A 6.30 start was a gentle way to begin what became a very, very busy day. I spent a little while blogging last night's dinner before showering, dressing and going down to breakfast.
The hotel included breakfast as part of the room rate and the Novotel breakfast was a lovely surprise. The selection was enormous, with cereal, yogurt, danish pastries, muffins, fresh fruit, fruit juices, cooked meats and cheeses, breads and even hot sausage, bacon and scrambled eggs, something not always common in continental breakfasts. They even had a machine for you to boil your own egg if you wished to. All of this with some excellent ground coffee made for a really good start of the day. I opted for some salami, cooked ham and a piece of cheese - getting continental; Drew opted for Bacon, Sausage and Scrambled Egg, perhaps a more British breakfast - though nothing like anything we actually have at home.
We went back to the room and headed out of the hotel for the start of our walk at 8.45. We walked up to a local Post Office and bought stamps, it always surprises me how hard it is to do some of the basics in different countries. The Post Office was automated and the machine provided a wide range of options, even allowing you to weigh your mail, but nothing to say what the price of a postcard stamp was. We managed to work out the letter rate and used that (something that was right as we found out when we checked Google later). So my Dad and Drew's Mum have cards on their way - early I know, but the Eurostar gave us a postcard each, so we thought we would use them.
We walked over the front of the Gare de Lyon 
and on to the River Seine - we decided to walk the right bank, and I spotted some steps down to the river itself. 
Of course while I was looking for the route Drew spotted then homeless camp beside us - the smell of pee was quite strong, Drew was accusing me of putting his life at risk - something I've been known to do in cities throughout the world.
and on to the River Seine - we decided to walk the right bank, and I spotted some steps down to the river itself. Of course while I was looking for the route Drew spotted then homeless camp beside us - the smell of pee was quite strong, Drew was accusing me of putting his life at risk - something I've been known to do in cities throughout the world.
As it turned out the walk was a nice one right beside the river with lovely views up towards Notre Dame 
and the Effiel Tower - the opposite side of the river also looked lovely. We walked alongside the river until we reached a canal, which meant we had to go back up to road level and walk on, near, but not right beside the river.
and the Effiel Tower - the opposite side of the river also looked lovely. We walked alongside the river until we reached a canal, which meant we had to go back up to road level and walk on, near, but not right beside the river.
Two hours later we came to a lovely park right behind Notre Dame on Ile de la Cite and stopped for a rest and a read of our guide book. We walked up to the Cathedral and took photos of the outside, 
we had been inside on a previous visit in 2004. There were huge crowds waiting to go inside, so we were glad to give it a miss. We did, however, visit the archaeological site below the Ile, 
which showed the level of the City in Roman days and beyond. This Archaeological Museum was well laid out and had free English translations of the main boards (which were in French). This gave us a real feel for the range of people's who had occupied the Ile and made Paris the City it is today, the museum took us almost an hour and we then walked on to the other sites on the Ile. From there we walked back onto the right bank and up to the Lovre. I didn't realise, having approached the Lovre from the other end in 2004, that opposite the Lovre is the Church of St. Germanus of Auxerre. 
St.Germanus was an influential saint in Wales and his feast day was the day on which we travelled (3rd of August), so I took the opportunity to visit the Church. It was a spectacular vaulted Gothic Church, well worth the visit.
we had been inside on a previous visit in 2004. There were huge crowds waiting to go inside, so we were glad to give it a miss. We did, however, visit the archaeological site below the Ile, which showed the level of the City in Roman days and beyond. This Archaeological Museum was well laid out and had free English translations of the main boards (which were in French). This gave us a real feel for the range of people's who had occupied the Ile and made Paris the City it is today, the museum took us almost an hour and we then walked on to the other sites on the Ile. From there we walked back onto the right bank and up to the Lovre. I didn't realise, having approached the Lovre from the other end in 2004, that opposite the Lovre is the Church of St. Germanus of Auxerre. St.Germanus was an influential saint in Wales and his feast day was the day on which we travelled (3rd of August), so I took the opportunity to visit the Church. It was a spectacular vaulted Gothic Church, well worth the visit.
