Wilds of Europe

A 49-day adventure by Gordon Read more

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Trip start
April 19, 2017
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Day 1
Wednesday, April 19, 2017 at 5:24 PM
☀️ 12 °C
Altitude: 41 m
England All Hallows-by-the-Tower 51.51, -0.0851°30’36” N 0°4’48” W
Europe 2017: London, in a day...
April 19, 2017 in England ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C
It starts now: long service leave after 25 years of full time ministry for me [Gordon], and ten years of Helen teaching at Ruyton.
Part one of the holiday is seven weeks in Europe.
The adventures begin here: a day buzzing about in London. Well what else do you take on when you are jet plane sleep deprived and got a day to burn? In fact we sat on the tourist bus for a whole lap of the city. Easy and low tech. Tube is easy enough too. Tomorrow: Tuscany via an early Ryanair flight. More fun.Read more
Kathryn BertramYou look surprisingly fresh and awake.
4/25/17Reply
Joy Marshallthe front of the top deck is awesome
5/3/17Reply
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Day 2
Thursday, April 20, 2017 at 10:23 AM
☀️ -8 °C
Altitude: 2,224 m
Switzerland Lai d'Arpiglias 46.75146, 10.1196446°45’5” N 10°7’11” E
Oh, there's snow down there
April 20, 2017 in Switzerland ⋅ ☀️ -8 °C
Turns out the snow is called Switzerland...
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Day 2
Thursday, April 20, 2017 at 1:20 PM
☀️ 15 °C
Altitude: 18 m
Italy Pisa Centrale 43.71, 10.3983343°42’36” N 10°23’54” E
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Pisa's colourful turny thing
April 20, 2017 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C
Much overlooked, this is the cultural highlight here. Oh, and some dodgy bell tower. Second highlight, a CRACKER of a baptistery!!! Did my Baptist heart much good. Wandered across the city from the train station to the Tower and back. Then back on the train to collect our camper...

From the airport we caught the train to centre of Pisa. Then we walked down the main street to the church, baptistry, and belltower - the leaning one. Plenty of crowds, and the usual junk tourist trinket sales.Read more
Joy Marshall I see the tower is straight now
5/3/17Reply
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Day 3
Friday, April 21, 2017 at 10:00 AM
☀️ 8 °C
Altitude: 332 m
Italy Belverde 43.3415, 11.3056343°20’29” N 11°18’20” E
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Just Go... (just keep right.)
April 21, 2017 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 8 °C
This van is awesome. 7.5m long and 3.2 wide, it goes fine and is massive armchair comfy. Also terrifying on ancient roads 3.3m wide ;) Note, only one of these vehicles is the van. But who is up for holidays in a Fiat 500 with tiny mud terrain tyres? Or a flat bed 125cc, motor bike?

Driving the camper was a challenge I welcomed - mostly. It felt like being on your driving test - you sort of know what to do but really don't want to get anything wrong.Read more
Joy Marshall reminds me of bon voyage Charlie Brown
5/3/17Reply
Joy Marshall right o
5/3/17Reply
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Day 3
Friday, April 21, 2017 at 4:00 PM
☀️ 14 °C
Altitude: 538 m
Italy Palazzo dei Priori 43.40175, 10.858443°24’6” N 10°51’30” E
Volterra, Italy
April 21, 2017 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C
For big impact, go small. Volterra is a 'small' hill town. BUT it also packs 2800 years of constant habitation history into its hilltop walls. The etruscan spirit is still kicking on, make no mistake.

Small towns are a great way to appreciate a country's culture. It isn't too weighed down with tourists, and feels very genuine. We joined a local person leading a city walk for an even more personal perspective.Read more
Esther CowenIncredible!
4/26/17Reply
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Day 4
Saturday, April 22, 2017 at 12:00 PM
☀️ 14 °C
Altitude: 338 m
Italy Piazza del Campo 43.31839, 11.3314543°19’6” N 11°19’53” E
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Siena. Been there. Old, and not.
April 22, 2017 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C
Do you remember the 13th to 15th century? The Sienese sure do. They rocked the world back then, with supersize cathedral attempts and supercivil government. Now it's dukeing it out 21c style with astounding art and aravicious retail outlets. 13c; bring it back....

