St Pancras Sir John Betjeman
Inevitably a long day but very little walking. After a 5:30 alarm call we descend to the hotel receptionist who kindly makes us a cup of coffee each before letting us out onto the St Pancras concourse where we join our fellow travellers before a quick shopping diversion to obtain some lunch.
The usual demonstration of how not to manage passengers is demonstrated by Eurostar at St Pancras, queuing for check in which could be open but is not; sending luggage, coats, belts through a scanning machine and humans too – yet this does not protect anyone as it is just a train and travellers going through similar tunnels in Japan or Europe are not subject to such scans. Borders do not require such scans – airports do to protect planes possibly – but not a train. Then keep everyone penned up with the train sat in the platform with both imminent departures then using the same platform access rather than spreading the load between platforms – simply wrong headed. This is so far from train travel as to be completely wrong. Once we depart Eurostar then serve the worst excuse for breakfast offered by anyone – Eurostar seem to think that 1/10th of a baguette is a generous breakfast portion. This is really parsimonious – is it any wonder that they have not eliminated flight travel by simply providing a proper rail service?
For reported security reasons we halt at Calais Frethun and lose even more minutes before arriving in Paris about 20 minutes late. The coach connection to Gare de Lyon appears to encounter just about every red light possible during the trip across Paris but the coach driver gets very close to the entrance and the onward TGV is berthed at the nearest platform to where we leave the coach. Once all heads are counted we are able to board, all making it to our seats with a few minutes to spare.
As we head further south the skies become greyer and eventually it starts to rain. Our train pauses once at a station – Macon – and then operationally before taking the single track section which comprises the last section of the route into Chambery, where our train terminates as the onward route suffered a rock fall over a year ago and the remedial work has not yet been completed so we will not go through the rail tunnel at Frejus. It has since re-opened.
Once we have transferred to a coach it gets steadily darker but we are obviously climbing up in the mountains and I wake from a snooze to see snow on the ground and more falling. Unlike rail our driver needs a 30 minute break once we are back in Italy which slows our onward progress to Turin. It is shame that the break was not scheduled during the inevitable wait over in Chambery.
We have managed to pass through France without eating a French meal having consumed nothing of substance for breakfast and an M&S chicken salad for lunch! By the time we reach Turin I am actually feeling hungry. Dinner takes some time to get organised so it is 9pm local time before we eat, which feels late. We are staying in the Hotel Lingotto which is located within the former Fiat factory with the test track on the roof, however we will be unable to visit it tomorrow as it is closed due to lack of staff.
Time for bed.
On this holiday we are travelling once again with Great Rail Journeys – therefore I feel that it is entirely reasonable to quote their description of this day from the brochure listing:
Today we set off on our magical festive holiday which combines two of Europe’s most delightful destinations – Lake Garda where we stay over Christmas, and the charming city of Innsbruck, a seasonal favourite.
Meeting at the London St Pancras, we travel on the Eurostar to Paris in Standard Premier Class. In Paris we change for the First Class service direct to Turin, on a scenic journey which passes the Alps, as we travel in comfort to the handsome Italian city of Turin. Here we spend the night in our hotel, the NH Lingotto Congress, has a surprising history which reflects the city’s heritage. Housed in the old Fiat Factory the hotel still has the Fiat test track on its roof.
The city has a dignified ambience and an artistic, cultural and epicurean heritage. We enjoy our first dinner together at our hotel restaurant this evening.