Arriving in Paris

 

H and A arrived in Paris by train from Ghent via Lille . We had to have separate carriages as I booked on eurorail and Heidi on Trainline . All fine . Whizzed by in 1h 15m . Why would anybody travel any differently? 

Gare du Nord was so busy and we didn’t know the system so we elected to take Uber from the station to hotel . 22€ but it was worth it to get across Paris .Compare that with the last day where we took the metro for 2€20 each and in less time . 

First impressions of Paris , so big , tall buildings , spreading , loads of people , cold .But that didn’t stop people eating outdoors. Smoking inside is unusual for us Brits. Doesn’t feel like a bicycle town ( compared to Amsterdam and Ghent ) and pavement camber makes it difficult to walk on . Seine is a huge wide river with long tourist barges. 

Hotel Cler was fine albeit very small and using the paper map off we went . 

The hotel street (apparently where Macron lived before becoming president ) . By day it had shops selling fruit , cheeses , chocolates and wine . Also fish and portions of food you could eat for lunch . Nestled in between red French cafes . 

By night it had expensive restaurants for ordinary people . 75€ for a meal of lamb for A and duck for H , sharing apple tart for dessert . 

But at least we finished the night 50 metres from the hotel . In bed by 2330/2400 and slept till 0930 . Needed the sleep .