We parked the camper on the edge of town and caught a bus in. We visited the city square, the Duomo, a traditional cafe, and walked back through the city to the bus stop. Couldn't find the right bus back - and rode for over an hour through very working class areas of Siena.Read more
Kathryn BertramI loved wandering the streets of Sienna.
4/25/17Reply
Kathryn Bertram They always present their produce so beautifully.
4/25/17Reply
Traveler Yes, exquisite it is. There's a whole other kind of beautiful over here.
4/25/17Reply
Joy Marshall imagine messy church in here
5/3/17Reply
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Day 6
Monday, April 24, 2017 at 9:36 AM
☀️ 12 °C
Altitude: 346 m
Italy Assisi 43.07333, 12.6066743°4’24” N 12°36’24” E
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Assisi. All creation and eras praise.
April 24, 2017 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C
I thought Assisi was Francis' surname. This is his home town, though is roman era old. It has both ornate and simple churches. It has outwardly religious people, bars, and bowmen. It seeks what Francis longed for, that all creation knows it lives under the deep and unstoppable grace of God.

Parked in a dedicated motorhome site near Santa Maria degli Angeli, and ten minute bus ride up to Assisi. Walked from the basilica up to the top of the town, then back down again. Highlight was the next morning between at 8.15 til 9. We returned to the St Francis' basilica. Too early for Italy. Helen and I had the whole of St Francis basilica virtually to ourselves.
Now on to Firenze, Florence.Read more
Joy Marshall so special to be there alone
5/3/17Reply
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Day 7
Tuesday, April 25, 2017 at 12:00 PM
⛅ 16 °C
Altitude: 45 m
Italy Ponte Vecchio 43.76833, 11.2533343°46’6” N 11°15’12” E
Florence. Think. Different.
April 25, 2017 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
Florence stretches from renaissance living to real(ish) leather goods, and all points in between. It's been home to Michaelangelo, Leonardo da vinca, Dante, and us (well for coffee in the piazza and for a dinner in the street). Moving on again tomorrow, to...

We parked in a campsite on the southwest edge. Twenty minute bus ride into town. Really really crowded with tourists during the day. Virtually empty early in the morning. Visited the Uffizi Gallery, the Academia, and the Galileo museum.Read more
Dirk Quartel...Luca?? If you go there, don't hire the 4 person bikes. For 2 reasons. 1, you don't need one because you're kids are back in Aust. 2, they look like they are much more fun than they actually are. It's a great town to explore though.
4/25/17Reply
TravelerTa 4 this Dirk, and your the encouragement that's helped us do this. Lucca would be Brill but we turned right from Florence, and now in Reggio Emilia. Self-guided PD session for Helen and I. :)
4/26/17Reply
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Day 9
Thursday, April 27, 2017 at 10:39 AM
🌬 13 °C
Altitude: 65 m
Italy Parco del Popolo 44.70333, 10.6283344°42’12” N 10°37’42” E
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Reggio Emilia. Learn. Different.
April 27, 2017 in Italy ⋅ 🌬 13 °C
A delightful surprise and an inspirational time for Helen. This is where the Reggio movement began in early childhood ed. The International Centre is here and we both enjoyed exploring. The centre of town is wide, green and welcoming. Very glad we stayed.Read more
Jodie MitchellLooks incredible Helen, love the photo with the lion in the town square!
5/2/17Reply
Joy Marshall yay
5/3/17Reply
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Day 10
Friday, April 28, 2017
⛅ 12 °C
Altitude: 136 m
Italy La Spiaggia di Levanto 44.16167, 9.6144°9’42” N 9°36’36” E
Levanto, Cinque Terra's front door
April 28, 2017 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C
Italians love their front doors. They are often a main feature, though we often overlook them on the way beyond. Levanto will not be overlooked. It is cosy and colourful, with an Apollo Bay holiday vibe (if AB was 1000 years old and made of pizza and chianti). We've spent half our time here. Glad for the rest.

