So the day dawned – no overnight rain – thank goodness.
I’d decided to treat myself to a breakfast from the campsite cafe, so down with the tent, pack it all in the voiture, a shower, then breakfast.
There it was – gone.
I’ve really enjoyed my days in the Luberon. Too much to see, but I now know why people come here. I shall re-read Mr Mayle with added knowledge.
As Mr Arnie would say “ I’ll be back”……
There wasn’t too much of a rush, as I had plenty of time to get to the SNCF Auto Train station. My only time constraint was to catch the 1543 from Avignon TGV station.
Going on the TGV (Train A Grande Vitesse) was another of my “must do” things on this trip. Worked in the UK railway industry for 20 years + ( including on HS1) but never been on one of these beasts. I even went mad and booked First Class…..
I was a bit nervous about using the AutoTrain as it meant that the whereabouts of my car were surrendered to somebody else – control freak maybe ? It was also quite expensive, but I’d decided there seemed no sense in spending time battling North on the roads, whereas the train does it for me in a few hours Anyway, the thought of the TGV beckoned…….
Off to a good start with dumping the car for the Auto Train, all very slick and it disappeared somewhere, hopefully to reappear in Paris tomorrow morning (after an overnight journey with the other cars on a separate train) ….. Pair of comedians running Reception, must get a bit boring at times, I guess.
So now I had to catch my FIRST EVER TGV. The shuttle bus was soon at the TGV station – I was much too early, but better that way, etc, etc. Anyway a bit of people watching is always good fun.
All very organised at the station platform, as there is an allocated position on the platform for each door for each carriage, so no major scramble to get on the train. “My” train was a Duplex double decker, with First Class upstairs. It was on time, as you would expect.
So the target is an IBIS in Paris-Bercy, apparently just over the road from the Auto Train car pickup point – we shall see.
James Bond-like, I’m writing this on the way to Paris (Gare de Lyon). As Mr Fry would say on my TomTom, “Its all going rather swimmingly”. For the record: Train TGV 6122, Voiture 2, seat 92. Current speed 290 km/hr (= 185 m/hr). Effortless….
Sitting opposite a senior French lady. We have just had a 5/10 minute conversation in very halting French ( mine !) with her complete lack of English and we understood each other perfectly ! My French has improved over the last 4 weeks from abysmal to awful, but has got a bit better.
I’m being real schoolboy and tracking the train on the wifi. Here’s a snapshot.
It’s amazing that I’m doing almost the same length of journey that I did a few weeks ago, but in 2 1/2 hrs rather than 2 days ! Incredible ( or should that be incroyable). Impressively, it arrived roughly 10 minutes early at the G de L…..
My plan to walk to the hotel worked out OK, except they are yet again changing the Gare de Lyon – traveaux everywhere, so a few deviations.. The IBIS Styles Paris Bercy Hotel was exactly as predicted by my previous use of Google Earth/maps.
Evening-wise, I walked down to the Seine, crossed the Bercy Bridge and ended up in BOB ( Best of Burgers) Restaurant – sorry Sam). Sat at one of the communal tables and got chatting ( en francais, naturellement ) to the two guys next to me (partly prompted by the passing of two of those unbelievably large floating hotels), one of whom spoke good English.
There was also the French equivalent of a hen party going on, much to our amusement. When I left a handshake was offered. I don’t know if it was because I at least tried to converse in French or whether they were just being friendly to a crazy Englishman in Paris. However, the old lady on the train did the same. so it must mean something………..
Tomorrow – Dieppe.