Trains and explosions

 

Forecast 10 with drizzle so, rather than repeat last weeks efforts we decided it would be a good day to catch a train and re-visit the ancient town of Melun which we had last seen in 1984. Although not a remarkable place like Provins we have fond memories of an interesting town centre near the train station with a bustling marketplace. We had been there on one of our unsuccessful attempts to reach the lovely Chateau Vaux la Vicomte the tragic forerunner to Versailles with its gardens by La Notre Vaux la Vicomte A short ride on the Metro to Gare de Lyon to connect to the RER and we were away. The somewhat industrial but shorter route through the Val de Marne runs along the Seine for part of the way then cuts across country before rejoining it again at our destination. Melun was not as we remembered - the area around the station was dominated by the bus depot with one miserable looking bar on the corner opposite. Although the sun was shining and it was not too cold we decided that it was not worthwhile venturing further. Coffee an a muffin at the Gare then onto the express train back to Paris (fast and first class).

 

Arriving back in the magnificent old Gare de Lyon building (starting point for the fabled Orient Express) we realised we could not continue without a visit to Le Tren Bleu and all its memories (both for us and of Maggie Smith in “Travels with my Aunt”). 

 

Nothing stays the same - the wonderfully dowdy cafe section has been spruced up and lost all its old world charm.

 

Nevertheless we found a lounge in the Algerian Salon and settled in with Café mignardises (coffee plus macarons). My son David would be happy to see that the renovated menu has “a sélectionné les Grands Cru Nespresso pour vous garantir la meilleure des qualités et une richesse aromatique incomparable.” (Whatever happened to the barista making magic with his steaming machine?).         Too early to go home and looking grey outside so we decided to jump on the metro and go to La Grande Arche de la Défense at the other end of the metro 1 line. After getting lost in the labyrinthine shopping mall layered between the station and the terrace we finally emerged to bitterly cold winds whipping across a rather desolate looking space with some sort of temporary looking fun fair at one end and scaffolding covering the stairs of the monument at the other - definitely time to grab a bottle of wine and head for home.

We emerged from Bastille metro to the sound of explosions and the sight of fully armoured policy running past. Fortunately, it turned out that the explosions were smoke bombs set off by protesters and the running police were just trying to stay ahead of the crowds surging through the square from Republique where a protest has been going on since our arrival last week - la nuit debout     Nuit Debout

After our initial shock and fear we moved closer to find out what it was all about - everything: emergency measures, changes to pensions, unemployment, housing, the Panama papers. The marchers were noisy but well behaved and the police stood by ready for anything untoward. So much drama after such a quiet, reflective day.

Back home we sat with our wine and cheese and thought about what we had experienced in the last couple of days - Versailles, a symbol of all that was wrong in the times of Louis XIV; the Panama Papers and all that they symbolise; the European migrant crisis; the Nuit Debout protesters who have, “no plans and no leaders” who, as one of them has said, “…are demanding nothing,” he wrote. “…after decades of seeing you (the ruling classes) demonstrate your talents and your arrogance, the idea of negotiating anything with you seems absolutely pointless to us.”“We are the crazy Left. And we are coming…” These protesters are yet another example of the anger of the people evidenced by support for Trump and Sanders and Corbyn and extremists of the left and right around the world. 

These are not the peasants of the revolution nor are they the ill fated members of the Paris Commune but they ARE the people and they WILL be heard?

But will they make a difference?

I hope so but I fear not.

It is now 0350, I was woken by sirens outside our apartment at 0130 and can still hear them sporadically around the neighbourhood. Later today we will go to the market at Bastille and it will appear as though it was all a dream but the people will continue to simmer and governments will ignore them at their peril.

Versailles

Weather prediction - 11 and showers.

Cold and wet seems like a good day for a train ride - especially since our Navigo now cover all areas (1-5). Actually not too cold when we set out, sort of Tassie winter. Metro to Invalides the RER to Versailles Rive Gauche arriving 1040 to cool sunshine - can't believe it's been 32 years. 2/3 of building appears to be freshly cleaned and gilt everyIwhere is gleaming (we discovered that everything is being readied for 350 year anniversary in June).

How wonderful to be here early in the season before the hordes of tourists arrive.

The selfie to prove we were here - the concentration is intense and you can't even see the Chateau.

Pleasantly surprised to discover that entry to the gardens is free and one only pays to visit the apartments (no need to see them again - or the hall of mirrors). Not much colour but it all looks dutifully magnificent (we spent a little time reflecting on the poverty of the people that paid for all this and how not a lot has changed - although our poor are so much better off).

 

Garden pictures taken and a few ideas for new work explored then time to go. Exit via the bookshop, explore a little bit of the unrestored wing (cafe, ticket sales, interactive map), down the cobbles, through the gate, weave our way between the tour buses until we enter La place Hoche (Hero of the revolution ). 

Thinking we might find a small cafe round about we walked up the main road and turned down an old Allee called rue des 2 Portes (Interesting shops including a very tempting old bric a brac one which we steeled ourselves to pass without looking too closely). Near the end we came across the wonderful, traditional Charcuterie Artisanale des 2 Portes and decided that it was definitely time for an alfresco repast (no forest or park so we settled for a roadside seat near the markets) - tarte traditionale, salads peidmontaise and exquisite citron meringue tart to finish off (heaven - and many memories of travelling around France in days of yore). Outside the shop we are accosted by an older lady who wanted to know if we had bought our chapeau locally - we had to disappoint her by telling her we had gotten the in Paris.
Across the road was the wonderful Marché Notre-Dame de Versailles built in 1841 and claimed by some to be the best market around Paris. It is built around an open square with roads entering in the middle of each side with each wing housing different specialities (similar to Prahran market). Because it was market day the roads are closed and the square is filled with market stalls (we didn't really need anything but couldn't resist some lovely Vieux Gouda which we had only seen previously at Le Bon Marche - for a lot more money).

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sC5Q8bo_0zg&autoplay=1

Video pans across exterior of market and ends at charcuterie (not mine but you will get the idea)
By 1440 we are back on the train heading home after a most unexpected adventure - not a drop of rain and a really rather pleasant day.

Paris - April 2016

Busy week

Arrived weds 30 March at 0530 after a dreadful flight on Air France from Hong Kong in premium economy. Having previously had a brilliant flight with them (code share J with Vietnam) we thought they would at least be as good as QF but no. Leg room etc was good but seats are worst I've ever flown in - capsule style but with no recline (the seat bottom slides forward slightly) and very hard. Food was just fare.
Tried to contact shuttle service but ended up calling Pompiers so spoke to CDG information people who very kindly made the call for us. Shuttle driver took us via Le Bourget and back streets of St Denis and Clichy to our apartment near Bastille where we were met by Olivier who showed us around and explained everything (and collected the balance of our rent). I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the apartment really was furnished with antiques as advertised - not Louis XIV but an eclectic mix collected by someone over a lifetime which is totally us. 

 

Best of all in a city where these old buildings have minimal bathroom facilities is a beautifully tiled modern Italian bathroom with temperature controlled shower taps (heaven) - Full details Paris apartment

After a nap we wandered down Bde Henry IV past the home of the Republican Guard to a Franprix store for basics to tide us over until the market on Thursday. Came back with a bottle of Moët to celebrate. Early night.