Loved the cosy rural small town setting. Stayed three nights in the Aqua Dolche park. Caught the train along the five lands. Even WALKED over the hill from Monterosso to Levanto - three hours, mostly steps. Crowds of cruise boat tourists weigh in on these beautiful villages.Read more
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Day 11
Saturday, April 29, 2017 at 12:08 PM
☀️ 15 °C
Altitude: 5 m
Italy Vernazza 44.13543, 9.6814344°8’8” N 9°40’53” E
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Cinque Terra (the five lands)
April 29, 2017 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C
Five small isolated villages have become a hub of Italian riviera indulgence. Postcard beautiful in sea, sky, and sites (when not utterly crushed by cruise lines tour crowds). Plan to come. But not on a cruise.Read more
Kathryn Bertram That's the town I stayed in! Such a relaxed vibe, hope you got to chill here a bit.
5/1/17Reply
Kathryn Bertram The weather looks like it is warming up now for you.
5/1/17Reply
Brett vL Lovely photo Gordo... truly picturesque
5/5/17Reply
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Day 12
Sunday, April 30, 2017 at 4:00 PM
⛅ 13 °C
Altitude: 766 m
France Gourdon 43.72, 6.9783343°43’12” N 6°58’42” E
2 1
'Gourdon'. Must be an awesome place.
April 30, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C
Now venturing beyond the cosy confines of Italian order and serenity. First night was here. They almost spelt it correctly too, tho meaning is the same: fortress. Can see a bit from here: that'll be Nice down there, and that's Antibe, and that's Canne....

Very very long winding road to get up here. Very stressful driving for us both. Very quaint little French hamlet up the top of the hill in the old fort. Had planned to get to Verdon Gorge from here but couldn't find turnoff, so ended up at our next spot...Read more
Helen ChessellSo glad you have some relaxing time. Many memories in your photos!
5/1/17Reply
Joy Marshall loving the streets
5/3/17Reply
Joy Marshall not a bad aspect
5/3/17Reply
Traveler Thanks Joy for this and other kind comments. We've had plenty of good weather for outdoor meandering. Walking over 14ks per day...
5/4/17Reply
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Day 14
Tuesday, May 2, 2017 at 11:29 AM
🌧 11 °C
Altitude: 34 m
France Abbaye Sainte-Catherine d'Avignon 43.951672, 4.8066743°57’6” N 4°48’24” E
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Avignon: centre of the western church
May 2, 2017 in France ⋅ 🌧 11 °C
Well it was the centre for a bit, like two hundred years or so. Life for the Pope was a bit (politically) hot in Rome in the 1300s. So what's a Pope to do? Build a new city for yourself and few thousand mates, that's what. Make the walls 10 foot thick. Then wait a couple of hundred years, shift the whole show back to Rome, and have a French revolution. Now all these flash 1300s mansions and palaces are ready for the average punter. It's really beautiful and up market in an otherwise challenging part of France.

Stayed in a campsite just across the river - fifteen minute walk into the old town. Many high end shops and strong tourist focus, though the wider population is quite poor. Had dinner in the city centre on Rue Republic. It is still a beautiful town.Read more
waldron barnett clear favourite so far: such blue!
5/4/17Reply
Traveler Yep, blue is wonderful. Bonus snow on the peaks in the horizon. Not going there though, too cold...
5/4/17Reply
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Day 15
Wednesday, May 3, 2017 at 10:15 AM
⛅ 13 °C
Altitude: 14 m
France Arles Railway Station 43.68167, 4.6316743°40’54” N 4°37’54” E
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Arles. What did the Romans do for them..
May 3, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C
A theatre for one, an amphitheatre right next door for two, and a marvellous crypt. Sort of MCG / tennis centre precinct a la first century. Van Gogh also made it his home for some years. His art is reproduced at the sites he painted. In more recent news, today was Arles market day. Hankering for fresh fish, sweet nougat, old car parts or cheap sunnies? Its all here waiting.

Caught the train from Avignon to here. The markets are colourful with food, products, and people. The Roman heritage is very present and still actively used in town.Read more
Dirk Quartel I'd be passing on the fish and looking for the big tray of fresh croissants and French cheeses. This is not the time nor place to be eating healthy!
5/3/17Reply
Traveler Absolutely Dirk , we are one in heart and cheese here. We bought cheese, dip and bread and lunched later in the park by the roman theatre. They also sell nougat in blocks - like four litre ice cream size blocks...
5/4/17Reply
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Day 16
Thursday, May 4, 2017 at 12:00 PM
☁️ 13 °C
Altitude: 17 m
France Pont du Gard 43.94833, 4.5366743°56’54” N 4°32’12” E
Pont du Gard. Built to last.
May 4, 2017 in France ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C
Romans love a good bath. And a fountain or two. Oh and it helps if one keeps the slaving masses alive. All this needs water. As I'm sure you realise, this isn't even a pont; it's an aqueduct. Over 50 km in total, it drops just 25cm per km. Kudos to roman nerds. This span, the longest of the roman ones is over 250 meters long, aka three Airbus A380s. What a testament to roman ingenuity, culture, and the power of water.Read more
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Day 17
Friday, May 5, 2017 at 11:55 AM
☀️ 16 °C
Altitude: 76 m
France Bois de Saleyron 44.375, 4.4233344°22’30” N 4°25’24” E
Now THAT'S a pont.
May 5, 2017 in France ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C
(a bridge for you non francophiles). This one is made without human hands: only nature's hand using stone, water, wind, and time. Pont-dArc is part of the Ardeche gorge: picture the Murray River flowing through the Grampians, it's that huge. It's also a national attraction for canoeing and caving; only partly because we canoed it.