We decided as it was almost 1.00 that it was time to stop for lunch. This was at the Cafe de Musees where Drew had a Panini San Remo (Tomato, Mozzarella, ham and basil) and I had a Croque Monsieur which we wasked down with a litre of San Pellegrino, this Italian water seems to be the main fizzy water in Paris. We finished with an Expresso each and continued our walk.
We went up through the Lovre, past the pyramid, on to the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel 
through the Jardin des Tuileries and via the Place de la Concorde onto the Champs-Elysees. Each step of this route is filled with pleasures, some of which are captured in our Flickr page and others which only being there can evoke.
through the Jardin des Tuileries and via the Place de la Concorde onto the Champs-Elysees. Each step of this route is filled with pleasures, some of which are captured in our Flickr page and others which only being there can evoke.
The Champs-Elysees was busy, it was great to see the milling crowds moving from shops to restaurants and up and on to the Arc de Triomphe at Place Charles de Gaulle. We took photos 
then sat on a bench and decide what to do next.
then sat on a bench and decide what to do next.
In terms of options we could, of course, have gone down the subway at the Arc de Triomphe and caught the RER A line back to Gare de Lyon, we could have opted to catch the bus back to the hotel if we wanted to see the above ground route - or we could be really stupid and think having walked all the way up the right back of the Seine we should walk back on the left bank - guess what it was this final option we choose!
We walked down Avenue Marceau across the Seine and along the left bank - to be fair the left bank is full of fascinating places and busy street life, so it was a good walk, but for someone who normally walks less than a mile a week, and only annually does the 7 miles from Tongwynlais to Cardiff, it was a long walk. After doing 2/3rds of it we stopped at the Fountain of St. Michael 
(a lovely sight) and sat at a Cafe to have a Coke Light - of course we were in the heart of tourist Paris, facing Notre Dame across the river, so paid 8 Euro each for a glass of Coke! Still my mouth was so dry that I'd have paid 20 Euros if they had asked!
(a lovely sight) and sat at a Cafe to have a Coke Light - of course we were in the heart of tourist Paris, facing Notre Dame across the river, so paid 8 Euro each for a glass of Coke! Still my mouth was so dry that I'd have paid 20 Euros if they had asked!
We continued the walk and arrived back at the Gare de Lyon 
just under 8 hours after we left, I'm sure you can imagine how stiff my calves were by then, but by the time we cross the Gare and got to the hotel we had been out for 8 hours and walking for most of it. Though our legs were sore (even Drew's who walks much more often than me) we enjoyed a real feeling that we have captured the scope and scale of central Paris and enjoyed all the encounters and views along the way. A tiring but enjoyable way to spend the first full day of the holidays.
just under 8 hours after we left, I'm sure you can imagine how stiff my calves were by then, but by the time we cross the Gare and got to the hotel we had been out for 8 hours and walking for most of it. Though our legs were sore (even Drew's who walks much more often than me) we enjoyed a real feeling that we have captured the scope and scale of central Paris and enjoyed all the encounters and views along the way. A tiring but enjoyable way to spend the first full day of the holidays.
The temperature today was around 21 C and there was a light breeze from the River, so excellent walking weather and a good way of enjoying ourselves while getting a nice tan.
Looking forward to your dinner blogs.
ReplyDeleteW
Thanks Wendy,
DeleteLeft the hotel this morning so only limited wi-Fi while around town, so I will blog it, but not sure when I will have a good connection to do so
Brilliant Haydn as ever! I love Paris having first gone on a very unconventional French trip for 10days in my Third year of High School and when Kate and I have been since then we always take the open top bus to see where we want to go and then walk the rest of the time. You miss so much under ground. Lin
ReplyDeleteTrue Linda, it might have been hard on the legs, but it was brilliant.
Delete