Chateau Chronicles – Packing List
Only two days to go before I jump on an airplane across the world! It doesn’t seem possible!
I’ve had months of sleepless nights making lists in my head – lists of things I must wait to execute. But there are a few things I have stuffed into my suitcase, most pertaining to Chloe (my Boston Terrier) who I have decided to bring with me to France because a) she gets weird and depressed when I’m gone; b) to see how well she travels and to see how well I travel with her. She is only 12 lbs, so she fits easily in a bag under a seat on the airplane. If I am going to make this trip frequently, I figure we better get used to the routine. Plus, she’ll be a great way to make new friends!
Packing List for Buying an Empty Chateau in France (with a dog)
6 travel electrical adapters (to accommodate all the US electronics that will no doubt be regularly plugged into European sockets
6 charging cords (you can never have enough)
1 smudge kit (cause I’m woo-woo like that, and well, ghosts)
2 chuck-it balls and 1 chuck-it (for Chloe)
1 car dog harness
1 doggie (airline approved) carry case
1 floofy dog bed
1 pet travel certificate signed by the vet and overnighted to the state for a verification seal.
1 copy of my “Procuration Pour Acquerir” (purchase agreement), my proof of residency for signing up for utilities, cell phone, and bank account when I arrive.
6 plastic cups I bought in France that will come in more handy there than here.
1 car cell phone holder
1 small sketchbook and watercolor set (seems my chateau watercolors are a hit!)
1 exercise band (I’ve messed up my knee - perfect timing!)
6 throw-away t-shirts and 1 pair of cutoff jeans (for getting dirty)
Ibuprofin and bandaids (goes without saying)
The long list of things I have to do/buy when I get there:
Open a French bank account
Buy a French eSim card (who knew I could have both my US phone and French phone on one device!) A note on this, I tried to set up an account for both Internet and cell phone ahead of time online, but it seems you need a French cell phone number in order to set up a French cell phone! A typical French Catch 22.
4 mattresses (for immediate delivery)*
1 Fridge (for immediate delivery, but need measurements)*
Washer/Dryer (for immediate delivery, but need connection setup)*
1 portable oven
Chairs of any description
Dining table of any description
Bed linens (sizes TBD)
Towels
Complete Toolbox
Impact Driver
Hedge trimmer, clippers, gloves, rake
Cleaning supplies
*It is not lost on me that I will be trying to get things delivered while the whole of France is on holiday during the entire month of August, and I will be trying to do this during a month-long “Prune Festival” (the potential jokes are endless!), but I will remain optimistic.
So big gulp. Wish me luck! I’ll be trying to blog from France, but also be sure to follow me on Instagram: @chateauchronicles where I’ll post lots of pics.
À bientôt!