We stayed in a local motorhome parking site for one night here. Dinner in the main street, why did we order pizza?Read more
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Day 18
Saturday, May 6, 2017 at 10:38 AM
⛅ 14 °C
Altitude: 426 m
Switzerland Étoy 46.48072, 6.4342546°28’51” N 6°26’3” E
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Gday from Switzerland.
May 6, 2017 in Switzerland ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
Cloudy and cool here. We'll see what the next few days bring....
Joy Marshalloooo ahhhh that is wonderful
5/6/17Reply
Breathtaking view!
5/7/17Reply
Helen ChessellBeautiful! You certainly moving around. Glad to see you are having a great time!
5/8/17Reply
You have wetted my appetite...only 5 weeks until we're there! Julie
5/17/17Reply
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Day 19
Sunday, May 7, 2017 at 1:38 PM
⛅ 11 °C
Altitude: 570 m
Switzerland Interlaken 46.68833, 7.8616746°41’18” N 7°51’42” E
Interlaken. A destination, a beginning
May 7, 2017 in Switzerland ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C
Interlaken is a big country tourist town. There are plenty of shops restaurants and hotels to keep you fed and comfy. It was raining heaps so we rested up here. Interlaken is also the beginning for ventures in the Jungfrau region. And that's where we are heading next...

We settled here for a few days after the long commute from Provence. Weather was average, waiting for it to break so we can head up the slopes. Rode up Harden Klum for a great view and a cheap lunch. Successfully shopped for shoes and gifts.Read more
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Day 20
Monday, May 8, 2017 at 2:00 PM
⛅ 9 °C
Altitude: 836 m
Switzerland Trümmelbachfälle 46.56863, 7.908846°34’7” N 7°54’32” E
Lauterbrunnen. Sleep under 5 waterfalls
May 8, 2017 in Switzerland ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C
Yep, there are five waterfalls in view as we tuck in for the night. This is because this glacial valley has vertical walls over 200 meters high. It's a long way for water and base jumpers to fall. Some waterfalls are INSIDE the mountains, and the Swiss drill tunnels so you can visit them too. Wonderous, but there's more to come...

This is only half an hour up the road from Interlaken. We stayed in Stechenburg, close to the lifts up to Schilthorn. Walked back from Lauterburnnen , and went to Trummelbach falls.Read more
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Day 21
Tuesday, May 9, 2017 at 11:52 AM
⛅ 0 °C
Altitude: 2,893 m
Switzerland Schilthorn 46.55667, 7.83546°33’24” N 7°50’6” E
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Schilthorn. WOW !!!!!!!!
May 9, 2017 in Switzerland ⋅ ⛅ 0 °C
Wow is international language for 'I do not believe what I am looking at, and clearly no one else in this cable car does either'. It's spoken in unison by all the very moment we break through the clouds. I don't have language, English or otherwise, to say any more. A few photos try in their own way. We've waited days for the weather to clear, and now this is the moment. Its all very very blue, which is very much loved. A tasty lunch topped it all off.Read more
Joy Marshall awesome wow
5/9/17Reply
Helen ChessellGod is amazing!
5/10/17Reply
Beautiful!
5/11/17Reply
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Day 22
Wednesday, May 10, 2017 at 8:36 PM
☀️ 20 °C
Altitude: 84 m
France Rû de Sinotte 47.86333, 3.55547°51’48” N 3°33’18” E
Autostrade/route/bahns. A user guide.
May 10, 2017 in France ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
Here's a quick user guide to motorways, as we've done eight hours on the road today from Switzerland most of the way to Paris.

