Saturday 16th July: Blue Skies, cool in Avignon 18°C to warm in Paris 30°C
Malaucene to Paris: Malaucene to Avignon by car, Avignon to Paris by TGV.
Gite de Roya
Highlight was getting the TGV - Tren Grande Vitesse - which means Big Fast Train - 700k from Avignon to Paris in 2hrs 43 mins, at speeds of up to 300kph - faster than a car, faster than a plane after all the messing around at airports. In fact the TGV holds many speed records approaching 600kph.
We're all up early at 6am. A big day travelling today to Paris. Time for a shower, a quick cup of tea, packing and buying fresh bread for lunch. The car is parked in the free parking area near the church, just 50 metres around the corner. Ian sets the GPS and we're off. It's easy this morning with no traffic at 7am on a Saturday morning. In less than an hour we've been through Carpentras, around the Avignon ring road, filled up with petrol and arrive at the AVIS office at the TGV at five minutes to spare until it opens at 8am. Dropping the keys off was quick, we just had to show the petrol receipt and make note of the little ding in the back from someone who had bumped into Graham when they parked in Bedoin on Mont Ventoux day. The cost of 570 Euro for 4 days was well worth it just to be at The Tour de France on Mont Ventoux.
Gite de Roya
Gite de Roya
Gite de Roya
Gite de Roya
Gite de Roya
Gite de Roya
Gite de Roya
Gite de Roya
Time for a leisurely breakfast in the bus shelter - muesli, yoghurt and a cup of tea. The TGV station is just over the road and we have 45 minutes to spare - better than getting caught in traffic or getting lost. The TGV pulls in on platform 4, and we've booked 1st class seats (just 4 euro extra pp). We're in a set of 4 seats sitting opposite each other across a table. The train cruise out and within 20 minutes we've reached speeds of around 300kph!! It's 700k from Avignon to Paris, and today it's a non-stop TGV, and takes only 2hrs 43mins.
After whizzing through the French countryside, at 12.20, five minutes early, our TGV pulls into Paris Gare du Lyon, and we head for the ticket office to get tickets for the RER line D to Gare du Nord. So far so good. At 1pm the RER metro pulls in and we walk up to Rue Dunkerque then around the corner to 31 Boulevard de Rochechouart, our AirBnB for 3 nights. It's easy to find, and we follow the instructions to enter the code for the front street door, then the next security door, then walk to the 3rd floor. In two minutes, Michel arrives by lift and shows us through explaining all the electrical stuff and giving us a run down on the photos and paintings on the walls - he used to live in this apartment but AirBnB has probably been a very viable little business for him and he now lives around the corner. The apartment is fabulous, two bedrooms, and a largish dining/lounge room with kitchen and bathroom. Quite big for Paris.
Michel has already brought our large suitcase (the one we posted to him from Menton) and it's there safely in our bedroom. The apartment looks out on Montemarte and through the trees we can see the Sacre-Couer Basilica. So we have lunch with a view. Later, Ian and I go walking - that's what you do in Paris - down to the Arc de Triomphe, down the Champs Elysee, along the Seine to Notre Dame, up through the Louvre and back to Montemarte - about a 10k walk in 3 hrs.
Jenny and Graham have gone shopping at Carrefoures and have returned with enough food for the next 3 days. Tonights dinner is smoked trout with salad, together with a pink champagne. Bed at 10pm.