at 9pm, we put shoes on them and head downstairs in hopes of watching some of the final Euro2016 match with the locals. The restaurant/bar downstairs is packed, so we have to return to our room to watch the game.
I think Stefan and Oly are the only ones who see the end of the game. Portugal wins, but it doesn’t keep a lot of the people from blowing their airhorns and making other noise. I wish France had won; it would have been a really neat thing to see.