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France June 2024
  • Tasha Goddard
  • Tasha Goddard

France June 2024

Actual full week off work Read more
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  • Trip start
    June 11, 2024
    Tasha GoddardFrance June 2024Traveler

    Overnight in Paris

    June 11, 2024 in France ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    First Day. Up before 6 to feed meowing cat and fit in a morning's work. Done by 11.15 and then a leisurely packing (had to jettison one blouse and one dress as, despite not bringing my laptop, ai was struggling to fit everything in the backpack) before heading off for the 2.30 train to London.

    Very smooth journey, with no issues or delays. Tube to St Pancras. Picked up some food at M&S and then through check-in. Quite busy, but nothing on what it will be, presumably, once the fingerprint requirements come in in the autumn. Found a seat and waited less than an hour until boarding.

    Table and window seat amd no-one next to me - bonus! Spent most of the time reading and only dozed a little bit. Didn't listen to any of the podcasts or music I had downloaded.

    Arrived Gare du Nord l just before 9.30 and it's still light. This time, I found the hotel very easily. It's a nice little hotel directly opposite the train station and with more character than my frequent Ibis hotels.

    I need to leave about 8.30 to get the metro to Paris Austerlitz in the morning, ready for a trip across France. Looking forward to a train route I've not done before, though it looks like I will be in for a week of rain, so maybe I should have gone south again!    Read more

  • Tasha GoddardFrance June 2024Traveler

    Paris to St Nazaire on the train

    June 12, 2024 in France ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    Last month's trip, I paid the additional reservation fee to get the fast train to (and from) the South of France. Because I was working while away and needed to not lose two whole days travelling. I even worked on the train on the way back.

    This time, I am not working, and I also wanted to use the interrail pass 'properly', so I made my way across the country on TERs. It only meant two changes. Plus, I got to pick my seat, rather than being put in a specific one.

    It was a pleasant journey, most of which I spent reading, but I did take some time to stare out the window at the beautiful greenery, and (something that always fascinates me) watching the house architecture change along the way. And listened to one podcast.

    I changed in Orleans and Nantes. Nantes was a fairly quick change, but I had almost an hour in Orleans, so took a quick wander (see separate footprint).

    I highly recommend using TERs if you have an interrail pass and the time. You can take in the scenery more and you get to see more stations and little glimpses of towns along your way.    Read more

  • Tasha GoddardFrance June 2024Traveler

    Pitstop in (old) Orleans

    June 12, 2024 in France ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    One of the nice things about changing trains in a few places, is that you get brief glimpses of places you've not seen before. Now, the area next to a railway isn't always the nicest part, so I wouldn't let it put you off necessarily. But... sometimes it will draw you in and persuade you that you should come back and visit properly some time.

    Orleans looked lovely to me. Lots of big old buildings with beautiful doors (evocative of Paris, perhaps). I am so glad that I had half an hour to wander round, and I think Orleans goes on my list of places I'd like to stay for a few days to explore properly.    Read more

  • Tasha GoddardFrance June 2024Traveler

    Arrival in St Nazaire

    June 12, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    And then I got to St Nazaire. I have not explored much yet. The walk from the station passed what seemed like a lot of building work. And I didn't spot any small winding streets. I was feeling a little sad that I wasn't in the south again (I do think the South of France is 'my place'), but once I had settled in the flat and was able to go down to the sea front, I felt better, as it looks like they have done a lot of work to make a lovely oceanfront walkway, which I will be exploring Thursday morning.

    The other thing is that there is supposed to be a lot of street art here (and I did spot a few on my walk from the station and then later to the supermarket).

    I am also planning to make use of the days left on my pass and take some day trips - probably to Nantes, Rennes and Le Croisic (which I think might tick my little winding street needs).

    I had been eating such a lot of junk food ok the journey, that I was grateful to be able to have a lot of salad. Plus, of course, baguette and salty butter (and a bit of cheese).

    And I had a lovely bath and read some more. Had a nice long phone call with Chris. And then watched a little bit of TV and drew in my sketchbook.    Read more

  • Tasha GoddardFrance June 2024Traveler

    Walking the beachfront

    June 13, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Today, I indulged in a bit of a lie-in, and then took a walk along the seafront. I saw quite a few nice historic old buildings and the wind was refreshing and bracing. I found two nice parks to wamder through.

    I also walked back a fair bit in the actual sea, splashing along with my sandals in my hands.

    Then I visited the bakers at the end of the street and picked up a baguette and a tarte aux fraises.

