and some 100+ km of runs with views of Mont Blanc. No sitting in traffic, no worries about being stuck in a snowstorm, able to play cards with the kids and read books on the way... this really is the best way to travel!

Just outside the train station, a gondola whisked us up to the village of Saint Gervais les Bains — a real town with grocery, shops, restaurants, pharmacy and plenty of cabins for rent. From that same gondola station, it was a 10 minute ride up to the slopes...

From our front door to alpine ski slopes by public transit — no cars needed! The infrastructure in France really is incredible in this way. From our apartment, we grabbed a short metro to the Gare de Lyon, then a TGV straight to the mountains.

The new LDC has this zoned as CX-5, which would go pretty far to allowing this by right with a 5 story base height, no setbacks, and no density limits.

Instead of housing cars and creating stormwater issues, we could house 150 families here and give them a 1-acre greenspace to enjoy, just steps away from the center of town and with great transit/biking connections to the rest of Durham.

Wouldn't downtown Durham look great with a courtyard apartment building? There are acres and acres of parking lots just begging for something like this. This particular spot is over 2 acres and has been a parking lot for at least 30 years.

Does the new UDO/LDC legalize this by right on every bus corridor to support our fare free @GoDurhamTransit ridership @mayorofbullcity, @Javiera4Durham, @carlfordurham, @NateBakerDurham, @Shanetta4Durham, @mattfordurham? Looks to be RX-3 or CX-3?

@RecklessRoxboro Link to Chris's article in CityBuilder below. https://t.co/O3HqxZxBSJ

@RecklessRoxboro It's been such a contrast to see how French housing is located in places that facilitate life outside of the home and how rules here do align better with the values of equity and freedom for all. I hope Durham's new UDO (LDC) can nudge the city in this direction.

Living in a city where car ownership is not part of the "price of entry" is not necessarily a top reason to move to Paris, but it is one of the huge upsides. Both of these quotes from @RecklessRoxboro really resonated.

I haven't thought about filling a gas tank since last summer. Same for oil changes, tuneups, car insurance, and parking. And I haven't paid a dime for those or any of the dozens of little extras that car ownership costs mosts Americans every month.

independent errand-running feel way too risky. What changes we could make to nudge things this way in Durham and the U.S. as a whole. Certainly deprioritizing cars and traffic calming would be big first steps. Maybe the new UDO/LDC can allow for more neighborhood bakeries!

We're fortunate to live in a great part of Durham where Monuts, Locopops, and Harris Teeter are all within biking distance for our kids. But even though they can handle the distance and the navigation, having to cross Club Blvd, 9th St, or Hillsborough Rd makes this kind of

Between the proximity of all the things we need, the traffic-calmed streets, and drivers who look out for people and obey the speed limit, our kids are able to do things here that we would have a hard time with back home.

Having our kids run errands for us + they get to have some independence and practice speaking French = winning at parenting. In all seriousness, it is wild to think that the center of a metro area of 13+ million is the most kid-friendly place we've ever lived.

What's better than warm baguettes and fresh pastries from the local boulangerie? It's when the boulangerie is on the opposite corner of your block and your two elementary-school-aged kids can walk there and pick up the goods for you without ever leaving the sidewalk!

There are a handful of places around central Durham that are essentially 1-2 acre parking lots that could be turned into something like this TOMORROW. And we'd all be a lot richer for it.

It's been fun to try out Alicia Pederson's new Courtyard Composer tool. Living in a courtyard apartment this year has been great and it would be amazing if these could become an option back in the U.S.

@UrbanCourtyard There are a handful of places around central Durham that are essentially 1-2 acre parking lots that could be turned into something like this TOMORROW. And we'd all be a lot richer for it.

It's been fun to try out @UrbanCourtyard's new Courtyard Composer tool. Living in a courtyard apartment this year has been great and it would be amazing if these could become an option back in the U.S.