THE GOOD LIFE IN LYON

One day, we ran out of flour while baking but found we had a back-up bag in the pantry, and I turned to my husband and said, “That feels like a sign we’re living the good life.” Since then, it’s become a happy little habit in our household to name signs of the good life when we find them. From a well-stocked pantry to a vase of flowers on the dining table, the signs of the good life we’ve identified are the things that make us the most content, and make us feel like the work we put in to achieve the life we want is well worth it.

What constitutes “the good life” is, of course, personal. It varies from individual to individual, and it often differs widely among generations. But it’s also cultural. And with hundreds and hundreds of cultures out there, there are different versions of the good life waiting to be discovered all over the world. It’s possible to travel to other countries and eat only at chain restaurants you can find back home, or bounce between major monuments and come home with only miniature souvenir versions of those monuments to show for it; but in my book, the best travelers are the ones who travel to discover a taste of the good life according to the place they’re in. By being observant, open, and curious, a traveler can discover what real daily life looks like in another place—and if you’re lucky, and if you play your cards right, you may just get to go a step further and sample the good life in that place. Once you do, it’s addicting. I find myself wanting to spend my life traveling the world in search of as many different versions of the good life as I have the good fortune to experience. Each one is unique and special, and alluring in its own way.