France
Petit Pont

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    • Day 54

      And Finally .....Paris

      October 13, 2019 in France ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

      It was rather strange "checking out" of a hotel when there was no one at the desk. In fact there seemed to be no one anywhere. We had been the only people at breakfast in the downstairs cafe and we noticed that the cafe closed as soon as we left.

      With no sign of a soul at the desk, we had no alternative than to just leave the key on the desk, manhandle our luggage down the stairs and out the door and then just let the door slam behind us.

      The sun was already shining brightly and the morning felt like summer again. Since we were still a little early for our train to Paris, we decided to sit in the sunshine doing crossword puzzles instead. The main Gare de Tours was only a 5 minute walk from the Hotel Linxa, so we had plenty of time on our hands. We calculated that we had already stayed in 29 different rooms so far on this trip. We were now about to proceed to the 30th and final room, before we caught the plane back to Melbourne.

      Soon we were seated on the train to Paris, the scenery was flashing past in a blur and we had even been able to find place for our luggage. This had been a long and complicated trip and it is always a relief when every single arrangement along the way goes exactly according to the plan.

      It was only when the train pulled into Montparnasse Station that things took a slightly weird turn. For some reason the train had been diverted away from the main station and we found ourselves climbing out in a completely unfamiliar part of the station complex. In spite of following the "Sortie" signs, we could not find any way to get out of the building (and neither could a group of French people who had the same problem). We even had a couple trips in an elevator, looking for an exit without success.

      By the time we eventually escaped via a construction zone, we were right around the back of the building and had a long walk back to the main entrance. Of course the inevitable happened - Maggie needed a toilet. I waited with all the luggage while she went back inside the station in search of a toilet. I stood outside and fumed.

      About 30 minutes we were finally in a taxi and heading to the apartment we had booked near the Seine. After some difficulty the driver found the place and we rang the owner to let her know we had arrived. The location of the apartment is exceptional - right near the Seine and opposite the I'sle de La Citie. The apartment itself was wonderful. Not only did it have heaps of room, it was brand new and fully equipped. It was easily the best accommodation we have ever enjoyed in Paris. We had arrived at the 30th room and everything had gone as planned.

      After settling in, we went out for a walk. Since we were so close to Notre Dame Cathedral, we went to look at the damage caused by the huge fire earlier this year. Although the entire region is now fenced off from the public, you can clearly see the stabilisation works that have already taken place. The beautiful flying buttresses have now been reinforced with huge wooden beams. Where the stained glass windows used to be are now sheets of clear plastic to keep out the weather. A large wooden roof construction is also taking shape, but we do not know if that is a temporary or permanent feature. It certainly was heartbreaking to see the damage at close quarters. We can only hope that those in authority will act wisely when choosing the best course of action to take in the history of this ancient building.

      We now have two days in Paris before beginning the flight home.
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    • Day 3

      Wandering around Paris

      September 16, 2022 in France ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

      After our fabulous lunch we decided we needed to do a bit of walking - so we did. We went to the Pantheon, Luxembourg Gardens, Notre Dame and île Saint-Louis. We were also entertained by a brass band playing at a food fair by the Seine and had a group of Pompiers (French Fire Fighters) jog past - I was too busy admiring their athletic prowess to take a photo!

      It was sad and overwhelming to see the magnitude of the damage to Notre Dame, still very much under repair. To cheer us up, Ian suggested we go to Berthillon, located on île St Louis, for ice-cream. It worked.
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    • Day 3

      Shakespeare and Company

      July 2, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

      This is a very popular old style library near Ile de la Citè. This old book shop preserves the style of the old Paris librarians and their fascinating atmosphere. A lot of people queue outside to enjoy a relaxing moment in the old shop.Read more

