Up with the sparrows yesterday morning as we had to pack up ,clean Le maisonettes ,jump in the car,drive to Carcassonne and leave the car,grab a taxi and drive to Narbonne,catch the train to Gare Lyon.
Well that sounds quite fine but unfortunately it did not end up that way .
We get to Carcassone,drop the car,venture to Narbonne,settle in for a coffee and wait for an hour for the train.
Bernie goes off to the toilet with the intention of collecting coffees on the way back but is alarmed by the fact that our train information is not on the board.He seeks advice,no Anglaise,we have 10 minutes to get our luggage over to one of the back platforms,down and up stairs,and wait in line to get on a train to Bezieres.There is another train strike and our first class tickets to Paris have just gone out the window!
We cram on the train with our luggage,there are NO seats so we sit in a connecting area on our luggage.Fifteen minutes later we are in Bezieres,we get off with thousands of others and head for a small parochial train station.We have a two hour wait and the refreshment area is closed.
We cannot connect to Wi Fi so we read a paper and keep our fingers crossed that we can get a seat.
Another trip down and up stairs with luggage and we throw them into a TVG train.
We found the First Class area and grabbed a couple of seats knowing that we could be kicked out of them if people had booked seats on this train as this was not the train we were booked on .We headed off at 1.30 and headed to Sete,lots of luggage bearing people boarded,but we were safe.We then moved on to Montpellier where thousands of luggage bearing people joined the train but we were still safe.
From Montpellier we travelled to Nimes then to Avignon.From Avignon the train took on full speed and we headed for Paris.The journey took 4 1/2 hours.
The refreshment carriage was closed so you could not even get a coffee or a water. Bernie managed to grab a water from one of the attendants before they closed shop.
We arrived in Gare Lyon at 6,30 and then the circus began!
Trying to get off the train,then trying to get out of the station was no mean feat!
We managed a slalom course and found a Sortie ( exit).
Then we had to walk quite a distance to get a taxi .
We found a taxi and headed to 53 Rue du Faubourg Poissoniere .
We have a rooftop attic room overlooking the rooftops of Paris.
We can see the top of the Eiffel Tower from our kitchen window.
We are met by our hosts and welcomed into their home built in 1883.It is an absolute gem and absolutely Parisienne .
We are past masters on the use of small bathrooms and showers.
We have a welcome wine and chat then head up a spiral staircase to our loft apartment.
We were so tired that we walked outside,purchased some supplies,water et al then headed to a local restaurant for a snack then home to bed.
We have a secret back entrance which takes you up to the 6th floor by a circular staircase.Let me tell you ,you have to be very fit to travel.
Today we have walked miles and miles!
We have taken a boat trip up the Seine and viewed all of the noted sites.We have walked the major streets and promenades and people watched at several cafés .
We are now back at the apartment organising what we will do tomorrow.
We walked to Notre Dame and listened to a band playing in a park adjacent,it was wonderful!
We are totally immersed and ready for another experience tomorrow.