Please don't judge us for this post...

..but McDonalds in France is amazing! I mean, check the logo out! Green background = must be healthy.


After the logo woos you inside, all of your French-speaking anxieties are literally left at the door because you can place your entire order at a machine that speaks your language. Genius. And just when you think it couldn't get any cooler, they have a fusion of two of humanities greatest ideas: "Kitkat McFlurry". Finally, a friendly staff member smiled at us and wished us "au revoir" as we left the building. Well played Macca's, well played indeed.*


On the subject of impressive buildings, we went to see Château de Chambord in the Loire Valley on the way up to Paris. And let's be honest: we're in France, there's old buildings everywhere. But this place was epic! Apparently it was built for King Francois in the 16th century as a hunting lodge. I don't know how many hunting lodges you've been to, but 440 rooms seems a tad excessive? It was just amazing - incredible detail everywhere, huge size and surrounded by the largest fenced forest in the world (to satisfy all your hunting needs).


The most incredible design of this château is the spiral staircases. Think DNA Helix. So you have two separate spiral staircases that basically twist around each other to the top of the building. Because of the design, you can walk upstairs at the same time as another person, see them through gaps along the way, but never be in the same place at the same time. No doubt ideal for impressing a Queen or chasing rogue Knights, but finding your wife again in 2012 after she says "Meet you at the top"? Near impossible.



In other news, we've made it back to Paris now. Slightly less stressful then our last encounter; read 'slightly'. Google maps let us down which led to an awkward situation where I diverted traffic in a fluorescent yellow vest while Jess masterfully reversed around the corner of a bizzare motorway off-ramp. We consider it personal growth.


*McDonald's didn't pay us to say this. Seriously.

Chateau de Chambord- impressive front entrance!

At the bottom of the DNA staircase loop

Jess practising her royal wave. Loyal subjects needed. 

"Builder, copy this design please"

No animals were harmed in the creation of this corridor. Ok, slight lie.

Jess got told off by the chateau staff about 3 seconds after this was taken.