    • Day 1

      Thalys Paris

      March 18, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

      Was für ein Stress, den könnte man häufiger haben.
      Kaum aus Budapest zurück, stand der Thalys schon in Köln bereit.
      Nach einer sehr kurzen Nacht war um 12:40 Uhr Abfahrt nach Paris.
      Während der Fahrt startete der Check In für den bisher längsten Flug und mit etwas Glück war in Reihe 18 der Doppelsitz frei, gegen Gebühr natürlich.
      Entspannt und pünktlich wurde die Hauptstadt erreicht und mit der Metro ging es direkt weiter zum Ibis Styles Port d'Orleans.
      Mit einem Snack und Getränken schauten wir an der Großbaustelle Notre Dame vorbei und fuhren weiter zum Arc de Triomphe.
      Gegen 23 Uhr endete dann das Essen im Hotel und es ging ins Bett.
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    • Day 16

      Notre Dame Cathedral

      May 25, 2015 in France ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

      The Notre Dame cathedral is one of the first Gothic cathedrals ever built. Notre Dame is French for 'Our lady of Paris'. Construction started in 1163 and lasted for almost two decades, opening in 1345. It is one of the largest and most well-known church building in the world. I got to see the Notre Dame both during the day and at night, but to see it lit up at night was incredible!

      Outside the Notre Dame Cathedral was the center of Paris which was used to design the city and everything is measured from that point. We just had to have a photo standing in the center of Paris!
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    • Day 3

      Ile de la Cite

      August 22, 2017 in France ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

      Ile de la Cite is the island in the middle of the Seine,using the Metro once again we traveled to the Cite station where we were close to the Sainte Chappel. This was built between 1239 and 1248 and has 1,113 stained glass scenes which are the main draw card of the Chapel, the windows tell he story of the bible. The chapel was actually built to hold the “Holy relics” purchased from the Emperors of Constantinople in 1239. The lower chapel – built for the use of the palace staff is ornate and the windows are impressive, but it is the easily missed upper chapel (reserved for the use of the King and his family)that is truly amazing
      .
      The next stop was Notre Dame. Unfortunately, we arrived too late to climb the tower and were subjected to extended queuing, however it was worth it to see inside the cathedral which is massive, glorious, impressive…. It’s easy to run out of superlatives. We were also privileged to be able to appreciate the acoustics when a service took place complete with music, singing and robed priests wafting smoke about.

      The day ended with a walk along the Seine and then another Metro ride back to the hostel … for a point of very nice French beer (I was offered Heineken - seriously why would I travel all the way to France to drink crap American beer - eeewww)... phew what a day!
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    • Day 3

      Exploring Saint Michel

      November 7, 2017 in France ⋅ ☀️ 45 °F

      The Saint Michel district is full of these narrow alleyways. It gives the area a very old world European feel. This seems to be an area that's designed, primarily, for tourists. The main things that were seeing around here are souvenir shops, bars and inexpensive places to eat. I guess I can understand that though. We're very close to Notre Dame Cathedral, which is said to be most popular tourist attraction in France. I guess that everyone in this area wants to capitalize on so many visitors coming to this neighborhood.Read more

    • Day 3

      Saint-Michel

      November 7, 2017 in France ⋅ ☀️ 46 °F

      Winding cobblestone streets, flower-adorned balconies and arthouse cinemas: these are only some of the features that contribute to the Saint-Michel neighborhood's charm. Nestled on the west side of the historic Latin Quarter, this is one of the most-visited areas of Paris. Here, you’ll find tourists snapping endless shots of the dramatic St. Michel fountain and the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral, situated just across the Seine River on the opposite bank.Read more

    • Day 3

      Here in Saint Michel

      November 7, 2017 in France ⋅ ☀️ 45 °F

      In Les Miserables, Gavroche sings about the slums of Saint Michel. This probably refers to this area near the Chapel Saint-Michel in the Latin Quarter of Paris, a section in the 5th arrondissement that's traditionally been a big hang-out area for students and artistic types. Read more

    • Day 3

      Yummy!

      November 7, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 46 °F

      This is our first time having real French crepes and it definitely won't be the last! These things are fantastic! Kathy and I shared a crepe with banana and Nutella, the most common variety and our favorite. After around 15 minutes, I started feeling better. Not only was our crepe a great snack it also brought my blood sugar back up to a normal level. Crepes win again!Read more

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