    I spent the afternoon and evening in the flat indulging in reading (finished my book), a nap and, after a dinner of pasta, a couple of episodes of Bridgerton.

    Tomorrow, I am planning to go to Nantes and do some of walking along the river, wandering the botanical gardens, looking round the castle museum and wandering the art museum - depending on the weather.    Read more

  • Tasha GoddardFrance June 2024Traveler

    Day in bed

    June 14, 2024 in France ⋅ 🌬 16 °C

    Did not make it to Nantes today. Body had a bad reaction to something (I suspect it was the cream on the strawberry tart - 50% of the time I have whipped cream these days it disagrees with me, so I should really just give it up entirely) instead which meant I spent most of the night with an awful headache and ended up throwing up at 4am, which meant I felt a bit better, but not much, so I was asleep for the bulk of the day.

    Feeling almost OK now and have eaten with no dire consequences, so I took an evening stroll to find some of the street art and get some sea air. Only 4000 steps, but am very glad I did it.

    Going to watch an episode of Bridgerton and then see if I can get to sleep despite all the sleep I had in the day and try to get up early to go to Rennes. And will push Nantes to Sunday or Monday    Read more

  • Tasha GoddardFrance June 2024Traveler
    2

    Art in Nantes

    June 16, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Went to the Musée des Artes, which was wonderful. And then spotted quite a bit of street art while wandering around.

  • Tasha GoddardFrance June 2024Traveler

    Nantes

    June 16, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Really liked Nantes. To the point where I was regretting not booking a week there instead of here. Or maybe half a week in Nantes and half in Rennes would have been cool.

    However, that's just a lesson learned. I really like visiting cities, and the sea is helpful too. And really vibrant places. With art. And old buildings and narrow streets are good.

    So Antibes and St Ives aren't cities, but they have the sea and the vibrancy and the art and the narrow streets and old buildings.

    St Nazaire has the sea and a few old buildings, but not hugely vibrant that I have seen. A bit down at the sea front and I think possibly the modern open mall that I wandered through on my way back from the station (where everything was closed today) might be a vibrant area, but also not my sort of area.    Read more

  • Tasha GoddardFrance June 2024Traveler

    Rennes

    June 17, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Forgot to post yesterday's photos from Rennes.

    Not entirely sure what I thought of Rennes. I did find some (and some very) old buildings, but not much in the way of narrow winding streets.

    I did find a nice bookshop. But the art museum was closed (as was Nantes museum, which I thought I could wander round for an hour between trains).

    It was also tipping it down with rain most of the time, which never helps your impression of a place.

    Oh, and of course, I did find some doors (see separate post).    Read more

  • Tasha GoddardFrance June 2024Traveler

    Extra pitstop

    June 20, 2024 in England ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    A whole big plethora of travel delays and snafus yesterday meant I am sat in a hotel near Paddington instead of ready to hit my desk.

    It started with a 30-minute walk to St Nazaire train station, through a storm, which got me completely soaked (I had an umbrella which was really good at first, but completely pointless by the end of the walk).

    Made it, just, onto the TER to Nantes and stepped straight into the loo to change my clothes. Wet clothes - and shoes; had to switch to my sandals - into a tote bag, which meant I was now lugging three extra bags in addition to my main backpack.

    Got to Nantes and had an hour and a bit before my TGV, so had an evil corporation drink and banana bread then went to check the boards. Oh, everything, apart from the TGVs is looking delayed. Well, good job I'm taking a TGV, then.

    Look again in a bit. 20 minute estimated delay... 30 minute estimated... 45 minute...

    This continued for a while and we finally left at 3.30 rerouted via Rennes. I misheard the TGV guy and thought that the reroute was to save an hour, but it was because of a tree and it would add an hour.

    The conductor came round asking for everyone's connections and then made announcements about what different people should do (e.g. people going to Lausanne got put up in a hotel). People going to London should go to Gare du Nord and would be put on the next available Eurostar.

    So, I got to Gare du Nord only in tike for the 21.11 train that wouldn't get to London until 22.33, too late for my last train home. And the free switch only works for same-day (unless you are too late for the very last train), so I had to take it though would far have preferred an extra night in Paris than London, not least because Paris is generally cheaper than London.

    What a day! On the plus side this hotel, while a bit shabby around the edges is actually quite nice and did a very good veggie English breakfast fully included in the price.

    Looking forward to getting home and back to my desk!    Read more

    Trip end
    June 19, 2024
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