K1 Visa Questions

Hi all - I'm US citizen, my partner is French. We are planning to get the K1 visa process started this week. We are connecting with a lawyer on Wednesday to get everything started. A couple questions I'm eager to get an answer to:

-What is the processing time right now for the K1 visa after I submit the i-129f form?
-Can I travel to Europe (where he resides) while we wait for the K1 visa? Can he travel to the US on an ESTA visa while we wait for the K1 visa?