Tag: Paris

Versailles 31.7.25

1 August 2025 / admin

Versailles Statues 31.7.25

When we booked this trip we knew we would have a free day in Paris so by looking at the berthing location it was clear that it was a walk across the road onto the Metro which had a fast direct service to Versailles – it seemed an obvious way of using the day.

About three weeks before departure (so almost four weeks ago) I decided to check the detail using the ratp journey planner. After some “fun” I find out a few things. First up track works disrupting services are NOT loaded into the ratp journey planner until three weeks prior to operation even when they are known about and planned months in advance. Reading the website showed that the relevant line was disrupted in July and August – but the journey planner was showing normal journeys because it was more than 3 weeks before the journey date. Hence if you have issued a press release saying the line is disrupted then you must be able to update the journey planner, indeed why would anyone not do so? Unless you are from Paris obviously. It turns out that the relevant line is completely closed for today, not a single service will run. So working out where we are and the nearest metro station turns the journey into an initial walk, three trains and then something like 20 minutes’ walk at Versailles as we no longer arrive at the nearest station. This does not sound like fun and my plans are over-ruled – we shall go by taxi!

For the Palace we had made an 11:30 booking and, unlike the Pena Palace, Versailles clear the 11am queue and then immediately start letting the 11:30 booking line in with only a short delay – so although the very hot weather has returned we do not spend too long standing in the sun which is welcome.

Royal Chapel Versailles 31.7.25

My Canon appears to have gone on the blink this morning and so all shots were taken with my phone. These days can you tell the difference? A lot of my photos appear to be of the ceilings – simply because of the crowds – which have always been true of the palace I suppose.

Given the heat and the walking when we find we have not booked access to the gardens I am not that bothered – they are obviously extensive but the grounds close to the palace are closed and being reworked and those further afield look like being a long walk – so on the whole being prevented from going further is a good thing.

Hall of Mirrors Versailles 31.7.25

Versailles is impressive – but the crowds are difficult – there are several guided tours ahead of us and it is impossible to take in more than an impression of the grandeur which exists. The Hall of Mirrors remains the standout of course but I wonder how much is lost in the crush. We get a reasonable lunch and then head back out towards where I had spotted taxis earlier and indeed there is a taxi rank very close which is at variance with the guidance found online so we are soon taken back to the boat to enable packing before our final dinner.

London – Paris 25.7.25

26 July 2025 / admin

Eurostar 4019 25.7.25

Our travel plan today commences at Sandhurst and a GWR unit to Redhill where we transfer to a Thameslink service to London St Pancras International for a Eurostar service to Paris. It is impossible apparently to purchase this as a single ticket as we no have ticket office to write one up. So each leg is a separate ticket.

Whilst we were a couple of minutes late into Redhill no problems were anticipated as trains were coming and going but a points failure at Three Bridges led to our connecting service allegedly being cancelled (it was actually sent up the Quarry line so could not stop at Redhill) which meant that we had to take the next service towards London – which kept being delayed and so we were about 24 minutes late into London St Pancras International (later delay repay was requested and granted – but it did nothing for the mental pressures at Redhill where there were numerous people who knew less than I did).

We now enter the hell hole of Eurostar and general incompetence. Documentation from our tour company said arrive two hours before departure (so 10:31). We were at the “Disney” line entrance at 10:46 which the Eurostar ticket said was the time we needed to be there (precisely). Were they welcoming passengers for the 12:31 departure? Of course not! Eventually we are permitted to trail up and down the Disney lines before scanning ticket, putting luggage on scanner belts (why – this is a train). One lady in front was shouted at but was physically unable to lift her bag, so I did that. Jackie was told quite abruptly hers had to go in tray. Today we are NOT taking belts off or taking iPads out of luggage. Again no consistency.

Then in the crowded waiting area we are penned in for fifty minutes. Two other services depart before we are allowed access to platform 8 for once a good 25 minutes prior to departure – but the train had been sitting there for some time before that. Very poor people management – no need to arrive so early, no need for bag and people scans – this is a train.

The watch wound forward one hour (I have that right this time) and at 12:31 (13:31 on my watch) we are off. We slide past Stratford International, Ebbsfleet and Ashford sympathising with those who might find any of these locations a good starting point for an International journey.

Once underwater (and I can confirm that there were no visible fish) lunch of either buttermilk chicken or tuna nicoise salad was served. It lived down to the usual expectation of Eurostar food. Even worse for one of our neighbours. They were carefully asked about allergies before serving (as were we) – she indicated a wheat allergy and they STILL put an ordinary bread roll on the tray. Unforgivable. Somehow there is also a complete inability to deliver tea and coffee so we are offered more (absolutely awful) wine.

I visit the café in coach 9 which feels like walking to Paris and acquire some navigo passes for next Thursday plus a bottle of red wine (187 ml) for the good lady wife as it is something better than the red wine served by Eurostar. By then we are thundering through northern France close to 300 km/hr.

We were met in Paris, loaded onto a coach and then onto La Peripheque to the Seine where we join MS Jane Austen. Check in, unpack. Decent cabin, with a bottle of champagne waiting.

Dinner is excellent, leek soup, beef bourguignon and french cheeses and some decent red wine.

Eiffel Tower 25.7.25

We head up on deck – it is wonderfully warm and having headed in slightly the wrong direction we are in sight of the Eiffel Tower for its 10pm light show. We turn around and start our journey westwards along the Seine.

London to Turin 22 December 2024

23 December 2024 / admin

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.