French autoroute. Respectable paved roads with utterly random toll booths.
Italian autostrade. A bit of old roman goat track with toll booths attached.*
Swiss autosomething. Am I driving? I feel like I'm flying...
Toll booths. Simultaneous yoga stretching and marriage enrichment exercise.
THAT sound. It's either an Aston Martin Vanquish or a Porsche GT3. Always heard before seen.
Fiat Panda. A tin can mechanically or legally incapable of more than 87kph.
A truck. Speed limited to 90 (ish) in 130kph zones. Aka a rolling brick wall.
The other traffic. Happily doing 130kph (except the Pandas). Aka a rolling kick in the behind.
A Motorhome. A hotel suite on wheels, which beyond 110kph thinks and behaves like a hovercraft.
You. A Motorhome, dodging the trucks at 90 and the cars at 130. More on this in another post.

Happy trails to you...

*actually some of the Italian autostrades are amazing. I don't know how this happened.Read more
Joy Marshallstay grounded hovercrafts need water!
5/10/17Reply
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Day 23
Thursday, May 11, 2017 at 1:17 PM
⛅ 19 °C
Altitude: 35 m
France Eiffel Tower 48.85833, 2.2933348°51’30” N 2°17’36” E
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Paris. It's over here.
May 11, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
Buildings. River up the middle. Heaps of old stuff. Yep we are in a city again. Left bank espresso was loved; constant police sirens not so much. I think it'll better on the inside. Well see over next few days.
Stayed in a campsite on the southwest edge of town. Ten minute walk to the train, twenty minute ride into town. Rode the bus across the city from the Tower to the Bastille then walked back to Notre Dame. St Chapelle was amazing. Rode a riverboat up and down the Seine to catch the local charm.Read more
Kathryn Bertram I love the riot of colour in the windows and the intricate details in the wood carvings.
5/13/17Reply
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Day 24
Friday, May 12, 2017 at 10:21 AM
⛅ 16 °C
Altitude: 133 m
France Versailles 48.80333, 2.1233348°48’12” N 2°7’24” E
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Versailles. Birthplace of democracy?
May 12, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
"Versailles represents the highest and lowest points in European royalty" Discuss.
When you are the King, and the Louvre is too dinky and squat, and you don't like the neighbours, you built Versailles.
When you want to forget the poor exist, live in Versailles for a few generations.
When the poor remind you they really do exist, and would like to keep on existing, they cart the royalty from Versailles for especially strong punishment.

It is still stunning inside and out, vast and exorbitant. That happens when you act like a Sun God and spend half the national GDP on your manshed.Read more
Helen, you don't look impressed by all the grandeur
5/21/17Reply
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Day 25
Saturday, May 13, 2017 at 1:18 PM
⛅ 18 °C
Altitude: 38 m
France Place du Palais Royal 48.8616, 2.334348°51’42” N 2°20’3” E
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Paris part two: the art binge session.
May 13, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
We don't aim low: two vast internationally famous museums, one day to do them. An early start leads to a full and brilliant day. Musee d'Orsay in the morning for 19th and 20th century art. They also have a special exhibition on modern art's take on spirituality as seen in the metaphor of landscapes (that's totally me). Starts with Monet, ends with Kandinsky (as you do).
The Louvre in the afternoon for anything this side of India in the past 3000 years that wasn't nailed down (and much that was).
We really enjoyed both these places. Then to finish the day... that's the next post.Read more
Joy Marshall nearly at the front. i got to the space where the tall guy is... awesome
5/14/17Reply
Paulie Proctor Don't you reckon the Mona Lisa seems so much smaller than you expect?
5/16/17Reply
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Day 25
Saturday, May 13, 2017 at 6:44 PM
⛅ 18 °C
Altitude: 73 m
France Place de l'Etoile 48.87167, 2.348°52’18” N 2°18’0” E
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Paris part three. Let's walk up there...
May 13, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
Louvre. Done. Museum d'orsay. Done by 4pm. Now, let's do the Champs-Elysées, Paris' mashup of top end Collins Street shops with Royal Parade width and trees. We walk from the Louvre up to the Arch de Triomphe. Then climb to the top of the Arch for a look at the city.
By now its dinner time. So we walk back down to the Renault concept store. It had an upstairs restaurant overlooking the action on Champs-Elysées. Rough enough. After the traditional slow service we walk for a 9.30pm train 'home'.
Big city touring. Simples.Read more
Esther CowenWOW. What a day!
5/16/17Reply
Paulie Proctor This is a very cool photo.
5/16/17Reply
Dirk Quartel Best round-a-bout in the world. I dare you to hire a push bike and ride around it!
5/16/17Reply
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